Rules for Importing Data

Cobra follows a set of rules when importing resource assignments from an Excel file that was previously exported using the Resource Assignment Export.

These are the rules that Cobra follows:

  • If the Allow changes of scope for an in-progress work package option is selected on the Preferences tab of the Project Properties dialog box, Cobra will import any changes made to an in-progress work package in the exported Excel file.
  • Cobra ignores any values edited for completed control accounts in the exported Excel file.
  • Cobra will not import control account start and finish dates that you modified in the exported Excel file.
  • Cobra will import work package start and finish dates that you modified in the exported Excel file.
  • If the work package dates are extended past the control account dates, Cobra will not import the expanded dates and any accompanying changes in time-phased data.
  • For forecast classes, only values in the remaining periods (periods past the status dates) can be modified and imported.
  • You cannot add new work packages and control accounts to the exported Excel file. If they are added to the Excel file or if existing control account/work package names are modified, Cobra will not import them.
  • You cannot modify the control account and work package status. Cobra will not import modified control account and work package statuses.
  • You can add a new resource assignment to the control account and work package, provided that the resource already exists in the project's Resource file.
  • You can add a class to an existing resource assignment, provided that the class already exists in the project.
  • Cobra will not import blank rows in the Excel file.
  • You cannot add time-phased date columns to the exported Excel file.
  • You can modify the result in the exported Excel file. If you modified the result, Cobra will import the result's value. For example if you exported the DIRECT result, and then changed DIRECT to HOURS in the exported Excel file, the values that are counted against HOURS will be imported against the HOURS result.
  • The import file must not contain a single work package with duplicate resources.
  • For empty time-phased periods, enter zero values.