P6 Web Functionality Areas and Interface

P6 Web has the following functionality areas:

• Dashboards – this tab displays Portlets (small windows displaying information) that may be customized by the user to display information relevant to the portfolios, projects and

resources.

• Portfolios – this tab allows you to review information on groups of projects. From this page, you can conduct a side-by-side comparison of two project groups, apply what-if analysis and waterline analysis techniques to assist with critical, executive-level decision making.

• Projects – this tab is where one or more projects may be created or opened and manipulated. This area will be covered in detail in this book.

• Resources – this tab is where resources are created, managed and analysed.

• Administration – this menu where a User sets their software preferences in the area titled My Preferences and Database Administrator administers users and the database.

This chapter will explain the Web interface, but ultimately each user will have to spend a

significant amount of time playing with the interface to become familiar with this complex piece of software.

3.4.1 Dashboards Tab

Dashboard are used to provide a summarized view of the P6 data, configured to display information specific to the role of the user. The dashboard data contains information on

portfolios, projects, resources and activities. The information can be displayed in a tabular or graphical format, with emphasis on summary and KPI reporting.

The Dashboards module can contain a number of workspaces, with each workspace represented by a tab. The workspace data is displayed in a number of configurable sub-windows called Portlets.

Access to the dashboard information is controlled by module and security settings,

administration configuration, user interface view setting, and project and activity assignments of the user.

There are the following types of dashboards:

• User dashboards are private workspaces that a user may create and are not available to other users. They contain information specific to a user, such the list of activities assigned to the user.

• Multi-user dashboards are accessible to a specific group of users. The dashboards would typically be configured by the system administrator and can be viewed by the assigned user on the Dashboards Home page.

• Global dashboards contain information relevant to all users, and are accessible by all users with access to the Dashboards module.

A Dashboard includes user defined information in small widows called Portlets. The Portlets may be formatted and the data in each Portlet hidden or displayed:

The Filter by field on the top right hand side specifies which portfolio project data is viewed.

The Dashboard menu shown below has following options:

• Manage Dashboards – where one or more Dashboards are created and formatted.

• Approve Timesheets – where a manager may approve timesheets.

After a menu item has been selected the title of the current window is displayed, as shown in the picture below where Manage Dashboards was selected:

Each Dashboard has additional formatting options that may be accessed through Administer, My Preferences, View, Dashboards:

3.4.2 Portfolios Tab

Portfolio are used to provide multi-project reporting, analysis and comparison. A portfolio is a collection of projects grouped by a common attribute. The grouping typically reflects an

organizational business objective, such as capital works projects for next financial year.

The Portfolios module is used to analyze portfolio data, conduct side-by-side comparisons of two project groups, and apply what-if scenarios and waterline analysis techniques to assist with executive-level critical decision making. Portfolio views, such as pie charts, bubble charts and histograms assist the users in the analysis and comparison of the data in each portfolio.

The Portfolio Analysis page is divided into two halves. Information related to one project group may be compared with a second project and may be displayed one side or one above the other or side by side.

For each project group, the user can display the latest summarized data, or a snapshot of historical project data that has been saved as a scenario. The user can also customize a portfolio view to determine the layout of project data.

Portfolios can be also used to filter dashboard reporting.

Depending on security privileges, the user can create their own portfolio, save portfolios for other users or create global portfolios.

The Portfolio tab allows a user to review, compare and analyze Project data assigned to a Portfolio:

The Portfolio menu, activated by clicking on the by the title, has four options:

• Open Portfolio – allows the selection of a Portfolio.

• Manage Portfolios – as in the Dashboard menu this is where one or more Portfolios are created and edited.

• Manage Portfolios Views – is where a view may be created that displays specific information about a portfolio, and

• Manage Scenarios – a Scenario is a record of project data at a specific point in time and is used for future comparison.

The bottom part of the menu shows the portfolios recently opened.

3.4.3 Projects Tab

This menu will display any open projects and allows one or more projects to be opened, created, manipulated and deleted.

This window will be covered in detail in this book.

3.4.4 Resources Tab

This window is where resources are added, removed and managed:

• Assignments tab is where resources are assigned,

• Planning tab is where resources may be assigned to a WBS Node for long term planning and is out of scope of this book,

• Analysis tab is where resource loading may be analysed, and

• Administration tab is where resources are created and administered.

3.4.5 Administer Tab

All configuration of the Enterprise database for the Primavera P6 EPPM Versions 8.2 to 8.4 is performed using the P6 Web Client and may not be performed with the Optional Windows

Client.

These configuration items include for example:

• EPS – Enterprise Project Structure, this is a hierarchical structure for storing the projects.

• OBS – Organization Breakdown Structure which is used to assign access rights for users to projects via the EPS.

• Users – Creating users and access rights.

This tab is used to define the My Preferences, these are individual user preferences, and My Calendar which is the user’s Personal Calendar when the user has been defined as a

resource.

The data base configuration setting and security privileges are under the following headings:

• Application Settings

• Enterprise Data

• Global Scheduled Services

• User Access

• User Interface Views

• User Sessions

Unlike the Windows Client it is possible to have formulae to calculate values for User Defined Fields from other database fields in the P6 Web tool.

3.4.6 Administer Menu, My Preferences

The My Preferences menu is used by a user to format the display to suit the users requirements. It has the following tabs:

Administer, My Preferences, Global tab – this is where the user defines how the many Global functions perform and in particular how the date, time and durations are displayed:

Administer, My Preferences, View tab is where the user defines which menu items are displayed:

Administer, My Preferences, Password tab is where a user may reset their password:

3.4.7 Navigating Around P6 Web

The P6 Web tool has some features that new users should be aware of:

• Click the Dashboards, Portfolios, Projects or Resources to select a window:

• The button next to each window icon opens a down menu:

• A will close a Portlet and a will open a Portlet.

• A will open context sensitive help.

• A will refresh the data in a Portlet.

• A will maximize and minimize a Portlet.

• A will close the Portlet and remove it from the view. The Customize, View tab must be used to display a hidden Portlet.

3.4.8 Bottom Pane Tabs

Some of the Windows have a bottom pane with tabs, the picture below shows the Activity Windows tabs at the bottom:

• Click on the tab to open the tab contents:

• The picture below explains the functions available for formatting the tabs after the General tab was opened:

The functions in the lower window will take some practice to master.

After a tab has been made Floating it is possible to make multiple windows visible in the lower pane.

To add a Floating pane back into the main window click on the Restore icon in the Top Right Hand Side of the floating window when another window is displayed, this function does not work when there are no non Floating panes visible.

3.4.9 Saving Data

It is very important to understand that data is not automatically saved when a user navigates away from a page and data must be saved before moving from one page to another. The software will often prompt a user to save, but it is important that you do save when promoted:

• Data that has been modified and is yet to be saved will be identified by the Changed and Unsaved Data icon.

• Fields in table columns can be edited directly on screen, but the data must be saved prior after the update is completed by clicking on the Save icon or the edits will be lost.

• Edits to data in forms will not be save unless the Save icon at the bottom of the form is clicked: