Primavera P6 Tips #3

Primavera P6 Tips

To Open Several Primavera P6 Schedules at the Same Time

1. To open multiple Primavera P6 schedules together:

2. Launch Primavera P6 on your computer.

3. Hold down the “Ctrl” key on your keyboard.

4. 4Click on the different schedules you want to open. Just click one after the other while keeping the “Ctrl” key pressed.

5. 5Release the “Ctrl” key.

6. All the selected schedules will now open simultaneously.

That’s it! You can now work with multiple schedules side by side.

Swiftly Fill-Down Information by Column

To quickly copy info down a column in Primavera P6:

1. Click the cell with the info you want to copy.

2. Hold down the mouse button and drag down to select the cells you want to fill.

3. Release the mouse button.

4. Right-click and choose “Fill Down.”

That’s it! The info will be copied down the column in a jiffy.

Making Your Own Measurement Units in Primavera P6

1. Go to Units: Open Primavera P6 and head to the “Units” section. It’s where you manage all these measurement things.

2. Add New Unit: Look for a button that says “Add” or “New.” Click it. This is where the magic happens.

3. Name It: Give your new unit a name. Keep it simple and clear, like “Widgets” or “Meters-Per-Day.”

4. Abbreviation: Type a short abbreviation for your unit, like “W” for Widgets or “MPD” for Meters-Per-Day.

5. Conversion: Tell Primavera how your unit converts to the default units, like days or hours. This part can be a little tricky, so be careful.

6. Decimals: Choose how many decimal places your unit should show. It’s like rounding, but techier.

7. Save: Hit “Save” or “OK.” Your new unit is now part of the Primavera crew.

Now, when you’re adding stuff to your project, you can use your custom measurement unit. It’s like making Primavera speak your language. Just remember, keep it sensible, and don’t go overboard with units that sound like they’re from a sci-fi movie.

Setting Up Your Initial Preferences

To Get Started with Your Preferences in Primavera P6:

1. Open P6: First, open up Primavera P6 on your computer.

2. Login: Log in to your account and choose the project you’re working on.

3. Go to Preferences: Look for the “Preferences” or “Settings” option. It’s usually in the top menu bar.

4. General Settings: Here, you can set some general stuff, like how dates are displayed, time format, and default units.

5. Appearance: If you want things to look a certain way, go to the “Appearance” section. You can adjust fonts, colors, and layouts.

6. Notifications: In the “Notifications” part, you can decide how P6 alerts you about things like tasks or updates.

7. Calendar: Set up your workweek and workday preferences in the “Calendar” section.

8. Project Defaults: If you work on similar projects often, you can set up default settings for new projects.

9. Auto-Scheduling: You can choose how P6 automatically updates your schedule when you make changes.

10. Security: If you’re sharing P6 with others, you might want to set up security settings here.

11. Save Changes: Don’t forget to save your preferences when you’re done.

12. Explore: Feel free to explore other sections to customize P6 the way you like it.

Remember, preferences can vary based on what works best for you and your project. Take your time to set things up just the way you want.

Using DCMA 14 Assessment to Identify Project Schedule Trends and Problems in External Schedules

DCMA 14 Assessment is like a tool to spot issues and trends in schedules made by others using Primavera P6. Here’s how you use it:

1. Get the Assessment Tool: First, you need the DCMA 14 Assessment tool. You can usually find it online or get it from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

2. Load the Schedule: Open up the tool and load the schedule you want to check. This is usually a schedule made by someone else.

3. Run the Assessment: Hit the assessment button. The tool will start looking for things like tasks that are too close together, tasks that overlap, or tasks that are missing important info.

4. Check the Report: After the assessment runs, you’ll get a report. It will show you what’s good and what’s not-so-good about the schedule. You’ll see any trends or problems that could mess up the project.

5. Spot the Issues: Look at the report to see what’s going on. If you spot any red flags, like tasks piling up or things not making sense, those are the issues you need to address.

6. Fix and Improve: Now that you know what’s up, you can fix the problems. Rearrange tasks, adjust timings, or add missing details to make the schedule more solid.

Remember, the DCMA 14 Assessment is like a project schedule detective. It helps you find clues about what might go wrong in someone else’s schedule so you can make it better and keep things on track. It won't provided information on whether the schedule is logical, does the critical path make sense, is the entire project scope included, are the productivity rates reasonable etc.

Quickly Spotting Project Schedule Stats and Problems — Log

Project schedules could have various problems or mismatches, and a simple and fast way to instantly spot these issues is by utilizing the Schedule Log or the View Log report. With just a press of the F9 key or by clicking the View Log button when the schedule dialog appears, you can readily show several analytical details within your project schedule.

The schedule log gives you a brief summary of crucial data in your project schedule. This data comprises warnings or notable problems like activities lacking predecessors or successors, along with activities that have constraints.

Deactivate the Unwanted Auto-Reorganization

To stop the annoying Auto-Reorganization in Primavera P6, follow these steps:

1. Open Primavera P6.

2. Go to the “Tools” menu.

3. Choose “Schedule Options.”

4. Look for the “Auto-Reorganization” setting.

5. Turn it off or disable it.

6. Save your changes.

That’s it! The pesky Auto-Reorganization should trouble you no more.

Speedily and Simultaneously Update Project Information with Global Change

Here’s how you can quickly update multiple project details all at once using the Global Change feature in Primavera P6:

1. Access Global Change: Open your Primavera P6 project and go to the top menu. Look for the “Tools” option, then find and click on “Global Change.”

2. Select Criteria: In the Global Change window, choose the criteria you want to target for the updates. You can pick things like activity names, dates, resources, and more.

3. Define Changes: After selecting the criteria, decide what changes you want to make. For instance, if you’re changing dates, set new start or end dates. If you’re updating resources, select the new ones.

4. Preview Changes: Click the “Preview” button to see what will be updated based on your criteria and changes. This helps you double-check before applying the changes.

5. Apply Changes: If everything looks good in the preview, hit the “Apply” button. Primavera P6 will now apply your updates to all the activities that match your criteria.

6. Review Changes: After applying the changes, take a quick look at your project to make sure everything is as you intended. It’s always good to confirm that the updates happened correctly.

7. Save and Share: Once you’re satisfied, save your project to keep the changes. If you’re working in a team, make sure to share the updated project with your colleagues.

And that’s it! You’ve used Global Change to swiftly update your project information all at once. This can save you a ton of time when you need to make broad changes across your project.

Adjust the Primavera P6 Schedule to Fit within a Single Page

To make the Primavera P6 schedule fit on just one page, you can do this:

1. Zoom Out: On the schedule view, use the zoom-out feature. It’ll make the timeline smaller so more fits on the screen.

2. Shorten Timeframes: If your schedule covers a long time, consider shortening the displayed time per screen. For example, instead of months, show weeks.

3. Hide Details: Simplify by hiding less crucial tasks or info. You’ll see a cleaner view and fit more in.

4. Font Size and Columns: Make fonts a bit smaller and remove some columns. It’ll shrink things down and fit more horizontally.

5. Adjust Page Settings: Play around with page settings, like margins and orientation. It might help cram it onto one page.

Remember, the goal is to keep it clear while squeezing it in. Experiment with these steps until your schedule fits nicely on one page.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it — a rundown of the top 9 tips and tricks for mastering Oracle Primavera P6. This software isn’t just a tool; it’s like having a digital project manager by your side, helping you navigate the complexities of planning, managing, and controlling projects. With Primavera P6, you’re equipped to organize tasks, track progress, and stay on top of your project’s performance.

From effortlessly handling multiple schedules to swiftly copying information down columns, these tricks can save you time and enhance your efficiency. Creating custom measurement units and setting up your initial preferences tailored to your project’s needs can streamline your workflow further.

When dealing with external schedules, tools like the DCMA 14 Assessment can be your project schedule detective, identifying trends and potential issues that need your attention. And if you’re dealing with your own schedule, the Schedule Log and View Log report offer a quick way to spot discrepancies and problems.

Remember, making use of the Global Change feature can significantly speed up updates across your project, while adjusting the schedule to fit on a single page helps you keep a clear overview.

In the world of project management, knowledge is power, and these tips and tricks for Oracle Primavera P6 are your tools to wield that power effectively. By implementing these techniques, you’re well on your way to becoming a more proficient and confident project manager, capable of steering your projects toward success. So, go ahead and apply these insights to your projects — and watch your project management skills reach new heights.