Import Record Documents from a Spreadsheet

This topic offers guidelines on creating a spreadsheet template in Microsoft Excel for importing existing record documents into Project Center.

You can access the sample record document spreadsheet template supplied with Project Center in its default location: C:\Program Files\Newforma\Twelfth Edition\Project Center\Templates\Import_Record_Documents_Template.xlsx.

You must be a Project Center administrator to perform this procedure.

Record documents fields

The import spreadsheet has the following fields:

●        Number – Unique numbers are required.

●        Title – Not required.

●        Size – Not required.

●        Scale – Not required.

●        Keywords – Not required. A list of keywords for the record document, delimited by semi-colons (;). It must match the keyword list if the user is not allowed to edit the keyword list.

●        Discipline – Not required.

●        Owner - Not required. If used, must be a valid email address format or project team member name.

●        Team Members – Not required. If used, must be in a valid email address format or project team member name.

●        Description – Not required.

●        Type – Not required. A list of type keywords for the record document, delimited by semi-colons (;). It must match the type keyword list if the user is not allowed to edit the type keyword list.

●        Purpose – Not required. A list of purpose keywords for the record document, delimited by semi-colons (;). It must match the purpose keyword list if the user is not allowed to edit the type keyword list.

●        Revision number - Not required. If left empty, a new auto number will be assigned to the new revision. If entered, for the new revision, the number should be unique in that record document. If entered a revision number of an existing revision, the existing revision will be modified.

●        Revision prefix - Not required.

●        Revision suffix - Not required.

●        Supporting Docs – Not required. List of full UNC paths to any file type separated by asterisks.

●        ID – GUID of the record document. Leave blank. For internal use only.

To create an import file for record documents and import it

1.     Make a backup copy of your existing spreadsheet with the data.

2.     Edit the spreadsheet and fill in the required data:

●        Remove any extra rows.

●        Determine how your fields map to Project Center fields (you can rearrange columns to match Project Center columns).

●        To import  record documents correctly, you must format your Excel spreadsheet to the exact format as the template supplied above.

3.     Copy your data columns to the Import_Record_Documents_Template.xlsx file, replacing the sample columns with your own information.

4.     The Discipline - Delete, Purpose - Delete and Type - Delete tabs include the keyword list values for the Discipline, Purpose and Type fields. Change any of the existing values by simply typing a new value in the same cell.

For information on extending the list with additional values, please refer to Add Keyword Values to a Spreadsheet Template.

5.     Edit the field values based on the information given in the Record documents fields section above. Add values to fields where required.

6.     After you finish editing the Import_Record_Documents_Template.xlsx spreadsheet, import it into a Project Center project by opening the Document Control activity center, selecting All Record Documents from the Select a View panel and clicking Utilities > Import Spreadsheet from the Tasks panel to open the Select Spreadsheet dialog box, as shown here. Locate the spreadsheet, then click Open.

1        After it is imported, the Import Log dialog box opens showing any import errors. Fix any errors that appear in the spreadsheet, then re-import it.

The import will not succeed until all errors are addressed.

After the spreadsheet is imported, each row in the spreadsheet becomes a record document, and the record documents appear in the appropriate categories.