Exporting from P6

Most results that look wrong trace back to the export. Five minutes here saves an afternoon of chasing figures.

Before you export#

1. Status the programme

   Enter actual dates, remaining durations and percent complete up to the data date.

2. Schedule it (F9)

   Set the data date and schedule the project. This is the step that matters most: P6 writes the early and late dates, and the float, at the last schedule run. Skip it and the file describes a plan that no longer exists.

3. Check the schedule options

   Retained Logic is the defensible choice for progressed work. Note how total float is calculated and whether open-ended activities are made critical: the forensic module reads these options from the XER and compares like with like.

Exporting an XER#

1. Open the export wizard

   In P6 Professional: File → Export, choose the XER format, then Project.

2. Select one project

   Tick the project you want analysed. If an XER holds several projects, the app analyses the one with the most activities, so export them one at a time.

3. Save and upload

   Give the file a name that carries its data date or revision, for example NAR-Rev06-2026-06-30.xer. It keeps updates in order when you compare them.

Exporting P6 XML#

The P6 XML export (the APIBusinessObjects format) works too, including from P6 EPPM. Two differences to know about:

• XML doesn't carry total float. The app derives it from each activity's late and early finish on its own calendar, and says so on the dashboard.
• XML writes percent complete as a fraction. The app handles this, so 1.0 reads as 100%, not 1%.

Common mistakes#