If Project is analogous to a folder, then this project folder is located in the EPS folder. Furthermore, the WBS and activities will be saved in the project folder.
To create a project, do the following:
- Go to Enterprise Menu -> Projects
- Click the Add button
- Select EPS (see also how to create EPS), click Next.
- Fill in the Project ID. You are free to fill in the Project ID because this is just data and will not affect the project calculations. In the example, enter it with EC005011.
- Fill in the Project Name. This field can be filled with any text (project name) as needed. In the example, fill it with Haitang Corporate Park. Then click the Finish button.
Note: Another option, you can also continue to fill in the Project data by clicking the Next button.
- Next, in the Project Details section of the Dates tab, fill in Project Planned Start. In the example, fill in the date July 1, 2021. This date can be changed if needed later. The Set Data Date is the same as the Project Planned Start date, July 1, 2021.
Project Settings
Create Project Calendar
The thing you need to do after adding a project is to create a Project Calendar, then select Project Calendar for the project.
Before creating a Project Calendar, you must determine the number of working days in a week and the number of working hours used in a day. Suppose 8 hours per day for seven days a week. Or five working days a week with a working time of 8 hours per day.
In this example, we will use a five days work week with an 8-hours working day. The Working hours per day is from 8.00 to 17.00. Holidays during the project are March 29, 2022, 28-29 April 2022, May 9, 2022, July 4, 2022, March 29, 2023, April 28, 2023, May 1, 2023, May 9, 2023, July 4, 2023.
How to create a Project Calendar:
- Open the Project for which you want to create a calendar. In this example, we open the project that we created earlier. Open the project with Project ID EC005011. How: right-click -> click Open Project.
- Go to the Enterprise menu -> Calendars…
In the following screen, you can choose the allocation of Calendar. If you choose:
Global: The Calendar can be used for all projects and resources.
Resource: The Calendar can only be used on certain resources. For now, ignore this option.
Project: The Calendar can only be used by the project you are currently open. Other projects cannot use your Calendar.
So for the current project calendar, you can choose Global or Project.
- In this example, we will select the Project option. Then click the Add button.
- Then the Select Calendar To Copy From window will appear.
- Choose which Calendar you want to copy. Choose the one that best fits your project. You can edit the Calendar that you choose later as needed. In this example, select the Corporate – Standard Full-Time Calendar. Name the Calendar 5 days workweek w/ basic holidays – practice.
- To edit a calendar, select a calendar, then click the Modify… button.
- Then select Detailed work hour/day. After that, click on Workweek…
- Select a weekday: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
- In the Calendar Weekly Hours window, select the working hours 8.00-12.00 and 13.00-17.00, then click the Work button. Break time select 12.00-13.00; after that, click the Nonwork button.
- Set working hours on Sunday and Saturday to Nonwork.
When finished specifying working hours, click the OK button.
In addition to determining the number of hours per day on the calendar above, another important thing that you need to pay attention to when determining the number of hours per day is to pay attention to the number of hours per time period (day, week, etc.) in Time Periods.
If you use a duration of 8 hours per day on the calendar, then make sure that your Time Periods also use the same number of hours per day (8 hours). If you use the unit of time in the week (week), then what you need to pay attention to is equating the number of hours per week on the calendar and Time Periods. In the example project above, you are using the unit of time in days, so you only need to equal the number of hours per day (8 hours), while the others can be ignored (left by default).
- To create holidays, return to the Project Calendar window: 5 days workweek w/ basic holidays – practice.
- On the specified holiday dates, starting with January 3, 2022, click Nonwork. Continue in the same way on March 29 2022, 28-29 April 2022, May 2 2022, May 9 2022, July 4 2022.
- Once the Calendar is created, return to the Project hierarchy. Select the project you created earlier (Project ID EC005011). Select Calendar 5 days workweek w / basic holidays – practice in the Select Default Project Calendar window.
As a side note, the choice of Calendar in this project will impact the choice of Calendar when you create a new activity.
By default, the activity calendar will be the same as the project calendar. If needed, you can change the Calendar of activities according to your needs.
Selecting the Duration Type for the Project
To choose a duration type, you need to understand what Duration Type options are, namely:
Fixed Duration & Units
Examples:
10 days to build 100 units. With this example, P6 would decide that you must produce 10 units/day with the activity not started. Now let’s say the activity is a day in and only 1 build, this means 9 units that were not built are now spread over the remaining 9 days, meaning you must now produce 11 units/day for the remaining 9 days. P6 will not extend the duration by a day to allow for the 9 missing to be built. You must increase productivity (units/day) to achieve the 100 units target.
Usually, this duration type is used for Task Dependent type activities.
Fixed Duration and Units/Time
Examples:
A production line knows, it can produce so many units a day for so many days & this decides the total units produced. This would be used when the total output required is unknown and is decided by how much can be produced in a day and over how many days.
Usually, this duration type is used for Task Dependent type activities.
Fixed Units
Examples:
A site needs to be demolished 100 units, but there is no specific deadline to do so. This means P6 will dictate the number of units to demolish/day according to duration and vice versa. This is essentially the example of the production line with a never-ending total unit with the expected that fixed unit limits the production. So whilst the duration and units/time will change the target total units is set and one achieved the activity completed.
Usually, this duration type is used for Resource Dependent type activities.
Fixed Units/Time
Examples:
A factory line products 10 units/day and will continue until it’s stopped. So with a duration of 10 days, they will produce 100 units, change that to 20 days and they will produce 200 units. Change the budget units to 100 and the duration drops down to 10 days.
Usually, this duration type is used for Resource Dependent type activities.
Project duration type selection table:
Where:
O: Changing
V: Impact/ change
X: Remaining FixTo select a duration type, click the Defaults tab.
In this example, select Duration Type: Fixed Duration & Units.
Note that the Duration Type option in this project will impact the Duration Type choice when you create a new activity. By default, the activity duration type will be the same as the project duration type.
If needed, you can change the Duration Type of the activity according to your needs.
Choose the Percent Complete Type
There are three options % Complete Type that you can choose, namely:
Duration
This option is taken if your activity uses a fixed duration plan to complete the work target. If there is a delay, you need to increase work productivity to pursue the target duration.
The activity is considered complete if the duration percentage has reached 100%.
In Primavera, the activity is considered complete if the Duration % Complete column on the activity has been 100%.
Physical
If your activity uses a fixed physical target plan (fix) to complete the work target, this option is taken.
The activity is considered complete if the physical percentage has reached 100%.
In Primavera, the activity is considered complete if the Physical % Complete column on the activity has been 100%.
Units
This option is taken if your activity uses a fixed target unit plan (fixed) to complete the work target.
The activity is considered complete if the percentage of units (products) has reached 100%.
In Primavera, the activity is considered complete if the Unit % Complete column on the activity is 100%.
In this example, select Percent Complete Type Physical.
Configure How Activity ID Is Numbered
You can create Auto numbering on Activity ID. With the following fields:
Activity ID Prefix: This is the prefix of the Activity ID you created.
In this example, fill it with HP.
Activity ID Suffix: This is the suffix of your Activity ID.
In this example, enter 1000.
Increment: This is the addition of a number to your Activity ID. Primavera will automatically add several numbers when you add a new activity according to what you entered in the Increment column.
In this example, enter 10.
Example of the result of auto-numbering Activity ID:
If needed, you can still change the previously created Activity ID. For example, you change your HP1000 Activity ID to DSG1000. As long as you change the Activity ID to remain unique (not duplicate), you can change it.
