You can export items and tasks to a spreadsheet like MS Excel, and then re-import those into Planbox. This is useful in these scenarios:

  • To modify certain attributes in bulk like points, business value or type.
  • To prioritize items using your own formula or macros.
  • To import/export items and tasks to another tool like MS Project.
  • To copy items and tasks from one initiative to another.
    Note: Copy and moving items should be done using project cloning or initiative templates.

Both import and export operations work on the items currently visible and are limited to the visible iteration. For example, if you are looking at the Current iteration, and your work, only those items will be exported.



Export

Items can be exported by clicking on the export button. A dialog opens giving you two choices:

  • Copy visible items to the clipboard. You can then paste them directly into a spreadsheet application like MS Excel.
  • Export visible items to a CSV file. You can then open that file into a spreadsheet application like MS Excel.

The following item attributes are exported as columns:

  • id: Unique item identifier.
  • name: Name of item. Mandatory for a new item.
  • description: Description of item.
  • type: Type of item. Click here for a complete list.
  • tags: Comma separated tag words to help you classify the item (called labels in UI).
  • created_on: Date the item was created on. Cannot change id modifying an item.
  • creator_name: Name of person who created the item.
  • completed_on: Date the item was completed on.
  • due_on: Due date for the item.
  • importance: Importance of item. Click here for a complete list.
  • points: Number of points assign to this item.
  • value: Business value of this item.
  • estimate: Sum of estimated hours for all tasks.
  • duration: Sum of logged hours for all tasks.
  • project_name: Project name.
  • project_tags: Comma separated list of project labels.


In addition, these attributes are also exported as columns for each task:

  • task.id: Unique task id.
  • task.name: Task name.
  • task.description: Task description.
  • task.tags: Comma separated list of task labels.
  • task.resource_name: The name of the person assigned to the task.
  • task.resource_email: The email of the person assigned to the task.
  • task.role: The role name with alias in parenthesis. For example: Developer (dev).
  • task.estimate: The number of estimate-hours planned to accomplish the task.
  • task.duration: The actual number of hours taken to accomplish the task.
  • task.timer_start: Date/time when the last timer started for the task if in progress. In the form YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS and in the GMT timezone.
  • task.timer_sum: Number of seconds accumulated for the task if pending or in progress.
  • task.status: The task status: pending, inprogress or completed.


Import

You can import items and tasks by clicking on the import button. The data must follow the same format as export. However not all attributes can be updated (see further below). The first line must be the column header: the list of attributes. Subsequent lines are items, one per row. Tasks are appended to each item as extra columns.

Note: It is not possible to delete items and tasks. Import only allows for additions and modifications.

Once you click on the import button, a dialog opens. First, choose the type of operation:

  • Add new items and tasks: New items and tasks will be created. Planbox will ignore any id and task.id attribute.
    Note: if you add a new item without a task, Planbox will create one automatically.
  • Merge existing items and tasks: Planbox requires that id and task.id attributes be specified to update items or tasks. To add a new item, leave id empty. To add a new task, leave task.id empty.

Then you can choose whether to upload a file, or directly paste items.

  • Import items from a CSV file. Previously saved from a spreadsheet application like MS Excel.
  • Paste items from the clipboard. Previously copied from a spreadsheet application like MS Excel.

The following item attributes can be set or changed. If you are modifying existing items, you can omit the ones you do not want to change, leave them the same or put an empty value. If you are adding new items, Planbox will use defaults where you leave blank attributes. If the data you import has other attributes, Planbox will simply ignore them.

  • id: Unique item identifier. Leave blank for a new item. Mandatory when modifying an item.
  • name: Name of item. Mandatory for a new item.
  • description: Description of item.
  • type: Type of item. Click here for a complete list.
  • tags: Comma separated tag words to help you classify the item (called labels in UI).
  • created_on: Date the item was created on. Cannot change when modifying an item. Planbox will issue a warning and ignore this column.
  • due_on: Due date for the item. Leave blank for no due date.
  • importance: Importance of item. Click here for a complete list.
  • points: Number of points assign to this item.
  • value: Business value of this item.
  • project_name: Project name. When modifying an item, leave this blank not to change the project. When creating a new item and leaving this blank, Planbox will pick the first project in the initiative.

Note: Column estimate is not set on the story but on tasks. See below.

In addition, you can add or modify tasks. These are specified as extra columns in the row for the item. Each task can have these attributes:

  • task.id: Unique task identifier. Leave blank for a new task. Mandatory when modifying a task.
  • task.name: Task name.
  • task.description: Task description.
  • task.tags: Comma separated task labels.
  • task.resource_name: The name of the person assigned to the task.
  • task.resource_email: The email of the person assigned to the task.
  • task.role: The role name with alias in parenthesis. For example: Developer (dev).
  • task.estimate: The number of estimate-hours planned to accomplish the task.
  • task.duration: The actual number of hours taken to accomplish the task.
  • task.timer_start: Date/time when the last timer started for the task if in progress. In the form YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS and in the GMT timezone.
  • task.timer_sum: Number of seconds accumulated for the task if pending or in progress.
  • task.status: The task status: pending, inprogress or completed.

Note: Dates must be formatted as YYYY-MM-DD. For example 2011-02-23. Date/time must be formatted as YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS. For example 2011-02-23 14:45:01.
If you require other attributes to be modified, please let us know.


Example

Here is an example of a file which could be imported. Assuming item ids 1234 and 5678 exist, they would get updated. The last two items would get added.

idnamedescriptiontypeimportancepoints
1234Assign task to unique userA task can be assigned to only one user at a timefeaturenormal5
5678Can't delete itemsWhen you try deleting an item it creates another onebugnormal1
 Document hiring procedure
documentnormal2
 Hire John DoeHis email is john@doe.comphonecritical1