O ScheduleReader™ = THE POWER OF LOOKAHEAD SCHEDULES The Power of Primavera P6 Lookahead Schedules Primavera P6 Primavera P6 Lookahead Schedules Primavera P6 lookahead schedules, or a look-ahead schedule that has been created with the Primavera software, is a essentially a compressed version of the overall project schedule. Look-ahead schedules can be prepared easily and efficiently in Primavera P6 by using filters to show only the activities of interest that fall into the parameters set in the P6 filter. Often the project team or project manager needs to focus on particular activities that will occur during a specific period.Look-ahead schedules can be utilized by project controls personnel or contractors to elevate awareness of the near-term activities upcoming in the project timeline. Primavera P6 lookahead schedules often range from anywhere between two weeks to a few months in length. These abbreviated schedules are beneficial to the project team because they highlight key, near-term, and critical activities. This shifts the focus on tasks that are upcoming in the schedule and require the project team to focus on completing them before other activities on the timeline are impacted negatively due to delays. Please take note that the prerequisites of effectively displaying a Primavera P6 lookahead schedule include the general project management best practices implemented in the project schedule before beginning the process. Such requirements include the following factors: a fully resource-loaded project schedule (labor or material or both), a solid baseline, logic, and a data date with any progress to date put into the schedule. Likely the project schedule is already in the execution phase. Steps to create Primavera P6 lookahead schedules: Creating the Look-Ahead Filters to Display the Look-Ahead View Open the desired project schedule in Primavera P6, then click the Filters icon in the upper toolbar. When the Filters dialog box opens, select the button labeled, “New...” on the right-hand side of the dialog box:Sens ~) GB Fitters Oo x | iF antactivtios Show activities that match ( Allselected fiters 7 Any selected fiter oK Cancel Filter Apply ih ‘V7 Completed YF ctitical ‘V7 Has Finish Constraint ‘V7 Has Start Constraint V Prooress YF Levelof effort ‘Y7_Longest Path V7 Miestone ‘V7 Negative Float V7 Non Whatir V7 Non-ertioal ‘V7 Normal V7 Not Started Global jx lem jols Bz e 5 BE Modity. ooo ooo) 000 ‘When applying the selected fiter(s): | e Help ‘@ Replace activties shown in current layout © Highlight activities in current layout which match criteria —— When the Filter box launches, rename your filter to describe a filter for a two- week look-ahead. This is where you will assign the parameters to determine the specific tasks that will show up in your new view. Use the “Add” button to create and define multiple parameters. It is important to select “Any of the following” from the top line of the parameter options. Next, create the filter using the parameters indicated in the graphic below. You will use the Add button to put in logical tests:GFiter - a Fier Name [Sample 2-Week Look-Ahead 4 OK Display: Fiter - | @ cancet Display all rows [Parameter is Value High Value 5 ‘ny ofthe folowing) & Where Sian is wiinrange of 0D oa | a | eoEnn % Delete & cut By Copy Paste i | | Help The example graphics below show the pull-down menu options available for the logical tests: ter Is Walt Fthe following) a. not equal to "Status equa InP, is greater than is greater than or equal is less than is less than or equals is not equal to is not within range ofDos2ii [oer ete th Progress 2 PS - Earliest Project Start PF - Latest Project Finish (Y DD - Earliest Data Date CD - Current Date CW - Current Week CM - Current Month ‘Custom Date... Select “OK": Filters Oo x I alActivities Show activities that match vos | @ Allselected fiters C Any selected fiter @ Cancei | Fier s[_ Select [ YJ Longest Path Go BB Apply | Ff illestone o ‘YT Neoative Float 5 See | SF Non What o ban | °F Non-critical G T_ Normal Oo Ba Copy | Sf Not Started G = Global & : | SF 2 Weeks Ahead G ‘ Mlllestone Variance from Baseline o B modify. | ‘J’ Variance from Baseline Go - eens erie @ Make ciobat | °F New Lag Fitter Go t eI vy Copy As Layout | When applying the selected fiter(s} plying (s}: | @ Hep @ Replace activities shawn in current layout (© Highlight activites in current layout which match criteria Here is the original detailed Primavera P6 schedule:It Take note that the design and engineering activities fell off of the filter. These are behind the data date and they were already completed, so they are not included in the new view. Only a few activities fit the criteria for the two-week look-ahead filter: peach Sos Saget Map Fa You can copy existing filters to create a modified version of the filter that already exists. Use the Copy button on the right side of the Filters dialog box:GB Fitters o x allActivities Show activities that match @ Allselected fiters: © Any selected fiter oK | cancel | Fitter Select | A Longest Path Milestone Negative Float Non What-it Non-critical ov @ Apply P x | New. | Normal Not Started 4444444 El Global ‘SJ 2 Weeks Ahead “J Milestone Variance from Baseine ‘S77 Variance from Baseline El User Defined [37 New Lag Fitter I woaity.. | @ Make cioval | io) (OOO) joao oa ' Copy As Layout | When applying the selected fiter(s): | ® ee gs_Or_l4t Help | @ Replace activities shown in current layout (© Hightight activities in current layout which match criteria Once you perform this action, the Paste button appears available. Select this button to paste the copied filter:GB Fitters [7 AlActivities Show activities that match @ Allselected fiters (© Any selected fitter OK Cancel Fitter 5 Select Longest Path Milestone Negative Float Non What-it Non-critical Normal 4444444 Not Started = Gbbal 7 2 Weeks Ahead ‘YJ Milestone Variance from Baseine S77 Variance from Baseline El User Defined “ST New Lag Fitter When applying the selected fiter(s): @ Replace activities shown in current layout (© Highlight activities in current layout which match criteria io} Ooo) joioojojoio Apply of @ B dp New. x EA & Delete Copy BE todity. @ take Globat y Copy As Layout le Help From here, select the “Modify...” buttotDD kitters Oo x TP allActivities Show activities that match we OK | @ Allselected fiters: © Any selected fiter @ Cancet | Filter Select | a 7 Milestone GB Apply | ‘SJ Negative Float o YJ Non What-it o ns | ‘SJ Non-critical o Mbeki | YT Normal GB a ‘7 Not Started EJ & Copy | El Global SJ” 2 Weeks Ahead o & °[/ Milestone Variance from Baseline Go ‘SJ Variance from Baseline oO A User Defined Sf New Lag Fiter Oo @ Make ciobal | ‘J Sample 2-Week Look-Anead w y CopyAs Layout | When applying the selected fiter(s): | @ Help | (@ Replace activities shown in current layout © Hint fight activities in current layout which match criteria Use the same method as before to rename your filter and adjust the parameters and logical test options. You can replace DD+2W with DD+1M to create a one-month look-ahead filter. These filters are saved and can be used with other projects:Filter - Oo xX Fitertame [Sample 1-Honth Look-Ahead) 4 ee © Display Fiter @ cancer epi ats | araeet le [awe [Hon Vawe | 5 ‘ny ofthe folowing) Add Where Start is wihinrangeof DD OD-tht % Delete & cut copy @ peste @ ten ScheduleReader’s Features and Benefits as a Complement to Primavera P6 ScheduleReader serves as an interface for the project team to view activities and generate progress while in the field or the office. The majority of project team members do not require the in-depth skill and training required to operate Primavera P6 properly, in order to be able to use the Reader. The ScheduleReader offers an inexpensive licensing alternative for large teams to be able to view and utilize the schedule data, as opposed to using static PDF files to stay informed of the schedule and the project progress. Additionally, ScheduleReader does not require an administrative role to maintain the proper workflow among team members, and it allows project team users to review Primavera P6 XER files and use specialized filters similar to those found in Primavera P6. Launch ScheduleReader and select the File tab to open the location to retrieve the XER file that has been exported from Primavera P6:= & Layout © Open... ECOOE C\Users\i ie) sd ay Fie Version oer =. Login Narr Options Leet Personal Curency: craig Cory Petts Boies Paiscs Next, select the File tab and then “Open...” to import the project's baseline into ScheduleReader:Import Baselines red Project Baseline iret Lou O Open Print 4 [[] © _Group 3 Deliveries - 2022 > Files Used beets Organize ~ New folder fe yielicy (BB Desktop « Name [| Documents (E] EC00515.xer -§- Downloads -C00515_latest_version.xer Nh Musie You now have access to the data from the Primavera P6 schedule via imported XER file into ScheduleReader: In the Activities ribbon tab, click on the Filter icon in the upper toolbar. The look-ahead options are conveniently part of ScheduleReader’s default filters:a ; =a = eros tne Heo Over 2 ° ame Pare out oan ave =z Pull-down options are available for several parameters, such as specified logical criteria from either the current date or the project data date. The pull-down menu options offer several amounts of days, weeks, or months to choose from: Filters x Show activites that match @Al selected filters Oany selected fiter + Beas . (1 Completed a ( Chtical | cancel | (1 Date Range Start 12/31/2016 = 12/31/2019 (1 Has Finish Constraint Has Lag (Has Resource. Delete (1) Has Start Constraint 1 in Progress jan (1 Level of Efort Oo Path ae here Pees a ‘eae Months Milestone 11 Negative Float (Non What 1 Non-ertical 1 Normal (Not Started 0% 25-lul-1L 352,640.00 25-lurLi.Instead of having to create the look-ahead filters from scratch as we did in Primavera P6, ScheduleReader offers the options as part of its default built-in filters. A project team member lacking the knowledge of filter creation and logical commands in Primavera P6 will find the ScheduleReader built-in filters a convenience. The project schedule using the built-in two-week look-ahead filter in ScheduleReader yields the same results as the one that we created in Primavera P6: ScheduleReader also offers other useful default filter options. ScheduleReader contains a filter for critical tasks, for example:Filters ‘Show activities that match @ Al selected filters OC any selected fitter 4 Defauit 1 Completed > Date Range Stat Has Finish Constraint Has Lag Has Resource. Has Start Constraint In Progress Level of Effort Longest Path Lookshead With Curent Date Lookehead With Data Date, Milestone Negative Float Non What Non ertieal Normal Not Sterted qaa2016 12/31/2019 Months Weeks Cancel New... Modify Clear Filters You can create custom filters in ScheduleReader as well, and the options result in the same success in the schedule layouts as they do in Primavera P6. Simply select “New...” in the Filters dialog box and you can create custom filters in the same manner that you would in Primavera P6:OS-Feb-13 ‘Show activities that match a Ol sec fers Onn sleced er | ae 4 Defaut a & a eam |r" Date Range. Start 12/31/2016 12/31/2019 17-May-ll — BB) sien Filter x FilterName | Untied Filter Display all rows Parameter 's Value High Value = toy) i Delete Efficiencies in Team Collaboration Using ScheduleReader and Primavera P6 Utilizing ScheduleReader offers the project team similar and convenient features that can be found in Primavera P6 for team collaboration, such as its flexibility with project views to enable weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly look- ahead views. The ScheduleReader convenient look-ahead filters can be successfully obtained from an imported Primavera P6 XER file, whether the user has access to Primavera P6 or not. Such functions allow cross-team collaboration while keeping all members of the project team current on the project schedules and regularly reviewing the data throughout the project's life cycle. ScheduleReader’s ability to depict visually appealing and familiar views of the data is invaluable to the project team. A free 15-day trial of the ScheduleReader software product can be downloaded on the following link: Download 15-day Trial of ScheduleReaderAbout the Author Melanie Calverley is an experienced professional with several years of knowledge and practice in Project Management as a Program Cost and Schedule Control Analyst on multi-million/multi-billion-dollar projects, Project Controls, Strategic Planning, Engineering Planning, Earned Value Management (EVM), and Earned Value Management System (EVMS) implementation, Configuration Management, and writing/editing. She commands full utilization of Primavera P6 software, MS Project, and MS Project Server. Her career background includes industry experience in oil and gas, energy, aerospace/defense, IT, litigation, and media. Calverley has extensive experience in the planning and scheduling arena since 1999, as well as extensive experience in the aerospace and oil and gas industries combined. Calverley has worked for the large and high-visibility players in the aerospace industry - Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as the large companies in the O&G industry, such as Schlumberger, GE Energy, and Chevron. She supported NASA directly and a host of smaller sub-contractors over the years before exploring the O&G and IT industries. Calverley understands the strict, organized flow of the aerospace industry's horizontal and vertical logic integration, the criticality of resource loading, and the reporting functions that support Earned Value Management (EVM). She has also participated in various audits such as DCMA audits, JSRs, ISRs, and CAM reviews. In 2013, Calverley was responsible for implementing a full EVMS in Primavera for Cameron International's (now Schlumberger) Process Systems Division across the globe. The system was fully tested and successfully implemented and run in the United States, Brazil, the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Middle East. Calverley owns her own business, Calverley Consulting, LLC, which has been operational since 2017. Calverley is also a solid writer, editor, and process flow documentation expert. She possesses a full command of the proper English language, and she is also a published book author. Calverley developed and championed multiple process flows and written documentation via policies and procedures for various well-known companies.