File formats supported by Project

The standard file format for a project, which uses the .mpp extension.

The standard file format for a project, which uses the .mpp extension. Microsoft Project 2000 (and later versions) supports opening from and saving to the Microsoft Project 98 file format.

This is a template file in which you can save boilerplate information. This format uses the .mpt extension. The global file (global file: A Project file [Global.mpt] that contains information you can use for different projects. Information in a global file can include views, calendars, forms, reports, tables, filters, toolbars, menu bars, macros, and options settings.) (Global.mpt) is a master template file that can contain formatting information for all projects but can't store tasks, resources, or assignments.

An ASCII (ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange.) format used with project management and various other programs that support MPX 4.0. This format uses the .mpx extension. Microsoft Project 4.0, Microsoft Project 4.1, and Microsoft Project 98 use the MPX 4.0 file format. In Microsoft Project 2000 (and later versions), you can no longer save project information to this file format, but you will be able to import field data from this format.

A format used by the Microsoft Office Excel 2003 spreadsheet program. This format uses the .xls extension. You can export field data to this format, but you can't export an entire project.

A format used by the Microsoft Office Excel 2003 spreadsheet programs for a PivotTable report. You can export field data to this format, but you can't export an entire project. You can only export to an Excel PivotTable report; you can't import data from an Excel PivotTable report into Project.

A database format used by Project for storing entire projects. This format uses the .mpd extension.

A database format used by the Microsoft Office Access 2003 database program. You can save all or part of a project to the Microsoft Access 2000 (or later) format, which uses the .mdb extension.

A format used by the ODBC (ODBC: A vendor-neutral interface, based on the SQL Access Group specifications announced by Microsoft. A developer can use ODBC to gain access to data in a heterogeneous environment of relational and nonrelational databases.)-compliant databases that Project supports, namely Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle Server.

Text-only or ASCII (ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange.) format is a generic text format used by word-processing and other programs. This format uses the .txt extension and is tab delimited. You can export field data from a single Project table to this format, but you can't export an entire project.

Comma-separated values (CSV) (CSV: The comma-separated values [CSV] file format is an ASCII, record-based text format in which each field is separated by a list-separator character, usually a comma or semicolon. Each task or resource record ends with a carriage return and linefeed.) is a generic text format used with word-processing and other programs. This format uses the .csv extension and is comma delimited, where values are separated by the system list separator. You can export field data from a single Project table to this format, but you can't export an entire project.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) (HTML: An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language, which is a formatting convention for presenting text and graphics on the World Wide Web.) is a format used by browser programs on the World Wide Web (WWW: A subset of the Internet that uses a graphical user interface as opposed to a text-based user interface. The pages or Web sites that display are formatted using by HTML. Web browsers make it possible for users to view Web sites.) and intranets (intranet: Any network that provides similar services within an organization to those provided by the Internet. An organization's intranet may or may not be connected to the Internet; its information might be distributed only within the company.). This format uses the .htm extension. You can export field data to this format, but you can't export an entire project. You can only export to HTML format, you can't import data from HTML format into Project.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) (XML: Extensible Markup Language [XML] is a format for delivering rich, structured data from an application in a standard, consistent way. XML describes the content of a document, whereas HTML tags describe how the document looks.) is a format used to deliver rich, structured data in a standard, consistent way. This format uses the .xml extension. You can export and import project data with this format. Like the MPX format used in older versions of Project, the XML format can be used to interchange project data between Project and other programs.

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) (GIF file: A compressed graphics file format that Web browsers can display as inline graphics. GIF is widely used for transmitting images across the Internet.) is a graphical image file that can be displayed in Web pages or other programs. This format uses the .gif extension. You can export a Project schedule as a graphical image file for enhancement in a graphics program and for printing on a plotter.