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# Creating a project in SimplyPrint and importing STL, 3MF and sliced files

Projects in SimplyPrint lets you start from the files you already have, whether that is an STL, a slicer's 3MF or a file you sliced yourself. This guide covers the three ways to start a project, the New project dialog, how each kind of file comes in, and adding parts later.

| Projects is included in the **Print Farm** and **Enterprise** plans.

This guide is part of the [Projects documentation](/en/article/projects-everything-for-one-thing-you-make-from-parts-to-print-files-eoo337/).

## Table of contents
- [Three ways to start](#2-three-ways-to-start)
- [The New project dialog](#2-the-new-project-dialog)
- [Step 1: Parts and printers](#2-step-1-parts-and-printers)
- [Step 2: Variants and plates](#2-step-2-variants-and-plates)
- [Uploading a slicer's 3MF to Files](#2-uploading-a-slicers-3mf-to-files)
- [File types a project can read](#2-file-types-a-project-can-read)
- [How a 3MF comes in](#2-how-a-3mf-comes-in)
- [Adding parts later](#2-adding-parts-later)
- [Libraries](#2-libraries)

## Three ways to start
All three start in **Files**:

- **New project**, from the Files menu. Pick **Project** or **Library**.
- **Create project from this file**, from a file's menu.
- **Upload a slicer's 3MF** and answer **As a project**. See below.

New to projects? The dialog offers **Try a sample project**, "a finished project to look around in."

## The New project dialog
The dialog has two steps, **Parts and printers** and **Variants and plates**. "All optional. Each of these can be changed later in the project."

- **Just create project** skips the steps and makes an empty project.
- **Next** and **Back** move between steps.
- **Create project** (or **Create library**) at the end makes it.

Nothing is saved until you press Create. Closing first asks "Discard this project?"

![The New project dialog on step Parts and printers: the name Faceted Vase, a Bambu Lab P1S under Print on, two parts, and Just create project and Next](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/f/f/2/2/ff22a914001c1000/01-projects-create-and-import-_12k3pov.png)

## Step 1: Parts and printers
1. Give it a **Name**.
2. Drop files, or click **Add files**: "3MF, STL or sliced files, as many as you like." SimplyPrint shows "Reading your files…" while it reads them.
3. Under **Print on**, pick the printers it prints on. **More printers…** finds others. Each printer becomes a [setup](/en/article/plates-printer-setups-and-slicing-in-a-project-zftkhm/).
4. **Where each part prints**: "On every printer you picked that can print it. Click a part to change where."

## Step 2: Variants and plates
- "Does it come in variants, sizes or colors?" **Add option** to add a Size, a Color or another option now.
- Plates:
  - **Keep my plates**: "Each file prints with the plates it was saved with. A part without plates gets a plate of its own."
  - **Arrange for me**: "SimplyPrint fills the fewest plates each printer can print. It may turn a part flat to fit more."

See: [Sizes, colors and variants in a project: options, variants, sets and SKUs](/en/article/sizes-colors-and-variants-in-a-project-options-variants-sets-and-skus-1k299kb/)

## Uploading a slicer's 3MF to Files
When you upload a 3MF a slicer saved with its parts in it, SimplyPrint asks: **Upload "(file)" as a file or a project?**

- **As a file**: "Print it as it is. You can make a project of it later."
- **As a project**: "Keep its plates and parts to edit, slice for other printers and make variants."

Leave **Remember for everyone in this account** ticked to stop being asked. Only an account admin can save the answer for everyone; anyone else's choice applies that time only. You can change the remembered answer later in **Settings > Projects and files**, where each question can be set back to **Ask the first time**.

See: [Uploading files and splitting multi-plate 3MF files](/en/article/uploading-files-and-splitting-multi-plate-3mf-files-1dpbgrz/)

## File types a project can read
3MF, STL, OBJ, STEP, and sliced files: G-code (`.gcode`, `.gco`, `.nc`, `.npg`), Prusa binary G-code (`.bgcode`), Ultimaker `.ufp` and sliced 3MF (`.gcode.3mf`). A zip [exported from a project](/en/article/downloading-exporting-and-deleting-a-project-1guiiy1/) restores the whole project. Dremel `.g3drem` files can't be added.

- **STEP** is read as the STL the cloud slicer makes of it.
- **STL** and **OBJ** are converted to 3MF when they are added.
- **Sliced files** become plates with their print file, as covered in [pre-sliced files in a project](/en/article/pre-sliced-files-in-a-project-sliced-3mf-gcode-3mf-and-g-code-2ulbhe/).

## How a 3MF comes in
A 3MF with plates, from Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer and similar, asks how it should come in:

- **Add (N) file plates here** (recommended): each of the file's plates becomes a plate in the project.
- **Keep it as a library**: the file's parts go into a library that this project uses.

After adding, **How (file) comes in** sums it up, for example "3 parts, one per plate", "One part with its 3 plates", or "A library". To change it, use **Review import** in the part's menu.

|| A Bambu Studio plate can't take parts from a 3MF saved by another slicer, such as OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer. The refusal names the parts and the slicer that saved them.

|| A PrusaSlicer 2.9 file with several beds currently comes in as one plate, with the parts from the other beds off the edge of it. Check the plate after importing; in the plate editor, **Move (N) to a new plate** moves parts onto a plate of their own.

## Adding parts later
In an open project, **Add** offers:

- **Parts** (or **Print files** in a project made of sliced files only): "Choose 3D or sliced files, add a library, or open a project to use its parts." Then **Add selected files**.
- **Part from another project**: copies a part in.
- **Your own sliced file…**: attach a print file you sliced yourself.
- **Setup**, **Size**, **Color**, **Set**, **Variant** and **Plate**.

## Libraries
A library holds parts several projects share, such as screws, feet or a common base. When you add a library to a project, the project uses its parts by reference: change the library and every project using it sees the change. A project can't contain another project, so taking a part from another project copies it in.

## Related articles
### Projects
- [Projects: everything for one thing you make, from parts to print files](/en/article/projects-everything-for-one-thing-you-make-from-parts-to-print-files-eoo337/)
- [Pre-sliced files in a project: sliced 3MF (.gcode.3mf) and G-code](/en/article/pre-sliced-files-in-a-project-sliced-3mf-gcode-3mf-and-g-code-2ulbhe/)
- [Plates, printer setups and slicing in a project](/en/article/plates-printer-setups-and-slicing-in-a-project-zftkhm/)
- [Sizes, colors and variants in a project: options, variants, sets and SKUs](/en/article/sizes-colors-and-variants-in-a-project-options-variants-sets-and-skus-1k299kb/)
- [Downloading, exporting and deleting a project](/en/article/downloading-exporting-and-deleting-a-project-1guiiy1/)

### Files
- [The file manager: your 3D printing file library in the cloud](/en/article/the-file-manager-your-3d-printing-file-library-in-the-cloud-mt36mf/)
- [Uploading files and splitting multi-plate 3MF files](/en/article/uploading-files-and-splitting-multi-plate-3mf-files-1dpbgrz/)