How to import Excel data into Office Timeline Online

Overview 

Users can efficiently import project data from Excel into Office Timeline Online. Using the Excel Import functionality, this guide will demonstrate how to convert your spreadsheet into a visually appealing timeline. You will learn to:

A) Set up your Excel data

B) Bring your data into Office Timeline

C) Map your columns

D) Select rows for import

Read the entire step-by-step guide or click on any of the links above to jump to the section you’re most interested in. 

A)  Set up your Excel data

Before you import your data, we recommend you ensure your spreadsheet is set up properly. Below you can see an example of how your data should be organized in Excel to load it into Office Timeline Online successfully:

Download an Excel schedule formatting sample from here

1. Tasks should have a Title, Start date, and End date.
2. Milestones come with a Title and either a Start date or End date.
3. It’s best to add a Row ID column and fill it out with a unique identifier for each of your tasks and milestones. This will be helpful later when refreshing your timeline to match any changes in your Excel file.

Notes:

• Including a % Complete column is optional; if used, enter only numbers without the "%" symbol to ensure proper import.
• You can add a Notes column before importing; these notes will appear in the Edit Data window but won't be visible on the timeline to prevent overcrowding.
• If you wish to import Swimlanes from Excel, you’ll need to add an extra column in your spreadsheet. Find out more about importing Swimlanes from Excel here.

B) Bring your data into Office Timeline

1. Click 'New' from the left-side menu, then select 'Import Data'.
   
2. Pick 'Import from Excel' from the options displayed.
   
3. Here you can drag-and-drop or browse to upload your Excel file. If needed, you can download an Excel template file.
   
4. If your Excel file has multiple sheets, select the desired sheet from the drop-down menu. Office Timeline will import your data and automatically detect the column headers. 
   
   You can change the header by checking the desired row or switch between International and US date formats. When ready, click Next to proceed to the Map Columns tab.

B) Map your columns

1. In the Map Columns step, Office Timeline will automatically detect and map the mandatory Title, Start Date, and End Date columns if your spreadsheet is set up as described in section (A).
   Additionally, you can map the % Complete, Notes, and Swimlane (if available).

2. If you want to import unmapped columns, you can easily remap the data. Click the dropdown arrow above the column you wish to map and select the desired Office Timeline header. 

   
3. To exclude a column from the import process, simply click the dropdown arrow next to its header and choose the 'Unmap' option.
4. Once you have mapped your columns, click Next to continue. 

C) Select rows to import

After you finish mapping columns, you'll get to the Select Rows step, where you can double-check your data and choose exactly what tasks and milestones you want to import.

1. You can use the checkboxes next to each row to select or deselect individual tasks and milestones or click the box in the top-left corner of the table to simultaneously select/deselect all rows in your current view.
   
2. For complex projects with 50 or more rows, manually selecting tasks can be tedious. To streamline this, Office Timeline Online offers a filtering option. Click 'Filter' to customize your view and apply up to 3 filters simultaneously, allowing you to easily select the rows you need.
   
3. After applying the filter, you can quickly select or deselect all rows by clicking the checkbox in the top-left corner of the table.
   

4. When you’re done selecting the rows to import, click the green Import button, and the add-in will instantly generate your timeline, which you can then edit and style as you wish.