Multiple Calendar Scheduling

Sophia,

It's most likely to do with  the default calulcations P6 is using to convert what you enter as 1day, into hours, then applied to the calendar the activity uses. What might help is to view your schedule durations to decimal places, and dates to inlcude time as well. I'd written a piece on linkedin showing how to do this: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/p6-schedules-activity-date-time-issues-s…

Turn your decimal places on

edit

users preferences

time units tab

then on the right in the middle under durations format select 2 for decimals

Also turn your times on

edit 

user preferences 

Dates tab

at the bottom under Time 

select 12 hour (1:30 PM)

this shoudl help to better understand what is happening

It will take the duration you give irrespective of calendar you assign. Unless you have resource dependent activities.

Calendar with different shifts and working hours will calculate mahours according to the activity calendar.

All,

I know everyone is confused how Primavera calendar works. To resolve your confusion I will explain how.

Primavera calculates calendar duration using this formula.

1)     For summary band duration = Default calendar number of days settings using hour per time period number of hours per day and between the time settings on the calendar as limit of working hours.

Ex: Default Calendar = Mon – Fri = 8hrs/day from 8:00AM to 4:00PM

Say: 2 activities having 5 days each using same calendar settings.

Say: start = 01-Mar-10

If hour per time period is set 10hr

Duration = 80hrs/10hr = 8 days

date display = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 12 Mar-10 Fri 4:00PM



2)     For Activity duration = Activity calendar number of days using hours per time period number of hours per day.

Using same calendar as in example 1

Say 1 activity 5 days Mon – Fri = 8hrs/day from 8:00AM to 4:00PM

If hour per time period is set 6hr

Duration = 40hrs/6 = 6.67

date display = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 05 Mar-10 4:00PM



3)     For resources depends on the Activity Type settings

If Activity Type = Task dependent – resource will use activity calendar

Ex: will same as number 2.



If Activity Type = Resource dependent – Activity duration will use activity calendar and resource will use resource calendar including display date:

Ex: Activity calendar = Mon – Fri = 8hrs/day from 8:00AM to 4:00PM

Resource calendar = Mon – Sat = 8hrs/day from 8:00AM to 4:00PM

If hour per time period is set to 8hr

Duration = 40hrs/8 = 5 days (using activity calendar/ hours per unit)

Date display = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 06-Mar-10 4:00PM (Using resource calendar / hour per time period) budget = 48, unit/time = 8



For those using Multiple calendars I recommend to use default calendar set to normal average working hour. (if staff = 8hr/5day and workers 8hr/6day = 8hr/6day as default).



For shifting hours using 16hrs/day or 24hrs/day is a bad approach. If you used this it will give you wrong duration especially if mixed to 8hrs working day. For 16hr/day or 24hr/day over-all maybe acceptable but need to set hour per time period the same as calendar settings otherwise it will have a wrong durations.

Ex: Activity calendar = mixed 8hrs/day and 16hrs/day

Hours per Time Period = 8hrs



Duration for 5 days for 8hrs = 40/8 = 5days (using activity calendar/ hour per time unit)

date display = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 05 Mar-10 4:00PM



Duration for 5 days for 16hrs = 40/8 days (5 days/ hour per time unit)

Display = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 03-Mar-10 4:00PM (40hrs/16hrs)



If shifting hours is required the best way to deal this is using resource calendar define on each shift having 8hrs default calendar and 8hr hour per time period

Ex: 1st shift labor = resource calendar = 8hr/day = 8:00AM – 4:00PM

2nd shift labor = resource calendar = 8hr/day = 4:00PM – 12:AM

Activity Type = Resource Dependent

Activity Calendar = Mon – Fri = 8hrs/day from 8:00AM to 4:00PM



For five day duration using 8hr Hour per time period

Duration = 40/5 = 5days

Display activity = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 06-Mar-10 12:AM

Display 1st shift Planned date = 01-Mar-10 8:00AM – 05-Mar-10 4:00PM = 40unit

Display 2nd shift Planned date = 01-Mar-10 4:00PM – 06-Mar-10 12:00PM = 40unit



Hope this clear the confusion.

Hi Sophia,



I may suggest that you try to change your default calendar to 24/7 and hours per timeperiod settings corresponding to 24/7 calendar as well, and see what will happen.



Use resource calendars and set all your activities to resource dependent.



No constraints; and FS only (as much as possible).



oh, don’t forget to show the time/minutes when running your schedule.



Best regards