Primavera P7 Tips and Tricks

Primavera Tip: Function Keys
The following function keys apply in both the P5/P6 client and web applications.
F1: Context-Sensitive Help
F2: Toggles between Edit and Browse modes when the focus is in Description Panes in Details Tabs for Notebooks, Steps, WPs and Docs and the Notes to Resources pane on the Feedback Detail
F3: Find Next (works after using )
F5: Refresh (from server)
F7: Spell check when in Edit mode on the above-mentioned Panes and Tabs and in a given column currently in focus in tables.
F9: Schedule
Shift+F9: Schedules with Leveled Resources
F10: Commit Changes (to server)

How to filter for activities within a specific timeframe.
To filter for activities within a specific timeframe, create the following filter:
 

What this filter will return:

Activities that have ANY time scheduled during the specified timeframe.

It may give activities that are in progress if they are scheduled on the specified date

 How to copy activities to another project while maintaining their WBS structure in the new schedule.

How to Create S curve in P6?
Its simple and easy but requires MS Excel skills. We hope that the next P6 version 8 that comes out later this year will have this inbuilt.

What this filter will not return:

Activities that FINISH before 28AUG05 or START after 03SEP05.

Note: If you do not see the "Time" in your Value fields, choose Edit, User Preferences, Dates Tab, Time Section and select either the 12 or 24 hour time format.

How to copy the WBS structure from an existing project into a new project.

 There are two ways to copy the WBS information from one project to another.

 Project that has the WBS structure already in the database

1. Open both projects and choose Project, WBS.

2. Go to View, Group and Sort By. Choose Default.

3. Highlight the WBS structure to copy. Right-click and choose Copy.

4. Click on the project to copy the WBS into and right-click and choose Paste.

5. Uncheck all the boxes in the Copy WBS Options box (unless you want to copy assignments over also).
                                               

6. Click OK.

Project that has the WBS structure, but is not in the database

 This procedure assumes you have an XER of the project to copy the WBS structure from.

  

1. Open the project that is going to receive the WBS structure.

2. Choose File, Import.

3. Follow the prompts until you reach the Import Project Options:

a. At this stage of the import, choose "Update Existing Project" and also choose the correct project in the "Import To" section.

b. Click Next.

c. Click Yes if you receive a message about the Unique Internal Identifier not matching.

4. The next screen should appear:

a. Click on "Add".

b. Enter a name for the new configuration.

c. Click on Modify.

5. The Modify Import Configuration dialog should appear:
                                               

a. This screen will allow you to choose what Data Items you can import from the XER into the project. Click on the "Keep Existing" and change them to "Do Not Import" for all of the items you do not want to import.

b. Ensure that Projects and WBS are changed to Insert New and click OK.

6. The following window will appear:
                                               

a. You will have to click in the "Use" column for the WBS Only configuration to be changed to "Yes".

b. Click Next.

7. Click Finish.

1. Open both the source and destination projects.

2. Select, Project, WBS

3. Highlight the WBS level(s) which contain the activities and lower WBS levels which are to be copied to the second project.

4. Select, Edit, Copy.

5. Move the cursor to the desired WBS location within the destination project.

6. Select, Edit, Paste.

7. The following screen with the 'Copy WBS Options' will be displayed:
                                               

8. Ensure that 'Activities' is ticked and hit 'OK'

9. A second 'Copy Activity Options' screen will appear:
                                               

10. Select the relevant options as needed.

The WBS structure and the associated activities will be pasted into the new project.

Hot Keys & Icons for Project Management

ALT – F: File Menu ALT – N: New… or Crtl+N ALT – O: Open… or Crtl+O ALT – S: Close All or Crtl+W ALT – L: Login as a Different User… ALT – U: Page Setup… ALT – V: Print Preview ALT – P: Print… or Ctrl+P ALT – A: Project Architect… ALT – I: Import… ALT – E: Export… ALT – H: Check In… ALT – K: Check Out… ALT – T: Import from Expedition ALT – C: Select Project Portfolio… ALT – M: Commit Chang ALT – R: Refresh Data or <F5> ALT – 1, 2, 3 or 4: Each number will correspond to the last four projects that were             Opened.   ALT – X: Exit
ALT – E: Edit Menu ALT – U: Cut or Crtl+X ALT – C: Copy or Crtl+C ALT – P: Paste or Crtl+V ALT – A: Add or <Ins> ALT – D: Delete or <Del> ALT – O: Dissolve ALT – I: Assign ALT – R: Resources… ALT – L: Resources by Role… ALT – O: Roles… ALT – C: Activity Codes… ALT – P: Predecessors… ALT – S: Successors… ALT – K: Link Activities ALT – W: Fill Down or Crtl+E ALT – L: Select All or Crtl+A ALT – F: Find… or Crtl+F ALT – N: Find Next or <F3> ALT – R: Replace or Crtl+R ALT – S: Spell Check… or <F7> ALT – M: Project Management Sam… ALT – E: User Preferences…
ALT – V: View Menu ALT – O: Layout ALT – B: Bars… ALT – L: Columns… ALT – M: Timescale… ALT – T: Attachments ALT – C: Curtain ALT – T: Text ALT – A: Activity Network ALT – N: Activity Network Options… ALT – P: Open Network Positions… ALT – E: Save Network Positions… ALT – Y: Bottom Layout Options… ALT – F: Filters ALT – G: Group and Sort… ALT – W: Show on Top ALT – A: Activity Table ALT – G: Gantt Chart ALT – U: Activity Usage Spreadsheet ALT – C: Activity Network ALT – H: Show on Bottom ALT – N: No Bottom Layout ALT – D: Activity Details ALT – A: Activity Table ALT – G: Gantt Chart ALT – U: Activity Usage Spreadsheet ALT – S: Resource Usage Spreadsheet ALT – P: Activity Usage Profile ALT – R: Resource Usage Profile ALT – T: Trace Logic ALT – I: Hint Help ALT – E: Expand All ALT – C: Collapse All ALT – R: Toolbars ALT – V: Navigation Bar ALT – G: Navigation Bar Button Text ALT – D: Directory ALT – T: Directory Button Text ALT – C: Command Bar Button Text ALT – A: Activity Toolbar ALT – S: Status Bar ALT – K: Back ALT – D: Forward No Associated Hotkey: Home
ALT – P: Project Menu ALT – A: Activities ALT – S: Resource Assignments ALT – W: WBS ALT – B: Baselines… ALT – E: Expenses ALT – D: Work Products and Documents ALT – T: Thresholds ALT – I: Issues ALT – R: Risks ALT – P: Set Default Project…
ALT – N: Enterprise Menu ALT – P: Projects ALT – N: Enterprise project Structure… ALT – C: Tracking ALT – F: Resources ALT – O: Roles… ALT – B: OBS… ALT – S: Resource Codes… ALT – J: Project Codes… ALT – T: Activity Codes… ALT – L: Calendars… ALT – H: Resource Shifts… ALT – A: Cost Accounts… ALT – D: Funding Sources… ALT – U: Resource Curves ALT – N: External Applications…
ALT – T: Tools Menu ALT – T: Time Approval… ALT – E: Top Down Estimation… ALT – A: Apply Actuals… ALT – S: Schedule or <F9> ALT – L: Level Resources… or <Shift>+<F9> ALT – Z: Summarize ALT – O: Open All Projects ALT – A: All Projects ALT – S: Summary Only Projects ALT – J: Job Services… ALT – O: Period Closeout ALT – G: Global Change… ALT – M: Monitor Thresholds… ALT – I: Issue Navigator… ALT – R: Reports ALT – R: Reports ALT – G: Report Groups… ALT – B: Batch Reports… ALT – W: Report Wizard… ALT – P: Publish ALT – P: Project Web Site… ALT – A: Activity Layouts… ALT – T: Tracking Layouts… ALT – C: Check Project Integrity… ALT – U: Recalculate Resource Costs… ALT – N: Set Language…
ALT – A: Admin Menu ALT – U: Users… ALT – S: Security Profiles… ALT – N: Admin Preferences… ALT – C: Admin Categories… ALT – R: Currencies… ALT – T: Timesheet Dates…
ALT – H: Help Menu ALT – C: Contents… ALT – A: About Project Manager… ALT – B: Suggestion Box!.

Icon Definitions:

The following boxes work with the Project & Activity data in the top view.

……..Project Table – Removes the vertical split bar, which eliminates the                                      Gantt chart. …….Gantt Chart – Replaces the vertical split bar, and shows Gantt chart. …….Chart View – Shows box relationship and removes the vertical split                                  bar. …….Show/Hide Bottom Layout – Show and removes working tabs on                                                          the bottom. …….Bars – Bar editing for the Gantt view.

……..Columns – Edit columns by adding, removing, sizing and control                                information provided in the column header. …….Timescale – Edit the timescale view ……Filter – Select specific information. Enable you to narrow you selection                         to a specific data group. Primavera supplies standard filters.

…….Group & Sort – Grouping activities or projects in categories that share                                     a common attribute. Sort arranges activities, resources or projects                                                                                                             with a group. …….Project Code – Group multiple projects with identified code fields. …….Resource Codes – Used to categorize project resources by code                                          classifications for role up reporting. ….Roles – Roles in which a resource can reside

The following boxes work with the Activity data in the top view.

..........Schedule – Updates progress or reschedules the project immediately                                 according to new information entered. Also run by pressing F9. ..........Level Resources – Automatic process that changes the start of certain                                             activities. ……...Progress Spotlight – Highlights activities that should have been                                                worked on during a specific time period. ….Zoom in & Out – Works in the Activities window with the Gantt chart. ……..Resources by Role - All resources assigned to a specific role. ……..Predecessor…Before …….Successor….After

……Activity Codes – Sort and Group activities by activity codes ….Steps – Add weighted steps within a specific activity. .......Work Products & Documents – Links to stored file pictures or                                                            documents for activities. …..Expenses – Non resource cost associated with a project and assigned                               to activities. …..Thresholds – Parameters assigned to a WBS element which monitors                                 the project and generates issues. …...Issues – Identity’s problem within a schedule that must be addressed                         before the project can be complete. …...Risk – Identify risk by name, status, type, priority level, and date it                      was identified. At the top, Choose……….View – Select the following ….Table, Font, and Rows – Edits row height and fonts

At the top, Choose…..Enterprise – Edits Global information

……Projects – Goes to the Project window. ……Enterprise Project Structure – Opens the EPS Editing box …...Tracking – Used for resource analysis, histograms and profiles. …….Portfolio – Selected group of projects that are added to a custom                              profile. ……Calendars – Assigned to all activities in a project. …….Activity Steps Template - Templates created to be used across                                                    multiple projects. ……Cost Accounts – Track activity cost and earn value through project life                                       cycle. ……Resource Curves – How you want distribution of cost or units spread                                          over the duration of an activity.

How to De-Progress a Project

Symptom:  I have started a group of activities that should not have been started and I would like to return the progress to 0 %, return the original duration and keep the original budgeted labor units.

The Fix:  Perform the following steps:

1.                   Choose Enterprise, Projects and select the Calculations from the details at the bottom.

2.                   Choose to "Link Budget and At Completion for not started activities" and "Reset Remaining Duration and Units to Original

                  

3.                Choose Format, Columns and add the columns for Actual Labor Units, Actual Nonlabor Units.

                   

4.                   Choose Tools, Schedule and set the data date equal to the Project Start Date and schedule. To find the Project Start date, choose Enterprise, Projects. Click on the Dates tab and note the Planned Start date.

                      

5.                   For the first activity in the list, set the Actual Labor Units to 0. Highlight the activities in this column and choose Edit, Fill Down.

6.                   For the first activity in the list, set the Actual Nonlabor Units to 0. Highlight the activities in this column and choose Edit, Fill Down.

7.                   Choose Tools, Global Change and run the 1st Global Change. (See below)  This will set the Actual Material Units to zero.

8.                   Run the 2nd global change (See below) which sets the activity status to Not Started.

1st Global Change:

Subject Area:    

Activity Resource Assignments

Then:   

Actual Material Units = 0

                   

2nd Global Change:

Subject Area:    

Activities

If:           

Where Activity Status is not equal to Not Started

Then:

Activity Status equals Not Started

If this process is not used you may encounter the following error:

"Cannot set status to Not Started if activity has actuals."

                    

For this example the timeframe is August 28, 2005 through September 3, 2005. When creating your filter, substitute the appropriate dates as necessary.

1. Create a new filter by choosing View, Filters and clicking on New.

2. Enter the following selection criteria:

Where Start is less than or equals <your Finish date>

Where Finish is greater than or equals <your Start date>