Guild of Project Controls: Compendium | Roles | Assessment | Certifications | Membership

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Can you use Primavera as a Resource Planner? For people on various sites - Alternative to Excel

No replies
Martin Thomson
User offline. Last seen 13 weeks 1 day ago. Offline
Joined: 30 Nov 2023
Posts: 2
Groups: None

Regarding the image attached - Excel can be used to display people, which site they are on at different points in the year.

The second table shows how MS project / primavera defaults to. Each site would have to be done as a seperate row/line item

Is there a way of making activities in primavera span across one line but on multiple dates? So i could have person A, B and C as a line each and then to the right see what site they are on like the top table i made in excel?

 

Ive asked an experienced project planner in the oil industry but he could not think of a way to do this

 

8542
excel.png

Martin Thomson
User offline. Last seen 13 weeks 1 day ago. Offline
Joined: 30 Nov 2023
Posts: 2
Groups: None

Thanks to everyone for a qucik reply!

 

Ive done more research and it look like yous are correct, dosent look as if Primavera can display an activity over one line. 

 

This display format is called a swimlane format i believe.

 

Below is the format im wanting it in, Think excel still serves as the best for my needs/as a resource plan!

 

 

Martin Thomson
User offline. Last seen 13 weeks 1 day ago. Offline
Joined: 30 Nov 2023
Posts: 2
Groups: None

Thanks to everyone for a qucik reply!

 

Ive done more research and it look like yous are correct, dosent look as if Primavera can display an activity over one line. 

 

This display format is called a swimlane format i believe.

 

Below is the format im wanting it in, Think excel still serves as the best for my needs/as a resource plan!

 

 

Rodel Marasigan
User offline. Last seen 2 days 12 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699

As I mentioned earlier, it might not be ideal, but you can simulate resource planning in P6. You can use the resource name as a WBS level, Activity Code, or Resource Name, then group and sort according to the selected options (WBS, Activity Code, Resource Name). Afterward, create an Activity Name such as 'Site name/location' or any required description. You can assign a different bar color per location by defining the bar and color using a filter for each location.

See below sample:

Resource-Planning-Detail

Once all activities (site names) are created and assigned based on the selected options (WBS, Activity Code, Resource Name), collapse them according to the chosen option (WBS, Activity Code, Resource Name).

See below:
Resource-Planning

Alternatively, you can use user-defined date (UDF) bars to represent locations. Create multiple UDF start and finish bars to match the number of required locations. You can assign multiple UDFs (locations) per activity, and they will display as a single line in the Gantt chart.

See below sample using UDF:
Resource-Planning-udf

Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 3 hours 24 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229

I use different software that gives me out of the box a Resource Usage Chart. If P6 Resource Usage Table is not enough then you might consider the following.

Resource Usage Gantt Chart | OnePager Blog RU-ChartGood Luck
Rodel Marasigan
User offline. Last seen 2 days 12 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699

The correct answer is NO.

While you can perform a walk-around to mimic resource planning software like ScheduleIT, Saviom, and many others, Primavera is not designed for this purpose.

See ScheduleIT sample: Schedule-IT

Saviom sample:Saviom-Resource-Planning

david kelly
User offline. Last seen 7 hours 14 min ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Feb 2016
Posts: 33
Groups: None
Group and sort Barchart by resource. Use project ID as the Barchart label 'above' the bar. Show bar when collapsed.
david kelly
User offline. Last seen 7 hours 14 min ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Feb 2016
Posts: 33
Groups: None
Group and sort Barchart by resource. Use project ID as the Barchart label 'above' the bar. Show bar when collapsed.
david kelly
User offline. Last seen 7 hours 14 min ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Feb 2016
Posts: 33
Groups: None
Group and sort Barchart by resource. Use project ID as the Barchart label 'above' the bar. Show bar when collapsed.
david kelly
User offline. Last seen 7 hours 14 min ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Feb 2016
Posts: 33
Groups: None
Group and sort Barchart by resource. Use project ID as the Barchart label 'above' the bar. Show bar when collapsed.