Project Controls Archives

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Leopard Project Controls

Introduction to Primavera P6 Relationships

October 21, 2022

Activity relationships are the backbone of any reliable Primavera P6 schedule, defining how tasks and milestones are logically connected to form a complete project timeline. Using the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM), Primavera P6 allows schedulers to sequence activities based on real construction or execution logic clarifying what work happens first, what can run in parallel, and what must wait. This article introduces Primavera P6 relationships, explains their role in accurate CPM scheduling, and outlines the four relationship types Finish to Start, Start to Start, Finish to Finish, and Start to Finish with practical examples to help project managers build realistic and well-structured schedules.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

How to use the Activity Steps Feature in Primavera P6

October 18, 2022

The Activity Steps feature in Primavera P6 allows planners to break a single activity into smaller, manageable units without cluttering the schedule with multiple activities. By defining and weighting individual steps, project teams can track progress more accurately and calculate the activity’s percent complete based on real work achieved rather than simple duration or units. This article explains how to enable and customize the Activity Steps tab in Primavera P6 and demonstrates how step weights and completion status can be used to improve progress measurement, reporting accuracy, and overall schedule control.

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Leopard Project Controls

Construction Construction Management Cost Control CPM Scheduling General Primavera P6 Primavera P6 CPM Scheduling Primavera P6 Training Project Controls Project Management Schedule Control Scheduling Best Practices

Practical Implementation of Earned Value Management – Pros and Cons

October 14, 2022

Earned Value Management (EVM) is a powerful project control technique that integrates scope, schedule, and cost to provide an objective measure of project performance. By comparing planned value, earned value, and actual cost, EVM enables project managers to identify trends early, forecast final outcomes, and make informed decisions to keep projects on track. This article explores the practical implementation of EVM in real-world projects, highlighting its key benefits such as improved transparency, accurate forecasting, and early risk identification alongside its limitations, including data dependency, complexity, and the need for skilled resources.

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Leopard Project Controls

CPM Scheduling Project Controls Schedule Control Scheduling Best Practices

Updating and Controlling Project Schedule on MS Project

October 12, 2022

Updating and controlling a project schedule is a critical project management function that ensures work progresses in line with the approved plan. As projects evolve, changes in scope, resources, and timelines must be accurately captured to maintain control over time, cost, and performance. This article explains why MS Project remains a widely used and practical tool for schedule updating and control, even in an era of advanced BIM-based solutions, and provides a clear, step-by-step approach to updating project progress, monitoring changes, and maintaining effective control throughout the project lifecycle.

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Leopard Project Controls

Construction Construction Management Cost Control CPM Scheduling Primavera P6 Primavera P6 CPM Scheduling Project Controls Project Management Schedule Control Scheduling Best Practices

Fast Tracking vs Crashing Techniques in Schedule Compression

October 11, 2022

Fast Tracking and Crashing are two widely used schedule compression techniques applied to recover delays and meet contractual milestones. While both methods aim to reduce project duration, they differ significantly in approach, cost implications, risk exposure, and impact on quality. This article explains when and why schedule compression is required, introduces the concept of Fast Tracking, and outlines practical steps to implement it effectively along with insights into how these techniques can be applied and analyzed using Primavera P6 to bring delayed projects back on track.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

Duration Types in Primavera P6 Scheduling

October 8, 2022

Duration Types in Primavera P6 play a critical role in controlling how activity duration, resource effort, and work hours interact within a project schedule. By defining the relationship between Duration, Units (work hours), and Units/Time (resource productivity), this feature determines how the schedule responds when resources are added, removed, or adjusted. This article explains the core concepts behind duration types, illustrates how multiple resource assignments affect activity calculations, and highlights why selecting the correct duration type is essential for accurate planning, realistic scheduling, and effective resource management in Primavera P6.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

How to Import Actual Dates and Performance % Complete From Excel File to Primavera P6 to Update the Program

October 7, 2022

Updating a Primavera P6 baseline program is essential for tracking project progress and performance against planned targets. While progress is often updated manually within P6, importing actual progress data from an Excel file provides a faster and more efficient solution, especially when updates are prepared remotely by the site team. This article explains how to use a structured Excel template to capture actual start dates, actual finish dates, and performance percent complete, and then import this data directly into Primavera P6. By following a clear, step-by-step process, planners can ensure accurate schedule updates, improved coordination with site teams, and reliable progress monitoring without manual data entry.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

Effect of Retained Logic, Progress Override, and Actuals Dates on the Project Schedule in Primavera P6

October 6, 2022

Out-of-sequence progress is a common challenge in real-world project execution, where activities do not always follow the planned logic defined in the schedule. Primavera P6 addresses this scenario by offering three scheduling options Retained Logic, Progress Override, and Actual Dates to determine how such progress impacts remaining activities. This article explains how each option affects activity relationships, dates, and float when successors start before predecessors are completed. By understanding the implications of these settings, planners and project controls professionals can choose the most appropriate scheduling method to accurately reflect site progress, maintain logical integrity, and produce reliable project forecasts.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

Understanding Percent Complete Types & Their Applications in Primavera P6

October 5, 2022

Primavera P6 provides project schedulers with three percent complete types Duration, Physical, and Units to accurately track activity and project progress. Each type serves a specific purpose: Duration % Complete is ideal for time-driven activities without tangible output, Physical % Complete is best for activities with measurable output and allows consideration of actual productivity, and Units % Complete measures progress based on the work units accomplished. Selecting the correct percent complete type is crucial for reliable project forecasting, as it directly impacts remaining duration, labor units, and the project finish date. This guide also explains how to assign the appropriate percent complete type to activities in Primavera P6 for accurate schedule updates and progress monitoring.

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Leopard Project Controls

Project Controls

Calendars in Primavera P6

September 30, 2022

Primavera P6 uses calendars to define working and non-working times for projects, activities, and resources. There are three main types of calendars: Global (organization-wide), Project-specific, and Resource calendars, with further distinctions like shared or personal resource calendars. Calendars manage standard working days, non-working days, exceptions, and non-working exceptions such as holidays. They operate on three time levels: daily working hours, weekly workdays, and monthly/yearly working periods. Proper calendar setup ensures accurate scheduling, resource allocation, and project tracking. Steps to create or modify calendars begin from the Enterprise > Calendars menu in Primavera P6.

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