Fac ult y of Arc hit ec t ure Building and Planning University of Melbourne. Using Micro Planner X-Pert

Transcription

1 Fac ult y of Arc hit ec t ure Building and Planning University of Melbourne Using Micro Planner X-Pert by Dr R Dua and Ms V Francis Management of Construction 2

2 The University of Melbourne

3 Table of Contents 1 PREAMBLE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS X-PERT REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL GENERAL INTRODUCTION THE MICRO PLANNER COURSE WHY PLAN? PROJECT TYPES GLOSSARY OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT TERMS GENERAL CONVENTIONS File naming Conventions Mouse Conventions Keyboard Conventions BASIC NETWORK CONCEPTS CRITICAL PATH NETWORK TECHNIQUES CRITICAL PATH NETWORK DIAGRAMS Arrow Diagrams Activity Type Precedence Diagrams Task and Event Types MICRO PLANNER X-PERT HOW TO BUILD A SIMPLE NETWORK DIAGRAM, RUN ANALYSIS AND SEE SOME RESULTS STARTING MICRO PLANNER EXERCISE 1: USING THE ARROW DIAGRAM METHOD Building the network Create an Event, choose New Event from the Special menu Creating an Activity Entering a duration and description Add further activities to create a network which looks like this: Saving your File Time Analysis Time Now To carry out Time Analysis Producing a Gantt Report EXERCISE 2: CREATING AN PRECEDENCE DIAGRAM Create Beginning Task Creating an Task Entering a duration and description Add further tasks and links to create a network which looks like this: Saving your file Time Analysis Time Now Producing a Gantt Report Saving your work EXERCISE 3: CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Introduction Project details EXERCISE 4: REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISE 5: CHANGING TIME NOW DATE TABLES AND LABELS TABLES LABELS Establishing a Basic Coding Structure... 43

4 5.3 EXERCISE 6:USING TABLES Edit tasks in the table: EXERCISE 7: USING LABELS AND CODES Add and edit Codes in the Label List Move and rearrange labels in the tables: Edit labels in the tables: Add Cost Codes to all Tasks Save the project: Produce a sorted Gantt Chart EXERCISE 8: REVIEW QUESTIONS CALENDARS & TIME ANALYSIS WEEKLY CYCLES MULTIPLE CALENDARS DAY NUMBERS DATE & DURATION FORMAT Time Units (Duration) Calendars and Weekly Cycles EXERCISE 9: CALENDARS Define a new Calendar: Change existing calendars: Carry out a Time Analysis: View results in the network: Save the project: EXERCISE 10: UPDATING WITH VICTORIAN BUILDING INDUSTRY HOLIDAYS AND RDO S Produce Reports EXERCISE 11: REVIEW QUESTIONS REPORTS SELECTION AND SORTING EXERCISE 12: SORTING A GANTT REPORT To change Gannt Chart appearance Printing the Report APPENDIX: CFMEU RDOS & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR

5 1 PREAMBLE 1.1 System requirements The Micro Planning International product X-Pert for Windows (XPW) system is supported by hardware meeting the following minimum standards: Pentium Pro 200 and Pentium CPU s with 128MB of RAM, CD-ROMS and 17 monitors utilizing Microsoft Windows NT4. Computer settings should be done in the Control Panel as follows:- Regional Settings English (Australian) Numbers ensure Measurement System is set to Metric. The following items must already be installed prior to installation of XPW: A suitable Microsoft Windows operating system, i.e. WXP, W2K, W98, WME. 1.2 X-Pert requirements A full version of Micro Planner X-Pert V2.4.5 or higher must be installed on the student s PC. 1.3 Personnel The Management of Construction training materials will contain instructions directing students to a Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning tutor for assistance. The tutor will be an experienced X- PERT user with a good understanding of the principles of project management as well as the technical operation of X-PERT. Management of Construction 3 1 of 66

6 2 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 2.1 The Micro Planner Course This is a course designed for general use within Management of Construction 2. The course focuses on using the program Micro Planner X-PERT (the latest released and supported version (currently 2.4.5)) to facilitate learning project planning techniques. The course is designed for the Management of Construction students in mind. Construction terminology is used and a Construction Project is an example application (see later). Students at almost any level of training and capability can work through the course. Those students with more training and experience will probably move more quickly through the course than less experienced students. The training materials consist of a series of self-paced modules, each with learning reinforcement questions that allow the student some self-assessment. The course consists of five basic modules for Management of Construction 2. A further five modules will be used in Management of Construction 3. Each module is arranged into Discussion and Exercises with a self-assessment questionnaire at the end of each lesson. When all the modules have been successfully completed, the student should print the completed exercises and forward to the tutor. It is recommended that the Management of Construction 2 student works through the modules sequentially, i.e. Modules 1 to WHY PLAN? Effective project management techniques enable organisations to consistently get projects done on time and on budget. Achieving the 'deadline' is an important factor in the thinking of all of the project participants. In this context, "Project Management" is the combination of an effective methodology for collaborative decision making supported by effective project planning tools and procedures designed to facilitate the modelling of complex processes dynamics, optimise resource allocations and minimise costs. Project planning is a skilled process that requires effective communication skills as well as an understanding of the theories and processes supported by appropriate tools to succeed in the project delivery process. Research indicates that failed projects have typically had very limited time spent on the "up front" planning processes. The managers then spend most of the rest of the project fighting fires. The complex matrix of processes involved in project management is sometimes over simplified with the production of simple bar chart graphics. 2.3 PROJECT TYPES Projects come in all shapes and sizes; the National Competency Standards for Project Management define a project as 'A set of inter-related activities, with defined start and end dates, designed to achieve a unique and common objective'. Dr. Neville Hassen in a series of papers has subdivided projects into two categories, 'Hard Projects' and 'Soft Projects. The characteristics of these two types of project are set out below. Management of Construction 3 2 of 66

7 Table 1 Project Types Characteristics Hard Projects Soft Projects Objectives Are usually capable of clear definition. All key elements are under the control of the Project Manager. Time schedules are often critical to success and profitability. Objectives are usually set at the beginning. Processes Inputs Consist of physical or material elements where drawings, specifications, quality and acceptance testing are reasonably well established. Requirements and technology involved are reasonably stable and well understood. Often objective oriented without firm definition. Factors may not always be under the control of the project team. Parameters for success are broad (not financial). Interim reviews and significant changes in strategy are common. Much of the success of the project is predicated on an invisible component associated with changing attitudes and ways of doing things. Technologies evolve during the project. The ability to adapt to the latest changes is needed. Designing and constructing buildings, roads, plant and equipment are classic "hard" projects. Similarly, the design of a major power station can be described as a "hard" project, the outcomes (in this example drawings and specifications) are tangible and measurable. By way of contrast, the outcome of a project to introduce commercialisation into a public sector organisation is not tangible; this is a typical "soft" project. Software development projects are an interesting blend of "soft" and "hard", in many respects the final outcome is "hard", (i.e. operating software with defined functionality) but much of the development is closer to "soft" projects as the technology and process definitions evolve. 2.4 Glossary of Project Management Terms Activity is a series of task performed over a period of time and is represented by the lowest level in the WBS. Actual Finish Date is the date work actually ended on a task. It must be prior to or equal to Time Now. The remaining duration of the task is zero. Actual Start Date is the date work actually began on the task. It must be prior to or equal to Time Now. Authorised Work is all work performed by the project team, pursuant to the contract, within the contract price. Authorised Unpriced Work includes work that is outside the scope of the contract but which is planned and/or performed by the project team in advance of a formal contract amendment with the prior approval of the Project Authority. Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) is the costs actually incurred and recorded in accomplishing the work performed within a given time period. Backward Pass is the calculation of latest finish dates for all uncompleted network tasks. Determined by working backwards through each task. Balance is the estimated amount of duration required to complete the task as of Time Now. Bar Chart is a graphic presentation of work Tasks shown by a time-scaled bar line (sometimes also known as Gantt Chart). Budget at Completion (BAC) is the total budget (direct and indirect) allocated to an individual CWBS element. Management of Construction 3 3 of 66

8 Budgeted Cost for Work Performed (BCWP) is the sum of the budgets for completed work tasks (or work packages) and completed portions of open work tasks plus the applicable portion of the budgets for Level of Effort and Apportioned Effort (Also known as Earned Value). Budgeted Cost for Work Scheduled (BCWS) is the sum of the budgets for work tasks (or work packages) etc., scheduled to be accomplished (including in progress work tasks) plus the amount of Level of Effort and Apportioned Effort scheduled to be accomplished within a given time period. Calendar is used in developing a Project plan. The calendar identifies project work days and can be altered to take into account non-working days, holidays etc. Child is an item stored at a lower level in the WBS under a parent item. Consecutive Task is a task that must start immediately after its predecessor s completion. In the event of a shortage of available resource to schedule the task in a resource critical schedule, an overload will be forced. Constraint is any applicable restriction which will affect the SCOPE or any factor which affects when a task can be scheduled (See Restraint). Contract Budget Base (CBB) is the contract target cost plus the estimated cost of Authorised Unpriced Work. Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) (See Work Breakdown Structure. Contingencies are specific provision for unforeseeable elements of Cost within the defined Project Scope; particularly important where previous experience relating estimates and actual costs have shown that unforeseeable events which will increase costs are likely to occur. If an allowance has for escalation is included in the contingency it should be a separate item, determined to fit expected escalation conditions for the project. Criteria are a statement that provides Objectives, Guidelines, Procedures and Standards that are to be used to execute the development, design and/or implementation stages of a Project. Critical Task is any task on a Critical Path. Critical Path is a series of interdependent tasks and links of a Project, connected end-to-end, which determines the shortest time that the Project can be achieved by. The Critical Path has Zero or less than Zero Total Float and it may change from time-to-time as tasks are completed ahead or behind schedule. Critical Path Method (CPM) is a scheduling technique using Precedence Diagrams for graphic display of the work plan. The method used to determine the length of a Project and to identify the tasks that are critical to the completion of the Project. Deadline Critical Scheduling is the scheduling of tasks so that the specified project duration is not exceeded and any extension of resource usage is minimised. Deliverable is a report or product of one or more tasks that satisfy one or more Objectives and must be delivered to satisfy contractual requirements. It is generally the second or third level of the WBS. Dependency is the logical relationship between the start and/or finish of one task and the start and/or finish of another task. Dependency Relationships are four basic types of dependency between the start and/or finish of a work item and the start and/or finish of another work item and are: Finish to Start Start to Finish Start to Start Finish to Finish Direct Costs are any costs which are directly related and economically traceable to performance of a unit of work, and which are charged directly and finally to the contract in accordance with sound accounting principles, without the inclusion of indirect costs. Dummy is a task of zero duration used to show logical dependency when a task cannot start before another task on a different path. Earliest Finish (EF) is the earliest a task may finish. Management of Construction 3 4 of 66

9 Earliest Start Schedule (ESS) is the earliest that a task may start. Earliest Start (ES) is the earliest that a task may start, based on all previous impositions. Early Free Float (EFF) is that amount of time available from the earliest start, in addition to the estimated task time, that may elapse without affecting the earliest times of any subsequent tasks or events. Earned Value (EV) (see BCWP). Estimate at Complete (EAC) is the actual direct costs plus indirect costs allocated to the contract, plus the estimate of costs both direct and indirect for authorised work remaining. Event is a node or network element indicating an identifiable point in time on a project. Flags area means of reporting zero duration nodes (e.g. milestones, interfaces or special events) on Gantt charts and other types of report. Flags are designed to display only one date according to which type of flag it is either Start or Finish. Forward Pass is the Network calculations which determine the earliest start /finish dates of each task. These calculations are from Time Now through the logical flow of each task. Free Float (FF) is that amount of time available from the Earliest Start, in addition to the duration, that may elapse without affecting the earliest start times of subsequent tasks and events. Gantt Chart (See Bar Chart). Hammock is a summary or aggregate task, it spans a series of tasks and the accumulated duration of these is rolled up to the hammock. Indirect Costs are costs which because they have been incurred for common or joint objectives, are not readily subject to treatment as direct costs. Item is a discrete element within the WBS. The WBS is made up of many items organised into a hierarchy. Interface is a node connecting one subproject to another representing logical interdependence. The interface identifies points of interaction or commonality between sub-projects. An interface has the same properties at each occurrence of it. Latest Finish Schedule (LFS) is the latest that a task may finish. Latest Finish (LF) is the latest that a task may finish, based on all subsequent Management Impositions. Late Free Float (LFF) is that amount of time available from the preceding event latest time, in addition to the estimated task time, that may elapse without affecting or violating any management impositions. Latest Start (LS) is the latest that a task may start. Loop is an error in the network which results from a later task imposing a logical restraint on an earlier task. Management Reserve (MR) is an amount of the Total Allocated Budget withheld for management control purposes rather than designated for the accomplishment of a specific task or set of tasks. It is not part of the Performance Measurement Baseline. Milestone is a significant event in the project. Can be used to specify the start and/or completion of a deliverable. Network Diagram is a schematic display of the sequential and logical relationship of the tasks which comprise the Project. It may be represented in either of two forms, Arrow or Precedence Diagramming. Node is one of the defining points of a network, a junction point joined to some or all of the others by dependency lines. Non Split Task is a task which, once started must be completed without any interruption during working time, but which can be interrupted by non-working time such as weekends and holidays. Outliner is a means of organising data when building the project model and viewing the WBS as an outline rather than a tree structure. Management of Construction 3 5 of 66

10 Overload is a situation where a Deadline Critical Resource Analysis is forced to use more resources than are actually available in order to meet the project deadline. The additional resources required during an overload period are costed at the specified overload rate. Overtime is any working time which is outside the calendars basic cycle but within the bounds of a superimposed cycle. Resources, which are used during an overtime period, are costed at the specified Overtime rate. Parent is an item stored at a higher level in the WBS above child items. Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) is the time based budget plan against which contract performance is measured. It is formed by the budgets assigned to scheduled cost accounts and the applicable indirect budgets. For future effort, not planned to cost account level, the performance measurement baseline also includes budgets assigned to higher level CWBS elements and Undistributed Budgets. It equates the Total Allocated Budget less the Management Reserve. Pool Resource is a resource which can be drawn upon until exhausted and if not demanded will carry over into the next time period. It may also be created from within the schedule on completion of tasks. Project Budget is the amount and distribution of money allocated to a project. Project Change is an Approved Change to project work content caused by a scope of work change or special circumstances on the project. Project Charter is the management document that gives the essentials of a Project in terms of its Objectives, Justifications, Identification of Stakeholders and Costs. It shows how the objectives are to be achieved. It should describe how all the major deliverables under each Project Management function are to be accomplished including that of overall project Control. The Project Charter will evolve through successive stages of the project life cycle. Prior to Project Implementation it may also be referred to as the Project Brief. Project Close Out is the process that provides for acceptance of the project by the project stakeholders and/or project sponsor, completion of various project records, final revision and issue of documentation to reflect the as-built condition and the retention of essential project documentation. Project Planning is the identification of the Project Objectives and the ordered tasks necessary to complete the Project. The identification of Resource types and quantities required to carry out each task. Receiver is a special node in X-Pert which picks up Time and Resource Analysis results being transmitted from another project. Remaining Float is the amount of Total Float remaining on a task after is has been scheduled by Resource Analysis. Resource is a requirement, other than duration, which can be specified to reflect the effort needed to work a task normally in the form of people, material, money and machinery. Resource Aggregation is the summation of the requirement of each resource during each time period. Resource Analysis is the process of scheduling tasks in a network with the knowledge of certain resource constraints and requirements. This process adjusts task level start and finish dates to conform to resource availability and usage. Resource Availability is the total number of units of resource that can be made available to any network that are to be resource analysed. It may vary by number at various dates. Resource Description is the actual name or identification associated with a resource. Resource Histogram is a report that is a graphical representation of the functions of the levels of usage, availability of the selected resource against a certain time scale and may be converted into tabular form. Resource Critical Scheduling is the scheduling of tasks so that pre-determined resource levels are never exceeded, and that any extension to the project duration s is minimised. Tasks are started as soon as resources are available (subject to logic Constraints), as required by the task. Management of Construction 3 6 of 66

11 Responsibility is an optional label which can be applied to any task. The label also places that task in a category which can be used for sorting or report selection. Restraint is an externally imposed factor affecting when a task can be scheduled. The external factor may be labour, costs, equipment, or other such resource. Reverse Logic Node is a special node which allows a task to start as soon as any of its predecessors are complete as opposed to the usual logic ruling where a task can only start when all of its predecessors are complete. S Curves are graphical displays of the accumulated costs, labour hours or quantities, plotted against time for both budgeted and actual amounts. Schedule Variance (SV) is any difference between the projected duration for a task and the actual duration of the task. Also the difference between projected start and finish dates and actual or revised start and finish dates. Scope is the work content and products of a project or component of a project. Scope is fully described by naming all tasks performed, the resources consumed and the end products which result, including quality standards. A statement of scope should be introduced by a brief background to the project, or component, and the general objectives and is contained a part of the Project Charter. Subproject is a group of tasks, events and dependencies that form one logical entity. This is the smallest unit which analysis may be performed. Target Finish is an imposed deadline which specifies the latest permissible finish date for a task and it acts as an earliest start date for any dependent succeeding logic. Target Start is an option to impose an earliest start date on a task and creates a deadline for any preceding logic. Territory is the live area surrounding a task or node in which the mouse is clicked to select or open the item. Threshold Resource is the extra resource that can be made available under special conditions above the normal resource level. Time Now is the date from which forward network analysis commences. Total Allocated Budget (TAB) is the sum of all budgets allocated to the contract. It consists of the Performance Measurement Baseline and all Management Reserve. The Total Allocated Budget reconciles directly to the Contract Budget Base. Any differences will be documented as to quantity and cause. Total Float (TF) is the time by which an operation may be delayed or extended without affecting the total project duration. Transmitter is a special node in X-Pert which broadcasts its current achievement date using either Time or Resource Analysis. The transmitted date can be picked up by other projects via the Receiver nodes. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a product orientated family tree division of hardware, software, services, and other work tasks which organises, defines, and graphically illustrates the product to be produced as well as work to be accomplished to achieve the specified product. Summary WBS is the top three levels of a WBS Top Level WBS is a summary WBS according to DEF(AUST) 5664 tailored to specific deliverable by selecting applicable elements from one or more summary WBS s in MIL-STD- 881 or by adding equivalent elements unique to the project Contract WBS (CWBS) is the complete WBS for a contract, developed and used by the project team according to DEF(AUST) 5664 (or the principles of MIL-STD-881) and the contract work statement (Project Charter). The CWBS includes all the levels specified in the charter and project team s extensions Zone is an optional label which can be applied to any task. Management of Construction 3 7 of 66

12 2.5 General Conventions The word choose is used for carrying out a menu command or a command button in a dialog box. The word select is used for highlighting the part of the worksheet, chart or macro sheet you want your next action to affect and for selecting a specific dialog box option. Commands you choose are given with the menu name preceding the command name. For example, the phrase Choose File Open tells you to choose the Open command from the File menu. This naming convention describes the sequence you follow in choosing a command first you select the menu, and then you choose the command. The phrase Choose OK means that you can either click the OK button with the mouse or press the ENTER key on the keyboard to carry out the action you want. Bold type in text and procedures indicates key words or characters vital to an operation or sequence. Italic type indicates important terms introduced in the section. The check box symbol may be a check-mark (eg ) or a cross-mark (eg ) depending upon the computer environment. Please be aware that throughout this course they may be used interchangeably. To close a screen or function click either on the or the X on Prior to saving a file you must ensure all open windows have been closed except for the project desktop. You should now use the Save As function. You must save your file to your own magnetic media, e.g. a floppy disc or a zip disk. You are not permitted to save files to the CAD lab computers File naming Conventions Micro Planner X-Pert for Windows uses the extension.xpj to identify its files. The following convention has been adopted to ensure uniqueness of project file names where several students may be sharing a single computer. xxxmc02y.xpj Where xxx represents your initials, eg John H Smith would be JHS and MC02 is the course code and y is a single alphabetical character which is incremented each time you use Save As Generally you would start at a, then the next time you save the file you would b and so on. It is unlikely that you will reach z in this course! Say John H Smith performed four Save As during the development of the exercise, then the files created will as follows;- Management of Construction 3 8 of 66

13 JHSMC02a.xpj JHSMC02b.xpj JHSMC02d.xpj JHSMC02d.xpj Mouse Conventions Point means to position the mouse pointer until the tip of the pointer rests on what you want to point to on the screen. Click means to press and immediately release the mouse button without moving the mouse. Double-click means to click the mouse button twice in rapid succession. Drag means to press the mouse button and hold it down while you move the mouse, then release the button Keyboard Conventions Key names match the names shown on most keyboards and appear in small capital letters. For example, the Shift key appears as SHIFT. A plus sign (+) used between two key names indicates that you must press both of the keys at the same time. For example, PRESS SHIFT + F1 means that you press the SHIFT key and hold it down while you press the F1 key. A comma (,) between two key names indicates that those keys must be pressed sequentially. For example, Press ALT, F, O means that you press the ALT key and release it, press F and release it and then press O and release it. The keys that you use to move around are called movement keys; they include the ARROW keys (UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT), HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN and their related key combinations such as SHIFT+HOME. Keypad refers to the square group of numeric keys to the right of the standard keyboard keys. You can use these keys to enter numbers, by turning on Num Lock, or you can use these keys to as movement keys, by turning off Num Lock. Press Num Lock to turn Num Lock on and off. In addition to the four ARROW keys on the extended keyboard, you can use the 2,4,6 and 8 keys on the keypad as ARROW keys (when Num Lock is off). The 2 keys on the keypad is the DOWN ARROW key, the 4 keys on the keypad is the LEFT ARROW key, the 6 keys on the keypad is the RIGHT ARROW key, and the 8 keys on the keypad is the UP ARROW key. Management of Construction 3 9 of 66

14 3 Basic Network Concepts A network is the pictorial representation of the Project Plan which shows the inter-relationships and inter-dependencies of the component tasks. It is sometimes known as a logic diagram or precedence diagram, however the term critical path network is more commonly used throughout industry and will be used for this course. 3.1 Critical Path Network Techniques A network must logically express the sequence and pattern of work flow as well as the relationships and restraints implicit in the intended plan of operations. Since networks can be drawn for different levels of management, i.e. with greater or lesser detail, it is important to establish the nature and amount of detail to be included. Accurate network construction can often be achieved more readily as a team effort by key personnel having specific knowledge of the tasks and processes involved. The leader of the team should be fully conversant with the rules and conventions applicable to network logic. 3.2 Critical Path Network Diagrams A network can be represented by one of two techniques - arrow diagrams or precedence diagrams. However the general construction industry standard is to use the precedence diagram; the basic element of which is the task, which represents an amount of work to be performed. Each task is given a duration, which defines the time required to complete the task as well as the resources require to carry out the task. Networks can be subdivided into smaller units called sub-projects. Each sub-project must be logically complete. Sub-projects are the smallest unit that can be processed by Micro Planner X-Pert but they can be linked together to form larger networks Arrow Diagrams The two elements of an arrow diagram are directional lines (or arrows) each representing one activity, and circles representing events. Events represent the points at which activities start and finish. In the figure below BUILD SECTION 1 and MAKE UP COMPONENT 2 finish at event E4, is a name given to an event and is known as the identifier by their preceding event and succeeding event identifiers. Therefore, in Figure.1 the first activity is identified as E1-E2, its description is PREPARE SITE and it has duration of four (4) time periods. Events may also be given descriptive data. For example, event E1 can be described as START OF NET1. However, as previously stated an event cannot have duration. An event is achieved when its preceding activities are completed. For example, in Figure 1 event E4 (COMPONENT 2) and E2-E4 (BUILD SECTION 1) are complete. Management of Construction 3 10 of 66

15 Accurate representation of the project by the network is very important, since the data that defines the network is the basis on which analysis is performed. The activities must be placed in logical work sequence, showing which may be worked at the same time. In Figure 1: MANUFACTURE PART A, BUILD SECTION 1 AND BUILD SECTION 2 can be worked at the same time, but cannot start until PREPARE SITE has finished. Activities may have properties that affect the way in which the network is processed. Such activities are described using the following activity types: Activity Type DUMMY ACTIVITY represents not an actual task but a logical link between network paths. This is an activity that LADDER ACTIVITY Ladder activities are a special group of activities that are used to represent progressive feed tasks; for example, in the manufacture of parts that are used to assemble components that are in turn used to make up finished products Precedence Diagrams Precedence Diagrams use boxes to represent the basic network elements, the task. The other element of precedence networks is the dependency, which defines the logical link between tasks. A dependency is shown in a precedence network diagram as a line. In the precedence diagram below, the dependencies show that BUILD SECTION 4 is logically after BUILD SECTION 2, and that MANUFACTURE PART A, BUILD SECTION 1 AND BUILD SECTION 2, can all be worked at the same time but cannot start until PREPARE SITE is complete. Management of Construction 3 11 of 66

16 MAKE UP COMPONENT 1 MANUFACTURE PART A MAKE UP COMPONENT 2 PREPARE SITE BUILD SECTION 1 BUILD SECTION 3 BUILD ROOF BUILD SECTION 2 BUILD SECTION 4 In precedence networks, tasks are identified by a task identifier; for example, ABC21001, ABC21002, ABC21003 etc. as shown below. Tasks have duration s giving the period of time required to perform the task, and may have descriptive data attached to them. Links or Dependencies in precedence networks are more flexible than events in arrow networks. These are four Link types, as shown below. 1. Finish to start 2. Finish to finish 3. Start to start 4. Start to finish Management of Construction 3 12 of 66

17 In addition, links may have duration s. For example, a finish to start dependency with a duration of four time periods between tasks ABC21001 and ABC21002 implies that ABC21002 cannot start until four time periods have elapsed since the completion of ABC Links are identified by their preceding task sub-network and task identifier and their succeeding task sub-network and task identifier. Links are therefore uniquely identified not only within sub-networks but also within the whole network. This unique identification means that no special action is required to specify the interfaces in networks with interdependent sub-networks. Links must be set up to ensure that tasks are placed in correct logical sequence Task and Event Types Tasks and events can be given properties that indicate the logic of the network and the way in which it is processed. The properties, more usually called types, are applied according to the network presentation in a precedence diagram form. The following task types may be specified in a precedence network: Dummy Task Hammock Task Start Task End Task This is a task that represents not an actual task but a logical link between network paths. This is a task that can be used to span a number of tasks within a network. The program calculates its duration. This represents the logical start of a network path. This represents the logical end of a network path. Management of Construction 3 13 of 66

18 4 Micro Planner X-Pert 4.1 How to build a simple network diagram, run analysis and see some results Before planning a project in detail, it is generally advisable to create an outline of the work involved. The Work Breakdown Structure is often a suitable means of doing this; however, this exercise is a simple and fairly mechanical one to introduce you to some of the basic techniques involved in creating a plan using the Network diagram in Micro Planner, so we will begin with the Network rather than the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). WBS will be covered in Management of Construction 3. The following exercises are by no means an exhaustive examination of the facilities, but being quite short, neither should it be exhausting! From this you should be able to tackle more complicated plans. Micro Planner is based on the techniques of Critical Path Networking. This involves initially creating a Network Diagram which represents a project plan, comprising the individual operations (Tasks or Activities) to be carried out, linked together in the required order. It may be drawn in the Precedence (Activity on Node) method or the Activity on Arrow style. From this, dates are calculated for the start and finish of each operation (Task or Activity). These are quite often displayed on a Gantt chart or Report, where each item is represented by a separate horizontal bar whose length is proportional to its duration. Start and Finish dates may be modified by taking into account the effect of resources, the availability (or lack) of which can cause delays. Alternatively, the operations can be used to calculate the resource requirements over the life of the plan, on a daily basis. When you create a plan for a real project, you will probably want to give it no little thought beforehand, but in order to illustrate the principles involved, the following instructions use neutral examples. You may decide to amend the descriptions, durations and other details to make the plan more realistic, so the results you achieve may be different, but it should still be a worthwhile exercise. The exercise does not assume great experience of the Windows environment, but it does assume a basic knowledge of the use of the mouse and the windowing controls together with a modicum of common sense and a little patience. However one important thing is to regularly save you work, as sometimes depending on the circumstances, your data may disappear. Always use the Save As option for 4.2 Starting Micro Planner The first thing to do is to run the application You will need to have an account for access to the faculty computer system and to be able to log onto the system. Micro Planner X-Pert is available on the computers in the faculty labs and stored on the Faculty server a shortcut is available via the icon on the screen. Students can also have a version of the program to use at home. This can be downloaded from Micro Planner web site Start Micro Planner X-Pert: (double click on the icon representing the application) Once X-Pert has started up From the File menu, choose New The Project desktop appears Subproject 1 is an icon representing a subproject or network diagram (also sometimes referred to as a Logic or PERT chart). Management of Construction 3 14 of 66

19 4.3 Exercise 1: Using the Arrow diagram method Select from the menu Special, the Control Panel as shown below The Control Panel now opens as below Enter the data as shown in the dialog above and select Arrow as the technique. Management of Construction 3 15 of 66

20 Micro Planner X-Pert has certain default global parameters, which if they are acceptable, you may choose not to make any changes, however for this exercise we wish to express durations in hour and minute units. Click on Duration Format, and select Hours:Minutes as shown below and click OK. The Control Panel returns, now select Date Format by a single click, Select Numeric Dates and set Zero Date to 17Mar03 This will allow you to view reports in day numbers rather than calendar dates. Use of calendar dates is the subject of a further exercise. The zero date id\s that date from which you wish to count the number of days in your project and should be set to the earliest date you wish to count from. Many construction companies choose to measure the project duration in working days, to do this check the Working Time Only box. Now click OK and on the next screen click OK. Management of Construction 3 16 of 66

21 A Project File may contain one or more subprojects, which are separate drawing areas representing, for example, different phases of a plan or even completely independent pieces of work. But before you start working on the creation of a network, you may prefer to name your sub project rather than use the default name of Subproject 1. To do this, click once on the Subproject 1 icon to highlight it, note that the is now highlighted. button on the tool bar Click once on it and enter Example Project as shown. Click OK For this exercise use the Example Project. It can be opened by choosing Network Diagram from the View menu or as follows: Double click the icon Example Project. The Subproject (Network Diagram) opens up as a window which is empty, apart from the Levels (the dotted lines) on which the network drawing will be arranged. Management of Construction 3 17 of 66

22 4.3.1 Building the network As we have previously stated, activities in an arrow diagram are logically joined by nodes or events, each event indicates the finish of this activity and the start of the next. A typical arrow network produced by X-Pert is shown below. Now to commence creating the critical path for our exercise; do the following Create an Event, choose New Event from the Special menu. If it says New Event, it means that you have the Arrow technique selected, if it says New Task, you have Precedence technique selected, choose Control Panel from the Special menu and select Arrow then click OK. Or you can click on the Arrow Mode button on the Tool bar. Management of Construction 3 18 of 66

23 The white rectangular area is where you enter the Description, point at this area then click. The flashing cursor is an input point where you can start typing. Type Example Project Started. Click OK You now have an event Example Project Started in your Example project, as shown above Creating an Activity Move the cursor into the event box with the id of 1 and holding the mouse button down drag to the right. You will create a succeeding activity; however, if you drag the mouse to the left, you will create a preceding activity. Management of Construction 3 19 of 66

24 Note: Normally critical path networks a drawn left to right, so you must be careful which direction you drag the mouse. When you release the mouse button the activity dialog will appear Entering a duration and description Now enter 16 hours in the duration cell and Mobilise to Site in the description cell. Ignore the other cells for the moment as these will be discussed later. Click OK. Note: The activity id is automatically entered by X-Pert Add further activities to create a network which looks like this: Repeat the above process to create a second activity, by placing the mouse into the event box whose id is 2. Drag to the right and the second activity is created and the dialog box appears. Enter duration of 24 hours and a description of Site Set Out. Click OK Management of Construction 3 20 of 66

25 Repeat the process once more for the next activity Excavate Foundations and duration of 40 hours. Click OK Your network should now look like the following: Continue to add the following two consecutive activities, 4 to 5, whose description is Formwork, Reo & Pour with duration of 24 hours and the last activity in this chain, 5 to 6 with a description of Strip Formwork, with duration of 8. Return to event 1 and drag another activity enter duration of 16 and description Place Orders for Formwork, Reo and Concrete. Your network should now look like the following: Continue to create further activities as follows, from event 7 drag onto event 4 and enter the duration of 8 hours and a description Await Delivery Formwork. Drag from 7 again and while still holding down the mouse button, move onto event 4 and release. This will create a second (in parallel) activity with the same start and finish nodes. Call this activity Await Delivery Reo and give it duration 16 hours. Once again from event 7 drag onto 4 with the mouse button held down and create a third parallel activity. Call this one Await Delivery of Concrete with duration 24 hours. The network now looks like this: Having completed this simple example, it is necessary to analyse it to establish the critical path. This is achieved by running Time Analysis Saving your File But before you do it is a good idea to save your work first, so, Go to File on the menu bar and select Save As Management of Construction 3 21 of 66

26 Enter a file name eg xxxex01y Where xxx represents your initials, eg John H Smith would be JHS and EX01 is the exercise number and y is a single alphabetical character which is incremented each time you use Save As Generally you would start at a, then the next time you save the file you would b and so on. It is unlikely that you will reach z in this course! Say John H Smith performed four Save As during the development of the exercise, then the files created will as follows;- JHSEX01a.xpj JHS EX01b.xpj JHS EX01d.xpj JHS EX01d.xpj Time Analysis This carries out the calculations when you decide. By contrast, Automatic Time Analysis which can be enabled on the Analysis menu means that Time Analysis will be carried out whenever a change is made to the items in the Network or when the Time Now date is changed, so if Automatic Time Analysis is on, Time Now may have no effect. Time Analysis starts at Time Now (which is set in Progress Details on the Analysis menu) which defaults to today s date when you first create a New file. However, Time Now does not move forward until you choose to change it Time Now So far, all the illustrations have shown the timing starting at zero in practice, these calculations start from the Time Now date. On the day the project is first created, X-Pert assumes Time Now to be the system date. This date remains the same until you alter it like this: Choose Progress Details from the Analysis menu. or Click the Progress Details button on the X-Pert toolbar. The Time Now date is already highlighted if not: Enter the Time Now date. (This is the date you want to start Time Analysis from) Type the new date and, if appropriate, the time. Management of Construction 3 22 of 66

27 Notes about time now: Time Now dates are entered using the format that you have specified in the Date Control panel If you are using time units of less than one day, enter the time using the 24 hour clock. For example, if you want the analyses to start at 2.30pm then type 14:30. When you enter a date alone (without the time), X-Pert assumes that Time Now is 00:00 (at the start of that day). For example, Time Now entered as 28-Apr-03 is the same as 28-Apr- 03:00:00. You can edit Time Now in the usual way. As the project progresses, modify Time Now so that it is up-to-date. The durations of each task are used to calculate the Earliest Start and Finish dates of each task and also to calculate the duration of the hammock, which summarises the tasks it spans To carry out Time Analysis From the Analysis on the menu bar select Time Analysis from the drop down menu. The hot key alternative to the above is to press F9; having either selected the Time Analysis option from the menu or pressed F9, you will now see the critical path has been calculated through your network and is the red solid line, the non-critical activities are shown in black as a finer line Producing a Gantt Report Having analysed the network it is worthwhile to produce a report which may be viewed on your screen or the printer. Close the network diagram by clicking on the Folder on the extreme left hand end of the menu bar; as shown. Management of Construction 3 23 of 66

28 To produce a Gantt chart, from the View menu, choose Linked Gantt This now produces the linked Gantt chart, which shows the links between the activities. X-Pert can produce three types of Gantt chart, these are the Linked Gantt which you have just produced and a Gantt chart which is found on the View menu Management of Construction 3 24 of 66

29 The Report Gantt which is found from clicking on the Report menu item from the View menu and then clicking on Gantt Report Management of Construction 3 25 of 66

30 Each of these Gantt charts has a different use, depending on the level of information you wish to provide your client. The linked Gantt is very useful to debug a logic diagram if you are having troubles following some of the relationships between activities. The report Gantt can be very useful for showing the spare time you may have in your project as you can print both the earliest and latest dates which an activity may start. However this may be confusing to some clients. It is possible for you to manipulate the information which is displayed on the various reports. It may simpler for some clients just to show the Earliest Start and Finish dates 4.4 Exercise 2: Creating an Precedence Diagram As we have previously stated, a Precedence Diagrams use boxes to represent the basic network elements, the task. The other element of precedence networks is the dependency, which defines the logical link between tasks. A dependency is shown in a precedence network diagram as a line. A typical precedence network produced by X-Pert is shown below. Now to commence creating the critical path for our exercise; do the following Start Micro Planner X-Pert: refer 4.2 Once X-Pert has started up From the File menu, choose New The Project desktop appears Subproject 1 is an icon representing a subproject or network diagram (also sometimes referred to as a Logic or PERT chart). Management of Construction 3 26 of 66

31 Select from the menu Special, the Control Panel as shown below The Control Panel now opens: enter the data as indicated in the dialog box below You will note that the technique is already selected as precedence. Micro Planner X-Pert has certain default global parameters, which if they are acceptable, you may choose not to make any changes, however for this exercise we wish to express durations in hour units. Click on Duration Format, and select Hours:Minutes as shown below and click OK. Management of Construction 3 27 of 66

32 The Control Panel returns, now select Date Format by a single click, Select Numeric Dates and set Zero Date to 17Mar03, This will allow you to view reports in day numbers rather than calendar dates. Use of calendar dates is the subject of a further exercise. The zero date is that date from which you wish to count the number of days in your project and should be set to the earliest date you wish to count from. Generally many construction projects use working days as a measure throughout the project, so check the Working Time Only box. Now click OK and on the next screen click OK. A Project File may contain one or more subprojects, which are separate drawing areas representing, for example, different phases of a plan or even completely independent pieces of work. But before you start working on the creation of a network, you may prefer to name your sub project rather than use the default name of Subproject 1. Management of Construction 3 28 of 66

33 To do this, click once on the Subproject 1 icon to highlight it, note that the is now highlighted. button on the tool bar Click once on it and enter Precedence Netwk as shown. Click OK For this exercise use the Precedence Netwk. It can be opened by choosing Network Diagram from the View menu or as follows: Double click the icon Precedence Netwk. The Subproject (Network Diagram) opens up as a window which is empty, apart from the Levels (the dotted lines) on which the network drawing will be arranged. Management of Construction 3 29 of 66

34 4.4.1 Create Beginning Task Ensure that you have Precedence technique selected (even though it is the default), by checking the Control Panel from the Special menu has Precedence selected then click OK. Or you can click on the Precedence Mode button on the Tool bar.. Now click on the black cross to create a new task dialog box as shown below. Click on the Type button to produce the Node Types dialog Management of Construction 3 30 of 66

35 You are now going to create a special type of node known as begin and you will give it an attribute of Start Flag. The Start flag ensures that your task will commence at the beginning of the day. Click OK The white rectangular area is where you enter the Description, point at this area then click. The flashing cursor is an input point where you can start typing. Type Example Project Started. Click OK You now have Begin event Example Project Started in your Example project, as shown above. Management of Construction 3 31 of 66

36 4.4.2 Creating an Task Move the cursor into the begin event box with the id of 1 and holding the mouse button down drag to the right. You will create a succeeding task; however, if you drag the mouse to the left, you will create a preceding task. Note: Normally critical path networks a drawn left to right, so you must be careful which direction you drag the mouse. When you release the mouse button the task box will appear. Unlike Arrow mode, when you release the mouse button, the task dialog does not immediately appear. You must double click on the box on the diagram Entering a duration and description Now enter 16 hours in the duration cell and Mobilise to Site in the description cell. Ignore the other cells for the moment as these will be discussed later. Click OK. Note: The task id is automatically entered by X-Pert Management of Construction 3 32 of 66

37 4.4.4 Add further tasks and links to create a network which looks like this: Repeat the above process to create a second task, by placing the mouse into the event box whose id is 2. Drag to the right and the second task is created and the dialog box appears. Enter duration of 24 hours and a description of Site Set Out. Click OK Repeat the process once more for the next task Excavate Foundations and duration of 40 hours. Click OK Your network should now look like the following: Continue to add the following two consecutive task, 4, whose description is Formwork, Reo & Pour with duration of 24 hours and the last task (5) in this chain, with a description of Strip Formwork, with duration of 8. Return to begin event 1 and drag another task 7 enter duration of 16 and description Place Orders for Formwork, Reo and Concrete. Your network should now look like the following: Continue to create further activities as follows, from task 7 drag another task 8 and enter the duration of 8 hours and a description Await Delivery Formwork. Drag from 7 another task 9, give this task a description of Await Delivery Reo and give it duration 16 hours. Once again from event 7 drag another task 10, held down and call this one Await Delivery of Concrete with duration 24 hours. The network now looks like this: Management of Construction 3 33 of 66

38 Having completed this simple example, it is necessary to analyse it to establish the critical path Saving your file But before you do it is a good idea to save your work first, so, Go to File on the menu bar and select Save As Enter a file name eg xxxex01y Where xxx represents your initials, eg John H Smith would be JHS and EX01 is the exercise number and y is a single alphabetical character which is incremented each time you use Save As Generally you would start at a, then the next time you save the file you would b and so on. It is unlikely that you will reach z in this course! Say John H Smith performed four Save As during the development of the exercise, then the files created will as follows;- JHSEX01a.xpj JHS EX01b.xpj JHS EX01d.xpj JHS EX01d.xpj Running time analysis achieved by either by pressing F9 or from the Analysis on the menu bar selects Time Analysis from the drop down menu Time Analysis This carries out the calculations when you decide. By contrast, Automatic Time Analysis which can be enabled on the Analysis menu means that Time Analysis will be carried out whenever a change Management of Construction 3 34 of 66

39 is made to the items in the Network or when the Time Now date is changed, so if Automatic Time Analysis is on, Time Now may have no effect. Time Analysis starts at Time Now (which is set in Progress Details on the Analysis menu) which defaults to today s date when you first create a New file. However, Time Now does not move forward until you choose to change it Time Now So far, all the illustrations have shown the timing starting at zero in practice, these calculations start from the Time Now date. On the day the project is first created, X-Pert assumes Time Now to be the system date. This date remains the same until you alter it like this: Choose Progress Details from the Analysis menu. Click the Progress Details button on the X-Pert toolbar. The Time Now date is already highlighted if not: Enter the Time Now date. (This is the date you want to start Time Analysis from. Type the new date and, if appropriate, the time. notes about time now: Time Now dates are entered using the format that you have specified in the Date Control panel If you are using time units of less than one day, enter the time using the 24 hour clock. For example, if you want the analyses to start at 2.30pm then type 14:30. When you enter a date alone (without the time), X-Pert assumes that Time Now is 00:00 (at the start of that day). For example, Time Now entered as 28-Apr-03 is the same as 28-Apr- 03:00:00. You can edit Time Now in the usual way. As the project progresses, modify Time Now so that it is up-to-date The results of Time Analysis on your sample precedence network are shown below. The red path through the network is the Critical Path Producing a Gantt Report Having analysed the network it is worthwhile to produce a report which may be viewed on your screen or the printer. Close the network diagram by clicking on the Folder on the extreme left hand end of the menu bar; as shown. Management of Construction 3 35 of 66

40 To produce a Gantt chart, from the View menu, choose Linked Gantt This now produces the linked Gantt chart, which shows the links between the activities. X-Pert can produce three types of Gantt chart; these are the Linked Gantt which you have just produced and a Gantt chart which is found on the View menu Management of Construction 3 36 of 66

41 The Report Gantt which is found from clicking on the Report menu item from the View menu and then clicking on Gantt Report Management of Construction 3 37 of 66

42 Each of these Gantt charts has a different use, depending on the level of information you wish to provide your client. The linked Gantt is very useful to debug a logic diagram if you are having troubles following some of the relationships between activities. The report Gantt can be very useful for showing the spare time you may have in your project as you can print both the earliest and latest dates which an activity may start. However this may be confusing to some clients. It is possible for you to manipulate the information which is displayed on the various reports. It may simpler for some clients just to show the Earliest Start and Finish dates Gantt charts show dates starting from whichever Time Now is set in your file. The triangular symbols are the standard way of representing Milestones or other Flagged Nodes and the length of each bar are proportional to the duration of the task or hammock. The View chart is sorted in Date order: Start Date first then Finish date. The critical items are shown in red and the two non critical tasks are shown with float represented as a ghosted bar to the right of the solid grey bar. Float is the amount of time by which a task could be delayed without delaying the end of the network. Tasks 4 and 5 together are shorter than tasks 2 and 3, hence they have shared or Total float. Tasks can be modified directly from the Gantt chart, either by using the pointer to drag the right hand end of the solid portion of a bar to change its duration, or by pointing at the relevant item and double clicking to open it. The appearance of the Gantt chart can be modified by choosing Gantt chart options from the View menu (or clicking on the button which is shown as a pointing finger). Close the Gantt chart window. Choose No to avoid Keeping the chart on the desktop This means that the chart is thrown away instead of being retained as an icon on the Project Desktop. The prompt whether to keep or not appears if Preferences on the File menu are set to Prompt rather than Always Keep or Don t Keep Saving your work Now would be a good time once again to save the file you have created: Choose Save As from the File menu and repeat the process as outlined above Management of Construction 3 38 of 66

43 4.5 Exercise 3: Construction Project Introduction Prepare in the Precedence Diagram Method, the following Construction Warehouse critical path network. Don t forget to save your work regularly using the Save As command. PLEASE NOTE: the tasks, durations and logic selected are fairly random they do not necessarily reflect what you should use in your assignment!! Use Weeks and Days for duration estimates Project details Start Project, this is a begin event and has a start date of 17 Mar 03 Site Survey, this task has a duration of 3 weeks and finishes when Mobilisation of Materials etc has completed Sub Contract Procurement, this task commences immediately the project starts and has a duration of 5 weeks Mobilise Materials and Equipment to Site Early Trades, takes 4 weeks and cannot start until a week after the Sub Contract Procurement has started Fabricate Internal Wall Partitions it has a duration of 6 weeks and starts when Mobilisation has completed Order and Deliver Doors and Windows takes 7 weeks and starts when Mobilisation has completed Fabricate Timber Trusses takes 12 weeks and starts when Mobilisation has completed and must complete before trusses are erected Excavate Foundations requires 4 weeks and starts when Mobilisation has completed Prefabricate External Wall Panels extends for ten weeks and starts when Mobilisation has completed Place Formwork, Reo and Bolts for Column Footings requires 3 weeks and commences once Foundations have been excavated Lay and Test Underground Services, takes 4 weeks and may commence once Foundations have been excavated Concrete Footings commences on the completion of Formwork and takes 4 weeks Cure and Strip Footings starts on the completion of Concrete Footings and requires 4 weeks Erect Steel Columns & Vertical Bracings needs 3 weeks and cannot start until Footings have been cured and stripped Erect Trusses, requires 2 weeks and cannot start until trusses have been fabricated and the Steel Columns have been erected Frame completed is a Milestone and occurs when the trusses have been erected Backfill, Compact Sub Grade for Slab, takes 7 weeks and commences once Footings and Underground services are completed Formwork, Reo & Set up Drains Floor Slab, commences immediately on completion of Backfill and requires 4 weeks Build Walkway extends for 15 weeks and cannot start until Concrete Footings have been completed Construct External Retaining Wall does not start until Concrete Footings have been completed and takes 15 weeks Pour Slab lasts for 1 week and starts immediately Formwork etc has been completed Slab Poured is a milestone and follows on immediately once Slab has been poured Management of Construction 3 39 of 66

44 Cure Slab takes 2 weeks and follows the Milestone Slab Poured Erect Steel Purlins operates for 3 weeks and follows on after Milestone frame Completed Fix Roofing & Flash occupies 6 weeks and cannot start until the Steel Purlins have been erected Fix External Wall Panels and Soffits takes 8 weeks cannot start until the Steel Purlins have been erected Building Watertight is a milestone and is dependent upon Fix roof and Fix External wall being completed Install External Doors & Windows takes 3 weeks and may not start until the Building is Watertight and the Doors and Windows have been delivered Install Downpipes & Final Flashing starts once the building is watertight and takes 3 weeks Erect & Sheet Internal Wall Partitions takes 5 weeks and may not start until the building is watertight and the Internal Wall Partitions have been fabricated and cannot finish until 1 week after External Doors and Windows have been completed Building Lock up is a Milestone requires External Doors and Windows as well as the Internal Sheet Wall Partitions to be erected Internal Painting & Services Fit Off takes 8 weeks and cannot commence until the building is Locked Up External Painting requires 5 weeks and starts as soon as Install Downpipes has been completed as well as the building being locked up Clean up and Handover takes 1 week and cannot start until all painting has been completed Finish is the end event Now to save the data you have just entered Go to File on the menu bar and select Save As Enter a filename xxxmc02y.xpj and click OK, eg JHSMC02a.xpj Note: Where xxx represents your initials, eg John H Smith would be JHS and MC02 is the course code and y is a single alphabetical character which is incremented each time you use Save As Generally you would start at a, then the next time you save the file you would b and so on. It is unlikely that you will reach z in this course! Say John H Smith performed four Save As during the development of the exercise, then the files created will as follows;- JHSMC02a.xpj JHSMC02b.xpj JHSMC02d.xpj JHSMC02d.xpj Management of Construction 3 40 of 66

45 4.6 Exercise 4: Review Questions 1) What is a Task? ) What are the standard PDM link types? ) What does each PDM link do? ) Can a link have duration? Exercise 5: Changing time now date Open the file you have just saved ie xxxmc02y.xpj eg JHSMC02a.xpj Set your Time Now to 24Mar03 Run a Time Analysis Produce a Short Term Gantt chart report Produce a Activity/Task report Save the File using Save AS with name xxxmc02y.xpj eg JHSMC02b.xpj Management of Construction 3 41 of 66

46 5 Tables and Labels 5.1 Tables Tables provide quick access for bulk input & editing. X-Pert is a Topological networking system, driven by the logic contained in the network plans. However, moving around the network to modify and update information is not always the quickest option. X-Pert s Tables provide direct access to the data records and allow the copying and pasting of information between records. Network records can be created from within the Table if required (refer X-Pert manual - Tables, adding new records) 5.2 Labels These are used to make reports more readable and to allow both Sorting and Selection according to categories such as Trade Type, Sub-contractor, Department name or person in charge. In addition to the Sort Code which does not have a list but is a free-typed ASCII sort code (with a maximum of eight characters in length) there are three labels: Zone, Responsibility and Cost Code. Each may be created and amended via the List menu and is also accessible from within the Add/Change Task dialog. The use of Labels is totally at the discretion of you the user, X-Pert s "names" are for convenience only, eg "Zone Labels" may be used for Departments and "Cost Labels" for Subcontractors. Each label list has 250 positions, for 16 character names. The naming, sorting and ordering of each label is totally at the discretion of the you. Labels can be edited and repositioned in the list at any time. Other code fields available for use include the: Sort Code, Work Breakdown Structure, Task Numbers, and Resources. Effective project management requires targeted reports that are easy to understand. Using X-Pert s labels effectively are one of the quickest ways to produce targeted reports and save excessive typing in repetitive projects. Labels are used to enhance the clarity and presentation of reports (as well as allowing specific groups of records to be selected) When reports are sorted by a label, the sort order is controlled by the order of the Labels in the list, ie the order is totally at the Project Managers discretion. Management of Construction 3 42 of 66

47 5.2.1 Establishing a Basic Coding Structure X-Pert has 3 sets of Labels: - Zone Label Responsibility Label Cost Label Zones do not have to be used to define location, nor do Responsibility labels have to be used to define the owner of a task, but these are typical uses for these Labels. They form the headings of sections on Reports such as the Gantt Report. They are used to Sort reports into a particular order (they do not need to be in date order only) and also for the Selection of groups of tasks instead of everything. 5.3 Exercise 6:Using Tables After completing this exercise you should be able to: Create and use tables in X-Pert. Edit operations in the table View operations from the table Manipulate data from within tables. Open the File MC20324a.xpj (this will be found in the folder on P drive in the folder named MicroPlanner. From the View menu choose Table Note that all the fields contained in the X-Pert record which are available for selection by you are shown in the box marked Fields Available. Change the Selected Fields from Full Table to Selected Table Select the Identification field and click >>Move>> to transfer the field from the Fields Available box to the Fields Shown box Management of Construction 3 43 of 66

48 Repeat the move for the Subproject, Type, Description, Calendar, Duration, Zone, Responsibility and Cost fields (try double clicking for quick moves) - These will be your columns Your table selection should be as shown below Click OK to accept your field selection On the Table Selection screen, click the Selection button On Selection Criteria click AND Management of Construction 3 44 of 66

49 Choose Zone as the first criterion Click Site Preparation and Fabrication to highlight them and click OK to select Note the new items in the Parameters list, Click OK. This gives you your choice of rows in the table Now click the Sorting button Select Subproject at the top of the list and click Remove Management of Construction 3 45 of 66

50 Select Preceding Event (to show the insertion point) Change the Criteria item to Zone Click Add Note the Sorting Order changes Click OK. This gives you your preferred sorting order for the table Click OK on Table Selection to produce the table of your choice Make the window fill the screen Click on the boundary between the column headers Node ID and Succeeding and reduce the column width. Adjust the column widths in a similar way to allow all chosen columns to be displayed on the screen at the same time Management of Construction 3 46 of 66

51 5.3.1 Edit tasks in the table: Click once on the description Fabricate Timber Trusses Using the Edit Box at the top of the screen, edit the text to say Fabricate Timber Trusses and Deliver For the same task, click on the Split/Key field Click in the Edit Box at the top of the screen to display the types Change attribute to Non-Split and click OK Note: That as you make the changes in the edit box, the selected cell is automatically updated as you type Move to the row containing the milestone MC and select the description cell (Frame Complete) and change the description to Frame Completed Check the table to ensure all the requested changes have been successfully accepted Management of Construction 3 47 of 66

52 Now click the tick button on the edit bar so that X-Pert accepts your changes Close the table by clicking either the folder or the cross on the bar line at the top of the screen. Say No to the message. Save your file using the Save As option with the name MC20324b.xpj 5.4 Exercise 7: Using Labels and Codes This exercise examines the Labels and Codes concept and its application in the X-Pert program. After completing this exercise you should be able to: Allocate appropriate labels Edit and rearrange labels in the tables The order of the list is the order in which the labels were originally entered and will be used in Sorting, in other words it need not be in alphabetical order if you want Zebra first and Aardvark last If you are not a zoologist (or even if you are) you may use Department names, or geographical locations, or terms like Design, Test, Implement as Zone labels anything you want (although it might make sense to be consistent with your colleagues). The order of the list may be changed by selecting one label at a time then using the Cut and Paste buttons. To create a simple list of Zones, do the following Open the file you created in Exercise 3 Construction Project, ie xxxmc02y.xpj eg JHSMC02b.xpj From the List menu choose Zones Type Site Preparation then choose the button to add it to the list Type Roofing then choose Type Fabrication then choose Type Sub grade then choose to insert to insert to insert Repeat the above process for the remaining zone labels, Painting, Erection, Procurement and Cleanup. Choose OK to close the Zone list To apply the Zone labels, do the following Open the Network Diagram (either from the Desktop or by choosing Network Diagram from the View menu) Open a task then click on the button The Zone List appears you may edit it from here too Choose the required Zone label for this task then choose OK Choose OK again to accept the change to the task Management of Construction 3 48 of 66

53 Repeat the above process to the remaining tasks and milestones in your network Note: An alternate and a quicker way to insert Zone Labels on every task, milestone would be to use a table Add and edit Codes in the Label List From the List Menu choose Cost Codes As shown below Note: The Cost Code listing window opens: Edit Box Management of Construction 3 49 of 66

54 Type Material Costs into the Edit Box Click to insert the label into the list Type Excavation Costs and Click Type Fit Out Costs and Click Type Erection Costs and Click Type Painting Costs and Click Type InstallationCost and Click to insert to insert to insert to insert to insert Move and rearrange labels in the tables: Click once on the InstallationCost label to select it Click to copy into the Clip Board Click once on the Material Costs label to indicate the insertion point Click to insert the label in the nominated position. Note: If labels are not pasted, they are permanently removed Note: New labels can be inserted into targeted positions in the same way Edit labels in the tables: Click in the Edit box under the list window and type CostInstallation Click once on the InstallationCost label to indicate the label to change Click to edit the label - Note changes are made to all reports and tasks using the label Click OK to accept changes to the Cost Code list Add Cost Codes to all Tasks Having created these cost codes you now need to insert them into the cost code cell in each task. Either create a table from the view menu or open the network diagram and insert into each task in the network an appropriate cost code from the list previously created Save the project: From the File menu choose Save As Edit the file name to xxxmc02y.xpj and click OK eg JHSMC02c.xpj - The project is saved with its new name Produce a sorted Gantt Chart Produce a report Gantt chart sorted by Zone Code Management of Construction 3 50 of 66

55 Produce a report Gantt chart sorted by Responsibility Code 5.5 Exercise 8: Review Questions 1) Define a use for Zone and Responsibility labels.. 2) What sequence do labels come out in?.. 3) How does the use of Zone and Responsibility Labels help the Project Manager?.. 4) Who would benefit from the use of Cost Codes?.. Management of Construction 3 51 of 66

56 6 Calendars & Time Analysis Calendars are used to show the working days available. Micro Planner X-Pert can have up to 200 Calendars which may be applied to both Tasks and Resources. These are usually held in the Calendar folder on the right side of the Desktop. See below for the default calendar set in the calendar folder. In the example Calendar below, the italic dates are non-working days (Saturdays and Sundays) consistent with the Five Day Calendar name. However, it is important to note that the calendar names are for your convenience, the names do not control the function of the calendar and it is quite possible to have a calendar (or Weekly Cycle) that is named "Five Day" but has been edited to work for seven days!!! The top button in the middle left of the template is used to edit the Calendar. When this is selected (by clicking on it), clicking on any working date will change its cycle to a "Holiday" (non-working) or add overtime depending on the "Overlay" cycle currently selected. Clicking on a date a second time toggles it back. The magnifying glass underneath the "overlay" icon is used to see the working hours planned for any selected date. Holidays, Rostered Days Off, other non-working periods and planned overtime can be added to any Calendar and new calendars created as and when needed. Management of Construction 3 52 of 66

57 6.1 Weekly Cycles Weekly Cycles are used in Calendars to specify the working hours in each day. The default set is shown below together with an example of the Five Day Week Cycle. Editing cycles is very easy to do but take care! Micro Planner X-Pert calculates the stored duration for all operations in minutes, based on the calendar and cycle selected when the operation was first saved. If you subsequently change the number of working minutes in a cycle, the elapsed duration of the task will change. This may be your intention, eg when adding overtime or an additional working days to accelerate a schedule, but if you are simply editing a cycle to adjust start and finish times, be sure to maintain the same number of hours within each day and week! Management of Construction 3 53 of 66

58 6.2 Multiple Calendars Multiple Calendars are essential to accurately deal with different working periods for different people and contractors, different holidays in various States, limited access times and various elapsed times, eg. Concrete cures for seven days per week regardless of weekends and holidays. However, as with any other powerful feature, there are some hidden traps. The use of multiple calendars can remove a "Zero Float" critical path from large sections of a network as this simple example illustrates. Until task "D" is added, Task "A" has a minimum of 2 days float and Management of Construction 3 54 of 66

59 Task "B" 1 days float even if "C" is critical. Task "D" may influence Task "A's" float depending on its successors. Task "B" works to a "weekend only" calendar, Tasks "A", "C", and "D" work to a normal 5 day week calendar. Management of Construction 3 55 of 66

60 Management of Construction 3 56 of 66

61 6.3 Day Numbers In addition to the standard dates & clock times, time periods can be calculated using numeric dates. If only one calendar is used, the planner has the option of choosing whether to count working time only, or all of the elapsed days (ie. 365 per year). If multiple calendars are used, all days need to be counted to compensate for different week lengths, eg. The second Monday (day 8 in elapsed terms) of a project with two calendars, one of 5 days and one of 6 days will be day 6 on the 5 day calendar and day 7 on the six day calendar. If working days only are counted, this would cause a significant problem! 6.4 Date & Duration Format Micro Planner X-Pert dates can show the 4th June 2003 in any of the following formats: 4-Jun-03, 04-Jun-03 4/6/03, 04/06/03, Jun-4-03, 06/04/03 and 03/06/04. The Micro Planning International standard... defines the default format of DD/MMM/YY, to enter the above date all a user has to type is 4JUN03, Micro Planner X-Pert will sort out the formatting Time Units (Duration) Micro Planner X-Pert stores all of its duration s in minutes. This allows users to change the duration format at almost any time. If smaller units are involved than can be shown by the selected duration, Micro Planner X-Pert indicates this by three dots, eg. 20 days, 5 hours with the duration unit set to "Days" would print as 20. The number of minutes in each duration is calculated from the cycle and calendar selected when the operation is first entered. Therefore, care is required if changing a cycle or calendar after a network has been set up Calendars and Weekly Cycles Remember every record whether it be a breakdown element, task (and link), special node in Micro Planner has a calendar, as do Resources.The default is preset to be the Five Day calendar which is based on a weekly cycle which works a 40 hour week, Monday to Friday. In addition to the Basic Management of Construction 3 57 of 66

62 Cycle that each calendar has, Overlay cycles may be applied to particular days (or blocks of days) to modify them, for example to make them into Holidays. Both Calendars and Weekly Cycles exist as icons, either on the desktop or in folders, with the exception of the hidden Holiday cycle. This can be seen with all the other cycles when you choose Weekly Cycles from the List menu. Because each record may have its own calendar, it is possible in single sub project to have some tasks working at weekends only whilst the majority work Monday to Friday. Note: The first calendar in the folder is permanently set as the default calendar; it may be changed if you so choose to, but it cannot be deleted from the folder as the other calendars may be 6.5 Exercise 9: Calendars After completing this exercise you will be able to: Define a new Weekly Cycle Define a new Calendar Change existing calendars Open project MC20324b.xpj Open the sub project Construct and move to the end event FINISH, you can do this by pressing CTRL and M. This will produce the following dialog, type FINISH in the cell and click OK This will move the network diagram to the event named FINISH, double click on the event and the change event dialog box will appear, click on the Analysis button and note the Finish Time (2-Apr-04) Click OK to close the dialog Close the network diagram in the usual manner Management of Construction 3 58 of 66

63 Open the folder from the project desk top. From the Special menu choose New Item and New Weekly Cycle from the sub-menu Type Extratime for the cycle name The filled in sections in each day represent working time (each little rectangle means ¼ hour). By clicking in unworked rectangles and dragging you can change the hours worked Add 2 hours from 5pm to 7pm on Tue and Thu Add 3 hours from 9am to 12 noon on Sat Note how the day lengths change and the week length changes to 47:00 If your week length is 47 Hours, Click OK to accept new cycle Close the Weekly Cycles folder Management of Construction 3 59 of 66

64 6.5.1 Define a new Calendar: Open the folder From the Special menu choose New Item and from the sub-menu choose New Calendar Note the basic cycle of 5 Day Week, we do not need to change it this time Type Overtime as the name of this calendar Use the arrows to set the month to April 2003 < > move one month << >> move one year Click the magnifying glass then click Tue 1 st Notice that the normal 8 hour day is revealed Click Cancel to close the magnifying glass Click on Overlay Cycle button Change overlay cycle to Extratime (from the weekly cycle folder). Click OK Click the overlay icon to select it Management of Construction 3 60 of 66