Microsoft Project (.MPP) files store project schedules, resources, and task data. Many teams prefer to work with Excel (XLSX) for reporting, further analysis, or sharing with stakeholders who do not have Microsoft Project. Converting MPP to XLSX makes project data accessible, enables pivoting and charting in Excel, and streamlines reporting.

In this article explains the details on how you can convert MPP to XLSX using .NET Cloud SDK — It includes examples to upload files from your local drive, convert MPP files already in cloud storage, and download the resulting XLSX file programmatically.

Why convert MPP to XLSX?

  • Wider compatibility: Excel files open on virtually every platform.
  • Reporting & analysis: Use Excel’s pivot tables and formulas to analyze schedule and resource data.
  • Archival & sharing: XLSX is often easier to archive or attach to emails without requiring Project licenses.

Prerequisites

  1. An Aspose Cloud account and App SID / App Key. (Sign up at the Aspose Cloud Dashboard.)
  2. .NET 6.0 or later installed on your development machine.
  3. Visual Studio / VS Code and a working internet connection.

Install .NET Cloud SDK

Run the following command in your project to add the SDK package:

dotnet add package Aspose.Tasks-Cloud --version 25.7.0

Convert MPP to XLSX using C# .NET

Below is a complete C# example demonstrating:

  1. Initialization of the TasksApi client,
  2. Uploading an MPP from local disk, and
  3. Converting the uploaded MPP to XLSX and downloading the result.

Step 1 - Initialize TasksApi instance:

var tasksApi = new TasksApi(clientSecret, clientId);

Step 2 - Upload MPP to Cloud storage:

using (var fs = File.OpenRead(localMPPFile))
{
    var uploadRequest = new PostCreateRequest(remoteName, fs);
    tasksApi.UploadFile(uploadRequest);
}

Step 3 - XLSX export options:

var formatRequest = new GetTaskDocumentWithFormatRequest()
{
    Name = remoteName,
    Format = ProjectFileFormat.Xlsx,
    ReturnAsZipArchive = false
};

Step 4 - Export MPP to XLSX:

var result = tasksApi.GetTaskDocumentWithFormat(formatRequest);

✅ Tip: If you already have the MPP in cloud storage, skip the upload step and set a Name to the remote path of the MPP file.

Export MPP to Excel via cURL (REST)

If you prefer raw REST calls, here’s the equivalent using cURL. This approach is also useful if you are looking to automate tasks, integrate with web services, or work in environments where REST API usage is preferred.

Step 1 - Get an access token:

curl -X POST "https://api.aspose.cloud/connect/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials&client_id=YOUR_APP_SID&client_secret=YOUR_APP_KEY"

Step 2 - Convert MPP to XLSX (download result)

curl -v -X GET "https://api.aspose.cloud/v3.0/tasks/{sourceMPP}/format?format=xlsx&returnAsZipArchive=false" \
-H  "accept: multipart/form-data" \
-H  "authorization: Bearer <JWT Token>" \
-o resultant.xlsx

Replace {sourceMPP} with the MPP file name or path in cloud storage.

Online MPP to XLSX Converter

In order to explore the amazing capabilities of REST API within web browser, please try using our Free Online MPP to XLSX converter App. It’s developed on top of Aspose.Tasks Cloud and enables you to experience the MPP to Excel conversion without a single line of code.

MPP to Excel converter

Free online MPP to XLSX Converter.

Best practices & tips

  • Preserve original data: Keep a backup of the original MPP before converting.
  • Large files: For very large projects, consider batching or server‑side processing.
  • Inspect Excel output: Conversion typically maps tasks to rows; review column mappings for custom fields.
  • Automate in CI/CD: Use the API in background jobs to convert MPP to XLSX for reporting automation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I convert large MPP files to XLSX?
Yes. Aspose.Tasks Cloud supports conversion of large MPP files; consider chunking or server-side processing for very large projects.

Q2: Do I need Microsoft Project installed?
No. Conversion is handled entirely in the cloud — Microsoft Project is not required.

Q3: Can I convert an MPP already in cloud storage?
Yes. Provide the cloud FilePath or use the UploadFile API to move local MPP into cloud storage.

Q4: Will the Excel output keep Gantt charts and task lists?
Excel output preserves task tables and many schedule fields. Graphical Gantt charts may be exported as tables or images, depending on conversion options.