msproject-merge

MS Project Merge

Smart merge tool for Microsoft Project files with WBS-based conflict resolution.

📥 Download

Download Latest Release

• macOS: MsProjectMerge-v1.0.0.dmg
• Windows: MsProjectMerge-v1.0.0.exe

Note: First-time installation requires a security override. See INSTALL.md for detailed instructions.

✨ Features

Smart Merge

• WBS-based matching: Uses Work Breakdown Structure codes as the primary key
• Automatic conflict resolution: Updates existing tasks or appends new ones
• Multi-file support: Merge multiple overlay files into a single base project

File Format Support

• MSPDI (XML): Full import/export support for Microsoft Project XML format
• Excel: Import and export task data via .xlsx files
• Dependency preservation: Maintains task predecessors and link types

Modern UI

• 3-Step Wizard: Select → Review → Export
• Task Editing: Edit any task field directly in Step 2
• Dark Theme: Professional dark mode with modern aesthetics
• Status Badges: Color-coded task status indicators

🚀 Quick Start

1. Download the installer for your platform
2. Launch MS Project Merge
3. Step 1: Add your Base Project and Overlay files
4. Step 2: Review merged data, edit tasks as needed
5. Step 3: Export to MSPDI (XML) or Excel

📖 How It Works

Merge Logic

The merger uses WBS codes to match tasks:

1. Base Project: The first file you load becomes the base
2. Overlay Files: Additional files are merged into the base
3. Matching: Tasks with the same WBS code are updated
4. Appending: Tasks with new WBS codes are added to the end

What Gets Updated

When a WBS match is found, these fields are updated from the overlay:

• Start/Finish Dates
• Duration
• % Complete
• Resource Names
• Notes/Description

Dependencies

Task dependencies (predecessors) are preserved during merge and export:

• Predecessor UID
• Link Type (Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, etc.)
• Link Lag

🛠️ Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Rust 1.70+ (Install Rust)
• For macOS builds: Xcode Command Line Tools
• For Windows builds (cross-compile): Docker

Build Commands

# Clone the repository
git clone git@github.com:pigeonflight/msproject-merge.git
cd msproject-merge

# Build and run
cargo run

# Build release
cargo build --release

# Build macOS DMG
./build_mac.sh

# Build Windows EXE (requires Docker)
./build_win_docker.sh

See BUILD.md for detailed build instructions.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🔗 Links

• Latest Release
• Build Instructions
• Release Documentation
• Report Issues

💡 Use Cases

• Project Updates: Merge schedule updates from different teams
• Baseline Comparison: Compare current project state with baseline
• Multi-source Integration: Combine tasks from multiple project files
• Data Consolidation: Merge Excel exports back into MS Project format

---

👤 Author

Built by David Bain

Follow @pigeonflight on X for updates and project management insights.

---

Made with ❤️ for project managers everywhere