Resource Loading Primavera Project

Schedule Quickly Using Power Query

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resource-loading-primavera-project-schedule-quickly-using-hamid--bjhgf
%3FtrackingId=UAYA8gODSNOTUPeAHy2Npw%253D%253D/?trackingId=UAYA8gODSNOTUPeAHy2Npw%3D%3D

Resource loaded project schedules provide many benefits to planners, including:

• Detailed Progress Tracking

• Optimal Resource Utilization

• Comprehensive Reporting

• Improved Project Performance

• Historical Data for Future Projects

• Enhanced ROI on Resources

However, resource loading could be time taking. Therefore, to mitigate this issue, I'll be
sharing a method which utilizes advanced MS Excel feature known as 'Power Query' to
save time on resource loading.

Resource loading a schedule requires following steps:

1. Resource /Man Hour calculation

2. Resource /Man Hour loading in the Primavera schedule

We first calculate budgeted units/ Manhours for all resources in MS Excel (Step 1) and
then load them into Primavera using Excel Power Query(Step 2).

Our primary focus will be Step 2 today. However I'll also share briefly how Step 1 is
done.
Step 1 : Resource /Man Hour calculation

We first paste all activities of primavera schedule along with their activity
codes/durations in excel. (figure 1)

Figure 1

Then add columns for 1. All possible resource type which will be used on project and 2.
The quantity of material to be used for each activity. (figure 2)
figure 2

Then we fill these column values with manhours required for each activity. The values
are calculated based on productivity rates of each resource and material to be used for
each activity. (Figure 3)

Figure 3
After we're done with resource/ manhour calculation or step 1. We now will proceed to
the step 2 , which is to load these manhours in the primavera schedule from Excel.

Step 2 : Resource /Man Hour loading in the Primavera schedule

This step starts with us assigning resources to each activity in Primavera (Figure 4)

Notice 2 things here. (1) Names of all assigned resources here should be consistent with
the resource names in above discussed excel sheet (2) Primavera will calculate budgeted
units for each assigned resource automatically, which will be incorrect. We will replace
these units with our above calculated units in next few steps.

Figure 4

After resource assignment is done. We export the schedule in excel format . The
exported schedule in excel form contains activity codes and the names of all resources
assigned to them. (Figure 5,6,7,8)
Figure 5

Figure 6
Figure 7

Figure 8

The goal now is to transfer the calculated man hours from our initial excel sheet into this
P6 exported excel sheet so we can then re-import it into primavera.
To facilitate this transfer of budgeted units between excel sheets, we will transform our
initial excel sheet using Power Query.

Step 1. Select all data and Convert it into table format

Step 2: Import this table in Power Query.

Step 3: Select columns of all resource types and press 'Unpivot columns'
Step 4: Save the result of this query in table form by pressing 'Close & Load' button
Now we will transfer these budgeted units into our P6 exported excel sheet using
'SUMIFS' excel formula (Figure 9)
Figure 9

This P6 exported excel file with accurate budgeted units will now be re-imported into
Primavera. (Figure 10,11)

Figure 10
Figure 11

As you can see, after importing the excel file, Primavera schedule now has accurate
budgeted units for each resource of all activities. (Figure 12)

Figure 12
Note: If you are dealing with a large project like construction of 200 Villas, You should
calculate & load resources for 1 Villas first and then proceed with replicating it in
Primavera (instead of calculating resources for all 200 villas in Excel)