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Document Register and P5

12 replies [Last post]
Tue, 2009-04-21 13:08
Patrick McHenry
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Dear Planners,

Most of my weekly project controls time is consumed with the maintenance of the DDR (Design Document Register), or also known as, PDR (Project Document Register), or just plainly the Document Register. It’s a list of the engineering deliverables (drawings mostly), their current status, next planned dates or forecast, progress, etc. contained in an Excel spreadsheet.

After maintaining this behemoth spreadsheet for about 4 months, I believe (or hope) there must be a better way. Someone in the planning world must have automated this process somewhat and linked the deliverables to P5, so that updating the forecasted dates is not a manual process, but linked to an activity in P5.

I thought about treating each deliverable as a "step" under the appropriate activity within P5, exporting the steps, updating them in excel, then importing them back into P5. Has anyone done this? I think you need SDK(software development kit) installed.

My main concern is to get this massive spreadsheet, the deliverables, into the project schedule and have a method to update the deliverable status/forecast/progress in a format that an engineer/designer can handle.

Thanks

Patrick
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Replies

Thu, 2009-04-23 13:50
#1
Samer Zawaydeh
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Groups: Civil Engineering, Regional Representatives
Dear Patrick,

Excatly, this is what I am running on all project currently. I going to update this process by the end of the year. Hopefully, next time when someone ask the question I will have a model running for large projects.

With kind regards,

Samer
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Thu, 2009-04-23 09:25
#2
Patrick McHenry
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Joined: 21 Apr 2009
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Samer,
I see your point for large projects, have the spreadsheet/weekly progress information exist in full detail outside of the project schedule. Make the project schedule be the non-detailed version of the detailed spreadsheet list...use ratios to make both the project schedule and detailed spreadsheet match. Therefore, you don’t need an incredible amount of activities or steps within your project schedule. It is much better to have a smaller amount of activities that are meaningful and coherent versus volumous amounts of mind numbing detail that is nearly impossible to track and update. This could be and alternate approach. However, the detail still exists and it would be nice to have it linked to the project schedule.
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Wed, 2009-04-22 14:27
#3
Samer Zawaydeh
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Dear Patrick,

I have the following sections as mandatory in each construction project Schedule of Works:

1. Material Submittals.
2. Shop Drawings.
3. Procurement
4. Construction.
5. Handing over.

For small projects:
the complete list of the Material submittals as per the Contract BOQ is incorporated in the program of works. The status (approved, approved as noted, resubmit and rejected) are incorported as percentages.
the shop drawings are updated each week as they are submitted and the progress is reported according to the review result.

For large projects:
Material submittals and shop drawings for Civil, Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical, and others, material are reported in excel sheets and updated on a weekly basis in the weekly progress meeting. A shorter list is created in the Program of works depending on the created WBS and the ratios of progress is updated. These ratios are a summation of the excel sheets.

With kind regards,

Samer
(P.S. Dear Rommel,
I am still in the process of getting the Contract Manager. I might be able to provide you with an update in the next few months.)
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Wed, 2009-04-22 12:29
#4
Patrick McHenry
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Bingo Oliver! By utilizing Primavera "steps" as the engineering deliverables, I would like to: 1) Import steps into an existing project schedule (affixed to each activity as appropriate). 2) Come update time, export steps into excel format for updating(progressing). 3) Import the updates back into the project schedule.

I believe this is a current enhancement request to Primavera, but I haven’t checked up on it for a while, so I don’t know if this functionallity is available now.

I have P5 to work with...if you have information on how to do this I would appreciate it. Thanks
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Wed, 2009-04-22 10:10
#5
Oliver Melling
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IMO the document review process is important, especially in a project with lots of upfront papaer-work. It is even worth creating a process flow during the tender stage to let the prospective client know your proposed turnaround times for docs.

Are you wanting to update a spreadsheet with dates from Primavera only? or do you want to update Primavera from the spreadsheet?

It can all be done via the import/export xls function and doesnt require the use of SDK.
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Wed, 2009-04-22 09:07
#6
Patrick McHenry
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All,

Gary is correct, each step is relevant as each drawing stage requires some sort of effort. This forms the basis of the disciplines earned hours. However, I think we are missing my earlier question. How do I import and export Primavera steps in Excel? I believe the engineering deliverables (drawings) can become a "step" within an activity. If I can link the deliverables to the schedule, then this will elimiate a lot of manual updating, of dates, in my DDR. Contract Manager and MyPrimavera are not options for me at this time.
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Wed, 2009-04-22 04:22
#7
Gary Whitehead
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Anoon,

Some of these steps are very relevant. Particularly the Issued for Approval & Approved / Approved with comments steps as that’s a client deliverable and any delay in approval needs to be demonstrable on your schedule for EOT claims.

The various % complete figures at each step will often be prescirbed in the contract as the basis of payment for design work so again, important to have them in the schedule.
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Wed, 2009-04-22 04:01
#8
Anoon Iimos
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Patrick,

IMHO, a drawing (design) to become functional must be in IFC (issued for construction) status first. So steps are irrelevant, i.e. issued for review; approved with comments; etc.

I believe some uses milestones with corresponding percentage for their estimates. For example, a drawing with a status "Approved with Comments" may take 90%, but what’s the use of it?
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Wed, 2009-04-22 02:30
#9
R. Catalan
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Dear Samer,

I assumed that you’ve been using Primavera Contract Manager.

I know also there’s a collaboration between the Primavera P6 and Contract Manager thru the cost codes/accounts linkage.

What are the infos that your can interlink between these softwares as a control procedure?

Best regards,
Rommel
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Wed, 2009-04-22 01:25
#10
Samer Zawaydeh
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Dear Patrick,

You will have the same activitiy list. The progress percentage can be updated on a weekly or monthly basis depending on the status of the Material submittals and the Shop drawings.

The RFIs should be answered within 24 hours, that is why it does not affect the progress.

Best,

Samer
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Tue, 2009-04-21 14:38
#11
Patrick McHenry
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Thanks, we are using a Lotus Notes application to store and manage our engineering drawings/deliverables. It displays document status (IFR, IFCR, IFC) information and other features associated with document control but doesn’t sync with the project schedule. I need to somehow carry the DDR information inside the P5 project schedule.
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Tue, 2009-04-21 13:56
#12
Samer Zawaydeh
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Dear Patrick,

You might want to look at Primavera "Contract Manager". The document control process should be managed well with this software.

Good luck,

Samer
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