Resources Histogram

P3 can’t do the presentable chart.

You have to do it outside for example in excel.

I agree with Luca, P3 report is not really nice report and it will be better to export the data.
Any out P3 has 2 option to prepare Histogram:
1) WYSWYG is the simple one. click on the histogram icon you will get it.
2) using the resource report you can set up the system and get a pour histogram.

Of course the result dipend from the resource structures.
I will suggest to create a Direct Mhrs resource (general and for all the construction activities) and once for the machinary.

Sort out must be done using WBS or Activity code.

Is wyswyg a Microsoft statement?

wyswyg = what you see is what you get...am I right or wrong

wyswyg = what you see is what you get...am I right or wrong

Ali, you are right.
For the question "Is wyswyg a Microsoft statement?", yes in the past. Now Microsoft is working on solution rather software feature.

Alternative method is use the Excel sample files in the P3 installation CD. It can import P3 data into the Excel. Then you can generate the resources histogram in Excel.

Excel is best for plotting Histogram with respect to plotting and modifications

Also a good solution could be to link with ODBC driver P3 and excel or access and then have all Your graphs.
So at any time You open the MsOffice application the graphs will be updates.
What I used sometimes with good results was to link by ODBC P3 with access, then in access extract the info I need, using the powerful of a database, create a table wit them and make the gph in excel.
If You create the query once You can use for all the further gphs updates and so on.

ODBC connection is a good idea. If the project is a ’big’ one, ie many activities, it always time out and fail to have the result.

I used with pretty big schedule (thousand of activities) with out any major problems.
The only problems I had, independent from the size of the size of the schedule was because look like P3 is not able to duplicate the database structure in proper way, and some records results “unknown” and I got the chance to link different tables.
While with this big schedule I had problem with RA!

Hi PPlanners
From what I see majority of planner tend to export P3 data to Access or Excel and try to produce their reports. I did the same in the past and present. I found that sometime it is better to use the existing function in P3 to print out the histogram and S-Curve.

Just a reminder though. If you print out the S-Curve in the Layout view and in the report view, under certain conditions they will look completly different. Be careful with your target program’s BAC & QAC

In my opinion it’s easy to create a S-curve or a histogram in P3 (I have to admit that the graphics are not so nice); a lot of planners are blaming P3 for... but these users must understand 1st how P3 is calculating the resource curve, what are the formulas!?
In Excel you’ll create a graph without taking into account: calendars, ATD, ETC, EAC, EV, %’s...it’s just a picture. Too much use of Excel!!!

Can someone tell me where I can find more about Front Loading, Back Loading and Uniform Loading of resources?

If you are talking about finding these resource types(linear/back end/front end etc...) to introduce in P3, follow these steps.........

1. Open your p3 schedule
2. Select an Acitivity
3. Click Activity Form
4. Click "Res" button
5. Select the resource you want to introduce the Resource Curve(remember you must create resources first in the resource dictionary)
6. Click the Field against the "Curve" option and right click your mouse to choose the resource curve you want to use.

Hello

Did P3 calculate the planned progress if we introduce the buget to the activities and make an S curve from the befining of the project to the end ?

Thanks in advance

Salim

what u ask about is the Earned value BCWP(budget cost for work performed)..this is the planned values.

the actual vlaues is what really you have spend for each item or activity..not baed upon the budget you assign for each activity.

I hope this will help

Ali
==============

Actually the baseline curve, is BCWS (Budget Cost of Work Scheduled), Earned Value (Budget Cost of Work Performed) is the periodic assessment of progress * budget.

To be done properly, the BCWS should be produced as two curves, representing the early and late schedules, with the Earned Value plotted periodically against them for comparison.

HTH

HA HA HA HA... After all that’s been said, no one came up with the correct answer to the original question.

*****Before the answer...
a) Steven Oliver is correct in his posting.
b) Forum Guest should not dabble in EVM.

=======================================================
NOW FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER TO THE ORIGINAL QUERRY
=======================================================

THE QUESTION: Do you know how to create histogram using P3 for the actual vs target for manpower & machinery?

THE SHORT ANSWER: YES

THE LONG ANSWER: Try this on Project APEX
1. From the menu, select:
Tools, Graphical Reports, Resource and Cost

2. Run RC-04: Area Profile - Current vs. Target

You may what to go to the Content Tab and change the Histogram Format from Area to Bar.

Try running this from the APEX project. if this is what you want, then define it under your project.

This will work if you made use of Cost Categories or proper resource coding structures to identify your manpower from your machineries. If not, you’re in trouble.

Good luck.

Jorge,

The histogram in the current schedule you mentioned is not the actual manpower but only the theoretical result based on the progress earned. In the real construction world, "actual" means the physical count of the workers who actually worked on the activity. Unfortunately, there is no field in P3 where you can input this data. Hence, it is recommendable to export the planned manpower and update the actual outside the Primaver system (say Excel or any other graphic software).

Hope this simple suggestion will help.

Forum Guest

P3 do have the platform to enter the actual quantity of labor in each single activity. Not a calculated one....

All you need is load the activity with planned resource and when the activity is perform record each period of actual quantity of workers is used in Man Hrs of Man Days. P3 will calculate the plan curve againist the Actual hrs use.

Alex

Mr. Alex,

I stand corrected, you are right there is a field to input the actual quantity in P3. But how these actual quantities are plotted in the histograms? For example, SD=01Jan04, DD=31Jul04 and FD=31Dec04, how does P3 show the actual no. of welders in Jan04, Feb04, Mar04, Apr04, May04, Jun04, and Jul04 without showing the calculated/forcasted no. of welders to completion (31Dec04), which the Contractor usually does not want to show and the Client does not want to see. Have you tried this exercise before? It would be interesting for me to learn how to do it. And thanks in advance.

Forum Guest

Forum Guest

Good that you ask.

Firstly, you will have a baseline target project (After the client approved of course)

Say, you plan to have average 10 welder per month working on the job.
Activity - Construction, Resource Welder with
BQ = 120 man months
Start 1-1-04 finish 31-12-04
Data date 1-1-04

Then after the first month you updated you project by changing the following
Data Date 1-2-04
resource welder BQ = 120 Man Months
Actual = said "5 Man Month"
Start = Actual "15-1-04" Finish 31-12-04

then you schedule your project and save period performance
the 5 man months is saved in Jan-04 and your resource will shows Quantity this Period 0 Quantity Last period = 5

Then came next report period you may have 25 welder working on the job then your update will be as follow
Data date = 1-3-04
Resource welder = 120 Man months
Actual = 30
Start & finish = Same
then you schedule your project and save period performance
the 25 man months is saved in Feb-04 and your resource will shows Quantity this Period 0 Quantity Last period = 30

Cont. monthly update then you have have a plan curve of 10 welder per month and a actual curve of 5 in the first month started on 15-1-04 and 25 in Feb ....

Its simple.

Try and let me know any issue.

The only thing that I am not address is if you dont what your client know... well you will need to run two schedule if you want to display a different story to your client.

Thanks, Alex

I think the originator of this thread would be grateful to your explanation. With regards to the calculated forecast from Aug04 to Dec04, I found out that these could be easily removed in Primavera Look by point-click-delete operation.

Dear colleagues,

The exchange of ideas between Mr. Alex and Mr. Forum Guest is very instructive. I wish that other members will follow this kind of healthy interaction.

Cheers and hurrah for Mr. Alex.

Hello guys,
The Question in the orig post is, do you know how to create histogram using P3 for the actual vs target for manpower & machinery? This is the solution:

In activity form chose resource then do this steps.
1. set RPCT = 0, for manpower & machinery.
2. Update actual this period = to the actual mandays or equip-days etc..
3. For the first update, update Quantity at Completion (QAC)= to the actual mandays or equip-days etc.. as in item 2.
4. F9 / schedule
5. Store period performance.
6. for the second update just update actual this period the back to step 4 & 5 and so on.

Then go to tools , graphic reports , resource & cost and do your histogram showing actuals up to the data date and shedule / plan manpower and mahinery. if you need sample just e-mail me at : donatom@rcjubail.gov.sa

Hope this will help

Alex Wong,

I have been seeing you provide correct answers re: P3 and PE. And I suspect that you’ve been providing Primavera training and have had actual Primavera experience. Also, I am inclined to think that you’re a PAR if not direct from Primavera because you’re so knowledgable about the product.

By the way, I’m a PAR (Primavera Authorized Representative), too.

Regards,

Jorge

Hi Jorge,

Sorry to disappoint you I am not a PAR nor related to Primavera. I was heavily involved (PM) in roll out of sereval major P3 and P3e system in large number of organisation. Thats why I am very familiar with the system.

Cheers

Alex

To the original Q: Can someone tell me where I can find more about Front Loading, Back Loading and Uniform Loading of resources?

Missionaties Style=Front Loading
Doggy Style=Back Loading
On top=Uniform Loading

Hi All,

The constributions of Alex & Jorge were both precise and informative.

Keep up the good work guys and continue serving the good purpose of this site.

Cheers,

Burley

There are many different type of usage in P3.

You can monitore the work with earned analysis or planned/actual or combined. But the most important thing is that knowing the items (resource items especially) well enough to produce reports and graphs. Custom data items, global change and report writer will help you to create amazing informative reports with only just one click.

The most annoying part I encounter is with store period performance. In order to keep a accurate histograms you need to store every period you scheduled. Some minor mistakes could be annoying if you missed in 2 or more periods. Only return is the reschedule all the periods again.(It is so easy to miss if you are reporting an earned value progress report)

PPlanet is a holy information source. But First of all I am always pressing F1 and open help. Help files are much more better than the manuals.

Thanks all planners,

Regards,

Hi Barry

One option is to use stack histogram in P6 full client where you can select individual resource and group them together and stack them. However, this will not give you the short fall in each type of resources.

Another approach to give you the limitation of each type of role is to use ROLE in P6, this involve classify your resource into various role then give the role a limit.

HTH

Alex