Importing from and exporting to Microsoft Office Applications

If you have been designing and managing projects for a while, you may have a whole series of existing logframes that you've made in Microsoft Excel or Word. With Logframer, you can easily import these documents.

Once you've designed your logical framework, you can simply print it, but more often than not you will need to include it in a project proposal or in your project's documentation. Logframer allows you to export your logframe into new or existing Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel documents.

To import or export a logframe, use the options that you find under File in the main menu bar.

Importing a logical framework made in MS Word or Excel

You can import an existing logical framework made in Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word.

The procedure to import a logframe is almost identical for the two types of documents.

Importing an existing logical framework from a MS Excel workbook

To import an existing logframe from a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet, go to FileImportLogframe from MS Excel file.

Note: before importing an Excel document, it's best to make sure that the document is not opened in Excel because this may slow down the importing process considerably. If you're editing a cell in a worksheet, the importing process may even block down completely.

Import window

The import process consists of four steps:

  1. Select the MS Excel document that contains your logical framework
  2. Select the sheet that contains your logframe
  3. Indicate which columns contain the objectives, indicators, verification sources and assumptions
  4. Indicate the rows that contain the goals, purposes, outputs and activities

After you've completed a step, click on the Next step button to proceed. When you've filled out all the information, you can press the Import button on the bottom.

Once you've imported the logical framework, you'll have to shuffle things around a bit. Because Logframer doesn't know which activity belongs to which output and which output belongs to which purpose, they are all placed under the first output or purpose respectively. However, it's easy to move them to their correct location.

 

The following pages describe the importing process for version 1.2 or higher of Logframer. For information about importing in older versions, follow this link.

Selecting the Excel document that you want to import

The first step is to select the file that you want to import. Press on the button to open the File selection dialog. Navigate to the file you want to import, select it and then click Ok.

Step 1 - select the file to import

Once you've selected the file, you will see a preview of the first worksheet in the bottom half of the window.

Press the Next step button to proceed.

Select the sheet that contains your logframe

If the worksheet that is shown below does not contain your logframe, you can use the drop-down list to select the correct worksheet.

Select the worksheet that contains your logframe

Press the Next step button to proceed.

Choosing the columns of your logframe

Next you need to indicate in which columns the objectives, indicators, verification sources and assumptions can be found. You only need to select the columns that contain the actual text. If you've numbered each item in a separate column in your Excel document, you needn't worry about the numbering. Logframer will renumber all the items.

For instance, in the example below you can see that column A contains the numbers of the goals, purposes, outputs, etc. So the actual Objectives column is B.

Choose the columns of your logframe

Press the Next step button to proceed

Indicate the different sections

Finally, you have to indicate for each section in which rows the objectives, indicators, etc. can be found. This means that for each section, you enter the number of the first and the last row. Do not include any title rows (if you do, these will also be imported and then you have to remove them manually because Logframer uses its own section titles).

For instance, in the example below, the first row is a title row. So the goals section starts on the second row. There is only one goal in this project, so the goals section also ends on the second row. Row 3 again is a title row, and the purposes section starts on row 4.

Indicate the ranges of rows that correspond to the different sections

You can also select what information can be found in the second and third column of the Activities section. In most cases, this is where you'd put the necessary resources and the budget for each resource. But if you use progress indicators to check how your activities are doing, you can do that too.

You don't need to import a whole logframe. If you only want to import goals and purposes for instance, but not the outputs or activities, you just complete the start and end rows for the first two sections.

Importing an existing Logical framework from an MS Excel spreadsheet (version 1.0 and 1.1)

This page describes the importing process for versions 1.0 and 1.1 of Logframer. For help about importing in version 1.2 or higher, follow this link

To import an existing logframe from a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet, go to FileImportLogframe from MS Excel file.

The following dialog box will appear. Click on the button on the right of the text box to select the file you want to import.

Import logframe from Excel - step 1

Logframer will open the file and give a preview of the first worksheet in the workbook. If there are multiple worksheets, you can select the correct one using the dropdown box on top of the preview, which lists all of the available worksheets.

Import logframe from Excel - step 2

In the third step, you need to indicate which columns contain the objectives, the indicators, the verification sources and the assumptions.

Import logframe from Excel - step 3

Finally, in the fourth step you need to indicate the first and last row of the goals, purpose(s), outputs and activities.

Import logframe from Excel - step 4

Do not include the title rows (i.e. containing the words ‘Goals’, ‘Purposes’, ‘Indicators’, ‘Assumptions’, etc.). As a final option, you can indicate whether the columns next to the Activities column contain the means and budget of the project, or rather the process indicators and their verification sources (generally, it will be the first option).

After you’ve pressed the < OK > button, Logframer will import your logical framework. Don’t forget to save once the spreadsheet is imported.

Logframe imported from an Excel document

Notice that Logframer automatically numbers all the items (objectives, indicators, verification sources, etc.). However, you should check the numbering of the activities if you have more than one output. Logframer will link all the activities to the first output, so you may have to move the activities around from the first output to one of the others, using the left mouse button to drag-and-drop them.

 

Similarly, if you have more than one purpose in your logframe, you will see that after the import all outputs are listed under the first purpose.

Importing an existing Logical framework from a MS Word document

Note: the following feature is only available in version 1.3 or higher

To import an existing logframe from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, go to File → Import → Logframe from MS Word document.

Note: before importing an Word document, it's best to make sure that the document is not opened in Word because this may slow down the importing process considerably.

You can only import a logical framework if you made it in a table. Furthermore, this table must not contain any vertically merged cells. If the table does contain vertically merged cells, the importation process will break off.

The import process consists of four steps:

After you've completed a step, click on the Next step button to proceed. When you've filled out all the information, you can press the <Import> button on the bottom.
Once you've imported the logical framework, you'll have to shuffle things around a bit. Because Logframer doesn't know which activity belongs to which output and which output belongs to which purpose, they are all placed under the first output or purpose respectively. However, it's easy to move them to their correct location.

Selecting the Word document

The first step is to select the file that you want to import. Press on the button to open the File selection dialog. Navigate to the file you want to import, select it and then click Ok.

Step 1 - select the document you want to import

Once you've selected the file, you will see a preview of the first table in the bottom half of the window.

Before loading the first table, Logframer will verify that the table does not contain any cells that are vertically merged (two or more cells located on top of each other that were merged). If the table does contain such cells, you will get the following warning:

In this case, open the document in Word and split up any merged cells in the table. Then try importing again.

Press the Next step button to proceed.

Select the table that contains your logframe

If the document contains multiple tables and the one that is shown on the bottom does not contain your logframe, you can use the drop-down list to select the correct table.

Press the Next step button to proceed.

Choosing the columns of your logframe

Next you need to indicate in which columns the objectives, indicators, verification sources and assumptions can be found. You only need to select the columns that contain the actual text. If you've numbered each item in a separate column in your Word document, you needn't worry about the numbering. Logframer will renumber all the items.

Press the Next step button to proceed

Indicate the different sections

Finally, you have to indicate for each section in which rows the objectives, indicators, etc. can be found. This means that for each section, you enter the number of the first and the last row. Do not include any title rows (if you do, these will also be imported and then you have to remove them manually because Logframer uses its own section titles).

For instance, in the example below, the first row is a title row. So the goals section starts on the second row. The goals section also ends on the tenth row. Row eleven again is a title row, and the purposes section starts on row twelve.

You can also select what information can be found in the second and third column of the Activities section. In most cases, this is where you'd put the necessary resources and the budget for each resource. But if you use progress indicators to check how your activities are doing, you can do that too.

You don't need to import a whole logframe. If you only want to import goals and purposes for instance, but not the outputs or activities, you just complete the start and end rows for the first two sections.

Exporting reports and views to Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word

Once you've designed and completed your logical framework and other information related to your project in Logframer, you can create different reports in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. This way, you can use all this information directly in your project files and funding applications.

You can export the following reports to MS Word:

You can export the following reports to MS Excel:

Exporting to Microsoft Word

You can export the following reports to Microsoft Word:

To export to Word, go to File → Export → Export to MS Word

When you select one of the options above, you will get the following dialog:

You have two main export options

If you click on the tab 'Page orientation', you can select the page orientation of the report:

If you want to create a new Word document with your report, the page orientation of the whole document will be either set to portrait or landscape mode. When you insert your report in an existing document, Logframer will create a new section in the document in the selected page orientation. That means that when you have a document in normal (portrait) mode, but your report is too large to fit it in (the columns will become too thin), you can safely select landscape mode and insert the report without it affecting the lay-out of your entire document.

For some reports, other options will be available. In that case an additional tab will appear.
 

Export options

You have two main export options:

Creating a new MS Word document with your report

To create a new MS Word document with your report, simply select the first option. Logframer will open Microsoft Word and create a new document with your report.

Inserting your report at the start or the end of a document

If you want to insert your report into an existing document, choose the second option. Then click on the Open File button on the right, and select the Microsoft Word document in which you want to insert the report.

You can insert the report at the beginning of the document, at the end of the document or after a bookmark. Inserting it at the start or the end of the document is easiest and requires no preparation. Just make your choice and press the < Ok > button.


 

Inserting your report at a specific place in your document

What about when you want to insert the report at a specific place in your document? Well you can: all you need to do is open your text in MS Word and insert a bookmark right on the spot where you want to insert the table or list.

Select the ‘Insert’ tab on the ribbon. Then in the ‘Links’ section, select Bookmark.

In Microsoft Word 2003, click on Insert Bookmark...

This will open the following dialog window:

Give your bookmark a name, and click on the < Add > button. Then close the document in Word and return to Logframer.

In Logframer, proceed as you would for inserting your report in an existing Word document, but choose the third option. Then choose the bookmark you just added from the drop-down list at the bottom (the list automatically updates when you select the document in the File name box).

When you've selected the right bookmark, click on the < Ok > button to insert your report at that specific spot.

Exporting your logical framework to a MS Word document

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export Logframe.

Your logical framework will be exported as you see it in Logframer. That means that when you hide the assumptions column in Logframer, you will get a logframe in Word with the first three columns.

The advantage is that you can just as easily create different custom views of your logframe in MS Word, while you only have to design your logical framework once in Logframer.



 

Exporting the list of indicators to a Microsoft Word document

Instead of showing your indicators in a logical framework, often you'll want to present them in the form of a list or a questionnaire. To create such a list, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export list of indicators. The Export to Word dialog will have an additional tab, where you can select a number of options:

First of all, you can select which indicators you want to include in your list or questionnaire:

  • Goal indicators
  • Purpose indicators
  • Output indicators
  • Activity indicators (if you've defined any)
  • All indicators of your logframe

Generally you'll want to use the output indicators to monitor the results of your project.

Underneath you can see a series of check boxes. These allow you to specify what information you want to include. The first two options allow you to choose whether you want to show the purpose(s) and outputs to which the indicators belong. This is handy if you want to have a clear overview, but if you want to use the list as a questionnaire, you may want to un-check these options. Otherwise the respondents will know why you ask a certain question and that may influence their answer.

If you want to have a detailed overview of your indicators, including for each indicator the possible answers (responses), value ranges and targets, you should check the last three options. But again, if you want to create a questionnaire that you'll hand out to the respondents, then you may want to un-check these options. Otherwise they'll see what the 'right' answers are. For an interviewer, it is important to know what the value ranges are, but again you may want to hide the targets so that he or she can't accidentally give away the right answer.

Once you've selected the options that you want, you can press the < Ok > button. Logframer will start up Microsoft Word and create a new document that looks something like this:




 

Exporting the Performance Measurement Framework to a MS Word document

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export Performance Measurement Framework.

The Performance Measurement Framework presents information about:

  • The expected results
  • How you will follow-up progress (indicators)
  • Baseline information and targets at the end of the project
  • What data sources (verification sources) you will use
  • How you will collect data
  • At what frequency
  • Who's responsible for the data collection.

Logframer fills out all the columns, except the 'Baseline data' column which you have to complete yourself when you establish the baseline. In the course of the project, you can add columns to the right of this column with information of the progress on your indicators.

Exporting the Risk Register to a MS Word document

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export Risk Register.

The Risk Register classifies the risk/assumptions that you've defined in five categories:

  • Operational risks
  • Financial risks
  • Objectives risks
  • Reputation risks
  • Other risks

If you didn't set the type of risk in the Details window of your assumptions, then the risks will appear in a sixth category: 'Not defined'.

For each risk, the RR lists what your response will be to that risk, to what objective the risk is linked and finally the risk level.

The risk level depends on the likelihood of the risk (very unlikely, unlikely, likely, very likely) and the potential impact of the risk should it occur (very low, low, high, very high). The risk level score is based on these two factors and is expressed as a percentage.

Note that when you export the Risk Register to a Microsoft Word document, there are no formulas included in the table to calculate the risk level as you would in the Excel version.

Exporting the table of resources to a MS Word document

Note: the following feature is only available in version 1.3 or higher

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export table of resources.


 

Exporting the project's planning to a MS Word document

Note: the following feature is only available in version 1.3 or higher

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export planning.

The table presents the planning per year and month only (not per week or day).

Exporting the list of partners to a MS Word document

Note: the following feature is only available in version 1.3 or higher

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export list of partners.


 

Exporting the target group ID forms to a MS Word document

Note: the following feature is only available in version 1.3 or higher

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export → Export to MS Word → Export target group ID forms.

Exporting to Microsoft Excel

You can export the following reports to Microsoft Excel:

To export to Excel, go to File → Export →Export to MS Excel

Exporting your logical framework to a new MS Excel workbook

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export →Export to MS Excel →Export Logframe. Logframer will open Microsoft Excel and create a new workbook with your logical framework.

The logical framework will be exported as you see it in Logframer. That means that when you hide the assumptions column in Logframer, you will get a logframe in Excel with the first three columns (or rather six columns: column A contains the numbers of the objectives, column B the actual objectives, column C the numbers of the indicators, column D the actual indicators and so on).

This means that you can easily create custom views of your logframe in Excel, while you only have to design your logical framework once in Logframer.




 

Exporting the Performance Measurement Framework to a new MS Excel workbook

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export →Export to MS Excel →Export Performance Measurement Framework. Logframer will open Microsoft Excel and create a new workbook with the PMF.

The Performance Measurement Framework presents information about:

  • The expected results
  • How you will follow-up progress (indicators)
  • Baseline information and targets at the end of the project
  • What data sources (verification sources) you will use
  • How you will collect data
  • At what frequency
  • Who's responsible for the data collection.

Logframer fills out all the columns, except the 'Baseline data' column which you have to complete yourself when you establish the baseline. In the course of the project, you can add columns to the right of this column with information of the progress on your indicators.





 

Exporting the Risk Register to a new MS Excel workbook

In the Menu bar, click on File → Export →Export to MS Excel →Export Risk Register. Logframer will open Microsoft Excel and create a new workbook with the register.

The Risk Register classifies the risk/assumptions that you've defined in five categories:

  1. Operational risks
  2. Financial risks
  3. Objectives risks
  4. Reputation risks
  5. Other risks

If you didn't set the type of risk in the Details window of your assumptions, then the risks will appear in a sixth category: 'Not defined'.

For each risk, the RR lists what your response will be to that risk, to what objective the risk is linked and finally the risk level.

The risk level depends on the likelihood of the risk (very unlikely, unlikely, likely, very likely) and the potential impact of the risk should it occur (very low, low, high, very high). The risk level score is based on these two factors and is expressed as a percentage.

Risk Register exported to a new MS Excel workbook

 

When you create a risk register in Excel, Logframer will include the information of your logframe in the first two columns of the risk level section (columns F and G in this example). Then there are provisions to measure the follow-up the risks at three different dates. At a later stage during the project, the project team can fill out this information. All you have to do at this point is to click on the cell to the right of the one marked 'Likelihood'. You will then see a dropdown list appear.

Indicate the likelihood that the risk will occur in the risk register

Select the level that represents the likelihood that this risk will occur at that particular point in time. Then you can indicate the potential impact on your project in the same way:

Indicate the impact that the risk will have should it materialise

A formula in the cell below will automatically calculate the risk level. In this example, the risk level has risen from 38% to 56% since the creation of the logical framework.

The risk level score in the risk register