Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons – Understanding and Applying Crashing and Fast Tracking

There are many ways to compress a schedule. You can add more resources, change the relationship among the activities or tasks, run activities in parallel, reduce the float in certain cases, among others. 

However, two schedule compression techniques are quite popular and they are:

1. Crashing
2. Fast Tracking

Crashing, by introducing more resources, increases cost. On the other hand, fast tracking, by ignoring relationships (dependencies), increases risks. Crashing can also increase risks. Fast tracking can increase cost as well! 

In Primavera P6, we can apply both these schedule compression techniques. In this post, we will learn how to use such techniques. If you are aspiring to be a Project Management Professional (PMP®), or Risk Management Professional (RMP®), you’ll quickly understand. Nevertheless, if you are not one, but aspiring to be one, then also you will understand. 

The content of this article is taken from the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course – an exhaustive course covering various functionalities and capabilities Primavera P6 Professional with respect to project management. There, I've used and explained with live P6 projects.

Now, let’s briefly understand the background concepts of these two techniques.

Understanding Crashing

Crashing compresses the schedule by adding more resources. This technique used shortens the schedule duration for the least incremental cost. 

Examples: A real-time example is working overtime. Another real-time example is paying more to deliver faster.

As more resources are added, cost increases. Risk may also increase. Let us take an example. We've 3 activities: 

• Activity A1, A2 and A3 with one resource assigned. 
• The activities are sequential, i.e., A3 will follow A1 and A2 will follow A1.
• The duration for each activity is 2 days. 
• The total duration is 2 + 2 + 2 = 6 days

Next, we added one more resource for each activity to crash. So, now:

• Activity A1, A2 and A3 have two resources assigned. 
• The duration for each activity will be reduced to 1 day.
• The total duration is 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 days.

With crashing, we reduced the combined duration of three activities from 6 days to 3 days. This is a form of schedule compression. Isn't it?

Understanding Fast Tracking

Fast Tracking compresses the schedule by making the activities parallel instead of sequential. This can happen for a portion of the schedule. 

Examples: Preparing the test plan along with the approval of the Product Requirements documentation. Another real-time example is cooking two items together, but on two separate burners of your stove.

As activities are executed in parallel and original relationships are changed, risk increases. Cost may also increase due to rework. 

Let’s reuse our previous example. We've 3 activities:

• Activity A1, A2 and A3 with one resource assigned. 
• The activities are sequential, i.e., A3 will follow A1 (FS relationship) and A2 will follow A1 (FS relationship).
• FS stands for Finish to Start relationship.
• The duration for each activity is 2 days. 
• The total duration is 2 + 2 + 2 = 6 days

Next, we changed the relationships among the activities to Start to Start (SS) or Finish to Finish (FF) in order to fast track. So, now:

• The activities are parallel, i.e., A3 will start with A2 (FF relationship) and A2 will start with A1 (SS relationship).
• The duration for each activity remains as 2 days. 
• But the total duration is now 2 days as all activities are done in parallel.

In this case of fast tracking, we reduced the combined duration of three activities from 6 days to 2 days.

This is another form of schedule compression. 

Primavera P6 – Applying Crashing

Primavera P6 exactly follows our previous explanation of Crashing. Again, we will reuse our example for crashing.

As shown below, we have three activities – A1, A2 and A3, each with one resource. These are done in sequence. (click on the image to enlarge) 

The total duration as shown above is 6 days.

Next, we added more resources – one more resource for each activity. With it the total duration was reduced.  

The total duration now shown above is 2 days. Note that we have added two resources (Res1 and Res2) for each activity.

Hence, we can say with crashing we compressed the schedule. 

Primavera P6 – Applying Fast Tracking

Here too, Primavera P6 follows the previous explanation of Fast Tracking. We will reuse our example for crashing.

As shown below, we have three activities – A1, A2 and A3, each with one resource (Res1). These are done in sequence or have Finish to Start (FS) relationship.  

The total duration as shown above is 6 days with all in FS relationships.

Next, we changed the dependencies among the activities. With it, the total duration was reduced.  

The total duration now shown above is 2 days. Note that the relationships have changed among the activities. 

Hence, we can say that with fast tracking we can also compress the schedule. 

Demonstration and Explanation

The below video [duration: 5m, 15s] explains Crashing and Fast Tracking using Primavera P6. In the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons, we will use a live, real-time project to demonstrate both crashing and fast tracking. 

To have a better audio-visual experience, plug-in your earphones and go full-screen HD.

Key Points to Note

Now that you understood, learned and also learned how to apply Crashing and Fast Tracking, following are the key points to note. Detailed explanation with a number of key points is part of the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course.

• Use crashing for critical activities. Only with the reduction in remaining duration of critical activities, the project schedule will be reduced.
• Ensure that the duration type, activity types are proper when you apply crashing for the activities. 
• Also ensure that the Calendars is properly applied to the activities during crashing and/or fast tracking. For example, you are fast tracking two activities, for the concerned resources are not available for the second activity!

It’s important to note that activity type, duration type and calendars etc. will be considered while going for schedule compression.

Finally, be judicious in applying the schedule compression techniques. Running activities in parallel does not mean resources will actually work in parallel on the ground. Understand the limitations.

Nevertheless, both Crashing and Fast Tracking are powerful techniques to be used. As we can learn with this article, they can be effectively applied with Primavera P6. To know, learn and apply like a pro, subscribe to the course of Primavera P6 Live Lessons. 

References

[1] * NEW * Course – Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons, with Full Money-Back Guarantee, by ManagementYogi.com 

[2] Article: Primavera P6 - Understanding Various Activity Types, by Satya Narayan Dash

[3] Course: Practical PMP with Oracle Primavera P6, by Satya Narayan Dash

[4] Course: Practical RMP with Oracle Primavera Risk Analysis, by Satya Narayan Dash

Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons – Working with Negative Floats

 

Total Float (TF) and Free Float (FF) are two important concepts in Project Management. TF relates to the project’s overall finish date, while FF concerns the early start date of a successor activity. 

However, there is another type of float that is often overlooked: Negative Float (NF). In this post, we’ll explore how to work with NF in Primavera P6.

The content of this article is adapted from the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course —a complete video course that includes detailed demonstrations and live examples on Negative Float.

Primavera P6 defines negative float as follows:

Negative float is when the total float is less than 0.0d.

You can learn more on negative float in this article. 

Now, considering Primavera P6:

• Negative float is, in fact, negative total float. It’s not negative free float.
• Though 0.0d (day) is informed, it can be 0.0 hour.

Find out the Negative Floats

In the below shown project, we have two activities with Start-to-Start dependency and without any lag. (Click on the image to enlarge) 

As shown:

• There are two activities “PRD Preparation” (5 days) and “PRD Approval” (2 days). 
• There is SS dependency without any lag between the two. 
• Notice the Early Start (ES) matches with the Late Start (LS). Early Finish (EF) matches with the Late Finish (LF). 
• As ES and LS as well as EF and LF match, the total float is zero.
• The formula for TF = LF – EF = 0.

Do note that Primavera P6 calculates the schedule options by taking LS and LF. 

Next, we introduced a lag of 2 days between the above activities, followed by leveling and scheduling. This resulted in the following. (Click on the image to enlarge)

As shown:

• There are two activities “PRD Preparation” (5 days) and “PRD Approval” (2 days). 
• There is SS dependency with a lag of 2 days. 
• Notice that the Early Start (ES) is greater than the Late Start (LS). Early Finish (EF) is greater than the Late Finish (LF). 
• The formula for TF = LF – EF = - 2 days.

This is reflected in the above figure.

Analyze the Negative Floats

One of the best ways to analyze the negative float is to use the forward and backward pass techniques. 

As noted earlier, we calculate the ES, EF, LS and LF and then find the TF value. Also, as noted earlier, Primavera P6 takes this default formula:

Total (TF)

= Late Finish (LF) – Early Finish (EF)

= LF – EF

In the first case (first figure), both LF and EF matches. Hence:

Total (TF)

= LF – EF

= 0

In the second case (third figure), EF is greater than LF by 2 days. Hence:

Total (TF)

= LF – EF

= - 2 days

Display the Negative Floats

To display negative float, you have to enable the bar settings, by clicking on the Bar Setting in the Tools toolbar. This is shown below.

 

After you apply the settings, the Negative Float Bar will be visible as shown in the below figure.  

As you can see now, now we have the negative float value coming for both the activities. 

Video Demonstration and Explanation

The below video [Duration: 3m, 55s] explains more on Negative Float (NF) with a live project. The live project is taken from the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course.  

If you have a number activities and negative float occurs, it may not be restricted to one or two activities, but many! Hence, you need to be careful about the impact. This will not only impact the project’s schedule, but also cost/budget and understanding of the schedule.   

To have a better audio-visual experience, plug-in your earphones and go full-screen HD. 

Negative Float in Scheduling

Negative floats should always be avoided in a project schedule. If you notice multiple negative floats, it’s a clear sign that the schedule is not properly planned. Executing such a schedule is likely to result in significant problems during project delivery.

To resolve negative float issues, you should:

• Detect them early: Identify where negative floats occur in the schedule.
• Investigate the cause: Determine why they happened—common reasons include unrealistic deadlines, constraints, or misaligned dependencies.
• Enable visibility: It’s good practice to display negative float bars in Primavera P6 so they are easy to spot and monitor.

By addressing negative floats proactively, you can improve schedule reliability and reduce risks during execution.

References

[1] * NEW * Course – Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons, with Full Money-Back Guarantee, by ManagementYogi.com 

[2] Course: Practical PMP with Oracle Primavera P6, by Satya Narayan Dash

[3] Course: Practical RMP with Oracle Primavera Risk Analysis, by Satya Narayan Dash

[4] Article: Critical Path Is Not Always the Longest Path! by Satya Narayan Dash

Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons – Building and Applying A Personal Resource Calendar

With Primavera P6, you can create and apply or assign calendars to a resource, an activity or the entire project. While the project calendar is only one, the resource calendars can be many. For non-labor resources, the resource calendars can also be shared. 

In Primavera P6, resource calendars are applicable to all types of resources – Labor, Non-labor and Material. Yes, even the material ones can have calendars. In this post, we will learn how to create, build and apply a resource calendar for a labor resource. 

The content of this article is taken from the Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course – an exhaustive course covering various functionalities and capabilities Primavera P6 Professional with respect to project management. 

Now, let’s begin by creating a personal calendar for a labor-resource. 

Create the Resource Calendar

For our project, there are many resources – labor, non-labor and material. First and foremost, we need to have an upcoming plan for our resources to be used in the project. For a labor resource, it includes the resource’s availability, holidays, exception days etc. 

The best way to create the calendar is to go to the Resources window and select the resource. Next, from the Details tab, check the Profile section and click on the Create Personal Calendar button.  

In our case, we are going to create a Personal Calendar for Catherine R. This is shown below.  

As you click on the button, the calendar for Catherine R will be created. But here lies an important aspect. You’ve to select this personal calendar as the child of the Project’s calendar.  In our case:

• Project Calendar: WebMS Project Calendar, which is the Parent Calendar.
• Personal Resource Calendar: CatherineR – Catherine Rice, which is the calendar to be used specifically for Catherine. This is a Child Calendar. It’ll inherit the properties of the Parent Calendar, but can have its own characteristics.

As shown below, the Resource Calendar for CatherineR is the child calendar of the WebMS Project Calendar.  

After you inherit the properties of the parent calendar, which in our case is the WebMS Project Calendar, click on the OK button shown above. Then the resource specific calendar will be created. 

Visualize the Resource Calendar

Calendars, unlike other project elements such as activities, are enterprise-specific data. Hence, to visualize the calendar, you’ve to use the Enterprise menu.

To check the newly created Resource Calendar, go to Enterprise > Calendars as shown below. 

This will launch the Calendar Dialog Box, listing out all the following calendars:

• Global Calendars.
• Resources Calendars, including the shared ones.
• Project Specific Calendar 

As shown, now Catherine’s personal calendar is available under the resource specific calendars. 

Modify the Resource Calendar

To modify the Personal Resource Calendar, select the respective calendar and click on the Modify button in the above figure. This is to the middle-right and highlighted above.

This will launch the Personal Resource Calendar, shown in the second figure. Next, you have to go to your Project’s timeline and select the Detailed work hours/day for Catherine. It’s shown below. 

As you’d have noticed in the above figure, there are certain holidays (non-working days other than Saturdays and Sundays) for this calendar. These holidays are from the WebMS Project Calendar (parent) and hence available in the Resource Calendar – CatherineR. 

Modify the Working and/or Non-Working Hours

In this step, we are going to change the Workweek for Catherine. Let’s say Catherine will be available at a 50% capacity for the entire project duration, which is starting from October, 2027 and the project is expected to go-on for months. 

To change the work-week for Catherine, click on the Workweek button as highlighted in the above figure. This will launch the Calendar Weekly Hours Dialog Box for Catherine shown below. I’ve made the changes to match with Catherine’s 50% capacity.

As shown now Catherine will be working at 50% capacity for the entire project, or in other words, 4 hours in a working day.

Apply the Personal Resource Calendar

As explained in the above video, when you create the Personal Resource Calendar, it’s automatically assigned to the resource. However, you’ve to change the Activity Type to Resource Dependent for the calendar to take effect.

This can be done by going to the Activities window and changing the Activity Type. It’s changed to Resource Dependent, in place of Task Dependent. You can learn more on Activity Types in this article. 

As shown for the activity of Design and Develop Frontend – 1, the Activity Type is Resource Dependent. In certain cases, you may have to change the Duration Type. 

In Summary 

Calendars play a key role in managing projects. Because only with a calendar, we can know the followings:

• Working and non-working days for each calendar days
• National holidays
• Organizational holidays
• Project specific working and non-working days
• Resource specific working and non-working days.
• Available capacity for the individual resource, among many others.

Unlike MS Project, Primavera P6 does not create a resource calendar automatically. The software design and functionalities are different. Like MS Project, Primavera P6 is also a robust project management software with a dedicated backend database. 

If you want to use the Primavera P6 software properly and hence, manage your projects, learning the Calendar functionality in Primavera P6 is a must-have. 

I believe with this article, now you have a clear understanding on the usage of Personal Calendars in Primavera P6. 

References

[1] * NEW * Course – Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons, with Full Money-Back Guarantee, by ManagementYogi.com 

[2] Article: Primavera P6 - Understanding Various Activity Types, by Satya Narayan Dash

[3] Course: Practical PMP with Oracle Primavera P6, by Satya Narayan Dash

[4] Course: Practical RMP with Oracle Primavera Risk Analysis, by Satya Narayan Dash