Sample P6 Schedule Layout for Top 3 Float Paths

Once a suitable network has been developed, with duration and resources assigned to all activities, it is necessary to review the longest path through the project before baseline schedule is established. Scheduling Software will simply tell you where the longest path or critical paths are. Normally, a critical path should be extended from the beginning to the end of a project. Review the longest path or critical path(s) using float path layout and validate those activities on critical paths with project team to ensure it makes sense to them.

It is not easy to analyse critical path activities in case you have more than three thousand activities in your project. By having float path layout, the most critical activities or nearly critical activities can be easily reviewed to identify high risk activities when schedule risks are assessed.

When the project is underway, these activities can be thoroughly reviewed with the contractor and prioritized to take corrective action as defined using this float path layout. As this layout is important, especially for the project management team, it may be used as part of the monthly or fortnightly report.

Sample Layout to Find External Links and Broken Logic (No Predecessor or Successor)

Activity with no predecessor or successor in the schedule does not drive the whole project. With the exceptional case, there may be some activities without predecessor or successor such as project start milestone, project finish milestone and an external link activity such as civil work completion of other project.

For example; equipment delivery on site date (equipment supplied by Owner/EPCm Contractor) could be an external link if you are a Constructor with both of you and Owner/EPCm schedule are internally linked. A quick way to identify the broken logic and external date activities is to create a layout and run the report as and when required.

Beginners' Tips for Customizing Activity Layout in P6

The schedule bar chart is a key to your team. Creating a user-friendly schedule layout that is readable and easily understandable for the users is one of the main tasks of planning, scheduling, and project controls professionals. Hundreds of layouts can be made depending on recipients’ requirements by changing the appearance of the schedule bar chart. You may wish to highlight the significant activities for your team or show some activities to stand out among the busiest activities by customizing bar chart appearance.

Changing of bar chart appearance is only made by the bar dialog box and filters. It is the art of changing and customizing bar style, bar color and filter list.

Three things you need to know about the bar chart in order to be mastering in schedule layouts.

(1)    Understand how the existing bars works

(2)    Know how to customize existing bars

(3)    Know how to add the customized new bars

Schedule Report for Baseline Comparison (Dates and Duration)

The following figure is a simple schedule comparison report for dates and duration that could be used to communicate to your team where your project status is.