Problem with cost loading in P6.1
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When my colleague then was updating that activity, I realized that manual computation was need to update the new % cost complete. I then dumped all activities out, and reloaded into the resource (non-labor)tab, using LUMPSUM as a resource.
My colleague then went about updating, and then, no matter how I’d set up the Activity type (always Resource dependent) and the duration type and the % complete type, I couldn’t get the resources to update.
The tech support person said that I couldn’t use money as a resource and update % to derive amounts (i.e. 58% complete activity shows 58% actual cost to date)
I sarcastically then asked tech support if I’d have to use a spreadsheet to compute actuals. They said that was a good idea (like I was seriour), but the software won’t figure out actual costs from activity % complete. Did I misunderstand? Did I talk to the wrong person?
The "costs" in this case are an earned value that is really a cost to the owner, the amount we can bill for that much progress.
10 replies
Oldest first- 0Paul Harris ·Marsha
P6 is a very complex piece of software and if you have not had training on the software you will find it extremely hard to get into it.
There are a number of options you need understand before embarking on statusing a resourced schedule, otherwise you will bump into the problems your are facing, these include but not restricted to:
1. The relationship amongst Activity %, Physical %, Duration % and Units % and Percent Complete Type
2. The relationship between the Resource and Activity Auto Compute actuals.
3. All the Resource AutoCost rules in the Project Calculations tab under Resource Assignments and Activities.
4. How the Resource Details tab options under "Profile" work.
5. How the different Duration Types calculate.
6. The User Preferances Calculation options.
I suggest you play around with a schedule with one or two resources and activities and change the options until you understand what is going on. Then decide how you want your schedule to calculate and set up all the tasks in the same way and you should be off and running.
Paul E Harris
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
Planning and Scheduling Training Manual & Book Publishers, Consulting and Training
www.eh.com.au
- 0Marsha Peterson ·I recently have been a certified trainer P3,ST,P5 and Contractor 5, so I thought I did understand this topic.
Yes, the software is complex, I’m wondering if it is getting so complex that the end user (a person just trying to schedule a project) is going to be so discouraged that they give up or settle for MS Project.
I’ve just been reviewing the various trials of my schedule that I’d already set up. The closest configuration, that was in place when I talked to Primavera is:
Act type: Task Dependent, Duration:Fixed dur and units, % type: Duration.
What was disconcerting was his comment that cash money cannot be a resource, that units with price per unit were the only way cost % would work. Still, what don’t I understand? - 0Anoon Iimos ·Marsha,
Though basically you can consider "cash money" as a resource (the best resource one could ever have maybe), you still need other types of resources to make it work. In Planning, money alone will not work. That’s the fundamental difference between Planning and Scheduling. Maybe if you’re just doing Scheduling, and you assign a certain cost (money) per day or per hour, then I guess you will get your desired result (assuming that you made estimates on how much are you going to spend on a daily or hourly basis).
What am I trying to say?...Yes I agree, that "units with price per unit" is the way to make it work.
cheers!
- 0Rob Siegrist ·
@Marsha,I'm certified in both
@Marsha,
I'm certified in both Project and Primavera and I don't understand why anyone would use Primavera. It's less user friendly, takes more time for simple tasks, isn't very responsive. Yet it's a requirement for USACE projects because, like Apple, it integrates well with other databases. Personally, it's the biggest pile of crap I've ever worked with and has so many bugs. For example, I update my cost-loaded project, using LumpSUM for USACE, and every time it adds decimals/non-integers to my costs. All of my costs end with zeros, so there is no possible way it should be doing this. I'm assuming it's because I'm using Japanese Yen as the currency, but that would just be bad planning by Oracle if that's what's causing it. Now I have to manually fix every Cost to reflect as an integer. Often over 100s of tasks and it's quite annoying. I couldn't imagine if I was doing a project with 1000s of tasks and every time I updated I had to fix.
- 0Vladimir Liberzon ·
Zoltan, I did not find any
Zoltan, I did not find any mentioning of MS Project in Rob's post.
I understood that your answer to Rob's question is this: "Primavera is specifically written in many of the scheduling specifications that it is the scheduling software that is required"?
- 0Rob Siegrist ·
@Zoltan Didn't realize this
@Zoltan
Didn't realize this was only for Primavera, but makes sense as this is the site I'm always linked to when I'm trying to deal with the many problems of Primavera (even when following the spec to a T) and it's huge learning curve making me the only person in my company that knows how to use it. I did only mention Project as I was certified in it, nothing else. Could you give a few ways it's superior besides it's integration with other Databases (cuz it doesn't interact with other software very well).
I've been trying to figure this problem I have out for months now. And no matter what site I go to, what google search I put in, it appears that my problem must be specific to the currency I'm using. I didn't mean to piggyback this thread, but it seemed like the only one close to my problem.
- 0Zoltan Palffy ·
Marshaif you are tracking
Marsha
if you are tracking both manhours (budgeted labor units) costs (budgeted labor costs) then the actual units will update automatically but the actual costs you will have to do this manually.
If you are not tracking manhours then use the budgeted labor units to track your costs and make sure that in the resource directory for the resource that you are using that Auto Compute Actuals is checked.
Make sure that you use duration % complete
Also in the projects directory under the calculations tab make sure that Recalculate actual units and costs whine duration % complete changes
Rob,
Primavera is an industry standard software and is far superior than MS Project and is specifically written in many of the scheduling specifications that it is the scheduling software that is required. Why would you post on a Primavera forum that MS Project is better ?
- 0Marsha Peterson ·
Since I first posted this
Since I first posted this question (8 years ago!) I've learned a lot. My experience in Primavera has a lot to do with those things I've found that I should NEVER do again.
Through experimentation, this is how I've set up a cost loaded schedule in P6 (cost-loading so that owner evaluates progress per month, costs = schedule of values).
Develop a resource in P6 that is non-labor.
In the details window make sure that Auto Compute Actuals and Calculate Costs from units is checked. And I've had good results by putting the calendar as 7 days /week (8 hours a day)
In the Units & Prices window there is no max units, but the cost per unit is $1
When assigning this resource make sure that the activity is task dependent, fixed duration and units (so the $ amount doesn't change), and because I'm in construction the % complete type is physical.
I set up a resource assignment window that shows budgeted units, budgeted cost, actual cost, Cost % complete, actual cost this period, remaining cost and cost at completion.
I FOCUS ON CHANGING UNITS, NOT$. But always validate that the BC and the Cost at completion are the same, sometimes they can get off when updating.
When an activity is started and finished, P6 computes 100% automatically. When not 100%, first change remaining duration because the software will still ascribe % complete to RD/OD. Then, because I've set up resource window to monitor units, not costs, and have a column that I change which is Units % complete (you may need to overwrite what the RD/OD % is. If you must change %, make sure that you reset actual units to 0 before changing % again. If you don't, somehow the software starts calculating % complete of the remaining units.
This system works. I've used it for those owners who will only use P6 results as the basis for monthly pay applications.
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