Website Upgrade Incoming - we're working on a new look (and speed!) standby while we finalise the project

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Large project actual data consolidation

6 replies [Last post]
Bogdan Leonte
User offline. Last seen 6 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Aug 2012
Posts: 291

Vladimir,

On a large EPC project what would be the best way to distribuite and consolidate actual data?

Spider can do this in many ways:

  1. Distribuite WBS to Managers and Consolidate after actual data has been entered;
  2. Distribuite Actual Data Table to Documents, the manager enters actual data and then the Actual Data gets consolidated back;
  3. Via Spider Web interface, where the actual data is ditributed and the consolidated after changes have been made.

The best solution would be the one where:

  1. The actual data can be entered on a daily basis (every day data will be entered and the schedule updated);
  2. The person who enters actual data has minimum knowledge of Schedule of works and Spider Project;
  3. Internet nowadays is almost never a problem.
  4. The people who will enter the actual data are on site.

Could you elaborate on the 3 ways to distribute/consolidate actual data into a master schedule of a complex project?

Best regards,
Bogdan

Replies

Yes Bogdan, this is possible using Spider Project scripts.

Bogdan Leonte
User offline. Last seen 6 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Aug 2012
Posts: 291

duplicate post, please delete.

Bogdan Leonte
User offline. Last seen 6 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Aug 2012
Posts: 291

Understood, now is almost all clear.

Final (I hope) question:

Can actual data distribution and consolidation be automated? On a server machine which runs 24/7, can Spider be programmed to send forms for actual data input and consolidate actual data, update schedule and run rescheduling and cost calculations at specific times, for example:
01. Generate actual data forms at 13:00;
02. Consolidate date forms, transfer actual data (increase version), rechedule project and do cost calculations at 07:00?
 

Question 1.

When the work is done in several shifts the planned volumes and activities for each shift depend on activities and the volumes done in the previous shift. So it makes sense to enter actual information in each shift, recalculate the schedule and provide new actual data entry form for the next shift.

We did this in some projects with the notebook placed at the construction site and foremen trained for project rescheduling.

Another option - fill actual data for all shifts once in a day.

Question 2.

At the moment Spider Web shows the main WBS and it is mostly used for an access of top management. We plan an ability to show other WBS in the near future. Web part of Spider Project is young and under development.

Question 3.

Actual input tables are distributed to Web automatically when Web Server iand user folders were created.

Web-actuals

Bogdan Leonte
User offline. Last seen 6 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Aug 2012
Posts: 291

Thank you for the explanations, I found useful information on http://www.spiderproject.com/ru/index.php/spabout/groupwork

I still have 3 questions:

Question 1:
What about activities that have a 24h/7d work period with multiple shifts and multiple responsables for each shift (foreman/superintendents).

What would be the procedure here? First option:

  • First option: 1 activity for each shift, each responsable has he's/her's own phase for which he/she is responsable;
  • Second option: 1 phase, 1 activity with 24h/7d calendar, 1/3 responsable(s), teams for each shift and 3 responsables that will enter actual data on their own shift? How will data be consolidated if the same document has conflicting information for each shift?

Question 2:
It is related to the web Gantt (not actual data input in the web Gantt).
2.1 Is the Web Gantt project uploaded as a whole, even though there are responsables assigned to each phase? Is there a way for the responsables to see only their phases without creating distinct WBS for each responsable?
2.2 If the answer to question 2.1 is No, than is there a way to create (at once) multiple WBS structures for every responsable? 

Question 3:
You responded: "These documents (actual data entry forms) can be opened by Spider Viewer if responsible person has an access to the corporate network, or they can be placed into Web and opened using tablets or phones.". I did not see an option to upload documents (generated by Spider from Actual Data Input Table/Performance Input/Distribute as documents) to WEB. Can this be done natively or does it involve a more complex procedure as saving the documents as html, then placing them on the web, entering data, converting them back to spider documents and the bringing these documents back to the actual data input table via Performance Input/Consolidate from documents. If either of my assumptions are wrong please go into further detail on how therese documents can be ditributed/consolidated via web interface.

Best regards,
Bogdan

Bogdan,

if the project is large it usually consists of subprojects managed by different persons and maybe with different requirements for schedule updates.

In this case Spider Project distributes subprojects for responsible managers who can make changes in their subprojects, enter actual information, etc using their subproject reglaments for updates. Some of these subprojects require weekly updates, other daily updates.

Let's suppose that the original project must be updated weekly on certain time known by all subproject managers, but some subprojectsneed daily updates.

Manager of such subproject gets its schedule updated in the original project. His subproject also have Resposibility structure that shows who is responsible for what. So he sends documents that specified the work that must be done during next day to all resposible persons. These documents (actual data entry forms) can be opened by Spider Viewer if responsible person has an access to the corporate network, or they can be placed into Web and opened using tablets or phones.

So at the start of the day responsible persons got the information on what was planned to be done and at the end of the day they must report what was actually done.

They must learn how to open this table for and how to fill it. nothing else.

Subproject manager collects these reports, recalculates his/her subproject, creates and sends new Actual data entry forms, etc. during the week.

Once in a week project manager updates the main project model collecting data from all subprojects. Then the whole project must be recalculated and updated subprojects sent to responsible managers.

So people on site have a choice - get actual data entry forms to their notebooks connected with the corporate netwok or fill these for,ms using browsers installed in their gadgets.