Primavera P6 Project Planning Training Course

Duration 10 days 19 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Project Planner, Project Controls Engineer and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-PM-121

Before you join: Participants should understand basic project management concepts, including scope, milestones, dependencies, work packages and project reporting.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Large capital projects, shutdowns, construction programmes and technology deployments depend on schedules that show credible dates, resource demand, cost exposure and accountable ownership. Primavera P6 is widely used where a single project plan must support executive reporting, contractor coordination, change control and recovery decisions. Poorly structured schedules produce misleading critical paths, unmanageable updates and unreliable forecasts; well-built schedules provide a defensible basis for directing work.

This course teaches participants to build, update, analyse and report Primavera P6 project schedules using established planning and controls methods. Participants create enterprise and project structures, calendars, work breakdown structures, activities, logic networks, constraints, resources, costs, baselines and layouts. They apply critical path method scheduling, resource levelling, earned value management and schedule-quality checks to identify delay risks, assess progress and communicate forecast completion dates.

Instructor briefings are followed by guided system work, case-based planning tasks, group reviews and scheduling simulations. Participants work progressively on a realistic project model from the first week, then deepen it through resource loading, baseline control, updating and reporting in the second week. They leave with a complete Primavera P6 schedule pack, including a coded WBS, logic-linked programme, resource and cost plan, baseline comparison, progress update and management report.

The course suits project planners, schedulers, project controls staff, engineers, project managers and team members who contribute schedule data or need to interpret P6 outputs. It is particularly relevant to infrastructure, construction, energy, mining, manufacturing, government programmes, ICT implementation and major maintenance projects.

What you will be able to do

  • Build a Primavera P6 project schedule using WBS, activities, calendars and logic relationships
  • Configure project codes, activity codes and layouts for controlled schedule reporting
  • Apply critical path method calculations to analyse float, critical activities and completion risk
  • Resource-load activities and perform resource levelling using P6 allocation tools
  • Develop cost-loaded schedules, budgets and cash flow profiles from activity assignments
  • Create and maintain baselines for progress measurement, variance analysis and change control
  • Update schedules using status dates, actuals, remaining durations and forecast logic
  • Produce a complete P6 schedule pack with reports, dashboards and management recommendations

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build credible logic-linked schedules rather than static activity lists
  • Interpret critical path, total float and schedule risk indicators
  • Produce P6 reports suitable for project managers and senior stakeholders
  • Control baseline changes and explain schedule variance with evidence
  • Contribute confidently to contractor schedule reviews and recovery planning

For your organisation

  • Improves consistency of schedules used for governance and delivery decisions
  • Provides earlier visibility of critical-path delays and resource conflicts
  • Strengthens baseline control for contractual reporting and change management
  • Produces more reliable completion forecasts, cash flow and resource demand
  • Creates common P6 planning practices across projects and delivery teams

Course modules

19 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain how P6 structures projects, users, data and reporting responsibility.

  • Primavera P6 database concepts, modules, user preferences and project access
  • Enterprise Project Structure hierarchy aligned with portfolios, programmes and projects
  • Organisational Breakdown Structure ownership for project managers and responsible managers
  • Project controls cycle from planning through updating, forecasting and reporting
  • Project Security Profiles and access rights for controlled schedule data
  • Opening projects, layouts and views within the P6 Professional interface

Participants can configure planning structures that support consistent schedule classification and reporting.

  • Enterprise Project Structure nodes created for portfolio and programme reporting
  • Project codes classify projects by client, region, phase and sponsor
  • Activity codes support filtering, grouping and responsibility-based schedule analysis
  • Resource codes classify labour, plant, materials and specialist capability
  • Global, project and resource calendars define workable time assumptions
  • Calendar exceptions model holidays, shutdowns, shifts and weather allowances

Participants can create a P6 project and develop a control-oriented work breakdown structure.

  • New project settings establish planned dates, responsible manager and defaults
  • Work Breakdown Structure developed from scope, deliverables and control accounts
  • WBS dictionary records work-package purpose, boundaries and accountable ownership
  • Milestones positioned at approvals, handovers, contractual dates and decision gates
  • Project phases reflected through WBS levels rather than activity naming
  • OBS assignments connect WBS elements with responsible management roles

Participants can define activities at a level suitable for control, updating and reporting.

  • Activity types selected for task dependent, resource dependent and milestone work
  • Activity naming conventions distinguish deliverable, action, location and discipline
  • Original duration estimates derived from production rates and work quantities
  • Duration type settings control recalculation of units, duration and resource assignments
  • Activity steps capture measurable internal work without distorting schedule logic
  • Codes assign discipline, area, contractor, risk category and reporting package

Participants can create logic-linked schedules and interpret critical path calculations.

  • Finish-to-start relationships model successor work after predecessor completion
  • Start-to-start and finish-to-finish relationships model concurrent controlled work
  • Leads and lags applied only where physical or contractual logic supports
  • Precedence diagramming method exposes sequence, interfaces and parallel work
  • Data date and forward pass calculations determine early activity dates
  • Backward pass calculations establish late dates, float and critical path
  • Relationship tabs and network views identify missing or suspect logic

Participants can control schedule dates without obscuring valid network logic.

  • Mandatory constraints distinguished from soft constraints and target dates
  • Start-on and finish-on constraints assessed for critical path distortion
  • Deadline dates flag target breaches without forcing activity schedule dates
  • Negative float investigated through logic, constraints, calendars and imposed dates
  • Schedule Quality Assessment checks open ends, long durations and excessive lags
  • Constraint logs document rationale, approval authority and removal conditions

Participants can produce an initial integrated schedule for review with delivery stakeholders.

  • WBS activities sequenced into an integrated scope-to-handover project programme
  • Calendars assigned according to work patterns, shifts and contractual assumptions
  • Milestone dates tested against contractual commitments and approval lead times
  • Critical path reviewed for constructability, procurement and commissioning interfaces
  • Longest path analysis identifies completion drivers beyond simple float values
  • Schedule narratives record assumptions, exclusions, risks and key dates

Participants can assign resources and roles to create an auditable resource-loaded schedule.

  • Resource dictionary defines labour, equipment, material and non-labour resources
  • Roles represent planned capability before named resource assignment decisions
  • Resource calendars capture availability, shift patterns and planned absences
  • Activity assignments specify budgeted units, rates and planned usage
  • Units per time values model crew productivity and resource demand
  • Resource curves distribute planned units using front-loaded or back-loaded profiles

Participants can identify overallocations and use P6 levelling options responsibly.

  • Resource usage profiles reveal daily, weekly and monthly demand peaks
  • Histograms compare planned demand against maximum availability and capacity
  • Overallocation analysis identifies competing activities and constrained specialist resources
  • Resource levelling priorities use total float, activity priority and dates
  • Levelling options reviewed for delays, splits and imposed constraint effects
  • Manual resource smoothing balances demand while protecting contractual milestones

Participants can develop cost-loaded schedules that support budget and cash flow forecasting.

  • Expense items capture subcontract, procurement and fixed activity expenditure
  • Resource rates calculate labour, plant and material assignment costs
  • Cost accounts structure budgets by control account, discipline and cost category
  • Budgeted cost fields reconcile activity estimates with approved project budgets
  • Cash flow curves show planned expenditure by reporting period
  • Cost loading assumptions documented for procurement, escalation and contingency treatment

Participants can establish baselines and control authorised schedule changes in P6.

  • Baseline schedule approved after scope, logic and resource review
  • Primary baseline selected for planned-versus-current date and cost comparison
  • Secondary baselines preserve tender, approved and recovery programme versions
  • Baseline bars display original commitments against current forecast dates
  • Change control records scope, logic, duration and resource impacts
  • Baseline update rules distinguish authorised changes from performance variance

Participants can update a P6 schedule using controlled progress data and a status date.

  • Data date set to the agreed reporting cut-off date
  • Actual start and actual finish dates recorded from verified evidence
  • Remaining duration updates reflect realistic work, constraints and productivity
  • Physical percent complete measured against defined activity completion criteria
  • Duration percent complete used where elapsed time represents credible progress
  • Progress override versus retained logic assessed for update policy compliance
  • Out-of-sequence progress investigated before publishing revised completion forecasts

Participants can diagnose forecast slippage and prepare evidence-based recovery actions.

  • Variance analysis compares current dates against approved baseline commitments
  • Critical path changes traced through updated logic, durations and constraints
  • Total float trends identify weakening schedule contingency before milestone breach
  • Delay analysis separates completed impacts from forecast risks and assumptions
  • Recovery options assess resequencing, acceleration, additional resources and scope changes
  • Time impact analysis models prospective changes within an approved programme

Participants can configure and interpret earned value measures for schedule and cost performance.

  • Earned value techniques selected for milestones, physical progress and apportioned effort
  • Budget at Completion derived from baseline resource and expense costs
  • Planned Value, Earned Value and Actual Cost calculated by status date
  • Schedule Performance Index indicates progress achieved against planned work
  • Cost Performance Index indicates cost efficiency of completed work
  • Estimate at Completion forecasts final cost using current performance indices

Participants can create P6 layouts that present the right schedule information to each audience.

  • Activity layouts configured with grouped WBS, codes and responsibility fields
  • Filters isolate critical activities, late work, milestones and incomplete tasks
  • Grouping and sorting reveal contractor, discipline, area and phase performance
  • Columns selected for dates, float, resources, costs and baseline variance
  • Bars and timescale settings create readable Gantt chart presentations
  • Layout standards preserve controlled views for planners, managers and clients

Participants can produce decision-focused schedule outputs from P6 data.

  • Project reports present milestones, critical path, progress and forecast completion
  • Resource reports identify planned demand, availability gaps and overallocation periods
  • Cost reports summarise budgets, actuals, commitments and forecast expenditure
  • Activity usage spreadsheets provide time-phased units, costs and earned value
  • Executive dashboards focus attention on exceptions, decisions and accountable actions
  • Schedule narrative explains status, variances, risks and recovery recommendations

Participants can exchange schedule data while protecting coding, logic and baseline integrity.

  • XER exports transfer P6 projects, calendars, codes and resource assignments
  • XML exports support controlled exchange with compatible enterprise systems
  • Microsoft Excel imports update activity data using structured templates
  • Import logs reviewed for rejected records, duplicate codes and mapping errors
  • Schedule data dictionaries define mandatory fields, formats and ownership
  • Version control protects approved files and traceable schedule submissions

Participants can apply governance controls that improve schedule reliability and auditability.

  • DCMA 14-Point Assessment tests logic, lags, constraints and float
  • Schedule health checks examine missing predecessors, successors and invalid dates
  • Update calendars define reporting cut-offs, validation steps and approval routes
  • Planning procedures assign responsibility for inputs, review and publication
  • Coding standards support portfolio roll-up, audit trails and comparative reporting
  • Issue registers track data defects, corrective actions and closure evidence

Participants can build, review and present a complete P6 schedule pack for a controlled project.

  • Project scope converted into WBS, activities, milestones and accountability assignments
  • Logic-linked programme tested using critical path, float and schedule-quality indicators
  • Resources, expenses and cost accounts assigned to control budgeted work
  • Approved baseline compared with updated progress and forecast completion dates
  • Management report presents variances, risks, recovery actions and decision requests
  • Peer review challenges schedule logic, constraints, assumptions and reporting clarity

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Primavera P6 project setup checklist
  2. WBS and activity coding template
  3. Logic-linked resource-loaded schedule model
  4. Baseline and change-control register
  5. Schedule update and variance-analysis checklist
  6. Management schedule-reporting pack

Who should attend

  • Project Planner — builds and maintains detailed delivery schedules
  • Project Controls Engineer — integrates schedule, cost, progress and performance data
  • Project Manager — needs reliable forecasts and actionable recovery information
  • Construction Manager — coordinates contractors, interfaces and site production commitments
  • Engineering Manager — plans design deliverables, approvals and procurement dependencies
  • PMO Analyst — standardises schedule structures, reporting and governance controls

Skills and tools covered

P6 schedule developmentCritical path analysisResource loadingBaseline controlProgress updatingProject controls reporting

Tools and standards

Oracle Primavera P6 Professional, Critical Path Method, Earned Value Management, DCMA 14-Point Assessment

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course combines short instructor briefings with guided Primavera P6 configuration and scheduling work. Participants build a project model in stages, using realistic cases involving engineering deliverables, procurement, construction interfaces and progress reporting. Group reviews test logic, constraints, resource assignments and baseline variance explanations. Scheduling simulations introduce delayed activities, changed scope and resource conflicts. Facilitated application planning helps participants map course methods to their own project controls environment, reporting cycles and schedule governance requirements.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic project management concepts, including scope, milestones, dependencies, work packages and project reporting. Experience reading a Gantt chart or contributing to a project plan is helpful. Familiarity with Microsoft Project is useful but not assumed. Participants should be comfortable using Windows-based business software and working with dates, spreadsheets and structured data. No prior Primavera P6 experience is required, and no programming, database administration or advanced mathematics knowledge is needed. The course explains P6 planning concepts before applying them in the software.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

No. The course begins with the P6 interface, enterprise structures and project setup before moving into schedule development and controls. You should understand basic project concepts such as tasks, milestones and dependencies.

Bring a laptop if your booking confirmation requests one, plus examples of schedules, reporting requirements or planning problems from your work. Training materials and access to the required course software environment are provided for course activities.

It is designed for planners, schedulers, project controls staff, engineers, project managers and PMO personnel. It is most useful for people who build, update, review or rely on detailed project schedules.

General project management courses cover broad delivery methods, governance and leadership. This course concentrates on building and controlling detailed schedules in Primavera P6, including logic, resources, costs, baselines, updating and reporting.

You can use the schedule structures, coding rules, update checklist and report formats on an active project. The course also provides methods for reviewing contractor schedules, identifying weak logic and explaining forecast variance to management.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week builds a logic-linked, resource-loaded schedule; the second week covers baselines, updates, analysis, reporting, governance and the final schedule-pack presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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