Oracle Primavera
This topic describes options and steps specific to Oracle Primavera projects.
Primavera P6 XER and XML Files
XER files are the standard means of exporting data outside of a P6 database. You do not need P6 installed on your computer to link and import XER or XML files into Acumen.
Primavera P6 linking supports custom field mapping (normal, code, and user defined fields).
When you export an Acumen project as an Oracle Primavera P6 XER file, any existing user-defined fields are included in the export and are available for use in Primavera.
After importing Primavera XML files, Acumen runs time analysis to calculate values such as total float and free float because the XML files do not include this information.
Primavera P6 Web Services
Acumen includes direct integration to Primavera P6 through web-services (v8.2 and v8.3). This means that all P6 8.2 and 8.3 users can link directly to Primavera to analyze their projects. You can import a single project or multiple projects from Primavera P6 web services.
Acumen uses profiles to connect to P6 Web Services servers. The system can store multiple profiles that include the address, user name, password, and so on. The P6 Web Services Import Wizard guides you through setting up the profile and selecting projects.
Oracle Primavera Platform Options
Use the Deltek Acumen Options dialog box to set specific options for Oracle Primavera.
Primavera P6 Workbook Baselines
Acumen allows you to assign a P6 baseline schedule to a P6 schedule so that you can compare baseline data with the current schedule.
XER files exported from Primavera P6 do not contain associated baseline project data. This is a challenge when running metrics within Acumen that compare baseline data with the current schedule.
To overcome this, you can assign a given P6 baseline schedule to a P6 schedule that has been brought into an Acumen workbook. This process merges a baseline dataset with the current project dataset overcoming the issue of baselines not natively being saved as part of an XER export from P6. A Primavera file can be assigned as both a snapshot and a baseline in a single step.
On the S1 // Projects tab, after you add a project, right-click on the project and either select Assign Baseline or Assign Baseline and Add Snapshot.
You can tell if a baseline has been assigned to a schedule by looking for the black B ( ) on the Primavera P6 file icon in the Projects panel of the workbook on the S1 // Projects tab.
After you assign a baseline, you can add the Baseline Project Time Now and Baseline WBS Code columns to the S1 // Projects Activities grid. The Baseline Project Time Now column displays the Time Now date from the assigned baseline project and is useful if, for example, you want to see if activities that are in the baseline but no longer in the project should have been completed. The Baseline WBS Code column displays the WBS code on the baseline activities. These fields are also available to use in metrics and on the S2 // Diagnostics tab, as well as in reports.
Loading a Multi-Project XER as a Single-Project Baseline
You can import a multi-project XER (master project with subprojects) into Acumen as a single-project baseline. This allows you to have baseline dates for metrics when you use multi-project XER files.
Primavera Risk Analysis
Acumen uses your installed copy of Risk Analysis (V8.x and higher), formerly known as Pertmaster, to link directly to Primavera Risk Analysis files.
- Natively read .plnx files into Acumen.
- Import .plnx files generated in Risk Analysis.
In addition to importing cost and schedule data, Acumen imports both risk input and risk output data from your Risk Analysis file. This enables you to conduct advanced risk-based analytics. Risk Analysis linking supports custom field mapping.
Oracle Primavera Text Encoding
Select Text Encoding to ensure that all characters in a file import display correctly.
Oracle Primavera XER files do not include any information about what is being used to encode the files. If the file you are importing does not use standard encoding (for example, it uses Russian instead of English), then the characters may not display correctly when you import the file.To ensure that all characters in a file import display correctly, select Text Encoding after you link a project and before you import the data.
Standard Field Mappings
- Physical % Complete: The Physical % Complete field is auto-mapped to the P6 activity Physical % Complete field.
- Related Topics:
- P6 Web Services Import Wizard
Use this wizard to import projects from Primavera P6 Web Services. - Updating Existing Data When You Import an XER File Back Into P6
By default, when you import an XER file back into P6 and update an existing project, it does not update certain fields. That means that if you made changes to any of these fields in the file you are importing, the data is not updated in the existing project.