+ Percent Complete Type defines the actual progress of an activity. The option has three types — Duration, Physical, and Units. Under the fixed price type contract, Physical is recommended. HOW DO P6 USERS SELECT DURATION TYPES? Duration type determines the relations between remaining duration, units assigned to activity, and remaining units per time as follows: + Fixed Units/Time — This is used if the activity has fixed productivity output per time period. When the duration of an activity with this type increases, the amount of budgeted labour units also increases while resource units per time remain constant. + Fixed Units — This is used when the amount of the units is fixed. Decreased units per time causes the activity duration to increase. When a user updates the duration or units per time, the units remain constant. + Fixed Duration and Units/Time — This is used when the duration and resource performance have constraints. + Fixed Duration & Units — This is used when the duration and the amount of the resources have constraints. In order to choose the appropriate duration type in accordance with schedule management tactics, schedulers must first understand following formula: Ore aa Ca me Seu on ee Red quantity of resources (not the quantity of deliverables). In the implementation phase: + When duration is shortened, performance (Units/Time) should increase in order to complete the planned quantities (Units) on time [1]. + When performance decreases, duration will increase [2]. + When the quantity decreases, duration will decrease because a client will probably require to complete the tasks earlier [3].On the other hand: + When duration increases, performance will decrease [4]. + When performance increases, duration will decrease [5]. + When the quantity increases, performance should increase because a client generally will require to complete the tasks on time by increasing performance [6]. In the perspective of mentioned above, Fixed Units seems more desirable. Figure 35 demonstrates the correlation between duration, performance (units/time), and quantity (units). The basis activity is A0000 (Original) with 12 days, 32 units/time, and 384 hours (units). Figure 35 — Changes according to duration types ae iat i i However, in terms of schedule management, Fixed Units is not a good choice because: + Doubled Units/Time does not always mean double performance and schedulers do not care changes of Units/Time but those of durations or units. + Durations or units should not be changed unexpectedly because successor activity owners can hardly follow up predecessor activities’ change. The duration of the activity with Fixed Duration & Units type only will not change when units change, and vice versa.To conclude, Fixed duration & units is recommended in the implementation phase, and is commonly used in managing schedules. HOW DO P6 USERS CHOOSE PERCENT COMPLETE TYPES? Percent Complete is an estimate of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity. In Primavera P6, each activity must have one of the following Percent Complete types: + Duration — Used when progress for the activity can best be reported based on original planned work days and scheduled work days remaining. In other words, if an activity had an original duration of 10 working days, and it is estimated that there are four work days remaining, the activity is estimated to be 60 % complete. This is computed as: Creu headed olen) Eker} Pee Me neues nna Tea + Physical — Used for activities whose progress can be assessed most accurately based on the complete of deliverables. This is calculated as: + Units — Used when actual work effort accomplished and actual work effort remaining can be used to accurately represent progress for the activity. For example, if an activity was allotted 100 hours of work and the contractor has spent 30 hours, the activity is estimated at 30 % complete. This is computed as:(ire Cho Onno nr tna) PO ee tr U enna Cee ea aa nes at Each activity must have one of the Percent Complete types in accordance with its task types. So, what type of Percent Complete should be assigned to each activity? To answer the question, it is necessary to consider the client’s point of view. Duration and units are not usually important for clients because: * Duration is not what the client wants to get, although Duration can be an element of the client’s requirements. * Units are the quantity of resources that a contractor will spend. On the other hand, there are some contract types that require monitoring units to estimate payment. “Physical” in Primavera P6 represents deliverable for which the client has made contract and the client will pay in accordance with complete of deliverables. Progress data of “Physical” indicates EV in EVM in case of that Physical is selected in Activity complete option. Figure 36 illustrates the relations of progress data and deliverables. As previously mentioned, what client wants to get is the information about completed quantities (completed deliverables) on time and it will be indicated by means of EVM ~ EV and PV. PV is calculated from schedule (actually, activities loaded with resources) and EV comes directly from Activity that is indicated from one of Physical, Units, and Duration. For instance, if an activity has Physical for its Percent Complete type, value of Physical will be that of Activity complete for the activity. When schedule is updated, values of completed deliverables, spent units, and elapsed time will be progress of Physical, Units, and Duration respectively. In conclusion, “Physical” of Percent Complete is frequently recommended in construction projects.