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Initiate Capture from Excel

NOTE: This topic applies only to users of TaskMap Professional.

NOTE: This method of creating a TaskMap Capture for Excel worksheet requires that Excel macro security be set to either Low or Medium. If you set macro security to Medium, be sure to click Enable Macros when warned by Excel that TaskMap_Capture_Template.xlt contains macros.

NOTE: To create a TaskMap Capture for Excel worksheet you must have valid licenses for Microsoft Visio 2007 Professional, Microsoft Excel and TaskMap Professional.

1. Begin by creating a new worksheet based on the TaskMap Capture for Excel template:
   • Click the Windows Start button
   • Select All Programs
   • In the TaskMap folder, select Create TaskMap Capture Worksheet (PRO only).
2. A new TaskMap Capture worksheet will open and present this message:
   
   
   
   Click Yes to select a TaskMap from which to import data, or click No to bypass transferring data into this worksheet. (Note: if you click No, you will still be able to enter data into the spreadsheet and import it into TaskMap but there will be no dropdown lists for any of the list-based fields.)
   
   
3. Use the file open dialog to select a TaskMap drawing or template
   
   
   
   
4. Wait while Excel opens the TaskMap file you’ve selected (it will probably take between 10 and 45 seconds depending on the speed of your PC).
5. When data have been transferred from TaskMap to Excel, the TaskMap Capture worksheet should look like the one shown below. Note that the Decision Task? field contains a YES/NO dropdown list and the Role, Frequency and Time Units fields also contain dropdown lists.
   
   
   
   
6. Fill in cells for as many Tasks as you’d like. Note that the worksheet contains sample Task IDs for five Tasks, numbered A01 through A05. You may leave these IDs as is or change them to fit the numbering scheme you’d like in your TaskMap.

You can also add new Tasks in additional columns. The worksheet will accommodate as many as 50 Tasks.

A completed worksheet might look like this:

Save your TaskMap Capture worksheet. You will notice a brief flurry of activity on the screen when you save the worksheet because Excel saves a transposed version of your data on another sheet within this Excel file. (Transposing the data is required so it can be imported into Visio.)

Entering Data into a TaskMap Capture for Excel Worksheet

To enter data into a TaskMap Capture for Excel worksheet, you must have valid licenses for Microsoft Excel and either TaskMap Capture for Excel or TaskMap Professional.

Linking Data to a TaskMap

Once you have created a customized TaskMap Capture spreadsheet and filled in the data for your Task shapes, you can link the spreadsheet to a TaskMap and import the data.