DIFFERENT DURATION TYPES IN PRIMAVERA P6R8.

2 :There are 4 different types of duration types, they are given as follows

1)
2)
3)
4)

Fixed Duration & Units

Fixed Duration & Units\Time
Fixed Units
Fixed Units\Time

Quick recognization of Activity Duration type with the Activity types:ACTIVITY DURATION TYPE
1)Fixed duration & Units
2)Fixed duration & Units/Time
3)Fixed Units
4)Fixed Units/Time

ACTIVITY TYPE
Task Dependent activity
Task Dependent activity
Resource Dependent activity
Resource Dependent activity

1) Fixed duration & Units:If schedule is more important this type is choosed .The activities duration
doesnt change regardless of the number of resources assigned when you modify or update activities.
Fixed duration &units is the default one among these four types .It is the task dependent activity type
because it mainly depends on the activity calendar In this type the duration & units are fixed .And the
scenario as follows

Scenario: 10 days to build 100 units. With this example p6 would decide that you must
produce 10units/day with the activity not started. Now lets say the activity is a day in and only 1units
was build ,this means 9 units which were not build are now spread over remaining 9days ,meaning
you must now produce 11units/day for the remaining 9days .p6 will not extend the duration by a day
to allow for the 9 missing to be built.
2) Fixed duration &units/time:It is also an task dependent activity .In this type the duration and the units /time
is fixed .This fixed duration & units/time uses the activity calendar .And its scenario as follows

Scenario: A production line knows, it can produce so many units a day for so many days and
this decides the total units produced. This would be used when the total output required is unknown
and is decided by how much can be produced in a day and over how many days.

3) Fixed Units:This type is choosed when the total work effort or fixed costs are most
important .It indicates budget (unit/cost) is the limiting factor. I.e. the total amount of work is fixed.
When you update activities, the work effort required to complete the activity doesnt change even if the
activities duration or the resource rate changes .It is a resource dependent activity and it performs
according to the resource calendar. And it scenario as follow
Scenario: A site needs to demolish 100units, but there is no specific deadline to do so. This
means P6 will dictate the amount of units to demolish/day according to duration and vice versa .This
is essentially the example of the production line with a never ending total units with the expected
that fixed unit limits the production. So whilst the duration and units/time will change the target total
units is set and once achieved the activity is completed.
4) Fixed Units /Time:If the resource availability is most important the this type is selected. In this type
unit/time or rate of the resource remains constant even if the activitys duration or work effort
changes.It is also an resource dependent activity and it performs according to the resource calendar .the
scenario as follows
Scenario: A Factory line produces 10units/day and will continue to until it is stopped. So with
duration of 10 days they will produce 100units, change that to 20 days and they will produce 200units.
Change the budget units back to 100 and the duration drops down to 10 days.
Duration Type is a setting which allows the user to control how the duration,
resource units, and resource units/time are synchronized for
Activities, so that the following equation is always true:
Duration x Units/Time = Duration
If the activity is not started, the names of the values are:
Original Duration x Budgeted Units/Time = Budgeted Units
If the activity has started, the names of the values are:
Remaining Duration x Remaining Units/Time = Remaining Units

The following table lists the value that changes to balance the equation Duration
x Units/Time = Units whenever one of the variables is changed.

Duration type

Fixed duration &

Units
Fixed duration &
Units/Time
Fixed Units
Fixed Units/Time

When you
change
duration, what
changes?
Units/Time

When you
change
units/time,
what changes?
Units

When you
change units,
what changes?

When you add

a resource what
changes?

Units/Time

Units/Time

Units

Units

Units/Time

Units

Units/Time

Duration

Duration

Duration

Units

Duration

Duration

Duration

For reference: {http://www.slideshare.net/AdamGarnham/no-nonsense-guide-to-duration-types-in-p6}