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How to Fix Project Web App Limiting Selection to 35 Projects
Question details
Users are unable to select and open more than approximately 35 projects simultaneously from Project Web App into Project Professional.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to select and open a large batch of projects from Project Web App for bulk reporting or editing.
- Observed behavior
- The application enforces a hard limit, preventing the user from opening more than 35 projects at once in the desktop application.
Verify your exact Microsoft Project desktop version by navigating to File > Account, as this will help confirm if your specific build is subject to this application-level constraint.
Use Power BI for Multi-Project Reporting
Since the 35-project limit is an application constraint in Project 2016, it is recommended to use Power BI to aggregate and report on larger datasets instead of opening them all in the desktop client.
In Project Server 2016 and Project Online, there is no administrator setting to bypass the 35-project selection limit. If your goal is to generate cross-project reports, a dedicated business intelligence tool is the official best practice.
Open Power BI Desktop and select 'Get Data'. Choose 'OData Feed' and enter your Project Web App (PWA) URL.
Select the relevant tables (such as Projects, Tasks, and Resources) to load your entire project portfolio without being restricted by desktop client limits.
Use Power BI's visualization tools to create dashboards that track the status of all your projects simultaneously.
Process Projects in Smaller Batches
If you need to make bulk edits across multiple projects, you will need to operate within the application's limits by chunking your selections.
Manage Projects Efficiently with WPS Office
While Microsoft Project handles complex enterprise portfolio management, many day-to-day project tracking and reporting needs can be solved with lightweight, highly compatible spreadsheet templates. WPS Office offers a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office for tracking tasks and managing project data.
- 1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office Free from the official website and install it on your device.
- 2. Access Project Templates: Open WPS Spreadsheet, navigate to the template library, and search for 'Project Management' or 'Gantt Chart'.
- 3. Track Your Projects: Easily manage tasks, timelines, and resources in a flexible environment without hardcoded project selection limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an administrator increase the 35-project limit in Project Server?
No, in Project Server 2016 and Project Online, there is typically no administrator setting available to increase this hardcoded application limit.
Why does this project limit exist in Project 2016 when it wasn't in 2010?
Microsoft introduced stricter resource constraints in newer versions to prevent performance degradation, memory issues, and system crashes when loading a large number of enterprise projects simultaneously in the desktop application.
How can I bulk edit more than 35 projects at once?
Bulk editing of more than 35 projects simultaneously is not supported via the desktop client. You will need to process them in smaller batches or utilize administrative APIs and PowerShell scripts for mass updates.
