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Hide Activity Rows

7 replies [Last post]
Yong Shen Lim
User offline. Last seen 9 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Sep 2013
Posts: 5
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Dear All,

 

I am posting a question on whether p6 8.2 have a simple function to hide activity rows such that the information rolled up to the WBS level does not change.

Currently, I am tracking my progress using performance % complete. Whenever I filter the activities (critical path, look ahead program, building specific, building phase etc.) the performance % complete changes as the activities have been excluded depending on how I intend to present the layout. This presents a challenge because I do not want to present the performance % complete of the filtered activities, instead I wish to show the overall project percentages/project data + gantt chart.

I have tried the following but they are all very time consuming and have non satisfactory outcomes as follows:

1) Create udf and group/sort by udf - Layout becomes cluttered with udf text, unwanted data have to be collapsed manually

2) Modify row heights - Layout still retains minimal row height (i.e. numerous unnecessary lines) for activities that I wish to hide. And it is difficult to change all the row heights of the activities I wish to show because they are interspaced.

3) Utilize Activity codes - Layout is similar to udf option. Attempt to collapse data by using a child activity code, but naming is confusing because parent activity code name is inherited by the child activity code.

It's rather disappointing that primavera does not have a simple function to hide rows when microsoft excel and project can easily hide and filter data without affecting the overall information.

If such primavera does not have such a simple functionality, is there a workaround?

If not, I have considered using other software to present the data, such as copying to excel and colouring the cells to form the gantt chart. Or is there a better solution?

 Does primavera have a simple function to hide rows or retain overall project information after a filter has been applied?

Replies

Yong Shen Lim
User offline. Last seen 9 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Groups: None

Thanks Zoltan, especially for the 5th option. It was something I did not consider as I could not do a proper conversion from primavera to MS project without data inconsistencies previously. Now that I have figured a way to convert the file format, I could try and use the method to do so. (p6 and MS project aren't the only software whereby the files convert with data losses and inconsistencies. I also do BIM, and face problems with Revit and AECOsim.)

By the way, I can't agree more with you, p6 it is a database, not a spreadsheet. However, why is it that microsoft project has the function to allow users to hide rows but primavera does not?

In fact, there are times when I wonder why I bother trying (or wasting so much time) to satisfy the client's request so that they can present the data in a coherent and less confusing manner. Should I present the case as a professional on behalf of primavera's lack of functionality or should I take the stance that the customer is always right and try to find means to meet the requests?

Sometimes, owners and clients or rather the world only have one thing in mind, the end objective: the end which justifies the means. I am simply trying my best to find a solution, it is not that I want to use p6 as a spreadsheet or otherwise. Otherwise what sort of professional denies their client's requests without even giving a shot at the possible solutions?

Zoltan Palffy
User offline. Last seen 3 days 22 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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this is not a spreasheet its a database so why are you tring to use like a spreadsheet 

option 1 use filters

option 2 manually make them small

option 3 expand everything and manually collapse

option 4 take everything to excel

option 5 export it to microsoft project and hide the rows there 

Angelito Estrella
User offline. Last seen 1 year 5 days ago. Offline

Excell it, then create a macro to hide rows

Dieter Wambach
User offline. Last seen 6 years 49 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 1350

Hi Yong Shen Lim

I'm afraid your approach by Excel is the only to fulfil your requirements. In the headlines for groups P6 only summarizes those activities which are currently displayed.

Regards

Dieter

Yong Shen Lim
User offline. Last seen 9 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Groups: None

Thanks Raymund, show summaries is a useful function. However, I intend to present the program with specific layouts (such as critical paths, look ahead, etc.). And the show summaries only would roll up all those activities that I wish to show.

Well, I feel a strong feeling that it's going to be far less time consuming and painful doing it via copying the program to excel and hiding it using the excel filter. Then probably use conditional cell formatting to make a gantt chart with excel cells. Simply have to consider an alternative when some function isn't available.

Yong Shen Lim
User offline. Last seen 9 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Groups: None

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Raymund de Laza
User offline. Last seen 28 weeks 3 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 762

Yong Shen Lim,

In the Group & Sort.. Click the "Show Summaries Only"

 

Hope that will help....