Desktop P6 Professional workflow. Menu labels are aligned with Oracle’s current Version 26 help; older 24.x deployments may show minor wording or privilege differences.
Key takeaways
- Define resource, role, rate, cost-account, and calendar governance before loading assignments.
- Test duration-type and recalculation behavior on a small sample.
- Reconcile time-phased schedule costs with the approved control budget and accounting period.
Separate quantity, productivity, time, and price
Budgeted units describe planned quantity or effort; units per time describe planned intensity; duration describes the work window; rates convert assignments to cost. Reconcile the four instead of using one field to force another.
Protect controlled financial data
Privileges and views may hide costs. Exchange files can also carry resource and rate references. Use least privilege, approved rate sources, effective dates, accrual rules, and a reconciliation to the cost system.
Load and validate a resource assignment
Use a controlled sample activity to prove calculation behavior first.
Menu path: Enterprise > Resources; Project > Activities > Activity Details > Resources
Before you start
- Approved resource and role dictionary
- Rates and effective dates
- Cost accounts
- Duration-type policy
- Financial-data privileges
Validate the resource record
Confirm resource ID, name, type, role, calendar, price per unit, effective dates, and organizational ownership.
Verify: The record matches the approved source and is not a duplicate.
Check activity calculation settings
Review activity type, duration type, calendar, and percent-complete type before assigning resources.
Verify: Expected duration, units, and units-per-time behavior is documented.
Assign resource or role
Open Activity Details > Resources and assign the governed record.
Verify: The intended resource appears once and inherits the expected rate source.
Enter units and rate basis
Enter budgeted units, units per time, rate source, and curve or future-period distribution as required.
Verify: Total units and cost reconcile mathematically to the planning basis.
Test recalculation
Change one controlled input in a test copy and observe how duration, units, and cost respond.
Verify: Behavior matches the duration-type policy before bulk loading.
Reconcile time-phased output
Review resource usage and cost spreadsheets by period and cost account.
Verify: Totals reconcile to the approved budget and reporting calendar.
Field-ready control
Resource and cost loading check
- Resource identity and type correct
- Calendar and rate effective date correct
- Activity duration type verified
- Units and units/time supported
- Rate source disclosed
- Curve or future buckets reviewed
- Costs reconcile to control budget
- Privileges protect sensitive data
Common questions
Why did duration change when I edited resource units?
P6 duration type and assignment settings govern how duration, units, and units per time synchronize. Reproduce the behavior in a test copy and document the project standard.
Sources and scope
Follow the reference trail.
This guide is original educational commentary. Kairos reference records identify the source organizations, editions and scope behind this guidance. The original publishers retain their publications and rights.
Primavera P6 Professional User Guide, Version 26Oracle · checked 2026-08-01Schedule Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Project SchedulesU.S. Government Accountability Office · checked 2026-08-01