Activity Duration Types Explained with example in Primavera
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There are four duration types in Primavera P6 that control how duration, resource units, and resource units/time are synchronized for activities: 1) Fixed Units/Time: Units/time remains fixed while duration or units may change 2) Fixed Duration and Units/Time: Duration and units/time remain fixed while units may change 3) Fixed Units: Units remain fixed while duration or units/time may change 4) Fixed Duration and Units: Duration and units remain fixed while units/time may change The duration type balances the equation of Duration x Units/Time = Units and determines which variable(s) change when another is modified. The appropriate duration type depends on whether the project priorities are
Activity Duration Types Explained with example in Primavera
- 1. Duration Types in Primavera P6 Duration Type is a setting which allows the user to control how the duration, resource units, and resource units/time are synchronized for activities, so that the following equation is always true: Original, Remaining or Planned Duration = (Budgeted, Remaining or Planned Units) / (Budgeted, Remaining or Planned Units/Time) If the activity is not started, the names of the values are : Original Duration x Budgeted Units/Time = Budgeted Units If the activity has started, the names of the values are : Remaining Duration x Remaining Units/Time = Remaining Units The following table lists the value that changes to balance the equation Duration x Units/Time = Units The following table illustrates how the variables in the above equation changes when you change one among them in each of the Activity duration types. Duration Type Fixed Units/Time Fixed Duration and Units/Time Fixed Units Fixed Duration and Units When You Change Duration, what changes? Units Units When you change units/time, what changes? Duration Units When you change units, what changes? Duration Units/Time When you add a resource, what changes? Duration Units Units/Time Units/Time Duration Units Duration Units/Time Duration Units/Time Table 1. Activity duration types
- 2. The duration type is set at the Project Details level for the Project, but can be modified per activity. Your organization’s project needs will help to determine which duration type to use. We’ll be discussing in the following section as of what situation forces you to choose a particular Duration type. As a hint, if you are adding resources to activities and you do NOT want P6 to recalculate the existing resources units, duration and units/time, go to Edit, User Preferences from the Menu bar, select the Calculations tab and select the Preserve the Units, Duration and Units/Time for existing assignments radio button. Example:Now let us consider a Case and work on it to get a better understanding on the Activity duration types. Given Case :Consider a software company where a resource is assigned design work of a particular website. It is estimated that the design work would be completed within 5 working days of the resource. The particular resource has a regular shift duration of 8 hours /day. Find what happens to values of the Original duration, budgeted units/time and Budgeted units when i. Original duration changes to 10 days ii. Budgeted units/time changes to 10hours/day iii. Budgeted units of work changes to 20 hours In each of the activity duration types.
- 3. Findings: Original Duration =5 days , Budgeted units/time = 8h/d From the formula we know Budgeted units = Original Duration X Budgeted units/time = 8 x 5 = 40 hours Type I :-Fixed Units / Time Units/time for the resources remains fixed; Even when activity duration or budgeted units changes. Used when resources with productivity output per time period is fixed. Mostly used when Activity type is Resource Dependent. This option is selected if your organization is concerned with leveling resources and you assign resources specific hours per day on activities. Original Duration = Budgeted Units / Budgeted Units/Time Duration Type When You Change Duration, When you change units/time, When you change units, what what what changes? changes? Duration Duration changes? Fixed Units/Time Units Table 1.1.1 Fixes Units / Time
- 4. Coming back to our case Where Original Duration =5 days ; Budgeted units/time = 8h/d And Budgeted units = 40 hours. i.e. Original Duration = units / (units/time) 5= 40 / 8 We were asked to analyze what would happen if Changes made (i) Original Duration Changes duration (Units )/ (Units/time) from 40 to 20 Budgeted Original Budgeted Original Budgeted units units/time Duration units Duration units/time 80h => from 8 to 10 Budgeted Original (iii) Units changes from 5 to 10 days Values changed (ii) Units / time changes 8h/d 4d 40h 2.5d 8h/d 10=> 80/8 4 => 40/10 Table 1.1.2 Fixes Units / Time Workout 2.5 => 20/8
- 5. Type II: Fixed Duration & Units/Time Activity duration and units / time remains fixed; even if remaining unit’s changes. Mostly used when Activity type is Task Dependent Activity. Organizations which have the project deadline fixed and is also concerned with leveling resources used this activity duration type. Organization may consider increasing number of resources to keep the resources leveled. Since this activity is Task dependant and activity duration type is fixed duration & Units/time there would be no layoff in duration time. Original Duration = Budgeted Units / Budgeted Units/Time Duration Type When You Change Duration, When you change units/time, When you change units, what what what changes? changes? Units Units/Time changes? Fixed Duration and Units Units/Time Table 1.2.1 Fixed Duration & Units/Time
- 6. Given Original Duration =5 days ; Budgeted units/time = 8h/d And Budgeted units = 40 hours. Changes made (i) Original Duration Changes duration (Units )/ (Units/time) from 40 to 20 Budgeted Original Budgeted Original Budgeted units units/time Duration units Duration units/time 80h => 8 to 10 Budgeted Original (iii) Units changes from 5 to 10 days Values changed (ii) Units / time changes from 8h/d 5d 50h 5d 4h/d 10=> 80/8 5 => 50/10 Table 1.2.2 Fixed Duration & Units/Time Workout 5 => 20/4*
- 7. Type III :-Fixed Units This duration type is chosen if you want the activity units to be fixed even when duration or resource units per time changes. Total amount of Work is fixed. Used when Activity type is Resource Dependent Activities. Unlike previous Duration types increasing resources decreases the activity duration. Generally used when you have resource under contract basis and you have X units of work to get to be done from that particular resource. Original Duration = Budgeted Units / Budgeted Units/Time Duration Type When You Change Duration, When you change units/time, When you change units, what what what changes? changes? Duration Duration changes? Fixed Units Units/Time Table 1.3.1 Fixed Units
- 8. Given Original Duration =5 days ; Budgeted units/time = 8h/d And Budgeted units = 40 hours. Changes made (i) Original Duration Changes duration (Units )/ (Units/time) from 40 to 20 Budgeted Original Budgeted Original Budgeted units units/time Duration units Duration units/time 40h => 8 to 10 Budgeted Original (iii) Units changes from 5 to 10 days Values changed (ii) Units / time changes from 4h/d 4d 40h 2.5d 8h/d 10=> 40/4 4 => 40/4 2.5 => 20/8 Table 1.3.2 Fixed Units Workout Type IV :-Fixed Duration & Units Activity duration and Units to remain constant even when the units/time changes. Mostly used when time period and the total amount of work are fixed. Used when Activity type is Task Dependent Activities. Rate at which a resource can work on the activity can be changed. You could use this if your organization is more concerned about coming in on the schedule date and within the costs (which are usually associated with the units) Original Duration = Budgeted Units / Budgeted Units/Time
- 9. Duration Type When You Change Duration, When you change units/time, When you change units, what what what changes? changes? Units Units/Time changes? Fixed Duration and Units Units/Time Table 1.4.1 Fixed Duration & Units Given Original Duration =5 days ; Budgeted units/time = 8h/d And Budgeted units = 40 hours. Changes made (i) Original Duration Changes duration (Units )/ (Units/time) from 40 to 20 Budgeted Original Budgeted Original Budgeted units units/time Duration units Duration units/time 40h => 8 to 10 Budgeted Original (iii) Units changes from 5 to 10 days Values changed (ii) Units / time changes from 4h/d 5 50 5d 4h/d 10=> 40/4 5 => 50/5* Table 1.4.2 Fixed Duration & Units Workout 5 => 20/4
- 10. Summary Given Original Duration 5days; Budgeted Units 40hours; Budgeted Units/ time 8hours/day. The following table summarizes as of what happens to the variables in each of the activity duration types. Units / time changes from 8 to 10 Units changes from 40 to 20 Budgeted units Budgeted Original Duration Budgeted units Original Duration Budgeted (Or. Val:- 40h) Type Duration Original Duration Changes from 5 to 10 units/time(Or. Val:- (Or. Val:- 5d) (Or. Val:- 40h) (Or. Val:- 5d) units/time 8h/d) Fixed Units / Time (Or. Val:- 8h/d) 80h 8h/d 4d 40h 2.5d 8h/d 80h 8h/d 5d 50h 5d 4h/d* Fixed Units 40h 4h/d 4d 40h 2.5d 8h/d Fixed Duration & Units 40h 4h/d 5d 50h* 5d 4h/d Fixed Duration & Units/Time Table 2: Activity duration table chart Or.Val - Original Value * - in certain cases original duration remains fixed and the other fixed variable is forced to changed. Reference:https://ccsspl123-public.sharepoint.com/Support%20Documents/duration%20types-Activity.pdf http://www.projectcontrolsonline.com/Forum/tabid/65/forumid/13/threadid/529/scope/posts/Default.aspx