How long does a Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration take?

Single-project migrations under 500 activities typically complete in two to three weeks. Multi-project migrations with shared resource pools, custom fields, and a written gap report for non-exportable views move to four to six weeks. The timeline depends heavily on how quickly the customer completes the export checklist in Merlin Project and how many manual rebuild items need attention in the destination system.

Do Merlin Project's Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views migrate to Microsoft Project?

No. These four view types cannot be exported from Merlin Project in any format. We ask the customer to screenshot these views before migration and document them in a written manual rebuild checklist as part of the migration handoff. The underlying Activities, Dependencies, and Resources captured in the standard exports are the only data that transfers automatically.

What does a Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration typically cost?

Single-project migrations with straightforward task and resource mapping land between $2,500 and $3,500. Multi-project migrations with shared resource pools, custom activity properties, and a full gap report for omitted budgets and constraints move to $5,500-$9,500. The Microsoft Project Plan 3 subscription ($28/user/month) and any required Windows infrastructure for the desktop client are outside the migration fee.

Can we migrate custom activity properties and resource rates to Microsoft Project?

Custom properties defined at the Activity or Resource level in Merlin Project export to MS Project only if the corresponding column is visible in the view at export time. We address this during scoping by providing a column visibility checklist that specifies exactly which custom property columns must be shown before export. Resource rates export correctly through the XML format. If a custom property column is hidden at export time, it is omitted and must be added manually as a custom field in MS Project post-migration.

Do Merlin Project's automations, templates, or workflows migrate to Microsoft Project?

Merlin Project does not have a workflow automation feature in the same sense as cloud-based project tools. Template files (.mproject) and project structure templates can be exported as Merlin Project files and manually reconstructed in MS Project using MS Project's Global Template (Global.MPT) or Organizer to copy forms, views, tables, and filters between project files. We do not provide automation migration for this pair as the platform does not have an automation layer to migrate.

How do we handle the budget and cost data that does not export?

The Merlin Project to MS Project XML export omits activity budgets and base costs per the Merlin export documentation. We capture the budget figures from the Merlin CSV export if the budget column is visible at export time and deliver them as a structured cost entry checklist. The customer's project manager re-enters these values in MS Project before using the plan for financial reporting. We recommend exporting the Merlin Resource view with cost columns visible as a supplement to capture hourly rates and material costs.

Which export format should we use: XML or CSV?

We recommend XML as the primary export format for this migration pair. XML preserves WBS hierarchy depth, dependency type (Finish-to-Start vs Start-to-Start vs others), and milestone flags in a way that CSV does not. CSV exports from Merlin Project are view-dependent and omit the hierarchical structure of the work breakdown. The CSV export serves as a supplemental source for resource rates and custom fields that may not appear cleanly in the XML.

Merlin Project to Microsoft Project Migration — Field-Level Mapping & Rollback

Overview

What this migration involves

Moving from Merlin Project to Microsoft Project is a migration between two desktop-native scheduling platforms with fundamentally different export models and collaboration architectures. Merlin Project uses a file-based CSV and XML export workflow with no public API, while Microsoft Project accepts imported schedules via XML, MPX, or direct MPP read for versions through 2016. We address the export gap by providing a pre-migration column-scoping checklist that ensures every required field including custom properties, resource rates, and constraint flags is visible in the exported view before CSV or XML generation. The built-in Merlin-to-MS Project export omits activity budgets, base costs, and all but one date restriction per task, so we flag these gaps in a written inventory for manual re-entry in Microsoft Project. Dependencies, milestone status, and assignment allocation percentages transfer cleanly through the XML format, which we recommend over CSV for this pair because it preserves hierarchical WBS structure. We do not migrate Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, or Reports views as these cannot be exported from Merlin Project in any format; we document them as manual rebuild items in the destination system.

Field-level fidelity

Every standard and custom field arrives verified.

Schema-aware mapping

AI proposes the map; you confirm before any record moves.

Relationships preserved

Parent–child, lookups, and ownership stay linked.

Full activity history

Calls, emails, meetings — with original timestamps.

Attachments & notes

Documents, uploads, and inline notes move with the record.

Why teams make this switch

Two sides of the same decision

Leaving

Merlin Project

What's pushing teams away

The desktop-first design makes real-time team collaboration difficult — sharing data requires exporting files rather than having a shared web-based workspace.
Organizations requiring a documented public REST API for integrations with accounting systems, CRMs, or custom dashboards find Merlin Project has no such interface.
Teams used to browser-based project tools like Asana or Monday report a steep workflow adjustment when switching to a native desktop application.
Scaling to enterprise multi-user management requires manual license distribution with individual license codes rather than SSO or directory-based provisioning.
Projects requiring web-based client portals or external stakeholder access cannot be accommodated without exporting and hosting project data separately.

Choosing

Microsoft Project

What's pulling them in

Organizations already running Microsoft 365 and Azure AD adopt Microsoft PPM because it slots into existing identity, Teams, and SharePoint infrastructure without requiring a separate identity provider or SSO vendor.
Enterprise PMOs choose it for critical-path scheduling, baseline comparison, cross-project dependencies, and resource utilization reporting that standalone PM tools cannot replicate at this depth.
Project Online's integration with Power BI gives portfolio-level dashboards and cost-rollup reporting that satisfies executive governance requirements without third-party BI tooling.
Government, financial services, and healthcare organizations select it because FedRAMP, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 compliance certifications meet enterprise procurement requirements out of the box.
Large IT departments default to it as the market-leader in project portfolio management software, often driven by corporate licensing agreements that bundle it with other Microsoft 365 seats.

Object mapping

How Merlin Project objects map to Microsoft Project

Each row shows how a Merlin Project object lands in Microsoft Project, including any object-level transformations, lookup resolution, or schema-design dependencies.

Typical mapping — final map is confirmed during the sample migration step.

Merlin Project

Project

maps to

Microsoft Project

Project

1:1

Fully supported

The Merlin Project file maps to a Microsoft Project .mpp or .xml file. Linked subprojects in Merlin Project export as a single consolidated project in MS Project since MS Project handles master and subprojects differently. We verify WBS hierarchy depth after XML import and flag any outline level truncation that requires manual restructure in the destination.

Merlin Project

Activity

maps to

Microsoft Project

Task

1:1

Fully supported

Merlin Project Activities map to Microsoft Project Tasks with name, duration, start date, finish date, and notes preserved through XML export. Work values export in hours only; duration units convert to MS Project duration format. Description text migrates without rich text formatting. Custom activity-level properties migrate as custom fields in MS Project if the destination uses a custom field column configured before import.

Merlin Project

Milestone

maps to

Microsoft Project

Milestone

1:1

Fully supported

Zero-duration milestones export as MS Project milestones with the same name and date. Milestone dates preserve any fixed-date constraint applied in Merlin Project. Milestone notes migrate as Task Notes.

Merlin Project

Dependency

maps to

Microsoft Project

Task Dependency

1:1

Fully supported

Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish, and Start-to-Finish dependencies export as predecessor-successor references in MS Project XML. Dependency type (Finish-to-Start vs others) maps to the MS Project PredecessorLink Type field. Lag time preserves through the XML export. We verify the dependency chain in MS Project after import by reviewing the predecessor column for all non-summary tasks.

Merlin Project

Resource

maps to

Microsoft Project

Resource

1:1

Fully supported

Merlin Project Resources (people, equipment, materials) map to MS Project Resources with name, type, and hourly rate preserved. Material resources export correctly; equipment resources export as work resources in MPX format per the Merlin export notes. We verify resource rates after import against the Merlin Resource view export to catch any rounding or unit discrepancies.

Merlin Project

Assignment

maps to

Microsoft Project

Task Assignment

1:1

Fully supported

The linking table between Activities and Resources with allocation percentage and work units maps to MS Project Assignment records. Assignment-level notes migrate as Assignment Notes in MS Project. Date restrictions on individual assignments do not export per the Merlin export documentation; we flag these in the written inventory for manual entry in MS Project.

Merlin Project

Custom Fields

maps to

Microsoft Project

Custom Fields

lossy

Mapping required

Merlin Project custom properties defined at the Activity or Resource level require the customer to pre-configure matching custom fields in MS Project before import. We provide a column visibility checklist during export preparation that specifies exactly which custom property columns must be visible in the Merlin Project view to appear in the CSV or XML output. Custom fields not visible at export time are omitted and must be added manually post-migration.

Merlin Project

Attachment

maps to

Microsoft Project

Document Attachment

1:1

Fully supported

Merlin Project attachments export as file references in CSV or XML. The actual file binaries are not embedded in the export; we extract the file list and provide a mapping table that the customer's admin uses to re-attach files in MS Project. Attachment references that appear gray in some Microsoft Project configurations require IT review of the SharePoint or OneDrive integration.

Merlin Project

Project Comments and Annotations

maps to

Microsoft Project

Task Notes and Project Notes

1:1

Mapping required

Activity-level notes and project-level annotations export as Task Notes or Summary Task Notes in MS Project XML. Rich text formatting does not carry over; plain text migrates. We verify note length against MS Project's character limits and flag any truncation.

Merlin Project

Scheduling Constraints

maps to

Microsoft Project

Task Constraints

1:1

Mapping required

Merlin Project date restrictions (As Late As Possible, As Soon As Possible, Fixed Start, Fixed End) map to MS Project constraint types. Only one constraint per activity exports; activities with multiple restrictions in Merlin Project require manual review in MS Project after import to determine which constraint takes precedence. We capture the full constraint set from Merlin and provide a constraint mapping table in the written inventory.

Merlin Project	Microsoft Project	Compatibility
Project	Project1:1	Fully supported
Activity	Task1:1	Fully supported
Milestone	Milestone1:1	Fully supported
Dependency	Task Dependency1:1	Fully supported
Resource	Resource1:1	Fully supported
Assignment	Task Assignment1:1	Fully supported
Custom Fields	Custom Fieldslossy	Mapping required
Attachment	Document Attachment1:1	Fully supported
Project Comments and Annotations	Task Notes and Project Notes1:1	Mapping required
Scheduling Constraints	Task Constraints1:1	Mapping required

Gotchas + challenges

What specifically takes care here

Platform-specific issues from each side, plus the pair-specific challenges that don't show up on either platform's page on its own.

Merlin Project gotchas

High

No public API — migrations run on CSV exports only

High

Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views are not exportable

Medium

CSV export captures only the currently open view's column set

Medium

Multi-user license management is per-seat with manual license codes

Low

Scheduling conflicts detected by Merlin are not exported

Microsoft Project gotchas

High

Project for the web is being retired and merged into Microsoft Planner

Medium

Planner-tier portfolio features are incomplete despite Plan 5 labeling

Medium

Web app constraint controls are weaker than the Windows desktop client

High

Project requires a separate license not bundled with standard Microsoft 365

Medium

Project Online API is edition-gated and inconsistently documented

Merlin Project gotchas		Microsoft Project gotchas
Severity	Issue	Severity	Issue
High	No public API — migrations run on CSV exports only	High	Project for the web is being retired and merged into Microsoft Planner
High	Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views are not exportable	Medium	Planner-tier portfolio features are incomplete despite Plan 5 labeling
Medium	CSV export captures only the currently open view's column set	Medium	Web app constraint controls are weaker than the Windows desktop client
Medium	Multi-user license management is per-seat with manual license codes	High	Project requires a separate license not bundled with standard Microsoft 365
Low	Scheduling conflicts detected by Merlin are not exported	Medium	Project Online API is edition-gated and inconsistently documented

Pair-specific challenges

Activity budgets and base costs do not export

The Merlin Project to Microsoft Project XML export explicitly omits activity budgets and base costs per the Merlin export documentation. Teams using Merlin Project for cost tracking must re-enter budget values manually in MS Project after migration. We capture the budget figures from the Merlin CSV export (if the budget column is visible at export time) and deliver them as a separate cost entry checklist for the customer's project manager to re-enter in MS Project before the plan is used for financial reporting.
Only one date restriction exports per activity

Merlin Project allows up to four date restrictions per activity (ASAP, ALAP, Fixed Start, Fixed End), but the MS Project XML export transfers a maximum of one. Activities with multiple constraint types in Merlin Project require manual review in MS Project to determine which constraint should be active. We extract the full constraint set from Merlin Project and provide a per-activity constraint audit report listing every activity with more than one restriction so the customer's scheduler can make an informed decision in MS Project.
Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views are not exportable

Four view types in Merlin Project cannot be exported to CSV, XML, or any interchange format. The data in these views exists as visual representations of the underlying Activities and Dependencies already captured in the standard exports. We ask customers to screenshot these views before migration for reference, and we document which elements must be manually recreated in MS Project as part of the written rebuild checklist. This adds post-migration manual effort that cannot be automated.
MS Project Plan 3 web app has limited scheduling controls

Microsoft Project Plan 3 (the web experience included with the $28/user/month subscription) offers lighter constraint controls than the Windows desktop client. Reviewers on the ProjectWizards blog note that view customization is limited, reporting functions are present but difficult to locate, and file attachments are sometimes grayed out without explanation. Teams relying on Plan 3 web for scheduling may need to use the Windows desktop client (included with Plan 3 but Windows-only) for full constraint and resource leveling functionality.
Work values export only in hours; material resource mapping differs by format

The Merlin Project export to MS Project XML converts all work values to hours regardless of the original unit in Merlin Project. Material resources in MPX format export as work resources, requiring manual correction in MS Project to restore the material resource type. We verify material resource assignments after import against the Merlin Resource export and flag any that require type correction.

Migration approach

Six steps for a successful Merlin Project to Microsoft Project data migration

Export preparation and column scoping

We provide the customer with an export preparation checklist that specifies exactly which columns must be visible in each Merlin Project view before running the export. This includes custom activity properties, resource rates, constraint flags, and assignment allocation percentages. We recommend XML as the primary export format because it preserves WBS hierarchy and dependency type information better than CSV. The customer runs the export within Merlin Project on macOS or iPad; we cannot initiate exports programmatically due to the absence of a Merlin Project API.
Export execution and file collection

The customer exports the project from Merlin Project in XML format (File > Export > MS Project) and runs a complementary CSV export from the Resource view and the Assignment view to capture resource rates and allocation data not guaranteed in the XML. The customer also screenshots Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views for the manual rebuild checklist. We receive the exported files and run a pre-import validation to confirm all required fields are present and identify any gaps from the export.
Constraint audit and gap documentation

We parse the Merlin Project export for every activity with more than one date restriction and build a per-activity constraint audit table. We cross-reference this against the single-constraint limit of the MS Project XML export to identify which constraints will be dropped during import. We also flag the activity budget gap (budgets not exported) and the material resource type issue in MPX format. The output is a written migration gap report delivered to the customer's project manager before MS Project import begins.
MS Project import and schema validation

We import the Merlin Project XML into a test MS Project file and validate the task hierarchy, dependency chain, milestone placement, and resource assignments. We compare task counts, dependency counts, and resource counts against the Merlin export to confirm nothing was dropped during the format conversion. Any missing tasks or broken dependencies trigger a Merlin re-export with corrected column visibility and a repeat of the validation step. We configure any required custom fields in MS Project before import if the customer has custom properties defined.
Production cutover and manual rebuild handoff

We run the production import into the customer's target MS Project file or Project Online environment. We deliver the written gap report and manual rebuild checklist covering omitted budgets, dropped constraints, material resource type corrections, and the non-exportable views (Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, Reports) with screenshots from Merlin Project for reference. We do not rebuild automations or templates as these are not applicable between Merlin Project and Microsoft Project; the checklist covers data gaps only.

Platform deep dives

Context on both ends of the pair

Merlin Project

Source

Strengths

Native macOS and iPad application with consistent Apple UI patterns and offline-first operation.
Full Gantt chart with WBS work breakdown, milestone tracking, and multiple dependency types including Finish-Start, Start-Start, Finish-Finish, and Start-Finish.
Multi-device sync across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro using Merlin Project's native synchronization protocol.
Resource management with person, equipment, and material resource types including hourly rates for cost tracking.
30-day free trial with full feature access, no credit card required for evaluation.

Weaknesses

No documented public REST API — all data exchange requires manual CSV exports per open view, which limits automation and integration options.
Desktop-first architecture makes real-time multi-user collaboration and web-based stakeholder access difficult without exporting files.
Multi-user enterprise management relies on individual license code distribution rather than SSO, SCIM, or directory-based user provisioning.
Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views cannot be exported to any standard format, requiring manual re-creation of these elements after migration.
Collaboration features are limited to Merlin Project's native sync between own devices; there is no shared web workspace for external team members.

Microsoft Project

Destination

Strengths

Deep critical-path scheduling with baseline comparison and cross-project dependency tracking unmatched by lighter PM tools.
Native Azure AD authentication, Teams integration, and Power BI reporting sit on infrastructure enterprises already license and manage.
Enterprise governance controls including demand intake workflows, resource request approval, and portfolio-level capacity analysis.
Supports both Waterfall and Agile methodologies within the same project, accommodating hybrid delivery teams.
Scalable from Project Plan 1 for small teams to Project Server on-premises for regulated industries with strict data-sovereignty requirements.

Weaknesses

Ease-of-use scores trail the category average by a wide margin; onboarding friction frustrates new users consistently across G2 and Capterra reviews.
Pricing ranks 42nd of 49 tools in its category — the total cost of ownership including IT administration and training is rarely recovered for small or mid-market teams.
No built-in client portal, external stakeholder sharing, or proofing workflow, limiting use cases to internal PMO environments only.
The web interface (Project for the web / Planner Premium) has materially weaker constraint controls and resource auto-leveling than the Windows desktop client.
Project for the web is being consolidated into Microsoft Planner, creating uncertainty about which product tier will host project portfolio data long-term.

	Merlin Project Source	Microsoft Project Destination
Strengths	Native macOS and iPad application with consistent Apple UI patterns and offline-first operation. Full Gantt chart with WBS work breakdown, milestone tracking, and multiple dependency types including Finish-Start, Start-Start, Finish-Finish, and Start-Finish. Multi-device sync across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro using Merlin Project's native synchronization protocol. Resource management with person, equipment, and material resource types including hourly rates for cost tracking. 30-day free trial with full feature access, no credit card required for evaluation.	Deep critical-path scheduling with baseline comparison and cross-project dependency tracking unmatched by lighter PM tools. Native Azure AD authentication, Teams integration, and Power BI reporting sit on infrastructure enterprises already license and manage. Enterprise governance controls including demand intake workflows, resource request approval, and portfolio-level capacity analysis. Supports both Waterfall and Agile methodologies within the same project, accommodating hybrid delivery teams. Scalable from Project Plan 1 for small teams to Project Server on-premises for regulated industries with strict data-sovereignty requirements.
Weaknesses	No documented public REST API — all data exchange requires manual CSV exports per open view, which limits automation and integration options. Desktop-first architecture makes real-time multi-user collaboration and web-based stakeholder access difficult without exporting files. Multi-user enterprise management relies on individual license code distribution rather than SSO, SCIM, or directory-based user provisioning. Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views cannot be exported to any standard format, requiring manual re-creation of these elements after migration. Collaboration features are limited to Merlin Project's native sync between own devices; there is no shared web workspace for external team members.	Ease-of-use scores trail the category average by a wide margin; onboarding friction frustrates new users consistently across G2 and Capterra reviews. Pricing ranks 42nd of 49 tools in its category — the total cost of ownership including IT administration and training is rarely recovered for small or mid-market teams. No built-in client portal, external stakeholder sharing, or proofing workflow, limiting use cases to internal PMO environments only. The web interface (Project for the web / Planner Premium) has materially weaker constraint controls and resource auto-leveling than the Windows desktop client. Project for the web is being consolidated into Microsoft Planner, creating uncertainty about which product tier will host project portfolio data long-term.

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Migrate from Merlin Project to Microsoft Project

What this migration involves

Field-level fidelity

Schema-aware mapping

Relationships preserved

Full activity history

Attachments & notes

Two sides of the same decision

Merlin Project

Microsoft Project

How Merlin Project objects map to Microsoft Project

What specifically takes care here

Six steps for a successful Merlin Project to Microsoft Project data migration

Context on both ends of the pair

How hard is this migration?

Estimate your Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration cost

What are you migrating?

Frequently asked questions about Merlin Project to Microsoft Project data migrations

Can't find your answer?

Related migrations to explore

Move from Merlin Project.
Land in Microsoft Project, intact.

Migrate from Merlin Project to Microsoft Project

What this migration involves

Field-level fidelity

Schema-aware mapping

Relationships preserved

Full activity history

Attachments & notes

Two sides of the same decision

Merlin Project

Microsoft Project

How Merlin Project objects map to Microsoft Project

What specifically takes care here

Six steps for a successful Merlin Project to Microsoft Project data migration

Context on both ends of the pair

How hard is this migration?

Estimate your Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration cost

Frequently asked questions about Merlin Project to Microsoft Project data migrations

Can't find your answer?

How long does a Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration take?

Do Merlin Project's Mindmap, Kanban, Netplan, and Reports views migrate to Microsoft Project?

What does a Merlin Project to Microsoft Project migration typically cost?

Can we migrate custom activity properties and resource rates to Microsoft Project?

Do Merlin Project's automations, templates, or workflows migrate to Microsoft Project?

How do we handle the budget and cost data that does not export?

Which export format should we use: XML or CSV?

Related migrations to explore

Move from Merlin Project. Land in Microsoft Project, intact.

Move from Merlin Project.
Land in Microsoft Project, intact.