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Material resource Default units/time

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Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Hi to all! I am a bit confused regarding default units/time for any resource matreial specially concrete.Somebody informed me that put ZERO in default units/time in any material resource and after doing this the budgeted units also become zero.Please suggest or guide me what is the correct thing in any Material resource case in P6.

Replies

Zoltan Palffy
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yes when you go to leveling near middle make sure that Level Resources only when activity total float box is checked and that below it that Preserve minimum float when leveling is 0

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Dear Sir Zoltan

Actually i need to level resources within the limit of end date of my project

is it possible?

Zoltan Palffy
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I am not sure what you expected but thats what leveling does 

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Dear Sir Zoltan

thanks for the reply

I have chosen Option#3 Level resources but this option pushed my schedule 10 months forward..

Zoltan Palffy
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you have three options

option #1

change your logi and make more of the relationships FS

 

option #2 

increase your durations to use less manpower and spread it out more

 

option #3

use the leveling too

tools level resource then choose what and how you want to level your resources

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Dear Sir Zoltan

what is the procedure of levelling resources in p6?it seems i have over allocated my resources in the schedule..Please help

Thanks in Advance

Umair

Rafael Davila
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I do not use P6 but recall its updating is awkward with regard to time phased data and required you to make periods updates based on fixed periods so fixing previous periods performance can be a nightmare.

The database of the software I use allows you to delete specific prior period event updates and create new ones for prior periods for an easy fix of the table. It does not require fixing Financial Periods to get the right time distribution because of superior algorithm to calculate the distribution for any period of your choice.  I do not believe you can do this with P6. 

The operation to fix past performance events in Spider Project is very simple; it is similar to the regular updating procedure wich requires only steps 2 and 3.  

  1. From main menu go to the Performance Archive Table, a table similar to an Excel table, and delete any prior period performance you need to fix. 
  2. In the GANTT view go to the activity you need to fix or add prior/current period performance, right click and select <Add to actual data input table>, enter and adjust if necessary the performance data into the actual input table. 
  3. From this actual input table upload the data by clicking on the upload icon. Do not change the update version number and Data Date if the entry is not for regular updating purposes.  

In this way your Performance Archive Table is fixed and your time phased reports [including EVM reports] will be correct. This procedure is also convenient when new activities are added and these activities have some progress before current DD.  

Going back in time to a prior version and fix the data by running several updates along with period performance is insane, just imagine a small error is still to be fixed, what a mess it would be. I suppose for P6 there shall be a better way than going back to a previous version and run again periods updates with the settings fixed as per your recommendation.  The P6 way to fix prior periods performance I do not know.

I also recall P6 having issues when the Financial Periods among jobs is different as it only allows for a single definition.  Some users were recommending using a separate database for each client but what happen when different units of the same client use different financial periods?

Zoltan Palffy
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so what was the ultimate solution 

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Its done guys thanks for your support and help

Rafael Davila
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- Better yet delete the exiting resource and create a NEW resource with the default units/time NOT equal to zero then add the resource again.

  • I t would be interesting to see how you restore the resource historical data if it has been assigned to many activities, say 100 activities, 50 ea 100% complete, 10 in progress and 40 not started.  Remember it is a time phased data and for time phased reports it should be updated accordingly.
  • Although the schedule in question already have progress if there is no progress just reconstructing the resource assignments can be a nightmare.
Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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No problem dear brother Zoltan..

Thanks for guiding me

Zoltan Palffy
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if you followed what I have written it should work go back thru the instructions again.

Better yet delete the exiting resource and create a NEW resource with the default units/time NOT equal to zero then add the resource again.

Sorry I can not do you work for you. I can only guide you. 

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Dear Zoltan

I have followed every step according to your instructions but still no results.Can you do me a favour actually i want to share my schedule with you via email so you can check where am i doing mistake.So,if you dont mind give me your email address i will send my schedule to you and this will be a big help for me because then i can submit my plan to my boss.

Thanks in Advance..

Zoltan Palffy
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filter for all activities

add a column expand percent completes and choose percent complete type 

make the 1st one physical % complete

do a fill down in this column and make them ALL physical % complete

go to projects directory make sure your project is highlighted

click on the defaults tab  

change duration type to percent complete type to physical 

Raymund de Laza
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Your image show that the Percent complete type is Duration. Change to Physical as Zoltan suggests.

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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Dear Zoltan I have checked the admin preferences and also my duration is physical percent complete but earned value costs and planned value costs are still not showing.Is there any other reason for not showing the earnes and planned costs?I am also enclosing XER file for you..Thanks in Advance

task_codestatus_codetask_namecalc_phys_complete_pctcomplete_pct_typecomplete_pctstart_dateend_datetarget_costbcwsbcwp
Activity IDActivity StatusActivity Name(*)Physical % Complete(%)Percent Complete TypeActivity % Complete(%)(*)Start(*)Finish(*)Budgeted Total Cost(SR)(*)Planned Value Cost(SR)(*)Earned Value Cost(SR)
A1000CompletedPROJECT START100Duration1009/17/2015 6:30:00 AM 000
A1010Not StartedPROJECT FINISH0Duration0 11/7/2017 5:00:00 PM000
A1020In ProgressREBAR OF FOOTINGS (126 NOS)17Physical179/17/2015 6:30:00 AM4/4/2016 5:00:00 PM9000000
A1030Not StartedREBAR OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration011/15/2015 7:00:00 AM5/7/2016 5:00:00 PM7500000
A1040Not StartedFORMWORK OF FOOTING (126) NOS0Duration012/10/2015 7:00:00 AM4/4/2016 5:00:00 PM3800000
A1060Not StartedFORMWORK OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration011/26/2015 7:00:00 AM6/16/2016 5:00:00 PM6650000
A1070Not StartedCONCRETE OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration06/19/2016 7:00:00 AM9/19/2016 5:00:00 PM11600000
A1090Not StartedREBAR OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration09/24/2016 7:00:00 AM5/2/2017 5:00:00 PM9500000
A1100Not StartedFORMWORK OF PIERHEADS (260 NOS)0Duration011/21/2016 7:00:00 AM6/24/2017 5:00:00 PM7030000
A1110Not StartedCONCRETE OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration06/26/2017 7:00:00 AM10/14/2017 5:00:00 PM3325000
A1210In ProgressREBAR OF FOOTINGS (126 NOS)17Physical179/17/2015 6:30:00 AM4/18/2016 7:12:00 AM9000000
A1220Not StartedREBAR OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration011/15/2015 7:00:00 AM5/7/2016 5:00:00 PM8250000
A1230Not StartedFORMWORK OF FOOTING (126) NOS0Duration012/23/2015 7:12:00 AM4/18/2016 7:12:00 AM3800000
A1240Not StartedCONCRETE OF FOOTINGS (126) NOS0Duration04/20/2016 7:12:00 AM7/5/2016 7:12:00 AM2925000
A1250Not StartedFORMWORK OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration01/12/2016 7:00:00 AM8/2/2016 5:00:00 PM6650000
A1260Not StartedCONCRETE OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration08/4/2016 7:00:00 AM11/5/2016 5:00:00 PM3600000
A1280Not StartedREBAR OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration011/9/2016 7:00:00 AM6/18/2017 5:00:00 PM9500000
A1290Not StartedFORMWORK OF PIERHEADS (260 NOS)0Duration012/14/2016 7:00:00 AM7/17/2017 5:00:00 PM7400000
A1300Not StartedCONCRETE OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration07/20/2017 7:00:00 AM11/7/2017 5:00:00 PM4275000
A1320In ProgressREBAR OF FOOTINGS (126 NOS)17Physical179/17/2015 6:30:00 AM4/18/2016 9:00:00 AM9000000
A1330In ProgressREBAR OF COLUMNS (260) NOS5Physical510/22/2015 7:00:00 AM4/13/2016 5:00:00 PM7500000
A1340Not StartedFORMWORK OF FOOTING (126) NOS0Duration012/23/2015 9:00:00 AM4/18/2016 9:00:00 AM3800000
A1350Not StartedCONCRETE OF FOOTINGS (126) NOS0Duration04/18/2016 9:00:00 AM7/3/2016 9:00:00 AM2925000
A1360Not StartedFORMWORK OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration010/28/2015 7:00:00 AM5/18/2016 5:00:00 PM6650000
A1370Not StartedCONCRETE OF COLUMNS (260) NOS0Duration05/17/2016 7:00:00 AM8/17/2016 5:00:00 PM3600000
A1390Not StartedREBAR OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration08/20/2016 7:00:00 AM3/28/2017 5:00:00 PM9500000
A1400Not StartedFORMWORK OF PIERHEADS (260 NOS)0Duration08/23/2016 7:00:00 AM3/26/2017 5:00:00 PM7030000
A1410Not StartedCONCRETE OF PIERHEADS (260) NOS0Duration03/27/2017 7:00:00 AM7/15/2017 5:00:00 PM4275000
Rafael Davila
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  • I understand for P6 material is just a cost type, it does not model material as a consumable resource. P6 materials resources might not be leveled at all. This is wrong and misleading because material resources are indeed consumable resources that in many cases shalll be leveled, or otherwise the result might be unfeasible.
  • http://www.ronwinterconsulting.com/Reviewing_Resource_Leveled_Schedules....
  • Just try the following example. 
  • BRICK INSTALLATION AT CULEBRAS ISLAND WHERE BRICK DELIVERY IS LIMITED BY BARGE CAPACITY AND SCHEDULE
  • A WORK WEEK FOR AL LACTIVITIES OF 7 DAYS 8 HOURS PER DAY
  • OBVIOUSLY BRICK INSTALLATION WILL STOP WHEN BRICK NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND RESUME AS SOON AS BRICKS BECOME AVAILABLE
  • THERE ARE NO LOGIC LINKS AMONG ACTIVITIES, JUST SCHEDULED DELIVERIES
  • Data Date: 10/07/2013  08:00
  • Bricks installation A- 5 DAYS   -5,000 BRICKS
  • Bricks installation B- 10 DAYS -10,000 BRICKS
  • Bricks installation C- 20 DAYS- 20,000 BRICKS
  • Delivery 1 - DAY 1 -10000 BRICKS
  • Delivery 2-  DAY 10 -5000 BRICKS
  • Delivery 3-  DAY 16 -8000 BRICKS
  • Delivery 4-  DAY 23 -12000 BRICKS
  • ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  • Can you tell me what is the resource leveled schedule as bricks are a consumable resource?
  • Can you tell me how you control consumable resource leveling when resources cannot be in fraction but discrete units?
  • Please provide an image of the resource leveled schedule Gantt.

Bricks003 photo Brick003_zpsfvfbff9a.png

Zoltan,

I did not understand your explanation.

It is clear for labor resource but the question was on material resource.

What is unit/time for material resource and why it is 1?

Besides dividing by zero does not provide zero.

Zoltan Palffy
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make sure that you are using physical % complete and also go to admin preferences 

click on the earned value tab 

make sure that the technique beiing use is activity % complete

and make sure that ETC calculations is set to ETC = Remaining cost for activity 

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
User offline. Last seen 8 years 39 weeks ago. Offline
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Posts: 16

Dear Zoltan

I am having another issue in my project plan i.e earned value costs and planned value costs are not showing while earned labour units and planned labour units are showing.I have entered the every resource cost and its also showing the costs against every activity on the main screen.Can you please help me why Earned and planned value costs are not showing at the time of generating report from the p6?

Thanks in advance 

Zoltan Palffy
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no problem

Pirzada Umair Ahmed
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thanks for the help zoltan..

Zoltan Palffy
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for material default unit/time use 1 because any thing divided by zero or multiplied by zero is what  ? Yes zero

so what it does is basically is multiplying the default units/time by the duration to get the budget amount and for distribution it is dividing this budget amount duration and is spreading this amount units/time by the start and end date of the activity. So multiplying and or divided anything by zero will be zero.

for example if you have a resource for labor and set the default units/time to be 8 and you have a duration of 5 days it will take the 5 days time 8 hours per day 5*8=40 budgeted units. Then for the distribution it will spread the 40 hours by the units/time in this case 8 so it will show 8 hours per day for 5 days.