DIFFERENT DURATION TYPES IN PRIMAVERA P6 R8.

There are 4 different types of duration types, they are given as follows

1) Fixed Duration & Units

2) Fixed Duration & Units\Time
3) Fixed Units
4) Fixed Units\Time

Quick recognition of Activity Duration type with the Activity types:-

ACTIVITY DURATION TYPE ACTIVITY TYPE

1)Fixed duration & Units Task Dependent activity
2)Fixed duration & Units/Time Task Dependent activity
3)Fixed Units Resource Dependent activity
4)Fixed Units/Time Resource Dependent activity

1) Fixed duration & Units:-

If schedule is more important this type is chosen .The activities duration doesn’t 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 let’s 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 chosen 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 doesn’t 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 expectation 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:-

Units/time for the resources remains fixed; Even when activity duration or budgeted units
changes. Used when resources with productivity output per time period is fixed. Mostly used
when Activity type is Resource Dependent. This option is selected if your organization is
concerned with leveling resources and you assign resources specific hours per day on activities
i.e. If the resource availability is most important than this type is selected. In this type unit/time
or rate of the resource remains constant even if the activity’s duration or work effort changes. It
is also a 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 do the same 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 = Units

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 When you When you When you When you add a
change change change units, resource what
duration, units/time, what changes?
what what changes?
changes? changes?
Fixed duration Units/Time Units Units/Time Units/Time
& Units
Fixed duration Units Units Units/Time Units
& Units/Time
Fixed Units Units/Time Duration Duration Duration
Fixed Units Duration Duration Duration
Units/Time