Create and Align the Schedule
Use Case
During the estimating stage, the project scheduler and project controller work closely together to generate the schedule. As the project controller determines the CBS and estimated costs, hours, and quantities, the project scheduler works to generate the schedule as a separate contractual document.
This section covers how to prepare for project execution by creating a baseline schedule and then aligning it with the CBS.
Create Baseline Schedule
The project schedule may be created with InEight Schedule or prepared with another application and then imported into InEight Schedule.
Generate Schedule
The following topics provide details on how to set up a new schedule in InEight Schedule and link it to the project.
Step 1
From InEight Schedule, click the Add icon and select Add new project workspace.
Step 2
Name the new project workspace.
Note: It’s helpful to choose a name that is clearly related to the project.
Step 3
Select a project from the Project Suite drop-down menu. Be sure to select the same project that includes the current estimate.
Step 4
Click Add.
This new workspace will be the home for the project schedule.
If you have an XER or MS project file prepared, you can import it directly into the workspace. Follow the steps below to import a schedule:
Step 1
From the Schedule home page, click the Import icon.
Step 2
Click Select Files... to select a schedule to upload from your computer.
Step 3
The Schedule ID and Schedule Name fields auto-populate based on the file you uploaded. You can make changes to these fields as needed.
Step 4
Select a project workspace from the drop-down menu.
Step 5
Scroll down to see additional import options.
Once you’ve confirmed your options, click Import.
Step 6
The imported schedule now appears in your project workspace.
Create Baseline Schedule
Once the schedule has been reviewed and approved by the client, the project scheduler can create a baseline schedule. As the project progresses, stakeholders can compare updated versions of the schedule to the baseline.
Follow the steps below to create a baseline schedule in InEight Schedule:
Step 1
Open the schedule. The schedule opens to the Plan view.
Step 2
Click the Snapshot icon at the top right of the page.
Step 3
In the Iris panel, click Create copy of current schedule.
Step 4
Input a name for the baseline schedule and click Create new schedule.
Step 5
Now that the copy has been created, you can configure it as a baseline schedule.
Return to the Project List view to access the copy of the schedule. Under the column Schedule type, open the drop-down menu and select Active Baseline.
Step 6
Now the baseline will automatically be assigned to the schedule as the active baseline.
If you need to assign the baseline manually, return to the Snapshot page in the Iris panel. In the Active Baseline field, select the saved copy from the drop-down menu. Then click Save.
Ensure Alignment between CBS and Schedule
With the conformed estimate published in Control and a baseline schedule prepared, the project controller and project scheduler can take steps to ensure that the budget cost items and schedule activities are aligned.
Ideas on Site
If the structure and organization of the project CBS and the project schedule are identical, it will be easy to align cost items with schedule activities. However, in most cases these two sources of project data vary significantly.
For example, the schedule activities may be broken down to a more granular level of detail than the cost items used in budget tracking. Or, the scheduler may require a modified hierarchy in order to plan activities effectively. By mapping ID codes from InEight Schedule to cost items in InEight Control, you can keep budgeting and forecasting values aligned with the schedule details.
There are three ways to input schedule values in InEight Control: manual input, cost item import, and XER import.
Manual Input
To input schedule data manually, make sure the proper setting is enabled.
You can access this setting from the Control Project Settings under the Schedule tab.
Under Schedule data source, select Manual entry.
With this setting enabled, you can input schedule values directly in Control.
Cost Item Import
If you are working with a large number of cost items, a cost item import is a convenient option for populating schedule values. A cost item import is also useful for mapping ID codes from InEight Schedule to cost items in InEight Control.
To update schedule values via a cost item import, make sure that Manual entry is selected as the Schedule data source in your Project Settings.
Once this mapping has been completed and the Schedule ID column is populated in Control, you then have the option of using an XER import to update schedule values as the project progresses.
Follow the steps below to see an example of how to update schedule values through a cost item import:
Step 1
The project controller wants to import values from InEight Schedule to update her cost items in InEight Control. To prepare for the import, she first sets up her view in Control to include the columns she wants to use.
She updates the columns in the Schedule data block to include the information she wants to target. She also makes sure to include the Schedule ID column, since this will be used to map the schedule activities to cost items.
Step 2
Next she prepares a template for the import. She clicks the Export icon and selects CBS as CSV.
An Excel file downloads with the columns she had set up in her view. She will use this file as her import template.
Step 3
The project scheduler prepares to export the schedule and send it to the project controller. He notes that the schedule activities are more detailed than the cost items in the CBS.
He creates WBS summary activities for the WBS elements in the schedule. These summary activities have a unique ID and include start and finish dates based off of the subordinate schedule activities.
Step 4
The scheduler clicks the Export icon. From the export window, he selects Excel Export.
He sends the excel file to the project controller.
Step 5
The project controller joins the data from the schedule export with the data in the import template she prepared. She makes sure to include the WBS Phase Code values from Control and the Activity ID values from Schedule.
Once the import template is prepared, the project controller clicks the Import icon and selects Cost items.
Step 6
In the import window, she adds the saved import template.
Under “Cost item matching criteria,” she selects WBS Phase Code since she included those values in the import template.
Step 7
In the Map Columns window, she maps the columns from the import template to the correct Control fields. Fields marked “Blank-do not import” will not be imported.
She makes sure to map the WBS Phase Code, since she selected this as the cost item matching criteria.
Step 8
She reviews any import errors. Once all errors have been resolved, she clicks Next.
She clicks Import now to complete the import.
With the import complete, schedule values are now populated for their corresponding cost items.
Depending on your project structure, you may need to clean and/or join your data for a successful import.
Consider the following when preparing the Excel file for import:
-
Control maps imported data based on WBS Phase Code or CBS position. Ensure that at least one of these criteria is included in the source document.
-
Mapping uses Row 1 headers from the source document. Note that in the Excel file exported from InEight Schedule, rows 1-5 contain instructions.
-
Ensure that the values for “ID” are included. These are used to map cost items to schedule activities, becoming Schedule IDs within InEight Control.
XER Import
In addition to manual entry and cost item imports, you can also update schedule values by importing an XER file.
To import via XER, make sure the proper setting is enabled.
You can access this setting from the Control Project Settings under the Schedule tab.
Under Schedule data source, select XER file type.
Schedule ID values must be populated in order to complete an XER import. Schedule IDs in InEight Control correspond to Activity IDs in InEight Schedule.
Follow the steps below to see an example of an XER import:
Step 1
From InEight Schedule, the project scheduler clicks the Export icon. From the export window, he selects Primavera P6 XER.
He sends the downloaded file to the project controller.
Step 2
From InEight Control, the project controller clicks the Import icon and selects Schedule.
Step 3
A warning appears. Since she already has activity IDs populated in the Schedule ID column in Control, she clicks Yes.
Step 4
In the import window, she adds the XER file she received from the project scheduler. She confirms the options and clicks Next.
Step 5
She reviews the summary details and clicks Import.
The import window displays progress while the import is processing. In this case, the import pauses on Step 5 due to unmapped items. She clicks the link.
Step 6
From the Audit log window, she reviews the details for mapping Schedule activities to Control cost items. She makes adjustments in the Map status column.
When she’s finished, she clicks Import.
Step 7
The project controller receives a final warning before completing the import. She clicks Import.
The import completes. She can review the details of the import from the Audit Log on the Import history tab.
