We’re thrilled to announce a new enhancement to ProjectControls.online: Auto-Conversion for importing Excel Look Ahead Schedules! This new feature automatically detects the location of your data within an Excel look-ahead schedule, transforming the import process into a seamless, one-step experience.

Why This Matters

For project managers and schedulers, being able to cross-reference Excel-built look-ahead schedules with Primavera (P6) or MS Project (MSP) schedules is crucial for verifying field work progression (as-built). However, this task has traditionally been incredibly time-consuming, often requiring a meticulous, line-by-line comparison in Excel. With ProjectControls.online, what used to take hours—or even days—can now be accomplished in mere seconds!

How It Works

With our latest update, users can import one or multiple Excel look-ahead schedules and instantly compare them to a P6 or MSP schedule. The only prerequisite is that each line item in the Excel look-ahead schedule must include the corresponding P6 or MSP ID. This inclusion is highly recommended, regardless of whether you use ProjectControls.online, as it significantly simplifies identifying specific tasks—like distinguishing one “Pour Concrete” task from several similar ones within a larger schedule.

The Power of Auto-Conversion

The new Auto-Conversion feature takes the guesswork out of data extraction from Excel look-ahead schedules. Recognizing that these schedules are often formatted differently, ProjectControls.online identifies commonalities and auto-generates a conversion that facilitates quick comparisons. This improvement means that importing Excel look-ahead schedules is now as simple as uploading your file.

For those who prefer more control, manual editing options remain available, and users can create and assign custom “Templates” to dictate exactly how they want their data converted.

We believe this update will dramatically improve your experience and efficiency when managing schedules. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, happy scheduling!