Skip to content
ProjectControls.com
Primavera Project Planner - P3

Store Period Performance

In the Open Standard
Kashyap MothaliMember for 21 years 6 months
Created
12
3
0
I update a cost loaded schedule every month. There are approx. 100-200 activities in this schedule that are being billed out prior to actual progress (due to costs being expended for submittals & fabrication). When I finally run the "Store Period Preformance", P3 tells me that these activities have no Actual Start Date. I then have to insert "bogus Actual Start Dates" for all such activities before I can run the "Store Period Performance" and the schedule calculation.

So far, I have been selecting these 100-200 activities individually, assigning them "bogus start dates" and finally undoing these "bogus start dates" after the schedule calculations. The entire process is painstaking and lenghty. Could anyone please suggest an easier way to do this process?

Thanks,

Kashyap Mothali
Save Follow Follow forum Report
Reply New topic

12 replies

Oldest first
  1. 0
    Anand Kulkarni ·
    #1
    Hi Kashyap,

    If the resources price/Unit & through will be of any help to you?

    At least in cash-flow statements it does get reflected.



    Report
  2. 0
    Andrew Podolny ·
    #2
    Hi, Kashyap
    I’d suggest inserting extra activity for each billed activity in your schedule. The point is to retain schedule logic – by this way you can assign real start dates for billing activity and then close it. The cons of this method are some routine work to be done. But in future you’ll be rewarded for this.
    Cheers,
    Andrew
    Report
  3. 0
    Paul Harris ·
    #3
    This is the usual problem people have when they try using a scheduling package for time sheeting. You will forever have problems.

    I suggest you get yourself a time sheet system for this purpose and do not bother with store period actuals, it is more trouble than it is worth.

    Paul E Harris
    Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
    Planning and Scheduling Book Publishers, Training & Consulting
    www.eh.com.au
    Report
  4. 0
    Vladimir Liberzon ·
    #4
    Paul, I strongly disagree.
    Period actuals are necessary for analyzing project performance trends.
    And besides time sheets will not help. Not only time matters, but also cost and material consumption, volumes done, etc.
    Vladimir
    Report
  5. 0
    Kashyap Mothali ·
    #5
    Andrew’s suggestion to itemize procurement and installation is an ideal solution....preferably what should have been done. However, since I inherited this schedule, I’m stuck with what I have.

    I experimented with the export/import process,but to no avail. Could you run a set of Global Changes to fix this? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks,

    Kashyap
    Report
  6. 0
    Eric Chou ·
    #6
    Kashyap,

    I think you have no way around that limitation of the "Store Period Performance". If you just use the period performance data for pay request, it can be done easily by using custom data item. In other words, "Store Period Performance" is only useful when you want to see all the historical period cost/resource data for individual activity or project at one glance such as cost/resource cumulative curve. If you just need the data from previous period such as pay request, I recommend you to use custom data items and global change to copy data over, etc. If necessary, you can use Excel to plot the cost/resource cumulative curve.

    Attached is the write-up by me regarding Store Period Performance. Please review for your reference. Go to the http://www.htcprojectcontrols.com/SB003.pdf

    Eric Chou, PE
    HTC Project Controls, Inc.
    www.HTCProjectControls.com
    Report
  7. 0
    Paul Harris ·
    #7
    Vladimir

    I agree that Period actuals are necessary for analyzing project performance trends.

    But the question I felt was not in relation to project trends, it was for billing, for billing I always recommend a timesheet system, using a scheduling software as a timesheet system is a time consuming exercise.

    In relation to project performance trends there are other methods when using P3, other than Period actuals, which off more flexibility. P3 Period Actuals is very inflexible. For example if you wish add a new activity which you are required to assign past period actuals too, I know this should not happen but it does, a new activity will not have the past periods and one has to copy an existing activity with the required number of periods in order to add an activity with past periods.

    It is my opinion that P3 period actuals is an inflexible tack on function that is difficult to use and I avoid it.

    Paul E Harris
    Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
    Planning and Scheduling Book Publishers, Training & Consulting
    www.eh.com.au
    Report
  8. 0
    Vladimir Liberzon ·
    #8
    Paul,
    I did not write about P3 in my posting. I am sure that you are right estimating its capabilities. And I did not mean billing and accounting. I don’t recommend to use PM software for this purpose too (and time sheets also). Usually the data entered in PM software are based on current work results and frequently are not supported by corresponding documents used in accounting.

    Vladimir
    Report
  9. 0
    Philip Jonker ·
    #9
    Hi Kashyap,

    P3 has a history function, where you can store history automatically, alternatively, I suggest you store it manually, in seperate directories for every date you update, the history option being the first option.
    I prsonally would stay away from bogus dates. Record history as it is.

    Tegards


    Philip
    Report
  10. 0
    Kashyap Mothali ·
    #10
    Guess what...Eric Chou’s suggestion worked.

    It involves a mutli-step process:
    1. Export all activities that show up in the initial "Period Performance" log file (P3.OUT)to .xls
    2. Assign a new code for these activities
    3. Import & Filter these activities in P3
    4. Run a Global Change to impose bogus AS Dates against activities assigned to this new code
    5. Store Period Performance
    6. Run another Global Change to undo previous bogus AS dates.

    Once step 6 is done, P3 automatically reverts back to the original ES Dates.

    This cut down the time from 2 hrs to 15 min. Thanks again for all your input and feedback!!!

    Kashyap
    Report
  11. 0
    Renee Trent ·
    #11

    Hello Paul,  I have

    Hello Paul,

     I have co-workers that are using "store period performance" and using it to run Earned Value in Primavera.  I have seen that this takes an entire group of administrators to keep the data updated.  ie. they are updating it with weekly financial periods.  Now I have several other groups that are requesting to use this "add-on" in Primavera, which I too believe is more trouble than it is worth.  We have had stored data that was messed up, and when we called the vendor even told us not to use it.  I am looking to get some "pros and cons" for using this part of Primavera. 

    Report
  12. 0
    Zoltan Palffy ·
    #12

    I would say that you schedule

    I would say that you schedule is incomplete. Why don't you have activities for submittals & fabrication this would solve your problem and NOT have bogus start dates. 

    every major activity especially that you are billing for should have the following chain of activities

    create & submit (whaterver product or component) submittal

    review & approve (whatever product or component) submittal

    fabricate or procure (whatever product or component) 

    deliver (whatever product or component) to site

    Install (whatever product or component)

    this way if anything in this chain gets delayed you will see where the delay is and the impact of the delay 

    Report

Log in or join to reply

ProjectControls.com is free to join. Members can post questions, reply, vote and follow discussions.

Log inJoin free

Existing members: your original username and password still work. Forgot password?