Support / Import, export & print

Import a Primavera P6 .xer File

Updated · 2 min read

You can bring a Primavera P6 schedule into schedule.construction with its activities, WBS, logic, calendars, and constraints, and send it back out as an XER when you're done.

Export from P6

In Primavera P6 Professional:

  1. File → Export.
  2. Choose Primavera PM - (XER), then Project.
  3. Select the one project you want and save the .xer file.

Export a single project per file. If you get an XER from an owner or another contractor, you can use it as-is.

Import it

  1. Create a new, empty project, or open the one you want to fill. See Build your first schedule.
  2. File ▾ → Import schedule and choose the .xer file.

When it's done you'll see "Imported N tasks / M deps".

Importing replaces the project's entire schedule. To keep what's there, import into a new project instead.

Read the import trust report

After every import, the Import trust report shows what didn't come across exactly:

  • Dropped: P6 data the import couldn't use
  • Remapped: values converted to the nearest supported equivalent
  • Other: notes and the import summary

Check it before you rely on the dates. Then run Analysis ▾ → Validation and compare the project finish and critical path with P6. They should match closely if the calendars came across cleanly.

What comes across

  • Activities with durations, planned and actual dates, and percent complete
  • WBS
  • Relationships (FS, SS, FF, SF) with lag
  • Calendars
  • Constraints
  • Resources and resource assignments

Relationships to activities outside the exported project (external relationships) aren't imported.

Exporting back to P6

Export ▾ → P6 XER, or P6 PMXML for P6 EPPM and newer workflows. See Export your schedule.

Problems

  • "Too many imports; try again shortly." Imports are limited to 10 every 10 minutes per person.
  • The import is refused because of a loop in the logic. The file has a circular relationship. Fix it in P6, or ask the sender to.
  • The import is refused because activities have expenses or delay records. Importing would erase them. Import into a new project instead.
  • Dates differ from P6. Usually calendars. Compare the project calendar's workdays and holidays with P6's. See Work calendars.

More fixes: Import troubleshooting.