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.

Negative Total Float Issue

25 replies [Last post]

Mon, 2009-07-27 12:32

Mohamed Hegab

Offline

Joined: 4 Feb 2009

Posts: 38

Groups: None

Hi,

My project has about 3000 activities and has a strange case. Three activities in a row (Act A then Act. B, then Act. C) without any constraints and their Total Float is as follow

Act. A: TF=-1
Act. B: TF=15
Act. C: TF=-1

I wonder if there is an explanation of that case knowing that nothing else is linked to Act. B. I am using P6

Replies

Fri, 2012-08-31 21:24

Hussain kapadia

Offline

Joined: 22 Apr 2012

Posts: 2

Groups: None

Thnk u Mr Velmurugan Selvan. . .

I ws also hvng the same problem bt nw it solve. . . thank u sir. . . .

Mon, 2011-05-09 13:29

Cezar Comoda

Offline

Joined: 9 May 2011

Posts: 2

Groups: Pinoy Planning Planet Community

Hi Buddies,

My problem is related to the above maybe you can advice me also, the scenario is predecessors had 100% complete and successor something around 30~60% progress then followed by no progressed successors, the on progress activities has avery huge TF which is longer than project duration where as the not progressed successors only shows 2 months of TF.

Zeggie

Sun, 2011-05-08 09:50

velmurugan selvan

Offline

Joined: 3 Sep 2007

Posts: 8

Groups: None

THX

Thu, 2011-05-05 09:01

Mike Testro

Offline

Joined: 14 Dec 2005

Posts: 4418

Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors

Hi Velmurugan

Did you notice that this thread is two years old?

It is not a good idea to respond to long dead threads.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Thu, 2011-05-05 08:53

velmurugan selvan

Offline

Joined: 3 Sep 2007

Posts: 8

Groups: None

Hi,

This will solve your problem "Negative Float in the critical path"

When you apply "Must Finish By" constrain to the project finish date, primavera will default to take the project end date and time as 12:00 AM regardless to date, that's the reason it shows the Negate float.

On ground the project end by the end of the day depending up on the project & type, let we assume the project will end by 4:00 PM.

Now enable time hour units in User preference and see the project end date and hours, e.g. 24 May 2011 4:00 PM, now set the must finish date to 24 May 2011 12:00 AM (which primavera assumes default) to 24 May 2011 4:00 PM, schedule the project.

Nowyou can see the critical path without negative float.

If the problem is not fixed by the above means, then the project links & scheduling options to be checked.

Cheer up.............

Thu, 2009-09-10 07:20

Rafael Davila

Offline

Joined: 1 Mar 2004

Posts: 5229

Groups: Spider Project Team

Shahul

Baseline Schedules should never show negative float in any case some positive float as use of buffers should be allowed; unfortunately use of buffers is not a widely accepted practice in my location, in occasions prohibited by some specs.

The only reasons I can think of at this moment for a schedule to show negative float are the effect of constraints (internal and/or external) or the effect of out-of-sequence progress.

Your statement - I guess use of negative float is not recommended by Consultant and delay analyst, but I have no idea about it. – is supported by some specifications that prohibit the use of negative float as a basis for EOT claims. With a Google search you can get plenty of samples.

Best regards,
Rafael

Thu, 2009-09-10 00:07

Shah. HB

Offline

Joined: 25 Nov 2008

Posts: 773

Groups: GPC Malaysia, GPC Qatar, Planning, Claims & Contracting, TILOS

Mr.Rafael initially when baseline is prepared normally it wont have negative total float except introduction of must finish dates.then on scheduling total float becomes -ve due to actual dates and % of completion introduction? or is there any other reason for negative total float?

Wed, 2009-09-09 19:59

Rafael Davila

Offline

Joined: 1 Mar 2004

Posts: 5229

Groups: Spider Project Team

Mo He

I know you said that the activities have no progress whatsoever. But I would like to rule out the possibility this is caused by out-of-sequence events.

Check in the out-of-sequence report if any of these activities are listed as being out-of-sequence.

If any is listed as out-of-sequence this might be the cause as a common reason for negative float is out of sequence activities, sometimes referred to as broken logic. This often occurs if the schedule has been part progressed and actual dates have been added.

If you set an actual start date with 0%progress this is in CPM terms an activity with progress and this might still be able to cause an out-of-sequence event.

Also if you set a successor to these activities with an actual start, again even with 0%progress this might also cause these activities to be out of sequence.

First you got to rule out out-of-sequence then if occurs you got to find why.

Best regards,
Rafael

Tue, 2009-09-08 14:44

Shah. HB

Offline

Joined: 25 Nov 2008

Posts: 773

Groups: GPC Malaysia, GPC Qatar, Planning, Claims & Contracting, TILOS

sorry i meant negative lag

Tue, 2009-09-08 05:56

#10

Shah. HB

Offline

Joined: 25 Nov 2008

Posts: 773

Groups: GPC Malaysia, GPC Qatar, Planning, Claims & Contracting, TILOS

I guess use of negative float is not recommended by Consultant and delay analyst ,but i have no idea about it

Tue, 2009-09-08 02:18

#11

Cecil Soliva

Offline

Joined: 17 Apr 2004

Posts: 20

Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, Pinoy Planning Planet Community

Velmon:

Please refer to my query entitled " Bearing negative float if applies must finish date" it was answered by Arnold.

Cecil

Mon, 2009-09-07 11:07

#12

Velmon Capanayan

Offline

Joined: 13 Jun 2007

Posts: 23

Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas

Dear All,

Im having the same problem.
I just establish a schedule, and im presently reviewing my logical links. I just observe that my critical activities are negative floats and equal to the total durations of the project. Normally the critical activities should be zero, if the ’must finish by’ is not set. Please help me on this, may be in initial set up it requires some options to do the calculation of float.
Hoping for immediate response.
Thanks,
Velmon

Thu, 2009-08-27 09:36

#13

Paul Harris

Offline

Joined: 11 Apr 2001

Posts: 618

Groups: Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors

Did you import them from some where else and have the been assigned a External dates, which acts like a constraints.

Show the External date columns to check.

Paul E Harris
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
Planning and Scheduling Training Manual & Book Publishers, Consulting and Training
www.eh.com.au
www.primavera.com.au

Thu, 2009-08-27 07:41

#14

abdelrahman abdel...

Offline

Joined: 11 Aug 2009

Posts: 4

Groups: Civil Engineering

Hi Mo He

In Addition to Mike & Dieter

Try to Filter Lay out
for Negative Float
And Look for the reason By Negative Float activities
And its Gant Chart

Thu, 2009-08-06 03:11

#15

Hannes de Bruyne

Offline

Joined: 25 Jul 2005

Posts: 154

Groups: None

Hello Mo He

for better understanding can you pls give the dates for:

start, finish
Early dates
Planned Dates
Actual Dates
and Expected Finish

for all three activities

Regards,

Hannes

Thu, 2009-07-30 07:31

#16

Arnold Puy

Offline

Joined: 25 Apr 2007

Posts: 1147

Groups: GPC Qatar, Pinoy Planning Planet Community

Hi Mo He,

In addition to their information, try to check your Project Detail --> Dates --> "Must Finish By".

Regards,

Arnold

Thu, 2009-07-30 06:23

#17

Gordon Blair

Offline

Joined: 29 Jul 2005

Posts: 166

Groups: None

Have you checked for external dates?

Also, p3e used to be a bugger for retaining ’ghost links’ to dead activities - although I only ever saw that on other people’s machines, if all else fails try deleting and reinstating the activities with spuriously low float.

Wed, 2009-07-29 01:03

#18

Dieter Wambach

Offline

Joined: 15 Jan 2007

Posts: 1350

Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, TILOS

Mo He

Just by your description and answers to Mike’s and Gary’s questions I have no idea. Did you check these activities with the trace logic?

Please inform on Primavera’s answer.

Regards
Dieter

Tue, 2009-07-28 17:22

#19

Mike Testro

Offline

Joined: 14 Dec 2005

Posts: 4418

Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors

Hi Mo He

The two negative float activities must be showing critical.

Filter on critical activities - or even super critical - and you may get a clearer view of the problem.

It is most likely a "must end on" constraint down stream of the problem activities.

Alternatively just take ALL contraints off and re-schedule.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Tue, 2009-07-28 14:35

#20

Mohamed Hegab

Offline

Joined: 4 Feb 2009

Posts: 38

Groups: None

The activities have no progress whatsoever. There are some constraints in the project but not in these activities. The project is not resource loaded. There may be progress in activities downstream but how it would affect those simple sequenced activities. I emailed the problem to Primavera and they are researching but didn’t give me a clue yet. I have this issue in several locations in the project but this is the case that has no doubt.

Thanks,

Mo

Tue, 2009-07-28 13:59

#21

Mike Testro

Offline

Joined: 14 Dec 2005

Posts: 4418

Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors

Hi Mo He

If you are sure that there are NO constraint flags enywhere on your project then check:

1. Does your calendar extend beyond the work end?
2. Do any resources have different calendars?
3. Are there any link loops in the logic?
4. Have you put in any progress on down stream activities?

Otherwise you have a software glitch.

Best regards

Mike Testro.

Tue, 2009-07-28 13:53

#22

Gary Whitehead

Offline

Joined: 24 Mar 2009

Posts: 1215

Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, The GrapeVine

Do any of the activities have actual start or finish dates, or percent complete > 0%, or remaining duration < original duration?

Tue, 2009-07-28 11:19

#23

Mohamed Hegab

Offline

Joined: 4 Feb 2009

Posts: 38

Groups: None

The three activities are linked to each other without constraints or relationships other than FS. The calendar is the 5 day calendar for all of them.

thanks,

Mo

Tue, 2009-07-28 02:29

#24

Dieter Wambach

Offline

Joined: 15 Jan 2007

Posts: 1350

Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, TILOS

Mo He

In addition to Mike. Did you check the calendars of those activities? Float is based on the activity’s calendar - sometimes misleading.

Dieter

Mon, 2009-07-27 12:45

#25

Mike Testro

Offline

Joined: 14 Dec 2005

Posts: 4418

Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors

Hi Mo He

You do not explain the logic links between the three activities - are they FS with no lags?

There could be constraints further down the line.

Or maybe there are conflicting calendars or work patterns.

Filter & check the whole critical path to isoltae the problem.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Contact Us

Email: PPadmin@planningplanet.com

Planning Planet

Tips on using this forum..

Negative Total Float Issue

Replies

Top Posters

Contact Us

More like this

User login

Partners & Sponsors