I have just sat through my first ever Webinar, Hooray for me.
Attached below are the questons and answers asked during the course of this Webinar, I figured that I would stick them here as there would be many things all of us would like to know about the fabled P6.

I have also got a powerpoint presentation, made up of the screen shots if you would like a copy send me a message with your e-mail address.

Enjoy

Andy


WEBINAR Q&A
Topic: High Level Resource Planning and Reporting in P6
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Time: 11:00 a.m. EDT (3:00 p.m. GMT)


Question: will this include S curves for resource reporting
Answer: Yes

Question: As happened last week at the first webinar, the tele-conference number dial up from the UK does not seem to be functioning. it looks as though no sound will be available for this presentation
Answer: You need to dial 00 1 706 643 7766

Question: Hi Julie, thanks for the Link, Richard.
Answer: sorry - 001 706 643 7776

Question: looking at the list of questions, has the conference begun? the phone still has me on hold
Answer: conference code is 6312618

Question: i am on hold are you all talking now?
Answer: We are starting now.

Question: Is the ship date for P6 still 8/31?
Answer: Yes

Question: I am unable to see the presentation and am on hold
Answer: We are starting now.

Question: Big question: Is reporting going to be easier with P6 than with P5?
Answer: Yes.

Question: Where can we get a copy of this presentation?
Answer: we will be emailing out a recording of this presentation to all registrants and attendees no later than Friday, 17 Aug.

Question: Is P6 include PSOP optimization for resource leveling? If not, can I use my current PSOP version with P6?
Answer: There is no new detailed resource levelling capability with P6

Question: If you load resources into Microsoft project, and convert to P 6, will the resources be carried over? And the same question for Cost Manager?
Answer: Yes resource load and usage will come over.

Question: With respect to Resources and Roles, is there a function which will enable the leveling/smoothing of roles or is this still the domain of resources? i.e. Resources need to be applied to activities to conduct a leveling exercise to determine resource quantities based on a constraint date.
Answer: There are now Role Limits with version P6. There is no automatic "role levelling" but you can manually level using the new P6 Role Limits.

Question: Can you do cash flows in P6. In P5 when you export the cash flow out everything didn’t line correctly.
Answer: Please contact Primavera directly regarding this issue, not sure what problems you were getting in P5.

Question: This data is predicated on projects being summarized, correct?
Answer: The resource data is being summarised yes when allocated in the resource planning spreadsheet. New in P6 is the automatic summarization from the planning spreadsheet, which did not exist in P5.

Question: how does the resource get information about his/her allocations?
Answer: The information on the allocations is made available via the spreadsheet views, reports, and graphics.

Question: Can you export graphs to excel?
Answer: You can export the data directly to excel which will then allow you to run the excel reports from within Excel.

Question: But, is there a way to get the ppt for printing?
Answer: I believe you will be able to do this.

Question: for resource histogram, does all projects mean open projects or all projects in db?
Answer: All "Active" Projects in the database. You can select any specific project as well, or group of Projects. From a resource standpoint, there is no understanding of "open projects" in the web. It just looks at all Active Projects. But you could also include What-If Projects as well if you needed to.

Question: what happens when the project is more advanced, the detailed info is available and we need to create a resource-loaded schedule. how will these two resource-planning be integrated?
Answer: There are options that allow you to select which data is being used - detailed task level or top down allocation data.

Question: Is P6 available now ?
Answer: Yes upgrades are going out this month.

Question: if you plan a schedule using primavera and then export it to MS Project will the MS file have reliable data?
Answer: Yes.

Question: will the P6 reports work with the Business Objects Crystal Reports
Answer: Yes

Question: will we be able to start with high level resource planning on the web and later move to detailed resource planning in the client or on the web as more project details are developed?
Answer: Yes, this is exactly the process that we are catering for.

Question: Will this version level out the resources if the project decides to rebaseline a project thus extending the end date?
Answer: You have the ability to move the planned allocations out as the project dates move, yes.

Question: what Reporting Tool comes with P6
Answer: We are not proving a reporting tool directly, you are able to use any reporting tool to access the reporting DWarehouse.

Question: Is BO supported as a reporting tool?
Answer: Yes - any reporting tool will be valid options.

Question: How does the time phasing calculate the information required in any accurate way to decide the availability of a role if there is no initial resource leveling done against generic/pool or parent resources to give the leveled view of availability?
Answer: We have a new Role Limit in P6 that allows you to see Role availability across the business, so the limit is not just based on Primary resource anymore.

Question: How are available units calculated? Do allocated units impact how many hours a project manager can assign to a resource in an activity? Is there a process or report available to compare allocated units to in progress project units (i.e. At Completion Labor Units)?
Answer: Available units are calculated using a complex algorithm looking across all projects, both open in the spreadsheet and active projects not show in the spreadsheet. The allocated units are given to a project manager and the project manager can see the Limit fo the resource, as well as how many "hours" (or any unit) that they were given of that resource for work on their project/s.

Question: Can a person use Info maker to create reports from the databases? Info maker wasn’t mentioned...
Answer: Yes

Question: can you use top-down data to begin with and then add bottom-up information and - eventually - be able to compare the two?
Answer: Yes - exactly the process we are catering for.

Question: once the "high-level" planning is done and the project manager creates a more detailed schedule, is the resource manager view with what they allocated still available for comparing to the detailed schedule and for other planning?
Answer: Yes

Question: While learning P6, can we still utilize P3 on the same computer to satisfy current project needs?
Answer: Yes P3 and P6 are not in conflict.

Question: Will the "old" reports/wizard still be available?
Answer: Yes, we have not removed anything in P6 with regarding the standard reports and report wizard capability live off the PMDB. This entire reporting data warehouse is a separate solution.

Question: Which reporting is included in P6 and which costs extra?
Answer: Please contact Primavera account manager regarding pricing of the reporting data warehouse.

Question: Is there somewhere else I can obtain greater detail on the Resourcing issues with respect to leveling, as I’m still worried that the project will be assumed on early dates. I need a function that can resource limit as I have a very finite pool of engineers at my disposal
Answer: Please contact support for more help.

Question: Can P6 pull resource calendar information from another software application?
Answer: Yes , but there are multiple options, please contact Primavera directly for more details.

Question: Thanks. Good Info!
Answer: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the webinar.

Question: do you need a separate app server to run p6
Answer: Nothing really "new" over what was required with P5.

Question: as the system admin, can I load appointment information from Outlook for users into their resource calendars for use in the web tool?
Answer: Yes you can import calendar information from outlook to users resource calendars in p6.

Question: can you "paste" into the resource/role spreadsheet (i.e. from excel)?
Answer: No this is not possible from the spreadsheet itself. But you could take data from excel and plug it in via some integration work.

Question: Business Objects s/w has problems reporting against BLOB which we need to convert to CLOB in Primavera TeamPlay v5, can I assume this is a non-issue with the upcoming ODS and Star Schema for 3rd party reporting via Business Objects?
Answer: I would assume this is not an issue as we will not use blobs.

Question: Is the reporting add-on at additional cost?
Answer: There is a cost, please contact your Primavera representative to discuss this.

Question: Can the high level resources allocations be used with detailed resources. ie to use place reources on both activities and WBS codes
Answer: Yes, this is the process we are catering for. You can have both.

Question: Are the calculated fields - True calculated fields, can we write script to conduct any specifically tailored calculations?
Answer: Yes, we have full KPI capability now in P6, where you can write your own complex KPI calculations.

Question: are these questions going to be included in the meeting download?
Answer: I believe so.