Figure 11 – Activity with resource and cost assigned I also use the USACE LS unit / cost loading process, but the cost can be added manually. (Should be one point of responsibility for each activity…). Personally, I try to have one resource per activity, not multiple resources. I then assign the appropriate resource to an activity and add the LS cost.
I prefer to create a labor resource for each trade, or subcontractor / vendor, and contractor. If the requirements only require simple lump sum, LS cost loading, not resource hourly units or material and equipment units, the above process will work. If there is a requirement for Resource and Cost loading, the process above will require a few changes depending on the Resource Loading requirements. Figure 9 – Original duration to actual duration variance Resource and Cost Loaded Schedules I may have the opportunity to influence current or future similar work by the same subcontractor or field team. If the Actual Duration is much greater than the Original Duration, I know I need to research and address whatever reason drove the lack of production / progress. I can also look at completed activities (based on Original Duration against Actual Duration). Figure 8 – “Physical % Complete” to “Duration % Complete” variance With this information, I can address this lack of progress for any in-progress activities, while there is time to have a positive influence. For example, if the physical % complete for an activity is 50% (for work in place) and the duration % complete is 70% (based on the remaining duration or estimated finish date set based on field input), I can see that I’m not making the physical progress / production rate I planned.
This update process is simple and still shows the variance between physical progress and activity duration. I have an accurate current as-built project status. Once this is completed, the project schedule progress update is complete. Figure 7 – Activity with “Physical % Complete” and “Duration % Complete” entered I let the calculation based on Original Duration, Actual Duration, and Remaining Duration set this value. I DO NOT adjust the “Duration % Complete” value for an activity.
Figure 6 – Setting the remaining duration for an activityįinally, I enter the work completed % complete value input in the “Physical % Complete” area. Now I enter the remaining duration, RD or set the estimated finish dates based on the project team input. Figure 5 – The Primavera P6 schedule log Out-of-Sequence, OOS activities list Personally, I like to address any activities listed on the Primavera P6 schedule log under Out-of-Sequence, OOS activities at this time. Figure 4 – Setting the Data Date to schedule the update Then I set the Data Date for this update and schedule the program. Figure 3 – Entering actual dates at the “Details – Status” Area Once I’ve received all the progress data from the project team or gathered information during a site walk, I’m ready to start entering this data into this schedule update.įirst, I like to enter all the actual dates. Figure 2 – Copy / paste baseline for use as 1 st update Updating Progress (No Resource or Cost Loaded) Once the baseline schedule is accepted, I copy / rename it and use it as my first update. “Activity Type” is “Task Dependent” unless an individual activity is a “Milestone” or “Level -of-Effort, LOE”.įigure 1 – Default “Duration Type”, “Percent Complete Type”, and “Activity Type” Setting.“Percent Complete” type set to “Physical”.“Duration Type” set to “Fixed Duration and Units”.Develop the Baseline Project Scheduleįirst, if the project does not have a requirement for Resource and Cost Loading / Reporting, I select the following project level settings in Primavera P6. This is how the majority of projects I work with utilize the project schedule. The idea is to have a project schedule the contractor can use to show actual progress for each update period and communicate the plan to complete the remaining contract work. But you need the Primavera P6 schedule developed in a way that allows this easy process for updating progress in Primavera P6. There is a way to make updating progress in Primavera P6 for a construction project schedule (that is used by the contractor to report progress to the owner), simple.