Migrate from SmartTask to Microsoft Project

SmartTask Projects map directly to Microsoft Project container projects. The project name, description, start date, and due date migrate as Project Summary Name, Project Summary Notes, Project Start Date, and Project Finish Date. Each SmartTask project gets its own Microsoft Project calendar (Standard calendar by default; custom calendar migrated if the customer provides calendar definition). Multi-project workspaces in SmartTask are exported as separate MPP files or as a Project Server/Project Online project plan group, depending on the destination environment.

SmartTask Tasks map to Microsoft Project tasks. Standard fields migrate: Task Name (Title), Start and Finish dates (Start and Finish), Duration (computed from SmartTask start-due dates or converted from hours if SmartTask stores duration), Priority (mapped to Microsoft Project Priority field), and Status (mapped to Percent Complete or custom status field). SmartTask checklist items become subtasks in Microsoft Project with indent level preserving the checklist hierarchy. Task description migrates as Notes.

SmartTask Milestones (grouped deadline markers) map to Microsoft Project milestones (tasks with zero duration and the Milestone flag set to Yes). Milestone name and target date migrate directly. If SmartTask milestones carry custom fields, those map to task-level custom fields in Microsoft Project with equivalent data types.

SmartTask tasks linked by predecessor-successor relationships map to Microsoft Project predecessor links. We parse the SmartTask dependency data (if exported via API) and translate it to FS (Finish-to-Start) dependency type by default. If SmartTask stores lag time or lead time on dependencies, we set the Lag field on the predecessor link accordingly. Tasks without explicit dependency links are imported as independent tasks; the project manager reviews and links them in Microsoft Project after migration if needed.

SmartTask assignees map to Microsoft Project resources. We extract every distinct assignee email from SmartTask tasks, match against the destination Project environment's resource list (or create new Material Resources if the destination is Project desktop), and assign them to tasks by email match. Resource names map from the assignee's display name. If SmartTask assignees include role labels (Developer, Designer, PM), we create those as Material Resources for generic assignment. Note that Microsoft Project Resource allocation uses units (0-100%) rather than simple assignment flags.

SmartTask Followers (users tracking a task without being assigned) have no direct Microsoft Project equivalent. Microsoft Project tasks have a single Owner/Assignee field. We export Follower data as a Notes entry (Followers: [name list]) on the task, or we configure a SharePoint Task List integration if the destination is Project for the Web with Microsoft 365, where Followers can be represented as additional column values or Microsoft 365 group membership.

SmartTask recurring tasks with daily, weekly, monthly, or custom recurrence patterns migrate as a single task with the recurrence rule documented in the task Notes field. Microsoft Project does not natively support recurring tasks in the same way; the recurring schedule must be rebuilt by the project manager in Microsoft Project using task calendars or a Project Server/Project Online macro. We flag every recurring task with its recurrence pattern in the migration inventory so the PMO can rebuild the recurrence in the destination.

SmartTask custom field schemas vary by project, which is a known gotcha we address during schema discovery. We catalog every distinct custom field name and data type (string, number, date, yes/no) across all SmartTask projects before mapping. Each destination Microsoft Project file or Project Online project gets custom field definitions (Text1-30, Number1-10, Cost1-10, Flag1-20, Date1-10) matched to the source data types. For projects with inconsistent custom field schemas, we flag anomalies where records use custom fields not defined in their parent project's schema.

SmartTask tags (multi-value per task) map to a Microsoft Project Text custom field with pipe-delimited values, or to an Outline Code field if the destination Project Online environment supports outline codes for classification. We preserve the full tag list and apply all tags per task during import. Tags that represent categories or work types are better suited for a Text custom field; tags that represent hierarchical classification map to Outline Codes.

SmartTask time entries (duration-based or start-end logged hours) map to Microsoft Project Assignment Work field on the relevant resource-task combination. We sum time entries by task and assignee, then set the Work field as Hours. Note that Microsoft Project calculates cost from the Work field multiplied by the resource rate; if SmartTask stores cost separately from duration, we set the Assignment Cost field explicitly. Time tracking visibility post-migration requires the customer to add the Work column to their Gantt view or use the Task Usage view.

SmartTask task-level comments migrate as Microsoft Project task Notes. We preserve the comment author name, timestamp, and full text content. Threaded comment chains are flattened into a single Notes entry with each comment prefixed by author and timestamp to preserve the conversation context. If the destination is Project for the Web with Microsoft 365, comments can be migrated to the built-in task comments API instead.

SmartTask Task Templates define reusable task structures with pre-filled fields for recurring deliverables. Microsoft Project does not have a template object at the task level; project templates (organizing a full project structure) exist as MPP files or SharePoint project templates. We inventory every SmartTask Task Template by name, default fields, and checklist structure and deliver it as a written reference document for the customer's PMO to rebuild as a Microsoft Project template file or as a Power Automate flow that generates tasks from a template.