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How to open a Project Desktop file in Project for the Web?

Leandro Lima and Nathalia Souza3 min of reading

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In this article we will teach step by step to import your Project Desktop project to Project for the Web. You can import any files. Import allows you to use available features only in Project for the Web.




  1. Go to Project homepage (project.microsoft.com)

  2. Click New Project > Import Project;

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  3. Click Choose .mpp file and select the saved file on your computer;

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  4. Follow the steps outlined by the import assistant;

  5. Share and start working on your project!

Why make the import?

  • Sharing: Project Desktop does not allow users to share their projects simultaneously with team members. However, by importing your .mpp file, you can share it with any feature. People with Project Plan 1, Project Plan 3 and Project Plan 5 licenses can have full access to editing these projects, while people with Office 365 licenses can see your project in a read-only view.
  • Reports: Use Power BI to create reports from your projects. Share these reports with the project stakeholders so they can get a real-time view of the team's work.
  • Archive: Import your old project files so you can have all your Project information in one place and easily find all your old projects.

    • What's imported?

    Project for the Web does not have all the same features as Project Desktop. However, all relevant information from your project is imported so that you can make efficient management. Some imported items are:

  • Project: Your project name and start date will be imported.
  • Tasks: Your tasks will be imported respecting the hierarchy of the analytical structure of projects (EAP), start and end dates, duration, effort, completed effort and % complete.
  • Dependencies: All end to start dependencies will be imported.
  • Restrictions: Task scheduling restrictions will be imported.
  • Custom fields: You can import up to 10 local custom fields from your .mpp file.

    • What are the import limitations?

    Any .mpp files from Project Desktop 2016 or later can be imported into Project for the Web. However, even though Project for the Web is a great option to manage projects, it is a product more focused on agile and less resourceful project management than Project Online.

    If you are interested in Microsoft PPM licenses or want to know more, please Schedule a conference And we will be happy to answer your questions.

    Original content from the MLPro editorial library, fully preserved and translated for the English website.

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