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P6 Summary Bar Display

8 replies [Last post]
James Bennett
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Hi, I've got a problem that hopefully someone can help me with.  I have created a programme that has several activity codes allocated to each of the tasks, to enable me to group them in different ways (rather than just using a WBS).  Most of the time this programme will be viewed while summarised, so the tasks will not be seen, just the summary bars.  Currently, the summary bar displayed is the same for each "level" of the programme (ie. the order in which I've put the codes in the Group and Sort), but I would like to see a different size and colour of bar for each of these "levels".  Any ideas ?

Thanks in advance,

Jimbo.

Replies

Teal Blue
User offline. Last seen 5 years 44 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Jun 2018
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James,

I came across this post as I have the exact same scenario you did, and I would like to know if you ever found a solution that allowed you to set different bar types for the different levels?  I realize this post is 6.5 years old but figured it's worth a shot to ask...

Thank you,
Teal

Raymund de Laza
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Joined: 23 Nov 2009
Posts: 762

James,

Try my suggestion it will surely work for your requirement.

James Bennett
User offline. Last seen 11 years 18 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Dec 2012
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Hi Johannes, the schedule is based upon the actual tasks, just rolled up to the lowest level of coding in my Group and Sort, so that only summary bars are shown.  If you'd like to see my problem, create a programme with 5 or so activities, and then create 4 activity codes, each with 4 values.  Then assign a value for each of the codes to each activity.  Then group and sort by the 4 activity codes, and then collapse to the lowest of these 4 "levels".  Initially you might not see any bars - there are 2 ways I've found to show them - firstly, tick the "Summary" bar to display under the "Bar" menu, or secondly, tick the "Show bar for grouping bands" option under "Bar Settings" for the "Remaining Work" bar.  Unfortunately, both of these just produce something that shows every summary level with the same bar, which isn't what I'm after....

 

Cheers,

James.

Johannes

Johannes Vandenberg
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Posts: 234

Hi

Are your management accepting summary schedule reports that are not based on the rolled up schedule from the lowest, the actual task, level? I consider this incorrect. Level 1 or level 2 summary reports should always rolled up from the appropriate level.

Regards

Johannes

James Bennett
User offline. Last seen 11 years 18 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Dec 2012
Posts: 6
Groups: None

 

Hi all, it seems I haven't explained myself properly.  I don't want P6 to show the bar based upon the code value, as all of my tasks have a value for each code, and it's not the actual code value that matters.  I'd like to change to bar style for the "level", or Grouping Band when I view the programme Grouped and Sorted by the activity codes.

So if I've got 4 Activity Codes (Code 1 to 4), each with 4 Code Values (Value A to D), the layout (rolled up so I don't see the actual tasks) is (I've used a different format for each "level"):

 

Code 1: A

   Code 2: A

    Code 3: B

      Code 4: C

      Code 4: D

  Code 2: B

    Code 3: C

      Code 4: A

      Code 4: B

    Code 3: D

      Code 4: B

      Code 4: C

Code 1: B

  Code 2: A

    Code 3: C

      Code 4: A

The problem I've got is that whatever I do, the summary bar shown for each of these "levels" look the same.

Johannes - this is an internal programme that actually won't have any logic in it, and is more for presenting to company management, hence no need for a WBS.

 

Thanks all,

Jimbo.

Raymund de Laza
User offline. Last seen 31 weeks 6 days ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Nov 2009
Posts: 762
Johannes, Show bars when collapsed is possible when using act codes in bars.
Johannes Vandenberg
User offline. Last seen 9 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Posts: 234

Hi James

Summary or more specific WBS Summary bars are not working when you use the activity codes method. These are designed for the use in the WBS structure. You may used level of effort and link the first activity and the last activity and if you go to the bars view and select any color and shape you desire.

Suggest to make your schedules in the WBS structure and when the schedule is completed make the activity codes as you desire so that you can group and sort. Then you have the best of the two worlds. First you have a correct WBS structure that must be somewhere in the scope management structure during tendering. The other reason is that many report functions and reports are based on the WBS structure in the schedule. Secondly you can group and sort any way you would like.

Regards

Johannes

Raymund de Laza
User offline. Last seen 31 weeks 6 days ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Nov 2009
Posts: 762

In the Bars Window... Create a separate Bar Styles for every Acrtivity Code using the Filter.