Duration Types in P6
Duration types are of 4 types such as Fixed Duration & Units, Fixed Duration & Units/Time, Fixed Units, Fixed Units/Time.
Quick recognition of Activity Duration type with Activity type
1. Fixed duration & Units:
Choose this type if schedule is more important. The activities duration doesn’t change regardless of the number of resources assigned when you modify or update activities. Fixed duration & units is the default one among these four types. It is the task dependent activity type because it mainly depends on the activity calendar. In this type the duration & units are fixed.
2. Fixed duration &units/time:
It is also a task dependent activity. In this type the duration and the units /time is fixed. It uses the activity calendar.
3. Fixed Units:
Choose this type when the total work effort or fixed costs are most important. It indicates budget (unit/cost) is the limiting factor. i.e. the total amount of work is fixed. When you update activities, the work effort required to complete the activity doesn’t change even if the activities duration or the resource rate changes. It is a resource dependent activity and it performs according to the resource calendar.
4. Fixed Units /Time:
If the resource availability is most important then this type is selected. In this type unit/time or rate of the resource remains constant even if the activity’s duration or work effort changes. It is also a resource dependent activity and it performs according to the resource calendar.
Duration Type is a setting which allows the user to control how the duration, resource units, and resource units/time are synchronized for Activities, so that the following equation is always true:
Duration x Units/Time = Duration
If the activity is not started, the values are:
Original Duration x Budgeted Units/Time = Budgeted Units
If the activity has started, the names of the values are:
Remaining Duration x Remaining Units/Time = Remaining Units
The following table lists the value that changes to balance the equation
Duration x Units/Time = Units whenever one of the variables is changed.
Duration type is the basis for estimating the selected activity’s completion time. It determines whether the schedule, resource availability, or costs are most important when updating activities. The duration type applies only when you have resources assigned to the activity.