Delay Duration and Reason capture in Primavera P6

Primavera "Bigger Database" at a time was Primavera Expedition it would push Schedule data plus it would have all the Enterprise Logs along with the required access control.  No need to push any log as they were embeded into the database to be updated and visible on real time.  No need to wait for someone to update the scheduler for him to push the data.  I believe their current substitute application is Primavera Contract Management. 

Primavera Contract Management

Prolog Manager is another system that have been in use for many years.  Prolog® Manager is a Windows-based project management application offering the most complete system of record for capturing and managing project information, from the field to the back office, for project managers accountable for construction costs, scope and schedules. With features including collaboration, purchasing management, cost control, document management and field administration capabilities, Prolog is designed to match today’s industry processes, while being adaptable to meet individual project requirements.

Prolog Manager 

Some contractors do not like the idea to share all such data when transferring schedule file to client. They want their managers to be aware of their own delays but do not want to warn others that could use this information to claim concurrent delays. That would be kept on a separate log [table] within their enterprise database to be shared only internally.  They do not want to show all their cards.  

Be reminded that Steven said - "won’t allow for is multiple delays against 1 activity". One single activity might be delayed several times by rain, by a storm, by unforeseen conditions, by lack of materials ...

Most, if not all, my clients keep such data on separate logs that are discussed on thir weekly meetings. Better than looking at convoluted reports from a CPM schedule. 

To name a few:

• Adverse weather log.
• Change Orders and Change Directives Log.
• Request for Information Log.
• Request for Quotation.
• Resource Availability Log.
• Issues Log.
• Risks.
• Submittals log.
• Purchase log.
• Drawings log.
• Non-compliance log.
• Billings and Payments Log.
• Insurance Log.
• Concrete Tests Log.
• Soil Testing Log.
• ..... a few others specific for the job and others I might be missing.

To include everything on the CPM database is not a good idea.  Scheduler can add some fields and notes as a reminder and/or cross-reference to the logs but should not rely 100% on such fields. 

you can do as Steven suggest and just make one code and have several categories

• Why not use the user defined field label to disclose the reason and show the durations at the same time? 
• Then a single field to make notes on delay reasons shall be good enough. 
• With some formulas [Global Change] you can subtotal into other user defined field(s) any group of delay reason(s).

Alexander,
If you use one Activity code for the delay code (created with sub sections to break down codes), the have another column - a user defined field - for storing the delay duration. The activity codes can be created with up to 25 levels within them, so gives a fair amount of room.
What this won’t allow for is multiple delays against 1 activity, as you can only have 1 value assigned for each activity code type.

Alternatively you can try using cost codes as Delay Reason to keep record of the team captures.  Use the layouts, filters and reporting capabilities of your software to expand your views at a click of the mouse.  You can expand the cost codes as needed to have a separate view for each occurrence. For this example I expanded Rain Delays to see the details. You will not need a lot of separate columns making it easier to do the math within your custom reports. It shall not be difficult to figure it out within your software. 

• For weather delays the preferred and frequently mandated method is via weather calendars.
• AACE -84R-13 - Planning for Adverse Weather
• For owner caused delays the preferred method is via added activities.  Frequently these are rejected by the Owner; in such case Ghost Schedules might be necessary.
• Ghost Schedule    
• For contractor caused delays this is usually taken care during periodic schedule updates.  Rarely new activities are required but it might happen.

Alexander,
Could you not just add child codes under the parent in the same activity code type?
This would allow you to filter & group & sort on this field to show the activity codes by level to show the split.
If you need more information than just additional codes then Notebooks or WP&Docs as Zoltan suggests.
Steven

got to admin categories and select either the document categories or the risk type or the notebook type and add any think that you wish to track there. 

I would use the notebook topic then also creat a udf and make the udf filed text type