Primavera P6 has proven abilities to be extremely customizable with its interface. You can configure the layout of the screen and can freeze these settings into an option that you can access later in a menu. This will become really helpful when you need to do quick analysis or to quickly input or find the data you need. The layouts can be saved at different user levels as well so there is the option to standardize customized layouts for the entire enterprise.
We’ve compiled a list of layouts that may be useful for your scheduling and planning purposes on the Activities screen. Click on the images to view the details of each layout tutorial.
DOWNLOAD LAYOUT TEMPLATES HERE
All of the options to change the layout can be found from the layout drop-down menu. We’ll be primarily using the Columns, Filters, and Group and Sort menu items to create the layouts below:
Unless otherwise specified, the layouts should be grouped by WBS and sorted by Activity ID:
1. Developing Schedules
When building a new schedule it is helpful to have all the key fields on the screen at the same time. The relationship tab at the bottom is great for adding logic relationships between activities on the schedule as activities are being added. Since the layout is grouped by Project WBS, make sure to add the required activity code of the project as a column. In this case, Department is the activity code.
Columns:
2. Analyzing Calenders
It is important to make sure that the right calenders are assigned to activities due to the effect of calenders on Total Float calculations and activity dates.
The layout is grouped by Calendar => WBS and sorted by: Calendar: Hierarchical
Columns:
Groupings:
3. Analyzing Constraints
A well-built schedule should not have many constraints, but this layout is useful when analyzing schedules that others have built to make sure constraints have not been used in place of schedule logic to drive dates.
Columns:
Groupings:
4. Analyzing Critical Path
The Project Finish Date is one of the most important dates in the project. It is always important to keep an eye on activities that influence the Project Finish Date which by definition is the same as activities on the critical path. The default Critical filter shows only the activities that are on the critical path, using the definition of Critical Activities from Project Settings (by default, this is Total Float less than or equal to 0 hrs).
Columns:
5. Analyzing Milestones
Milestones are key events; therefore, it is important when building schedules to make sure the milestones and the corresponding activity types are correct.
Columns:
6. Look ahead
A look-ahead schedule helps to highlight upcoming activities. Assuming that we want to focus on activities taking place within 3 weeks of the reporting cut-off date, the layout we’re creating here will show all activities in the upcoming 3 weeks as well as activities that are currently taking place.
Columns:
Filter (create a new filter):
7. Baseline Comparison
This layout is useful for monitoring how the project is performing against the project baseline schedule.
Columns:
8. Near-Critical Activities
Earlier we showed how to create a layout for displaying activities on the critical path. This layout is useful for showing activities that are almost critical by looking for activities with Total Float equal or less than 10 days.
Columns:
Filter:
9. Assigning Resources
When the time comes to assign resources in a schedule, it is useful to keep the Resources tab open in the details pane.
Columns:
Resource tab columns:
10. Earned Value Management
This is a popular form of project performance measurement which focuses on cost and schedule progress against baseline.
Columns:
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