Creating Subfolders in P5

Hi Richard,

I don’t quite understand your query? You have a subject "Creating Subfolders in P5" then you have a query of "What are the pros & cons of this?" What do you mean by that?

In P5 if you have an XER with a multiple projects or schedule you can import it only to existing Enterprise. You need to have exactly the same Enterprise structure of your XER so you can import it the same location where it should be otherwise all projects or schedule goes to one Enterprise.

Regards,
Rodel

Rodel,

Thanks for your response. What is the advantage of creating several projects in enterprise instead of one? This just the baseline schedule and yet it is made up of several schedules. We are going to receive monthly updates therefore, am also looking at receiving monthly updates comprised of multiple projects. Can these schedules be managed effectively?

There are many advantage and disadvantages of having multiple projects under enterprise instead of one. You can open one project at a time and update and or open on enterprise level all project as one and update. It acts like the sub project and project on the original P3 but more structure and multiple levels unlike the old P3 up to 1 level down only. If you can organize and structured your EPS and Project on more meaningful and manageable levels you will find the great advantage. It works like WBS levels that can filter, organise and sort to produce meaningful report. It all depends of what approach or intention you want to manage your EPS structure. You can structure by Project base or historic base.

Example: (Historical Base)

1.0 EPS – Highest Level (Main Project)
1.0.1 – Baseline (EPS)
1.0.1.1 – Original Baseline (EPS)
1.0.1.1.1 – Phase 1 (Project)
1.0.1.1.2 – Phase 2 (Project)
1.0.1.1.3 – Phase 3 (Project)
1.0.1.1.4….and soon
1.0.1.2 – Baseline 1
1.0.1.2.1 – Phase 1 (Project)
1.0.1.3.2 – Phase 2 (Project)
1.0.1.4.3 – Phase 3 (Project)
1.0.1.5.4….and soon
1.0.2 – Actual Data (EPS)
1.0.2.1 – Live Data (EPS)
1.0.2.1.1 – Phase 1 (Project)
1.0.2.1.2 – Phase 2 (Project)
1.0.2.1.3 – Phase 3 (Project)
1.0.2.1.4….and soon
1.0.2.2 – Update 1 (EPS) – (you can use date)
1.0.2.2.1 – Phase 1 (Project)
1.0.2.2.2 – Phase 2 (Project)
1.0.2.2.3 – Phase 3 (Project)
1.0.2.2.4….and soon
1.0.2.3 – Update 2 (EPS)
1.0.2.3.1 – Phase 1 (Project)
1.0.2.3.2 – Phase 2 (Project)
1.0.2.3.3 – Phase 3 (Project)
1.0.2.3.4….and soon
etc… etc…

Hope this help.

Rodel

Rodel,

Thanks alot. If can I understand correctly, the phases within each update or baseline will have relationships. Our project has about 30 phases. I would think life would be simpler with one schedule and filters as in P3. Our role is only to review the contractor’s schedules. So does this EPS help in analysis?

Once again I am very grateful for your help.

Richard

Richard,

Correct, the phases have external links to each phase. It would be more easier to review and at the same time each phases have their on critical path. If one project for 30 phases, just imagine the number of activities? At least on this type of approach, all phases that not yet started will still remain un-touch and you don’t need to worry about. You can always open on EPS level to review the overall program as one if you required.

Rodel

Rodel,

Thanks a lot. Your answers are to the point. Does it mean the overall project critical path will not be affected with multiple projects?

Hi Richard,

If the overall project critical path are defines on baseline even multiple projects or single, then it would not be affected except if you modify the baseline itself. Before running the schedule (F9), there is an option whether you want to ignore the external relationship or not. In this method, you can see what driving the schedule if the relationships to other projects are ignore or vice versa. You can always have an option to analyse the critical path on each project schedule by project level or enterprise level.

I hope that explain.

Regards,
Rodel