If you look under Project’s File menu, you won’t find the Import wizard. That’s because it opens automatically when you try to open a file type that does not begin with “mp.” In this example, we’re going to click the File menu and choose Open. Then, from the File Type menu, we’ll choose Microsoft Excel Workbooks.

Once we’ve selected our file and clicked Open, we’ll be welcomed to the wizard.

Once we click Next, the wizard will ask us whether we want to choose an existing map or a custom map. This map will tell Project how to interpret your data. We’re going to use an existing map.

Once we choose to use an existing map, we’ll have a list of maps to choose from. The file we’re working with is last year’s resource list for the annual general meeting, so we’ll choose a resource list map.

Once we click Next, we’ll be asked how we want the file to be imported. You can create a new project, attach this information as a separate project, or merge it into the current project.

Now, we’ll be asked what kind of data we want to include. Note that if you are using a Microsoft Excel worksheet, you will probably want to uncheck Import includes headers, if the first row of data names the columns.

Next, Project will ask you to confirm its assumptions about how the data will be imported.

In the middle portion of the window, we can see that all the fields are in red. This means the fields in our worksheet don’t match up with the fields on the map we selected, and Project doesn’t understand them. To fix this, we’ll choose our worksheet from the Source Worksheet Name, since that is going to be the source of the import.

Now, we can map each field to its Project equivalent.

Once we’ve completed our mapping, you’ll see that the fields are no longer in red, and that a proper preview will appear at the bottom of the dialog.

When we click Next, we’ll be in the final stages of the import.

Note that you can save the map to use in the future, or just click Finish to complete the import. If we switch to our Resource sheet, we can see that the import was successful.

These resources can now be edited and assigned as if you created them in Project.