Primavera Advanced Course
Primavera Advanced Course
Objective:
Targeted Role:
Prerequisite:
Course level:
Advanced
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Course Contents:
3. Advance scheduling……………………………………………………7
5. Resource codes……………………………………………………...15
6. Resource curves……………………………………………………..19
7. Duration Types……………………………………………………….23
9. Financial Periods…………………………………………………….30
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1. Introduction to P6 layout
4. Creating Projects
5. Creating WBS
9. Activity Steps
12. Relationships
13. Scheduling
14. Constraints
18. Currencies
20. Expenses
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User-defined fields enable you to add your own custom fields and values to the
project database. For example, you can track additional activity data, such as
delivery dates and purchase order numbers, or resource and cost-related data,
such as profit, variances, and revised budgets.
To create user-defined fields, choose Enterprise, User Defined Fields. In the drop-
down list at the top of the dialog box, select the subject area of the product where
you want to use the new field, such as Activities, Activity Steps, Activity Resource
Assignments, Projects, Resources, WBS, Expenses, Issues, Risks, and Work
Products & Documents. Click Add. Enter the user-defined title and data type for the
new field.
Once you create user-defined fields, you can perform all of the following tasks:
Display user-defined fields in the columns of the Activity Table and then
print the layout. You must add columns for user-defined fields in order to
enter/select data for that field.
Group, sort, filter, and view data summaries when grouped in a layout by
user-defined field.
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Create bars for user-defined date fields and view them in the Gantt chart.
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3. Advance Scheduling
Retained Logic:
When scheduling using retained logic, any activities that start out of sequence will
not be able to complete until its predecessor has finished. The remaining duration
of the successor activity is scheduled to begin after its predecessor activity is
scheduled to finish.
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When scheduling using progress override, Primavera will ignore the relationship
logic and schedule the remaining duration of the successor activity from the data
date.
In above example, activity “A” has successor activity “B” with Finish to Start
relationship and zero days lag. So logically activity “B” can start only after activity
“A” is finished.
In our example, “B” has started out of sequence before finish of “A”. As we have
selected retained logic option, the remaining part of “B” will start only after "A" is
finished, thus not violating the network logic for the incomplete portion of the
activity.
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In the layout below, scheduling is done using progress override. Activity “A” has
Finish to Start link with activity “B”. But activity B is started out of sequence (Before
finish of activity A). As progress override option is selected the remaining part of
“B” will start before “A” finishes violating network logic starting immediately after
data date.
Note: Black & Veatch programmes use retained logic, not progress override.
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After loading the programme with resources, we can analyse resource and cost
distribution throughout the programme using the following toolbars in P6:
The Activity usage spreadsheet displays budgeted units and cost data in a
spreadsheet format distributed throughout the project duration at specific time
intervals (for example, week, month, quarters, or year).
The Activity Usage spreadsheet sums the total of all resources assigned to that
activity.
From the activity usage spreadsheet we can get the following information:
1. How much is the total cost as well as cost for each type of resource
(Labour, Non-labour, and Material) required accomplishing the activity.
2. How much we are going to spend by month for an activity, WBS or for the
whole project.
3. We can also get planned vs. earned and spent information for each activity,
WBS or project.
From activity usage spreadsheet we can’t get information for each resource or a
group of resources. To get the units & cost information by resource we have to use
resource usage spreadsheet.
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The activity usage spreadsheet layout showing planned, earned, spent values by
quarter for each activity:
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In the activity usage profile, we can get the same information as in the activity
usage spreadsheet but in graphical format.
The Histogram shows resource & cost information at specific time intervals
(weekly, monthly, quarterly etc.) while the curve gives cumulative cost/units
information.
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The Resource usage spreadsheets display resource unit/cost information for each
resource or a group of resources.
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From the Resource Profile we can analyse the performance of each resource or of
a group of resources.
- During which period resource is the resource free or idle? So that we can
allocate it to other activities.
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5. Resource codes
Resource codes are used to group resources based on different criteria. Resource
codes are global which means that the same resource code can be assigned to
resources in different projects.
Resource codes are used to roll up resources into higher categories and to display
rolled-up resource values.
Example:
Project “XYZ”
Step 1: Create Resource codes & code values as below (Steps: Enterprise –
Resource Codes – Modify – Add resource Codes)
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6. Resource curves
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7. Duration Types
The duration type setting allows you to control how Primavera synchronizes the
Duration, the Labour/Non labour units and the Resource Units/Time for activities so
that the following equation is always balanced:
When any one of the three planning parameters (Duration, Unit/Time or Units)
changes, P6 automatically changes the other parameter to balance the following
Equation:
Duration (days) * Units/Time (works hours/ day) = Units (Total Budgeted Work
Hours or Total Work)
The following table shows for each duration type what P6 changes automatically
when we change any one planning parameter:
Duration Type When you When you When you When you add
change change Units change another
Duration P6 P6 changes... Unit/Time P6 resource P6
changes... changes… changes…
Fixed Duration Unit/ Time Unit/ Time Units Unit/Time
& Units
Fixed Duration Units Unit/ Time Units Units
& Units/Time
Unit/ Time Duration Duration Duration
Fixed Units
Fixed Units Duration Duration Duration
Units/Time
To understand how duration types affect planning parameters see example below:
Example:
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- Since Duration & Units/ Time are fixed, P6 will change the units, so during
the 5 days only 40 man-hours of work will be completed. This is because the
resource is not allowed to work more than 8 hours/day (fixed). Consequently,
only half the work will be done.
- Here also as in case 2 resource can’t work more than 8 hours/ day so
only half of the works (i.e. 40 hours of work) will be finished.
As in this example our priority is to finish the whole work within revised time
duration we will keep either fixed units or fixed duration & units.
Note:
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1. Duration % complete
2. Unit % complete
3. Physical % complete
Duration % Complete:
When you change % complete, actual units & remaining duration will be
automatically updated(Actual units & time will be automatically updated only
when Project detail setting is checked for “Recalculate Actual Units/cost
when duration % completes change”)
Drawback:
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Duration % complete = 10 %
Actual units spent = Total Budgeted Units * Duration % Complete =
= 100 man-hours
Remaining duration
= Original Duration – (Original Duration * Duration % Comp)
= (10 - 10 *10%) = 9 days
But now we recognise that still we require 10 more days (10 remaining days
or forecast 12 days as 2 days have already been spent)
Unit % Complete:
When you select the % complete, actual units & remaining units will be
automatically updated. This type of % complete is used when actual units are
directly co-related with % complete.
The actual units will only update correctly once (meaning one entry). All future
updates or changes to current update will not update the actual unit values until
the activity is completed. To update correctly, the unit % should never be
updated on the activity after the first entry. All future updates should be done
on the resource assignment by updating the actual units to match what the new
unit% should be. Then, the unit % takes on the right percentage and the
remaining units and at completion units are correct.
Drawback:
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Physical % complete:
If our progress is not correlated to duration or units, the best way to update
progress is using physical % complete.
This is the preferred method as it will provide true EVA values for work
performed via correct percent complete calculations, and give the correct dates
for execution of the remaining work. This method allows for incorporation of all
knowledge of when tasks will be performed and of how much work has been
done.
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9. Financial Periods
When financial periods exist in the Financial Period dictionary, users can
store period performance (means users can freeze actual costs and units
data for each financial period)
Select Start & Finish Date for the period Batches you want to create
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To create Batches
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After we update progress, we can store the actual data for each period.
Tools – Store Period Performance – Select the Batch dates & store.
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- Export – Import is used to send copy of XER file to some other user using
different database.
- An XER does not have to be exported and imported back into the same
database for another user or another node. Copy and Paste will do this
much faster. Or, you can put your cursor in the very left of the EPS and the
curser will change to a white sheet. This will enable you to grab a project
and move to another node
- To send P6 file to other users or to save it in any folder we have to export it.
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4) Select the project which has to be exported from a list of open projects, next
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5) Click on the tab to specify the name of the exported project file, next
7) Type the file name & selection the location where project has to be stored.
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- Click on the Tab to select the file that has to be imported into, next,
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- To open the imported project file, go to Projects Window, select project, right
click and click on open project.
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- Click on File – Select the export format P3 (as here we are exporting into P3
format), next
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- Specify the planning unit you want to keep in P3 format (hours or days), next ,
Finish
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Select the P3 Project which has to be imported from P3 Project group, next
Select the EPS under which project has to be imported into, next
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Select Parental Resource name from existing P6 resource list (has to be created
before we import the project) under which resources of imported project will be
stored, next
- Finish
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Select Projects to be exported (P6 will show you list of all opened projects)
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You can modify the data into excel and then again can import into P6.
Note:
1. To import excel file into P6, the data should be in same format as it was
exported i.e. you can not change column headings as this is a specific format
requirement for P6 import
2. The excel file being imported into P6 must be closed. (if it is open then while
importing it will show error : invalid file name)
3. P6 project under which you are importing the excel file has to be opened.
(Note: If you are using P6 through spring board then file manager should always be
open for export & import)
Most Important:
To import it back into P6 from Excel, the column headings must be in the same
format as we exported it from P6 into Excel.
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Select the project under which you want to import excel data, next, Finish.
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4. SV (Schedule Variance)
= Earn - Plan
5. CV (Cost Variance)
= Earn - Actual
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Example:
- Activity : xyz
- Duration: 10 days
- Baseline Total Cost: 1000 GBP (linear distribution across duration of
activity)
Suppose after 5 days 40% of work is completed and we have incurred (accrued) a
cost of 550 Pounds to finish this amount of work.
CV = 400 – 550 = -150 (minus sign shows cost over run in project)
SPI = 400/500 = 0.8 <1 which is not a good sign (shows behind schedule)
CPI = 400/550 = 0.73 <1 which is not a good sign (shows cost over run)
The layout below shows key peroformance indicators calculated for SEMD project:
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Explanation:
Orange curve is for cumulative earned value cost & Green Curve is for cumulative
planned value cost.
From above curve we can analyse that during the mid of the project earned value
is higher than planned value i.e. we were ahead of schedule but from last two
months earned value is less than planned value i.e. we slipped behind the
schedule.
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Note:
If you have assigned baseline as a primary baseline then you should select
option “calculate earned value based on primary baseline” to get the correct
earned value otherwise p6 will calculate earned value from current project.
To select that option go to Projects window, select the project, click on settings,
Select option User’s primary baseline (for earned value calculations) if you have
assigned baseline as primary baseline
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P6 can create total value as well as time distributed reports. The report data can be
transferred directly into Excel to customise it into well presentable form.
Example: Create a report which contains activity id, activity name grouped by
WBS, Baseline start, Baseline finish, Forecast Start / Finish, Budgeted Total Cost
Steps:
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(Note: while creating the report we have to select subject area based on what
information we want in the report)
Select subject area – Activities, next, select additional subject area if required, next
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Run Report:
We can run report as a print preview, HTML or we can directly transfer data into
Excel.
Once the report is created, it can be saved under a report group and can be run for
any other project at any time. To run the same report for any other project, open
the project and run the report.
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Time distributed reports show units & cost information distributed over time i.e. by
week, month, year etc.
Example: Create a report which shows planned, earned, actual value cost every
month.
Reports – Select Time Distributed Data, next, select subject areas, next
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From Time Interval Fields Select required fields: Planned, Earned, Actual Cost,
next
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- Save report.
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Print Preview of Time Distributed Report: (showing planned, earned, actual cost by
week)
To transfer the above report into Excel select ASCII Text File option - Ok
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Report extracted into an excel which can use it to prepare Metric Reports.
Cost Data extracted from P6 and converted into percent to use into Metric Report
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Below is the typical example of Metric Report for the “BOUGH BEECH” project
created from data pulled out from P6.
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Report groups can be created to categorise the reports. To create report group go
to Tools – Reports – Report Groups
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Tracking layouts are used to manage multiple projects; in other words, through
tracking layouts we can analyse data at EPS level. The lowest level data we can
see via tracking layouts corresponds to WBS levels.
In tracking layouts we can get information about resource/ cost profiles or curves,
project tables (eg. Earned value table) for an EPS, Sub EPS, Project or WBS.
A typical tracking layout showing Cost Profile & Cost Curve for EPS: Southern
Water
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Another Tracking Layout showing Earned Value Table for all projects under the
EPS: Southern Water
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Click on Tab
Click on open
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Customise the fields required in the Layout. You can also apply filter or group by to
Tracking Layouts
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Issues are known as problems within a project plan that require attention or
corrective action.
After deciding threshold parameter, we can set the limits for it. As we monitor the
threshold, the activities or WBS which violate the threshold limits will come out as
an issues.
Example: We want to see all the activities in a project having Schedule Variance
greater than £1000 but less than £ 2000, so that we can concentrate more on
those activities.
For that we have to create one Threshold which has upper limit 2000 Pounds.
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Click on Monitor
- It will list out all the activities which have Schedule Variance less than £ 2000 &
more than £1000 as an Issue.
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1. Global Security Profile: Through Global Security Profiles we can set global
privileges for each user so that he can view, edit, modify global data like
Resources, Global Calendars, Global Activity codes etc.
One user can be assigned with only one Global Security Profile. But multiple
Project Security Profiles can be assigned to one user.
For more information about creating users & assigning Security Profiles to Users,
please read Theresa Richardson’s Template Titled “Administering Users and
Security in P6”.
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