Export to MSPDI (Microsoft Project)
Applies to: Pro · Enterprise Last updated: 27-Feb-2026
Overview
Export your schedule as a Microsoft Project XML (MSPDI) file compatible with Microsoft Project 2010 and later. MSPDI is the standard XML interchange format for MS Project, supporting tasks, calendars, relationships, and scheduling data.
Prerequisites
- Active Pro or Enterprise subscription
- At least one schedule loaded
- Export → Microsoft Project XML (.xml) from the Export menu
MSPDI Format
The export conforms to the MSPDI SaveVersion 14 schema. The XML structure follows this hierarchy:
<Project>
<Name>...</Name>
<StartDate>...</StartDate>
<FinishDate>...</FinishDate>
<Calendars>
<Calendar>...</Calendar>
</Calendars>
<Tasks>
<Task UID="0">...</Task> (Project Summary Task)
<Task UID="1">...</Task>
...
</Tasks>
</Project>
Exported Elements
Project Root
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Project name from properties |
| StartDate | Project planned start date |
| FinishDate | Project planned finish date |
| CalendarUID | Reference to the default calendar |
| ScheduleFromStart | Always 1 (schedule from start) |
| CurrentDate | Data date |
| StatusDate | Data date |
| CreationDate | Export timestamp |
Calendars
A single Standard calendar is written with a Monday–Friday, 08:00–17:00 work week pattern.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| UID | 1 |
| Name | Standard |
| IsBaseCalendar | 1 |
| WeekDays | Mon–Fri working (08:00–12:00, 13:00–17:00), Sat–Sun non-working |
Tasks
Each activity is written as a Task element. UID 0 is reserved for the project summary task:
| Element | Mapping |
|---|---|
| UID | Sequential integer (0 = project summary) |
| ID | Sequential integer |
| Name | activity_name |
| Duration | ISO 8601 duration format (e.g., PT40H0M0S) |
| Start | early_start_date |
| Finish | early_end_date |
| EarlyStart | early_start_date |
| EarlyFinish | early_end_date |
| LateStart | late_start_date |
| LateFinish | late_end_date |
| PercentComplete | phys_complete_pct |
| Critical | 1 if total float <= 0, else 0 |
| TotalSlack | total_float_hr_cnt × 600 (tenths of minutes) |
| FreeSlack | free_float_hr_cnt × 600 (tenths of minutes) |
| ConstraintType | See constraint mapping below |
| ConstraintDate | constraint date if applicable |
| WBS | WBS code path |
Constraint Type Mapping
| P6 Constraint | MSPDI ConstraintType | Value |
|---|---|---|
| MSO (Start On) | Must Start On | 1 |
| MFO (Finish On) | Must Finish On | 2 |
| SNET (Start No Earlier Than) | Start No Earlier Than | 3 |
| SNLT (Start No Later Than) | Start No Later Than | 4 |
| FNET (Finish No Earlier Than) | Finish No Earlier Than | 5 |
| FNLT (Finish No Later Than) | Finish No Later Than | 6 |
| ALAP (As Late As Possible) | As Late As Possible | 7 |
| None | As Soon As Possible | 0 |
Predecessor Links
Each task includes PredecessorLink elements for its relationships:
| Element | Mapping |
|---|---|
| PredecessorUID | UID of the predecessor task |
| Type | See relationship type mapping |
| LinkLag | lag_hr_cnt × 6000 (tenths of minutes) |
| LagFormat | 7 (elapsed hours) |
Relationship Type Mapping
| P6 Type | MSPDI Type Value | Name |
|---|---|---|
| PR_FS | 1 | Finish-to-Start |
| PR_SS | 0 | Start-to-Start |
| PR_FF | 0 | Finish-to-Finish |
| PR_SF | 3 | Start-to-Finish |
Export Process
- Select Export → Microsoft Project XML (.xml) from the Export menu
- The export generates immediately
- The browser downloads the
.xmlfile
File Naming
{project_name}_{YYYY-MM-DD}.xml
Limitations
| Limitation | Detail |
|---|---|
| No resources | Resource assignments are not included in the MSPDI export |
| Single calendar | Only a Standard Mon–Fri 8–5 calendar is written (custom calendars are not mapped) |
| No WBS summary tasks | WBS hierarchy is captured in the WBS code field but not as summary task nesting |
| No activity codes | P6 activity codes are not mapped to MS Project custom fields |
| No UDFs | User Defined Fields are not exported |
| Lag precision | Lag is converted to tenths of minutes, which may introduce minor rounding |
Tips & Best Practices
- Use MSPDI export when sharing with teams that use Microsoft Project 2010 or later
- After importing into MS Project, review the calendar assignments — the default Standard calendar may differ from your P6 calendars
- For full-fidelity P6 data exchange, use the XER export instead
- Check constraint mappings after import — MS Project interprets some constraints differently than P6
Related Documentation
- Export to XER — Full-fidelity Primavera P6 export
- Export to XML — Oracle PMXML export
- Printing — Generate PDF output