Knowledge

XER, XML & MPP Files

P6 Professional vs EPPM (Import / Export / Calculation)

Desktop XER vs EPPM XML/XER import-export differences

P6 Gantt of sample EC00515. Horizontal bars on a quarter/month timescale.
This is Professional Activities Gantt. EPPM web is a different product with different menus.

Do not invent UI chrome differences. Only what Oracle documents for exchange and a few XER columns marked Professional-only or EPPM-only.

Products

  • P6 Professional: desktop client. Native exchange format is XER. Can also read/write P6 XML.
  • P6 EPPM (P6 web): web. Imports/exports XER and P6 XML. Oracle: "P6 and P6 Professional handle the import of XER files slightly differently."

Oracle: XER "enables you to export data between P6 Professional release 5.0 or more recent versions, for use within P6 Professional." P6 XML "enables you to share project and baseline information between P6 Professional or P6 EPPM databases."

XER vs P6 XML (Oracle comparison)

Export:

  • XER is proprietary; XML is industry-standard.
  • Both can export multiple projects in one file.
  • XER does not export baselines. XML does.
  • XER can be scheduled as a job service; XML cannot (Oracle's table).

Import:

  • XML enforces individual security; XER allows full updates if you are Project Superuser or Admin Superuser.
  • XML opens exclusive; XER opens shared (others can edit mid-import).
  • XML rolls back a failed transaction; XER can partial-commit.
  • XML replaces work shifts; XER tries to insert shifts and can corrupt shift data.
  • XER does not import baselines. XML does.
  • Both can import multiple projects from one file.

EPPM XER import notes (Oracle):

  • In Professional, only Admin Superuser or Project Superuser can import projects; in P6 (web), any user with the appropriate permissions can.
  • P6 web uses the same import-option set for XER as for XML. Professional's XER import options are thinner.
  • ProjRisks travel in XER into EPPM but are not visible in P6 web. Oracle recommends XML for risk data.
  • Activity Owner imports only if that user already exists in the target database.

XER columns Oracle marks as one-product-only (examples)

From the PROJECT / TASK / CALENDAR maps: last_schedule_date (EPPM only), sum_data_date (Professional only), msp_managed_flag (Professional only), rsrc_private (EPPM only), est_wt on TASK (Professional only), several timesheet/pending TASKRSRC fields (Professional only).

Calculation engines are intended to match; do not claim a float-formula difference without a citation. Import/export and security are the differences that matter for a converter.

Sources

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