PrimaveraBasics,TipsandTricks

ByChrisBrace(Chris.Brace01@Gmail.com)

KnowaboutActivityDateFields
Thefollowingtabledefinesthetypesofactivitydatesavailableinthemoduleandhow theyareusedtoplanandscheduleyourproject. DateField Start Definition Foranactivitythathasnotstarted,thecurrentstartdateoftheactivity. Settotheremainingstartdateuntiltheactivityisstarted,thensetto theactualstartdate. Foranactivitythathasnotstarted,thecurrentfinishdateofthe activity.Settotheactivityplannedfinishdatewhentheactivityisnot started,theremainingfinishdatewhentheactivityisinprogress,and theactualfinishdateoncetheactivityiscompleted. Thedateonwhichtheactivityisactuallystarted. Thedateonwhichtheactivityisactuallyfinished. Theearliestpossibledatetheremainingworkfortheactivitycanbegin. Thisdateiscalculatedbytheprojectschedulerbasedonactivity relationships,scheduleconstraints,andresourceavailability.TheEarly StartequalstheRemainingStartunlessyoupreservethescheduled earlydatesduringleveling. Theearliestpossibledatetheactivitycanfinish.Thisdateiscalculated bytheprojectschedulerbasedonactivityrelationships,schedule constraints,andresourceavailability.TheEarlyFinishequalsthe RemainingFinishunlessyoupreservethescheduledearlydatesduring leveling. Thelatestpossibledatetheremainingworkfortheactivitymustbegin withoutdelayingtheprojectfinishdate.Thisdateiscalculatedbythe projectschedulerbasedonactivityrelationships,scheduleconstraints, andresourceavailability.TheLateStartequalstheRemainingLateStart unlessyoupreservethescheduledlatedatesduringleveling.

Finish

ActualStart ActualFinish

EarlyStart

EarlyFinish

LateStart

LateFinish

Thelatestpossibledatetheactivitymustfinishwithoutdelayingthe projectfinishdate.Thisdateiscalculatedbytheprojectscheduler basedonactivityrelationships,scheduleconstraints,andresource availability.TheLateFinishequalstheRemainingLateFinishunlessyou preservethescheduledlatedatesduringleveling. Foranactivitythathasnotstarted,thedatetheactivityisscheduledto begin.Thisdateissetequaltotheearlystartdatebytheproject schedulerbutcanbeupdatedmanuallybytheprojectmanager.This dateisnotchangedbytheprojectscheduleronceyouapplyanActual Startdate. Foranactivitythathasnotstarted,thedatetheactivityisscheduledto finish.Thisdateissetequaltotheearlyfinishdatebytheproject schedulerbutcanbeupdatedmanuallybytheuser.Thisdateisnot changedbytheprojectscheduleronceyouapplyanActualFinishdate. Theexpectedstartdateoftheproject,EPSnode,orWBSlevel,used duringtheplanningphase.Thisdateismanuallyenteredandisnot affectedbyscheduling.Ananticipatedstartdatecannotbeenteredat theactivitylevel. Theexpectedfinishdateoftheproject,EPSnode,orWBSlevel,used duringtheplanningphase.Thisdateismanuallyenteredandisnot affectedbyscheduling.Ananticipatedfinishdatecannotbeenteredat theactivitylevel. Theearliestpossibledatetheremainingworkfortheactivityis scheduledtobegin.Thisdateiscalculatedbytheprojectschedulerbut canbeupdatedmanuallybytheuser.Beforetheactivityisstarted,the RemainingStartisthesameasthePlannedStart.Oncetheactivityhas started,theRemainingStartisequaltotheDataDate.Whenthe activityiscomplete,theRemainingStartisblank. Theearliestpossibledatetheremainingworkfortheactivityis scheduledtofinish.Thisdateiscalculatedbytheprojectschedulerbut canbeupdatedmanuallybytheuser.Beforetheactivityisstarted,the RemainingFinishisthesameasthePlannedFinish.Whentheactivityis complete,theRemainingFinishisblank. Thelatestpossibledatetheremainingworkfortheactivitymustbegin withoutdelayingtheprojectfinishdate.Thisdateiscalculatedbythe projectschedulerbasedonactivityrelationships,scheduleconstraints, andresourceavailability.Whentheactivityiscomplete,theRemaining LateStartisblank.

PlannedStart

PlannedFinish

Anticipated Start

Anticipated Finish

Remaining EarlyStart

Remaining EarlyFinish

Remaining LateStart

Remaining LateFinish

Thelatestpossibledatetheactivitymustfinishwithoutdelayingthe projectfinishdate.Thisdateiscalculatedbytheprojectscheduler basedonactivityrelationships,scheduleconstraints,andresource availability.Whentheactivityiscomplete,theRemainingLateFinishis blank. Thedatetheactivityisexpectedtofinish,accordingtotheprimary resource.Typically,theprimaryresourceentersthisdateinP6Progress Reporter.Whenschedulingyourprojects,youmaychoosetousethe ExpectedFinishdatesornot. Theconstraintdatefortheactivityisthedateforwhichtheactivity's constraintapplies.Youcanenteraprimaryandsecondaryconstraint. Dependingontheconstrainttype,thisdatecouldbeastartdateora finishdate.Forexample,iftheconstraintisaFinishOnconstraint,the constraintdateisthedateonwhichtheactivitymustfinish. Iftheactivitydoesnothaveaconstraint,thisfieldwillbeempty.

Expected Finish

Primary ConstraintDate & Secondary ConstraintDate NOTE:

AnAappearingaftertheStartorFinishvalueindicatesthatthevalueisthe ActualStartorActualFinish. An*appearingaftertheStartorFinishvalueindicatesthatthereisaStartor Finishconstraintonthisactivity.

HowtoassureProjectIntegritywithScheduleLog
PrimaveraP6providesatoolwhichgivesinsighttopossiblescheduleerrors.Oncea projecthasbeenrecalculated,theScheduleLogisabletodetectthefollowing potentialissues: Openendedactivities Outofsequenceactivities ActivitieswithActualStart/Finishdates,beyondtheDataDate

Background: TheDataDateisthelogicalbackboneofaschedule.Itdoesnthavetoequal todaybutdoesrepresentthepointthroughwhichyouhaveupdated informationforyouractivities. EverythingtotheleftoftheDataDaterepresentswhatshappenedsofar.

EverythingtotherightoftheDataDaterepresentswhatstillhasyettohappen. 1.) EnableScheduleLogging(onetimeonly) AccesstheScheduledialogbox. Either: *PressF9(or) *ClickTools,Schedule EnableLogtofileasshownhere:

2.) Either:

RecalculatetheSchedule *PressF9(or) *ClickTools,Schedule ClickScheduleasshownhere:

3.)

ViewtheLogFile

4.)

InspecttheLogforPotentialProblems

Activitieswithoutpredecessors/Activitieswithoutsuccessors: Theseactivitieslacklogictiesoneitherside. Notnecessarilyaproblem,butgoodtousetheseresultstodoublecheckyourschedule integrity. Outofsequenceactivities Wassuccessorsprogressenteredtoosoon? Ispredecessorsprogress/completionmissing? ActivitieswithActualDates>DataDate ActualdateshavebeenenteredinadvanceoftheDatadateokifdatesarewithin reportingperiod

UnderstandingPercentComplete
Types: Theactivitypercentcompletetypeisoneof"Duration","Units",or"Physical". ThepercentcompletetypecontrolswhethertheActivity%Completeistiedtothe Duration%Complete,theUnits%Complete,orthePhysical%Completefortheactivity. Setthepercentcompletetypeto"Duration"foractivitieswhichareduration driven,forexample,administrationtasksandtrainingclasses. Setthepercentcompletetypeto"Physical"foractivitieswhicharework productdriven,forexample,creatingadocumentoraproduct. Setthepercentcompletetypeto"Units"foractivitieswhichareworkeffort driven,forexample,providingaconsultingservice.

Activity%Complete Fields Physical%Complete

Theactivityphysicalpercentcomplete.Thephysicalpercentcomplete reflectstheactualprogressmadeontheactivity'sworkproductsso far.Physicalpercentcompletecanbemanuallyenteredbypeople familiarwiththestatusoftheactivity'sworkproductsoritcanbe basedonthecompletionofassignedSteps.Alwaysintherange0to 100. Duration%Complete Thepercentcompleteoftheactivityduration.Computedas((Planned DurationRemainDuration)/PlannedDuration)*100.Alwaysinthe range0to100.Theplanneddurationistakenfromthecurrentplan, notfromthecurrentbaseline. Duration%ofPlanned Theactivityactualdurationpercentofplanned.Computedas(Actual Duration/BLDuration)*100.Thevaluecanexceed100.TheBL Durationistheactivity'satcompletedurationfromthecurrent baseline. Activity%Complete Theactivitypercentcomplete.ThisvalueistiedtotheactivityDuration %Complete,Units%Complete,orPhysical%Complete,dependingon thesettingfortheactivity'sPercentCompleteType,whichisoneof "Duration","Units",or"Physical".Alwaysintherange0to100. Schedule%Complete TheSchedule%Completespecifieshowmuchoftheactivity'sbaseline durationhasbeencompletedsofar.Computedbasedonwherethe currentdatadatefallsbetweentheactivity'sbaselinestartandfinish dates.IfthedatadateisearlierthantheBLStart,theSchedule% Completeis0.IfthedatadateislaterthantheBLFinish,theSchedule %Completeis100.TheSchedule%Completeindicateshowmuchof theactivitydurationshouldbecurrentlycompleted,relativetothe selectedbaseline. Note:SummarySchedulepercentcompletewhendisplayedonan organizeband,willALWAYSbecalculatedas(BCWS*100)/BAC, regardlessofwhatearnedvaluetechniquei.sselectedfortheactivity's WBS. Performance%Complete Performancepercentcompleteisusedtocomputeearnedvalueand maybebasedontheActivity%Complete,onthe0/100rule,onthe 50/50rule,etc.,dependingonthetechniqueforcomputingearned valuepercentcompletefortheactivity'sWBS.ThePerformance% Completespecifieswhatpercentageoftheactivity'splannedworth hasbeenearnedsofar. Note:SummaryPerformancepercentcompletewhendisplayedonan organizeband,willALWAYSbecalculatedas(BCWP*100)/BAC, regardlessofwhatearnedvaluetechniqueisselectedfortheactivity's WBS.

CostRelated%Complete Fields LaborCost%Complete Thepercentcompleteofcostsforalllaborresourcesassignedtothe activity.Computedas(ActualLaborCost/AtCompleteLaborCost)* 100.Alwaysintherange0to100. NonLaborCost% Thepercentcompleteofcostsforallnonlaborresourcesassignedto Complete theactivity.Computedas(ActualNonLaborCost/AtCompleteNon LaborCost)*100.Alwaysintherange0to100. ExpenseCost%Complete Thepercentcompleteofcostsforallexpensesassociatedwiththe activity.Computedas(ActualExpenseCost/AtCompleteExpense Cost)*100.Alwaysintherange0to100. Cost%Complete Thepercentcompleteofcostsforalllaborresources,nonlabor resources,andexpensesfortheactivity.Computedas(ActualTotal Cost/AtCompleteTotalCost)*100.Alwaysintherange0to100. Cost%ofPlanned Theactivityactualcostpercentofplanned.Computedas(ActualTotal Cost/BLTotalCost)*100,orequivalentlyas(ACWP/BAC)*100.The valuecanexceed100.Thebaselinetotalcostistheactivity'sat completecostfromthecurrentbaseline. UnitRelated%Complete Fields Units%Complete Thepercentcompleteofunitsforalllaborandnonlaborresources assignedtotheactivity.Computedas(ActualUnits/AtCompleteUnits) *100.Alwaysintherange0to100. LaborUnits%Complete Thepercentcompleteofunitsforalllaborresourcesfortheactivity. Computedas(ActualLaborUnits/AtCompleteLaborUnits)*100. Alwaysintherange0to100. NonLaborUnits% Thepercentcompleteofunitsforallnonlaborresourcesforthe Complete activity.Computedas(ActualNonLaborUnits/AtCompleteNonLabor Units)*100.Alwaysintherange0to100. WBSLevel%Complete Field Steps%Complete ThepercentcompleteusingtheWBSMilestonesthatareassignedtoa WBSlevel.ComputedasActualWeightofCompletedMilestones/Total PossibleWeightofAllMilestones

UnderstandingValidRelationshipsTo/FromMilestones:
StartMilestonescanhave: FS,SSpredecessors SS,SFsuccessors FinishMilestonescanhave: SF,FFpredecessors FS,FFsuccessors Notes: Theonlyvalidrelationshipbetween2StartMilestonesisaSSrelationship. Theonlyvalidrelationshipbetween2FinishMilestonesisaFFrelationship. TheonlyvalidrelationshipfromaStarttoaFinishMilestoneisaSFrelationship. TheonlyvalidrelationshipfromaFinishtoaStartMilestoneisaFSrelationship.

UnderstandingCommit&RefreshDB
P6commitsdatawhenthefollowingfunctionsareperformed: 1.Closingtheapplication 2.ChooseF IL E , C O M M I T D A TA (F10) 3.Summarizeprojects 4.AddorDeleteEPSnodesviatheSDK 5.ApplyActuals 6.Schedule 7.Import/Export 8.Deletearesource 9.Deleteaproject 10.ApproveorrejectatimesheetfromT O OL S , T IM E A P PR O V A L 11.Writelicenseinformationtodatabase 12.Changeauserpassword 13.Openaproject 14.Closeaproject 15.Saveaprojectbaseline 16.ChooseT O O L S , C H E C K P R O J EC T I N T E G R I T Y 17.SavealayoutinTrackingView 18.ChooseCalcImpactfromP R O J EC T , R I S K S 19.AddaresourceandcompletetheNewResourceWizard 20.CreateanewReportusingtheReportWizard

21.Modifyandsaveanexistingreport 22.ImportorExportareport 23.SelectabaselineprojecttouseandclickOK 24.AssignorModifyauserloginforaResource 25.ChooseF I L E , P R O J E C T A R C H I T E C T andsavechanges 26.EditacalendarfromE N T E R P R IS E , C A L E N D A R S 27.ChooseSendAllfromtheNotifydialogueinP R O J E C T , I S S U E S 28.WhennewrowsareaddedbychoosinganyoftheoptionsfromtheE D I T , A S S I G N menu.OptionsareResource,ResourcebyRole,Role,ActivityCode,Predecessor,and Successor. 29.DeleteaResourceShiftfromE N TE R P R I S E , R E S O U R C E S H IF T S 30.ModifyaResourceShiftandclickClose 31.AssignaShiftCalendarontheUnits&PricestabunderE N T E R P R I S E , R E S O U R C ES 32.ImportdatafromExpeditionunderE N T ER P R I S E , E X T E R N A L A P P L IC A T I O N S 33.Levelingresources P6commitsdatawhenthefollowingdialogboxesareclosed: 34 . E D I T , A S S I G N , A S S IG N R E S OU R C E S ortheAssignResourcedialoguewhenadding resourceassignmentstoactivities. 35.P R O J E C T , B A S E L I N ES 36.P R O J E C T , T H R E S H O LD S 37.P R O J E C T , R IS K S 38.P R O J E C T , I S S U E S 39.E N T E R PR I S E , E N T E R P R I S E P R O J E C T S T R U C T U R E 40.E N T E R PR I S E , OBS 41.E N T E R PR I S E , A C T IV I T Y C OD ES 42.E N T E R PR I S E , C A L E N D A R S 43.E N T E R PR I S E , C O S T A C C OU N TS 44.E N T E R PR I S E , F U N D I N G S OU RC E S 45.E N T E R PR I S E , E X T E R N A L A P P L I C A T I O N S 46.T O O L S , J O B S E R V IC E S 47.T O O L S , R E P O R T S , B A T C H R E P O R T S 48.A D M I N , U S E R S 49.A D M I N , S E C U R I T Y P R O F IL E S 50.A D M I N , A D M I N P R E F E R E N C E S

P6commitsdatawhentheswitchingbetweenthefollowingwindows: 51.ProjectView 52.ReportsView 53.ResourcesView 54.TrackingView 55.WBSView 56.WorkProductsandDocumentsView P6refreshesdatawhenthefollowingfunctionsareperformed: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ChooseF I L E , R E F R E S H . Open/ChangeLayout Whencreatingabaselineandchoosingtocreatethebaselinebysavingacopyof thecurrentprojectasthebaseline. ChooseT O O L S , C H EC K P R O J E C T I N T E G R I T Y . TheSDKautorefreshesbydefault.

UnderstandingFillDown
Insometableformatdisplaycolumns,youcanusetheFillDownfeaturetoquicklyenter thesametextinsuccessiverows. Tocopytextfromonerowtosuccessiverowswithinacolumn,selecttherow containingthetextyouwanttocopyandtherowsyouwanttocopythetextto,then chooseEdit,FillDown. 1. Clickthecellvaluethatyouwanttousetopopulateothercells.

2.

Selectothercellsinthesamecolumntobechangedtothenewvaluebyusing eitherShiftclickorCtrlclick. Note:Theoriginalcelltobecopiedmustremainhighlighted.

3.

RightclickandchooseFillDown.Allofthehighlightedcellswillbepopulated withthefirstselectedvalue(i.e."DesignBuildingAddition").

4.

NOTE:Somefieldscannotbefilleddown. Forexample:CalculatedfieldssuchasEarnedValue,ActivityID,resourceID., CostAccount,CostAccountID,etc.willhavetheFillDownoptiongrayedout. Commitchanges(File,CommitChangesorF10)

UsingUndo
TheUndocommand(Edit,Undo)allowsyoutochangeinformationbacktoitspre modifiedvalueintheActivities,Resources,andResourceAssignmentswindows.This includes:Add,Edit,Deletefunctionsinthosewindows. Undostoreseachactionperformedinsequence,beginningwiththemostrecentaction performed.ThereisnotechnicallimitonthenumberofitemsstoredinUndohistory. Oncethehistoryiscleared,itcannotbeundone. Useractionsthatcanbeundoneare: Inserts Edits Deletes(activities,resources,codesetc) Copy\Pastes Cut\Pastes FillDowns Replace(theUndowillonlyundooneeditatatime) Whatcantbeundone: DeletingaProject Modificationsmadefromaglobalchange Dataonactivitytabsthatcantbeundone: Expenseassignments WP+Docassignments FeedbacktoResources Steps Notebooktopics Inserts/Modifications/Deletestocodeassignmentsdoneinthetabscannotbe undone.ForUndotowork,thecodesmustbedisplayedascolumns,andthe usermustmakethechangesinthecolumns.Thisappliestoactivitycode assignmentsandresourcecodeassignments. ThefollowingactionswillcleartheUndohistoryintheProjectManagementmodule:

Summarizingdata UpdatingProgress Applyingactuals Refreshingdata

RenumberingactivityIDsinbaselines Creatingprojects Openingandclosingprojects Exitingtheapplication Importing Changingportfolios OpeningtheProjectPortfolios,UserPreferences,AdminPreferences,andTime Approvaldialogboxes OpeningtheOBS,UserDefinedFields,ResourceCodes,ActivityCodes,and ProjectCodesdialogboxes

PopupwindowswhichcleartheUndohistorywhenthewindowisopened: OBS ProjectPortfolios ResourceCodes ProjectCodes ActivityCodes UserDefinedFields AdminPreferences UserPreferences TimeApproval ActionsthatwillnotclearUndohistory: ChangingViews Commitcommand,whetheritisselectedinthemenuorthroughpressingF10 Scheduling Leveling NotesaboutUndo:

YoucanonlyundomodificationsintheGeneral,Status,Resources,and RelationshipstabsofActivityDetails. Scheduling,leveling,makinglayoutchanges,andopeninganewlayoutdonot cleartheUndohistory. Youcanonlyundoactivitycodevalueassignmentsthatwereassignedusingthe columnsintheActivitieswindow.Codevaluesthatareassignedand/orremoved fromtheCodestabcannotbeundone. IfyoudeletearesourceanduseUndotorestoreit,youmustreassignthe resourcetoanypreviousprojectissues,risks,andexpenses.Also,youmust reassigntheprimaryflagfortherestoredresourcetoitsactivityassignments.