Why export now, not in September
Microsoft Project Online will be retired on September 30, 2026, as announced in theofficial documentation: after that date the service will no longer be available and the data left inside will no longer be accessible. Lesales of new season ticketsthey have been closed since 1 October 2025 and from April 2026 it is no longer possible to create new tenants. For an Italian PMO or PM who still has plans on the platform, the task is not to "export everything": it is to save the things that are needed to continue to govern the projects, in formats that will remain readable when Project Online is no longer there.
What to export: the essential list
Before opening Excel, take an inventory of what really lives inside Project Online. Typically six items are needed.
- Project plans (.mpp). If you have a Project Professional license, save a local copy of each project in .mpp format: it is the most complete format for reconstructing the schedule, dependencies and constraints.
- Activities, resources and assignments. The cleanest way to extract structured data is Project Online's OData feed: connect Excel to the PWA site address followed by /_api/ProjectData/ and download the Projects, Tasks, Resources, and Assignments tables.
- The baselines. They are the contractual reference of each project: export them as tables with the date they were saved, so you will always know what was promised and when.
- Custom reports. If you have reports saved in the PWA Reports collection, download them: they contain calculation logic that would be a shame to rewrite from scratch.
- The calendars. Project calendar, company holidays, and resource calendars determine the dates of each task: document these, otherwise the new tool will recalculate different dates.
- Project site documents. Risks, problems and deliverables do not live in the plans but in the SharePoint sites linked to each project: they must be copied together with the data.
The order of the steps
- Take inventory.List of active projects, managers and contents. A few minutes well spent: avoid discovering a forgotten project in September.
- Export structured data with Excel.Connect to the OData feed (/_api/ProjectData/), load the main entities and save each table as a local worksheet. The procedure isdocumented by Microsoftfor creating reports in Excel: the same path applies to export.
- Save the .mpp copies.With Project Professional, open each project and save a local copy. If you don't have the desktop client, the OData export still covers the essential state.
- Export reports.From the PWA Reports collection, download the Excel files of the customized reports, noting which data they are based on.
- Document the definitions.Custom fields, control tables and calendars must be described in a worksheet: they are the configuration that you will have to recreate wherever you go.
- Copy project site documents.Risks, issues and deliverables from linked SharePoint sites, in the same folder as the corresponding project export.
- Check.Open each exported file and check that it reads: an unverified export is an export that does not exist.
How to store exported data
Create a single company folder, for example on SharePoint or OneDrive, with a fixed structure: a subfolder per project, in which .mpp, Excel tables, reports and documents end up. Name the files with the export date, so the baseline remains distinguishable forever. Keep an index sheet listing what was exported and when. And do an opening check on a second computer: a file that opens only on your PC is a risk, not a backup.
What you DO NOT need to export
To stay on schedule, forget about: the personal views of each user, which are recreated in half an hour; the intermediate preliminary versions never published; the complete timephased history of projects closed for years, of which the totals are sufficient (except for contractual obligations); closed tasks without legal or audit value. Every hour spent on dead data is an hour taken away from verifying live data.
Summary table: what to save, in what format
| Given | Recommended format | Because it's needed | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project plans | .mpp files | Rebuild scheduling and dependencies | High |
| Baselines | Excel table with freeze date | Contractual reference for variances and EVM | High |
| Activities, resources, assignments | Excel via OData (/_api/ProjectData/) | Basis for every reconstruction | High |
| Custom reports | Excel file from the Reports collection | Save the calculation logics | Average |
| Calendars | Documentation of working days and holidays | Recreate correct dates | Average |
| Project site documents | Copying files | Operational continuity | Average |
| Personal views and preliminary versions | Non esportare | Quickly recreated | Low |
Frequently asked questions
When should I start exporting?
Immediately. The deadline is September 30, 2026, but the export must be done while the service is stable and the people who know the projects are still in the company. Waiting for summer means concentrating work and risks in a few weeks.
Do you need Project Professional to export?
For structured data, no: Excel and the OData feed are enough. The desktop client is useful if you want complete .mpp copies, but the essential state (tasks, dates, assignments, baselines) still comes out via OData.
Will the data remain readable after September 30, 2026?
Yes, if you export them to documented formats like Excel and .mpp, which open with desktop versions of Project. The data left in Project Online, however, will no longer be accessible after disposal.
Can I export everything in one go?
Structured data yes, via OData. Reports, project site documents and definitions (fields, control tables, calendars) must be collected separately: this is why it is best to follow the order of the steps above.
After export: rebuild control
Export is not the destination: it is the bridge. The next step is to decide where to reconstruct the essential state of the projects: the baseline from which to measure variances, costs and progress. If you are evaluating a project control tool, know that ControlRoom does not import data from Project Online: automatic import is not available, so you export the data and reconstruct it in the new environment. Le guide sullagestione della baselineand on theEVMthey help understand what to rebuild and in what order. To see if the tool is right for you, you canrequest the free demo.