00-excel project control tools
TRANSCRIPT
A practical approach to manage Scope, Time and Cost
In Theory a scheduling software is capable of handling scope, time and cost in the same physical file.
In practice, and for relatively bigger project, those process are managed by different people with different level of details and multiple skills sets.
Many project are done in a fast track basis, managing the change of the SOW become problematic
Every process is managed using a separate tool, the integration is done using different standard interface at different level(WBS, CBS, activity level)
Tools SCOPE: provide The whole scope of work(EPC),
including manhours and quantities Schedule: Time Management ( Planning
software) PRT : Progress reporting and tracking,
excel tool to managed update progress and reporting
Time_Sheet: The manhours spent in Construction.
Job Card : detailed Progress report at level 5 Cost : Cost Control is managed by Separate
tool.
SCOPE
SCOPE is a live List incorporating all new update to the scope of works (EPC).
The integration between the planning software and SCOPE is using SCOPE_ID.
When there is a significant change in Scope of Work, the Planning software is update from SCOPE
SCOPE Flow Chart
SCOPE_ID
SCOPE ( Budget manhours, Quantities, weightage to the client as by the contract
revenue)
Construction ITEM List
Engineering Register
Procurement Register
SCOPE_IDSCOPE_ID
Construction
Productivity database
Master Schedule Level 4
SCOPE_ID
Contract
Value
PRT The data in the PRT is mapped at the
activity level in The Planning software, basically it is the same schedule but handled in a separate spreadsheet.
It is easier to record period performance in excel then in a planning software.
Anyone with basic Excel skills, can update the progress and produce reports without the need to operate a Planning software.
PRT ( Progress Reporting and Tracking) Flow Chart
PRT (Progress Reporting and Tracking)Weekly
Planning software (Weekly, Or Monthly)
Progress report
S Curve
Invoice
SCOPE_ID
Time sheet
ProductivityInternal Report
Cost
Dates by CBS
WBS
Job Card
Procurement register
Engineering Register
Planning software
Planning software is used only to manage time, by using the CPM calculation.
A hammock can be used to split an Activity assigned to SCOPE_ID
The Frequency of updating the schedule, depend if you want to generate a Forecast curve, Weekly or Monthly.
The actual start, actual finish ( the facts) are imported from PRT.
There is no magic formula to generate remaining duration, talk to the guy doing the work, he is the best one to provide this information.
After scheduling, the new forecast dates are exported to PRT, to generate the forecast data.
Any planning tool can be used (MS Project, Primavera, etc). Never Ever input dates directly in Excel !!!!!
Time Sheet
For the sake of simplification the spent hours in the site will be recorded only by subcontractor.
The data is recorded in a daily basis, the productivity factor in a weekly basis.
The time sheet records the roles by direct and indirect.
Cost
Cost control is a separate process. The cost breakdown structure is implemented using
the activity codes in the planning software. The spread of cost by cost account is done using the
dates from the schedule. PRT generate progress report by CBS, it should be
considered as an approximation, as progress based on cost weight and revenue weight are little bit different.
It is important to avoid the use the “best guess method” in distributing cost data.
The more CBS is detailed the more the distribution is accurate.
SCOPE_ID
SCOPE_ID is the business rule primary key
It is a concatenation of Area, Task_Code and Workpackage
Workpackage is a group of items. Task_Code is a standard activity with
efficiency and physical quantity Task_Code is further detailed to basic
steps
The Weight Factor
Engineering and construction the budget is in manhours.
Procurement the budget is the cost. The overall Progress (EPC) is based on
the contract Value.
What you need to know
Never hard code a report. Separate datasets from the reports. Understand your Primary key. Use codes, standardize your codifications. Always prepare and generate data as
database. Pivot table in Excel is very powerful
reporting utility. Automatize your workflow, manual data
entry is a waste of time.