Here’s the problem. You’ve created a project schedule, and now you want to send it to a team mate for review. Your team mate is having trouble opening and viewing the project because she has a version on Project earlier than yours. At this point, you have a few options, depending on who has which version of what:

Which Project version are you using?

Which file version are you trying to open?

Things to keep in mind

Project 2007

Project 2010

No converter is available. If you received a Project 2010 file that you want to open using Project 2007, ask the person who sent the file to first save it to the Project 2007 file format.

Alternately, you can install the trial version of Project 2010and then view the file, or save it to the Project 2007 file format.

Project 2003

Project 2007 or Project 2010

There are two possibilities here.

  • If you are using Project 2003 with SP3, project files from later versions of Project can be opened read-only. Download Microsoft Office Project 2003 Service Pack 3.
  • If you are using Project 2003 without SP3, there is no converter available. Upgrade to Project 2003 with SP3, or ask the person who sent the Project 2007 or later file to save the file first in the Project 2000-2003 file format.

Project 2000 or Project 2002

Project 2007 or Project 2010

No converter is available. Ask the person who sent the Project 2007 or later file to save the file first in the Project 2000-2003 file format.

Project 98

Project 2000 and later versions

No converter is available. Consider upgrading to the latest version of Project, or install the trial version of Project 2010to try out Project’s enhanced functionality.

Alternately, ask the person who sent the Project 2000-2003 file to save the file first in the Project 98 file format.

Note Project 2007 and later versions of Project do not have the ability to save to the Project 98 file format.

That’s a nice table, but how do I tell which version of Project I have?

  • For Project versions 98 through Project 2007, click the Help menu, and then click About Microsoft Office Project.
  • For Project version 2010, click the File tab, then click Help.

Will I lose my data?

In nearly all cases, no. There can be a few exceptions, however. if you open a Project file created from a later version and save it the file to your current version, you can lose data or formatting in areas where the later versions contains enhanced functionality.

For example, new fields and custom fields Information within new fields from later versions of Project, or any formulas relying on new fields, will be lost. New options that are set on custom fields created in the later version of Project will be lost.

Another example. New calendar exceptions that were added to project and resource calendar functionality (such as monthly exceptions, yearly exceptions, and those with arbitrary dates) will be lost.