Time-distance diagram Excel

Hi Ahmed

It is very easy to set up a simple time - chainage chart using X - Y graphs in excell - although you will get a better result from Lotus 123.

You don't need formula's or macros - just the chainage production range in X and the start and end dates in Y - These are best expressed as week numbers.

You can even build some sort of logic between the task lines by using a + link to another cell.

Just use your imagination and it will all come together.

It is however of very limited value because it will not display any criticality and there will be no calendar facility.

Best get the software and do it properly.

I have achieved very good time line programmes in PowerProject using "Task per Line" mode - the last one was a 500 km pipeline up the west coast of India - including over a range of mountains.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Thank you Mike for you answer, its so helpfull

Hi Ahmed

You will be interested to know that Powerproject v 12 now has a button that creates Time-Distance graphs directly from the Task Per Line mode programmes.

Best regards

Mike Testro

I agree with Mike's comment that although you can produce good time chainage charts using Excel, it is much better to get some dedicated time chainage software. Before dedicated software was available, I spent many years producing time chainage charts in Excel, the main disadvantages are that:

1. Holidays are not easy to deal with
2. It is very slow work entering the activities and logic
3. Updating and making logic changes can be a real pain

I can recommend a piece of excellant software, called TimeChainage. It is much cheaper than the competition and makes producing a time chainage plan very easy. I produce this software so I am biased.

If you are interested in TimeChainage, then check out the website www.pclarke.co.uk

Regards

Peter Clarke

Split tasks in task per line mode:

This leads to creation of many section based tasks simply that you display on the same line reflecting different conditions from the ROW and need to be linked. The view is not a march chart, so graphically you will have no connection to site constraints like environmental restrictions, crossing, elevation and land aquisition. This can be only displayed in march charts, which TILOS is using.

TILOS allows a realsitic modelling of the production rates with location based profiles without increasing number of tasks. This reduces planning efforts and garanties realistic planning data and helps so to plan by not violanting site constraints.