A student at one of my Primavera P6 classes recently asked whether it is possible to assign multiple roles to a single resource. Let’s take a look at this.
Primavera P6 Professional has roles that schedulers use to define specific trade skills, such as plumber, pipe fitter, or pipe insulator. These roles are stored in the database. The project manager then assigns these roles to specific schedule activities.
Later the line manager assigns an appropriate resource to each of these activity roles. When the resource assignment is made, only resources that have the respective role assignment appear in the list of available resources. The outstanding question is can a single resource wear multiple hats, i.e. can a single resource have more than one role?
This article demonstrates assignment of multiple roles to a single resource in Primavera P6 Professional.
We have our demonstration resource database in Figure 1.
Figure 1
From the list of resources we choose Curt Cousins and in the bottom details roles tab we note that Curt Cousins is currently assigned the pipe fitter role. Continuing in the bottom details roles tab we select assign, Figure 1. In the assign roles dialog filter by all roles, Figure 2.
Figure 2
Select the plumber and pipe insulator roles and assign, Figure 3.
Figure 3
Now Curt Cousins has multiple roles (pipe fitter, plumber, and pipe insulator), which answers our student’s question. Note that pipe fitter is Curt Cousin’s primary role, Figure 4.
Figure 4
Pipe fitter is therefore the default role whenever Curt Cousin is assigned to an activity.
As stated above the regular regime is to first assign roles to an activity and later make the individual resource assignment. It is possible, however, to bypass the role and directly assign a resource to an activity; provided you know the person performing the work. In our schedule situation we bypass the roles and we highlight insulate piping and select add resource in the bottom details resources tab, Figure 5.
Figure 5
In the list of resources we choose Curt Cousins, Figure 6.
Figure 6
In Figure 7 we see that Curt Cousins is assigned to the insulate piping activity as a pipe fitter, which is Curt Cousins primary role.
Figure 7
Well, this is an insulate piping activity, so we need to assign a pipe insulator to this activity. Click the pipe fitter role cell, Figure 8, and the select role dialog appears.
Figure 8
Choose pipe insulator and assign, Figure 9.
Figure 9
Now Figure 10 displays the Curt Cousins resource and proper pipe insulator role assignment for the insulate piping activity.
Figure 10
You may note that the budgeted cost of the activity remains the same despite the role switch. This is because each resource has one pay rate. Therefore, Curt Cousin’s pay rate is the same regardless of his role: pipe fitter, plumber, or pipe insulator.
Let’s repeat our insulate piping assignment starting with a role. In Figure 11 we select add role in the bottom details resources tab.
Figure 11
In Figure 12 we assign the pipe insulator role to insulate piping.
Figure 12
Figure 13 displays the pipe insulator role assignment.
Figure 13
Now we assign a resource by role, Figure 14.
Figure 14
In the assign resources by role dialog we choose Curt Cousins, Figure 15.
Figure 15
In Figure 16 we have Curt Cousins assigned to the insulate piping activity as a pipe insulator.
Figure 16
Note that when this resource assignment was made the budgeted cost of the insulate piping activity increased from $1,440 to $1,680. This is because the pipe fitter role has a pay rate of $60 per hour, and Curt Cousins has a pay rate of $70 per hour. The resource pay rate takes precedence over the skill trade pay rate when it is assigned to an activity role.
Summary
The answer to our students question is, yes, in Primavera P6 multiple roles can be assigned to a single resource. A resource therefore may wear multiple hats. A resource also has a primary role, which is the default role when the respective resource is assigned to an activity.
It is also important to note that each resource has one pay rate. So the resource is assigned one pay rate, regardless of which role is assigned. And the resource pay rate takes precedence over the role pay rate when it is assigned to an activity.