Primavera Course

Lesson 1 • Setting Up User Preferences

Configures date formats, time units, and display options to match workplace standards. Proper setup prevents data-entry errors in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Project Management Fundamentals

Covers key PM concepts—scope, schedule, cost, and resources—as they apply in P6. Establishes the vocabulary needed throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Enterprise Project Structure Overview

Explains the EPS, OBS, and project hierarchy that govern all data in P6. Understanding this structure is prerequisite to creating any project.

Lesson 1 • Configuring Project Calendars

Creates and assigns global and project calendars with work hours and exceptions. Calendars drive all duration and date calculations in the schedule.

Lesson 2 • Using Project Codes and UDFs

Defines project codes and user-defined fields to classify and filter projects. These metadata tools enable portfolio-level reporting introduced in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Defining Project Properties

Covers the Project Details tabs—General, Dates, Budget, and Settings. Accurate properties ensure correct baseline and cost calculations later.

Lesson 4 • Creating a New Project

Walks through the New Project wizard, setting ID, name, planned start, and EPS placement. Each field directly affects reporting and data integrity.

Lesson 1 • Creating WBS Elements in P6

Demonstrates adding, indenting, and reordering WBS nodes in the WBS view. Hands-on practice cements the hierarchy before activities are added.

Lesson 2 • WBS Summary Bands and Reporting

Uses WBS summary bands to display rolled-up dates, costs, and progress. Summary views give managers a high-level snapshot without activity detail.

Lesson 3 • WBS Concepts and Best Practices

Explains deliverable-based decomposition, WBS levels, and coding conventions. A sound WBS prevents scope gaps and supports accurate cost rollups.

Lesson 1 • Constraints and Deadlines

Applies start-on, finish-no-later-than, and mandatory constraints alongside deadlines. Overuse of constraints masks true schedule risk, so judicious use is emphasized.

Lesson 2 • Estimating Activity Durations

Applies analogous, parametric, and three-point estimation techniques within P6. Reliable duration estimates are the foundation of a credible schedule.

Lesson 3 • Creating Logical Relationships

Builds FS, SS, FF, and SF relationships using the Relationships dialog and Gantt links. Correct logic eliminates open ends and drives the critical path.

Lesson 4 • Activity Types and Properties

Explains task-dependent, resource-dependent, level of effort, and milestone activity types. Choosing the correct type ensures accurate duration and resource calculations.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Float and Critical Path

Interprets total float, free float, and the critical path produced by forward and backward passes. Float values guide prioritization of management attention.

Lesson 2 • Schedule Health Checks

Runs built-in schedule quality checks against industry metrics for logic density and float. A healthy schedule is a prerequisite for reliable baseline creation.

Lesson 3 • Schedule Compression Techniques

Applies fast-tracking and crashing to shorten the critical path within P6. Students evaluate cost and risk trade-offs before committing to compression.

Lesson 4 • Running the Schedule Calculation

Configures and executes the Schedule function, reviewing data date and calculation options. Understanding these settings prevents common scheduling errors.

Lesson 1 • Analyzing Resource and Cost Data

Uses histograms, spreadsheets, and usage profiles to review loading and spending plans. Visual analysis reveals peaks and gaps before the project begins execution.

Lesson 2 • Resource Leveling

Applies automatic and manual leveling to resolve over-allocations within float limits. Leveling produces a feasible schedule that respects resource availability.

Lesson 3 • Cost Accounts and Budget Setup

Links activities to cost accounts and enters budget at completion values. Cost accounts enable financial reporting aligned with organizational chart of accounts.

Lesson 4 • Setting Up the Resource Library

Creates labor, nonlabor, and material resources with rates, calendars, and limits. A well-structured library ensures consistent cost calculations across all projects.

Lesson 1 • Updating Activity Progress

Records actual start, actual finish, remaining duration, and percent complete for in-progress activities. Accurate updates are the foundation of reliable earned value metrics.

Lesson 2 • Statusing the Schedule

Advances the data date and reschedules to reflect current project status. This process produces updated early/late dates and revised float values.

Lesson 3 • Creating and Assigning Baselines

Copies the approved schedule as a baseline and assigns it as the project or primary baseline. The baseline is the immutable reference for all variance analysis.

Lesson 4 • Earned Value Management in P6

Calculates BCWS, BCWP, ACWP, SPI, and CPI using P6's earned value module. EVM metrics provide objective performance measurement against the approved baseline.

Lesson 1 • Creating Custom Layouts and Views

Designs Gantt, spreadsheet, and activity network layouts with custom columns and filters. Tailored layouts accelerate stakeholder communication and status reviews.

Lesson 2 • Global Change and Mass Updates

Applies Global Change rules to update multiple activities simultaneously based on conditions. Batch updates save time and ensure consistency across large schedules.

Lesson 3 • Dashboards and Portfolios

Configures portfolio dashboards with KPI portlets for executive-level visibility. Portfolio views aggregate data across multiple projects for strategic decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Building Reports in P6

Uses the Report wizard and Report Editor to create tabular and graphical project reports. Custom reports replace manual data extraction and reduce reporting errors.