Copy a task, resource, or Project element

Microsoft Office Project provides several options for copying data within and across projects.

You can copy:

• Entire tasks or resources.

• Specific tasks, resources, or project data.

• Project elements (such as fields, calendars, and filters).

What do you want to do?

Copy a task or resource

Copy specific data to multiple cells

Copy an element across projects

Copy a task or resource

Although you can copy or move a task or resource at any time, it's best to do so before you establish task dependencies. When you copy or move a task or resource, Project, by default, reestablishes task dependencies.

1. In the ID field, select the task or resource that you want to copy or move:

   • To select a row, click the task or resource ID number of the row.

   • To select a group of adjacent rows, hold down SHIFT, and then click the first and last ID numbers of the group.

   • To select several nonadjacent rows, hold down CTRL, and then click the ID numbers.

2. To move the task or resource, click Cut Task or Cut Resource .

   To copy the task or resource, click Copy Task or Copy Resource .

3. In the ID field, select the rows where you want to paste the selection.

4. Click Paste .

   If there is information in the destination row, the new rows will be inserted above the destination row.

Note: 

• When copying a task within the same project, the task's ID numbers are regenerated. If you want to move a task within a project, drag and drop the task in the task list to maintain the task's unique ID numbers.

• Project copies or moves the following associated information with the task or resource: notes, linked or embedded objects, and subtasks, if the selection is a summary task.

• You can set Project to not reestablish task dependencies when moving a task or resource. On the Tools menu, click Options, click the Schedule tab, and then clear the Autolink inserted or moved tasks check box.

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Copy specific data to multiple cells

If you have entered information about one task or resource and you want to duplicate the information for several other tasks or resources, you can easily copy the information to all selected fields at one time. For example, if you manage a large resource pool for a project, and several resources use the same rate of pay, you can enter the pay rate for one resource, and then copy it to each of the remaining resources at one time.

1. Hold down CTRL and click the field associated with a single task or resource that you want to copy, and then click the fields you want to fill or paste into.

2. On the Edit menu, point to Fill, and then click the direction you want.

   • If you click Down, the value in the first field you clicked will be copied to each selected field.

   • If you click Up, the value in the last field you clicked will be copied to each selected field.

   • If you click Right, the value in the first field you clicked will be copied to each selected field to the right of the first value. If you have selected fields to the left of the first value, the value will not be copied to any cells.

   • If you click Left, the value in the first field you clicked will be copied to each selected field to the left of the first value. If you have selected fields to the right of the first value, the value will not be copied to any cells.

You can also copy information and repeat patterns by using the fill handle. Select the information you want to copy. Click the fill handle at the lower-right corner of the selected information, and then drag to include the fields where you want to repeat the selection.

Note: 

• The information you fill or paste must be the same type as the field into which you are pasting. For example, you can paste names into a text field and costs into a currency field.

• You can fill or paste into only those fields that accept entered or default values. You cannot fill fields with information that contains calculated values, such as a variance field.

• On the Edit menu, under Fill, the Right and Left options are available only in the timephased portion of the Resource Usage and Task Usage views.

• On the Task Usage and Resource Usage views, you can only copy rows of the same type by using the fill handle.

• Use caution when pasting dates in scheduling fields, such as Start, Finish, Actual Start, or Actual Finish. You may set an unintended constraint on your schedule.

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Copy an element across projects

You can copy project elements (including fields, groups, calendars, toolbars, maps, forms, tables, filters, views, reports, and modules) between the global file and the active project file, or between two project files.

Tip: If you have an element in a project that you think might be applicable in other new projects, you can copy the element to the global file to make it available in any new project created on your computer. You cannot copy elements to the enterprise global template.

1. Open the file that contains the element, and then open the file(s) to which you are copying the element.

2. On the Tools menu, click Organizer.

   If you want to change the enterprise global template, you need to open this template before you can change elements using the Organizer.

3. Click the tab for the type of element that you want to copy.

4. Select the file that contains the element that you want to copy from the available in list on the left side of the Organizer dialog box.

5. Select the file to which you want to copy the element from the available in list on the right side of the Organizer dialog box.

6. Click the name of the element that you want to copy in the list box on the left side of the Organizer dialog box.

7. Click Copy.

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