What are Primavera P6 activity codes and why are they used?
Primavera P6 activity codes are special values assigned to each activity that allows the user to organize and later navigate through these sets of project data, as well as report activity status or other relevant information by referencing their values.
The main use of Primavera P6 activity codes is allowing the scheduler and project manager to classify, organize and further filter, group and sort the activities in the schedule created with the Primavera P6 software.
Types of Primavera P6 activity codes
In general, there are three types of activity codes in Primavera P6:
- Global Activity codes,
- Enterprise or Activity codes on EPS-Level,
- Project or Activity codes on Project-Level.
Global activity codes can be assigned to activities across all projects within the project schedule.
EPS-Level activity codes can only be assigned to the EPS, the enterprise project structure, and its nodes. They are mainly used to limit the accessibility of certain users and projects, to the activities withing the EPS Codes, as well as to establish standardized codes for a group of projects.
Project-Level codes are unique codes that can only be assigned on the project under which they were created. Users can assign up to 500 project codes, as opposed to the no-limitation on the other two types of activity codes.
Coding of activities can be easily and straightforwardly applied in small projects, but as a project grows in complexity and size, a systematic approach is advised.
Activity codes can also cause a number of complications such as duplicate values, when project data is moved between different Primavera systems, due to the characteristics of the three different types of data mentioned above. Therefore, it is important to carefully determine their type and properly assign them in the schedule logic.
Mitigating problems caused by transfer of activity codes
In general Activity code data can exist on two levels, Global and Project. The EPS Activity codes fall under the Global data and hence have the same properties.
Global data can be used and applied to all projects within the schedule. As this data exists outside of individual projects it will not be deleted if a project is removed.
In addition to activity codes, a scheduler can utilize resource and role information from a global data perspective.
Project-based data on the other hand is unique and assigned on individual project level. Any changes and modifications to this data need to be made when the project is opened, and they apply on the specific project only.
During the import of an XER file into a database, a problem can occur if an Activity Code with the same name and format (Global), is present in both the schedule and database.
A useful tool that can help convert Global data onto Project level is ScheduleCleaner.
How can ScheduleCleaner help?
ScheduleCleaner creates a modified copy of an existing project file on which users can apply different modifications, based on their needs and preferences.
With ScheduleCleaner different data from a Primavera P6 schedule in the .xer and .xml file formats can be removed, converted or anonymized.
The steps are rather simple, and you can see them in the following video, showcasing how to convert Global activity codes to Project level:
This action will result in keeping data unique at Project level and will prevent further conflict with any Global data from the P6 database after an import is made.
Apart from Activity Codes, Calendars can also be converted in ScheduleCleaner by selecting the “Convert Calendars” option and selecting “Clean”. The steps are also simple and intuitive and can be seen in this video:
Ready to try? You can request a free ScheduleCleaner trial and test and evaluate all the options!
Activity Codes in a Primavera Schedule
Global, EPS, and Project Based Codes are all significant elements of the Primavera P6 schedule. Understanding these activity codes is pivotal for utilizing the full potential of this robust project management software solution.
Activity codes enable teams to analyze, organize, and categorize project data with precision and clarity. By effectively implementing the Activity Codes, project professionals can streamline scheduling, resource allocation and reporting processes.
It is also vital to have a clear picture of what activity codes are imported in Primavera P6 and how it is reflected in the new database. Utilizing additional software such as ScheduleCleaner can help in mitigating problems caused by transfer of activity codes.
Start saving time spent on manual cleaning of your .xer files today – request a free ScheduleCleaner trial and keep your project data unique!