Primavera

 P6:  
 
We  will  learn  how  to:  
1. Create  a  project  
2. Create  a  WBS  
3.  Create  activities/tasks  
4. Create  logic  relationships  
5. Critical  path  
6. Create  resources  
7. Assign  resources  
 
We  will  also  learn  how  to:  
1. Assign  expenses  
2. Create  S  curve  
3. Create  resource  histogram  
4. Maintain  baseline  
5. Assign  baseline  
6. Update  progress  
7. Export  project  
8. Print  project  
 
Primavera  is  used  for  planning,  tracking  and  managing  projects.  
Usually  used  to  create  project  schedules,  budgets  and  tracking  project  progress.  
 
Project  structure  in  P6:  
 

EPS  

Project   Poject  

WBS   WBS  

Activities   WBS  
 
 
 
   
EPS:  Enterprise  project  structure  
 
• Includes  all  programs  or  projects  of  an  enterprise  
• Structured  according  to  requirements  of  organization  
 • Ex:  a  company  may  have  several  divisions:  manufacturing,  construction  and  
maintenance  
• So   it   will   set   up   several   EPS:   one   for   manufacturing,   one   for   construction   and  
one  for  maintenance  
• Under   the   EPS   of   construction   they   will   include   construction   projects:  
example  construction  of  a  residential  building  or  a  commercial  buildings,  etc  
 
WBS:  
• Each  project  can  have  multiple  WBS  under  it  
• The  project  is  divided  into  smaller  chunks  easier  to  manage  
• WBS   can   be   divided   up   to   any   number   of   levels   depending   on   the  
requirements  of  the  project  and  the  details  we  need.  
 
Project:  
• Create  a  unique  product  
• Has  a  definite  start  and  end  
• Not  repetitive  
• Example:   construction   of   office   building   –   create   a   new   software   –  
manufacture  a  new  car  
 
Activities/tasks:  
• WBS  is  divided  into  tasks  
• Tasks  need  to  be  performed  to  produce  deliverables  
• Activities  can  also  be  broken  down  to  sub-­‐tasks  or  steps  if  needed  
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Create  EPS:  
 
1. Open  Primavera  P6  

2.  
3. Click  add  to  add  a  new  EPS  
4. Change  its  name  
5. Give  It  an  ID  
6. Click  close  
 
Create  Project:  
 

1.  
2. Select  the  created  EPS  and  click  next  
3. Put  ID  and  name  and  click  next  
4. Set  start  date  and  no  need  to  set  end  date  now  then  click  finish  

5.  
6. Now  you  can  see  the  created  EPS  and  under  it  the  created  project  with  0  total  
activities  
 
 
Create  WBS:  
 
1. Right  click  on  the  project  and  select  open  project  
2. Now  you  can  see  that  the  project  is  blank  however  you  can  see  the  name  of  
project  on  the  top  (name  of  window)  

3.  
4. Now  you  can  see  that  we  have  created  the  top  most  level  of  the  WBS  with  the  
name  of  the  project  
5. Name  the  project  by  double  clicking  on  it  

6.  
7. Now  we  have  added  a  WBS  
8. We  can  add  more  WBS  by  clicking  on  the  +  button  or  move  it  right  or  left  by  
clicking  on  the  arrows  at  the  right  side  
 
Add  activities:  
 
1. Go  the  project,  right  click  and  open  it  
2. Now  we  should  see  the  WBS  created  
3. Select  the  WBS  (it  has  to  be  highlighted  now)  then  click  the  +  on  the  right  
side  
4. Name  the  activities  
5. Assign  duration  for  each  activity  (in  days)  
 6. Now   create   milestones   which   are   activities   with   a   zero   duration   for  
example  start  and  finish  milestones  
7. In  order  to  create  the  start  milestone:  click  on  the  highest  level  or  the  name  
of  the  project  then  click  add.      
8. Under   general   in   the   bottom   select   start   milestone   as   the   activity   type.   It  
automatically  takes  its  duration  as  0  and  it  only  has  a  start  date  with  no  
end  date.  

9. .  
10. For   the   end   milestone   do   the   same.   Under   the   final   activity   create   an  
activity  and  select  its  type  as  finish  milestone.  You  can  see  that  it  has  a  0  
duration  and  an  end  date  with  no  start  date.  
 
Link  activities:  
 
1. You   can   see   on   the   diagram   at   the   right   side   that   the   activities   are  
represented   with   a   green   bar   while   the   milestones   are   shown   as   black  
diamonds.  
2. In  order  to  link  activities  first  begin  with  the  start  milestone.  Click  on  it.  

3.  
4. Click   on   the   relationships   button.   Now   you   can   see   that   we   have   two   sides.  
Left  side  represents  predecessors  while  right  represents  successors.  
5. Select   the   project   milestone.   Go   to   the   successors   side.   Click   assign.   A  
window  with  all  the  activities  will  open.  Double  click  on  the  activity  you  
want.  
6. Assign  the  successors  for  the  rest  of  the  activities.  

7.  
8. Click  schedule.  
 9. Now   you   can   see   the   duration   next   to   the   project   name.   The   duration  
represents  the  working  days.  
10. By  default  the  relationship  between  the  activities  is  FS.  Lets  say  we  want  
two   activities   to   start   together.   I   change   the   relationship   of   the   activity   to  
SS  and  then  I  click  again  on  schedule.  
11. While  looking  at  the  Gantt  diagram  we  can  see  the  red  bars  that  represent  
critical  activities.  
12. We  can  also  add  leads  and  lags  to  the  activities.  Lets  say  the  duration  of  
the  first  activity  is  10  days.  The  activity  that  comes  after  should  wait  10  
days  before  starting.  Lets  say  I  want  to  wait  only  6  days.  So  we  select  the  
first  activity  and  add  a  lag  of  -­‐4  to  its  successor.  That  way  the  activity  that  
comes   after   starts   4   days   before   the   end   of   the   first   activity.   Click  
schedule  again.  
 
Critical  Path:  
 
1. Critical   path   represents   the   path   of   the   activities   with   zero   float.   We   can  
add  a  total  float  column  and  check  which  activities  have  a  zero  float.  
2. In  order  to  view  the  critical  path  activities:  

 
3. Click  customize.  

4.  
5. Click  ok.  Now  we  can  see  the  critical  activities.  
 
 
Add  resources:  
 

1.  
2. Click  add  button  to  add  new  resources.  
3. Resources  work  the  same  way  as  WBS.  So  we  first  create  the  top  most  level  
then  add  the  others.  You  can  arrange  them  with  the  arrows.  
4. There   are   3   types   of   resources   in   primavera:   labor   (workers)   –   material  
and   non   labor   (equipment).   You   can   change   the   type   of   resource   by  
clicking  on  the  resource  type  column.  
5. Now  select  the  unit  of  measure  for  each  resource  (materials).  
6. Now  click  on  each  resource  to  assign  the  unit  price(materials).  

7.  
8. Now   for   human   resources,   I   don’t   assign   measure   units.   I   just   need   to  
assign  the  maximum  units/time.    

9.  
10. That   way   I   can   add   how   many   hours   each   resource   works   per   day.   Then   I  
add  the  price  per  unit,  which  means  their  price  per  day.  
11. Now  in  order  to  assign  resources  to  the  activity,  click  on  the  activity.  
 12.  
13. Click  add  resource  then  select  the  wanted  resource  and  double  click  on  it.  
14. The   resources   page   remains   open.   You   just   have   to   click   on   the   activity  
and  select  its  resources.  
15. You  can  see  next  to  the  selected  resources  the  cursor  sign,  which  means  
they  have  been  assigned  to  an  activity.  

 
16. If  I  need  to  assign  material  resources,  we  proceed  in  the  same  way.  
17. Now  if  you  click  on  any  activity  and  choose  the  resource  tab  you  can  see  
the  resource  assigned  to  it.  
18. Now   I   need   to   assign   for   the   human   resources   and   the   materials   their  
budgeted   units.   (which   means   for   example   how   many   hours   does   the  
resource   need   to   work   to   finish   this   activity   or   how   many   tons   of   steel   do  
I  need  to  finish  this  activity)  

 
19. Once   I   fill   it   in   budgeted   units,   it   automatically   calculates   the   budgeted  
units   per   time   meaning   how   many   hours   per   day   for   example   does   the  
resource  need  to  work.  
 
Assign  expenses:  
 
1. Here   we   can   see   how   we   can   add   overhead   expenses.   Select   the   activity  
you  want  to  add  expenses  to.  Go  to  expenses  tab.  
 2.  
3. Click  add.  Name  the  expense  then  add  its  cost  (budgeted  cost.  These  costs  
will  be  added  to  the  total  costs  of  the  project.  
 
 
S-­‐curve  and  Histogram:  
 
1. In  order  to  know  the  total  budgeted  cost  of  the  project:    

 
 
2. Click  on  cost  then  select  budgeted  cost.  
3. Now  you  can  see  the  budget  of  the  project(according  to  price  of  resources)  
and  the  budget  of  each  activity.  
4. If  I  want  to  see  the  S-­‐curve  for  the  project:  

 
5. A  new  window  with  a  graph  opens.  Now  you  can  see  the  cost  curve  of  the  
project  as  well  as  the  weekly  or  monthly  cost  of  the  project.  
6. You   can   right   click   on   the   graph   to   change   the   timescale:   you   can   for  
example  change  it  to  month  view.    
7. In  order  to  look  at  the  resource  assignment  of  the  project:    

 
8. Now  a  new  graph  opens.  I  can  click  on  the  name  of  the  resource  to  see  its  
assignment  on  the  graph.  Click  on  the  bar  of  each  week  to  see  the  budget.  
9. I  can  select  all  of  them  to  see  the  total  resource  assignment.  
10. This  is  called  resource  histogram.  You  can  also  change  the  timescale.  
 
Baselines:  
 
1. In  order  to  go  back  to  the  main  view:  

 
2. We  need  to  create  a  baseline,  which  is  a  copy  of  the  original  project  against  
which  we  compare  the  progress  of  the  project  when  it  starts.  
3. In  order  to  assign  the  project  progress  we  need  to  maintain  a  baseline  first.    

 
4. Select  maintain  baselines.    
5. Click  add.  Choose  save  a  copy.  Then  click  ok.  
6. The  baseline  is  added.  Name  it.  Select  baseline  type  as  initial  plan.  
7. Now  I  have  maintained  the  baseline  but  I  have  not  yet  assigned  to  my  project.    
8. Go   again   to   project   and   select   assign   baselines.   In   the   project   baseline   option  
select  the  baseline  that  you  have  created.  Click  ok.  
9. Now  we  have  assigned  a  baseline.  I’m  ready  to  start  updating  my  project.    
 
 
Update  Progress:  
 
1. Select  the  following  options  for  the  column:  start,  baseline  start,  finish,  
baseline  finish.  
2. Now  we  have  to  update  the  project  dates  according  to  the  actual  dates  of  the  
project.  There  are  2  methods:  automatic  update  or  manual  update.  
3. Automatic  update:  

 
 4. This  option  should  only  be  used  if  the  project  is  going  according  to  plan.  
5. If   I   need   to   update   the   dates   of   few   activities:   select   the   activity   then   go   to  
tools  and  click  update  progress.  A  new  window  opens.  
6. Select  highlighted  activities.  Add  the  new  data  date.  
7. When  we  do  this,  the  activity  should  be  highlighted  in  yellow.  Click  apply.  
8. Now   we   can   see   in   the   bottom   the   percentage   completion   of   the   project  
according  to  the  time  that  has  elapsed.    
9. The  Gantt  chart  shows  the  activities  completed  in  blue  bars.  
10. However,  if  the  project  is  not  going  as  planned:  we  have  to  manually  update  
the  dates.  
11. Select  the  activity.  Go  to  status  in  the  bottom.  
12. Select  the  started  button.  

 
13. Now  change  the  start  date  and  assign  the  percentage  of  completion  next  to  it.  
14. Now  we  have  to  change  the  data  date.  
15. You   can   track   using   this   way   whether   an   activity   started   on   time,   early   or  
late.  
16. In  order  to  view  progress  against  the  baseline:  right  click  on  the  Gantt  chart.  
Select  bars.  
17. Select  primary  baseline.  Click  apply.  Then  ok.  
18. Now  under  each  activity,  a  baseline  bar  is  added.  
 
Export  Project:  
 

1.  
2. You  can  choose  to  export  as  primavera  file,  excel  or  Microsoft  project.  
 3.  
4. Click  next.  Choose  project  then  next.  
5. Click  next.  Select  exported  place.  
6. Click  finish.  
 
Print  Project:  
 

1.  
2. In  order  to  change  the  columns  or  the  Gantt  chart  view:    

 
3. I  can  now  change  the  page  size,  margins,  headers  and  footers.  
4. In  options  tab:  we  can  select  the  timescale  that  we  want  to  show  for  the  Gantt  
chart  for  example  choose  from  project  start  PS  to  project  finish  PF.  
5. You  can  deselect  the  Gantt  chart  if  you  don’t  want  to  show  it  in  the  print.  
6. Click  print  to  print  it.