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 Units Units/Time Units

When you change units/time, what changes? Units Units Duration Duration

When you change units, what changes? Units/Time Units/Time Duration Duration

When you add a resource what changes? Units/Time Units Duration Duration

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