How To Fix 3 Common Problems with Primavera P6 Calendars

Primavera P6 calendars give project managers a valuable tool in determining the progress of a project. However, Primavera P6 calendars are prone to several fallacies that may inhibit, if not destroy, the progress, continued planning, and success of a project.

As project manager, you need to know how to address these three critical issues without wasting $1000s in training sessions or endless online searches. To help you deal with some of the most common problems in Primavera P6 calendars, follow these guidelines for correcting work day configurations, copying calendars, and transferring of information.

Incorrect Overtime Calculations Due to Default Work Day Settings in Primavera P6 Calendars

In Primavera P6, you may encounter a situation where skilled workers’ hours are documented correctly, however, the cost of the hours does not appear to be correct. This occurs due to Primavera P6’s default setting of workdays. When you set up a new calendar, the default work day consists of eight routine business hours. However, some of your employees may not work regular working hours. For example, working from noon until 8:00 PM is eight hours. However, the calendar instinctually reads this as five regular hours and three hours of overtime due to default 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM shifts.

To correct this imbalance, follow these steps:

• Go to the Admin Menu.
• Click on Admin preferences.
• Under Time Periods, you can change the default hours per time period.
• Check the box containing a phrase beginning with “use assigned calendar…”
• Click on Enterprise, and then click on Calendars.
• Change the time periods to meet your needs for a specific calendar.

Please note: If you do not check the “use assigned calendar…” box, you will change all calendars for all projects located in your database.

Inability to Copy and Paste in Primavera P6 Calendars

When you create a new calendar, you may find yourself needing a calendar nearly identical to a previously existing calendar. However, Primavera P6 does not allow you to copy and paste a calendar in a new location.

Although you may not copy and paste a calendar, you can choose to base a new calendar on an existing calendar. Depending on the type of calendar you wish you use as a base for the new calendar, you will need to use P6 Web or P6 Client.

• P6 Web allows you to base new calendars on a previously existing project calendar.
• P6 Client allows you to base new calendars on previous global or resource calendars. You will have the option of selecting a base calendar when creating a new calendar.
  

Inability to Automatically Transfer Information From Project Calendar to Global Calendar

One of the most confounding problems in Primavera P6 calendars rests in the transfer of information between calendars. When you enter information into a project calendar, the information remains on that specific calendar. However, any information entered into a global calendar will be copied into subsequent project or resource calendars. The basic solution to this problem is very simple.

• If you need information on the global calendar, place it on the global calendar. If information is only needed for your specific calendar, place it directly on your project or resource calendar.

Throughout the course of a project, you will face many challenges with Primavera P6 calendars. However, understanding how to correct the three most common problems in P6 calendars can mean the difference between a successful project outcome and total confusion.

Key Factors for Correcting Primavera P6 Calendar Problems

• Ensure you check the box containing the “Use Assigned Calendar” when making changes to work schedules for proper documentation of hourly rates or costs.
• Select existing calendars to base new calendars to reduce your workload in creating specifications for new calendars.
• Only information placed on Global Calendars is automatically transcribed onto project calendars. Information placed on Project Calendars does not transfer to the Global Calendar.