Introduction to SureTrak Project Manager

Aim: To familiarize with Sure Trak Project Management Software (Version: Primavera
3.0
Oracle's Primavera SureTrak Project Manger 3.0 is a project management software that is ideal
for resource planning and control on small- to medium-sized projects. A Project is a set of
operations or activities to be completed in a logical order. A schedule is an attempt to model
these activities and their relationships. These operations take time to complete and may use
resources that have limited availability. Primavera Sure Trak project planner allows user to:
1. Enter the breakdown structure of the project(WBS or PBS) into the software
2. Assign durations, constraints, predecessors, successors of the activities and then calculate the
start and finish dates of all activities
3. Assign resources, which represent people, equipment or materials, to the activities and
calculate the project resource requirements.
4. Set target dates and budgets to compare progress against.
5. Record the actual progress of activities of the original plan and amend the plan when required
6. Record the consumption of resources and re-estimate the resources required to complete the
project
7. Prepare project management reports.
There are four modes or levels in which Sure Trak planning and the scheduling software may be
used.
Level 1. Planing without resources
Level 2. Traking Progress without resources
Level 3. Planing with resources
Level 4. Traking progress with resources
There are three methods of creating a new project in Sure Trak
1. Use a template that contains default data and formats.
2. Copy an old project and modify it.
3. Use the Sure Trak Project KickStart Wizard.
Sure Trak will work with four file types
1. Sure Trak is the standard format for the Sure Trak files in a single project environment
(without sub-projects) and allows Long File Names.
2. Project Groups is used when there are a number of projects sharing the same resources or
projects that need to be managed or reported as a group, and this file type should have exactly
four characters in the file name.
3. Concentric (P3) is used when it is required to share a project or project group with P3 users
and this file type must have exactly four characters in the file name.
4. MPX is a Microsoft Project text data format.

Setting SureTrak Options

The option form may be opened before a project is opened and the Project and Resource defaults
set and these two will apply to all new projects created from a template.
1. Project Options

Display style is the format used to display durations in bar chart columns. Select days unless
more detailed planning are required.

Float style is the format displaying the float.

Default activity type is the format in which durations are entered via keyboard. If day is selected
as the default then duration of 2 days should be entered as 2 (without the d) and a 2 hr duration
should be entered as 2h. and vice versa if Hours are selected as Default type.
Default activity type should be set as Task unless advanced resource calculations are required.

2. Resource options

Resource options affect how the software calculates the percentages, remaining durations and
costs.
When the Link remaining duration and schedule percent complete is checked then the
remaining duration and percent complete will change proportionally. It is the only option that
affect the calculation of schedules without resources. It is suggested that it is left unchecked.
3. System Default Options

Starting SureTrak
The program is started by double clicking the Sure Trak icon

Adding New Projects

Use a long file name for Sure Trak file type. Must be exactly four characters when the Project
Groups or Concentric type is selected.
Select a project template. Template holds default calendars, resources, activity codes, activities,
relationships and resource assignments.
Planning units of days or hours is selected for concentric and project groups type files. A Sure
Trak Project calculates in hours and the duration may be displayed in days or hours.
Add this new project to a project group allows the creation of a project as a member of a project
gruop. Select the project group as the type and assign a two character ID that must start with a
letter.
Start Date: The Sure Trak will not schedule before this date
Must finish by is an optional field.
Primavera SureTrak Exercise1
Aim: To study the project planning and scheduling without resources using Primavera Sure Trak
3.0
1. Create a new project in SureTrak using the following data:

2. Create the following codes to the activity codes dictionary

3. Define Calendars
Calendars are used to model holidays and other non-work period times. There are two types of
calendars; the Global Calendar and specific user defined Base calendars. The Global Calendar
affects all other calendars and all standard holidays. Typical calendars might be five day and six
day work weeks. This is also where we define how many hours are available per day. Base
calendars are assigned to Activities.

4. Add the following activities to the new project.

5. Organizing and Sorting Activities

Choose Format, Organize

Choose the first Group By cell
Right Click on the cell or choose the down arrow from the edit bar to bring up a pick list
Select the Data Item from the pick list
Activity Codes are listed at the top of the pick list
Specify sort order in the Sort By cell
Click OK

5. Creating Logic

SureTrak Relationships

Predecessor Controls the start or finish of another activity. Successor an activity

whose start or finish dependant on another activity

Finish-To-Start (FS) -The succeeding activity can start immediately after the
predecessor finishes

Start-To-Start (SS) -The successor activity can start immediately when the
predecessor starts

Usually modeled with lag time

Finish-To-Finish (FF) - The successor activity can finish immediately when the
predecessor finishes

Usually modeled with lag time

Lag An Offset or Delay between a predecessor and successor to
further define the relationship

Assigning Relationships in SureTrak

There are 3 Methods of Assigning Relationships

Method 1 (Graphically In Pert)

Choose View, Pert
Use the pitchfork to draw the relationship from the start or finish of the
Predecessor to the start or finish of the Successor based on the relationship type
Click the Relationship Line with the pitchfork to Edit, Specify Lag or Delete
the relationship.

Choose Format, Reorganize Now to organize your Logic Diagram

Method 2 (Using Predecessor or Successor Detail windows)

Open the Activity Detail form for Predecessors and/or Successors.
Right click in the table area, choose activity detail, then the appropriate form or
choose Details from the Activity Form and the appropriate form.
Enter the Predecessor or Successor for the selected activity and specify
Relationship Type and Lag
Method 3 (Series Link)
Highlight a list of activities in the Activity Table
Choose Edit, Link Activities
Note: This will add an FS relationship between each activity in the order the
activities appear vertically on the activity table.

6. Add the following logic between your activities.

7. Assigning Constraints
With Detail Form:
o Right Click on the activity, select Activity Detail, Constraints.
With Drag and Drop:
o Put curser over Activity until you see the + sign. click and drag activity to the
desired date.
Choose to Apply the Constraint

8. Creating and using Resources

A resource may be defined as something or someone that is assigned to an activity and is
required to complete the task. This includes people, group of people, material, equipment,
access, plant, money.

Driving Resource: When a driving resource is assigned to an activity it will determine the
duration of the activity and will over ride the duration entered in the task form. When there is
more than one driving resource then duration of the longest
resource will determine the length of the activity.
Non-driving Resource: Non-driving resource has no effect on the duration enterd in the task
form
It is recommended that all resources are entered as non-driving type unless scheduling
requirements dictate that driving resources are required.
Creating Resources

Add the following resources to the new project by adding them to the resource dictionary

Assigning resources to activities

8. Scheduling the Project

Now that you have activities and logic in place, it is time to calculate the activity dates. More
specifically, you will Schedule the project to calculate the Early Dates, Late Dates and the Total
Float. This will allow you to determine the Critical Path of the project. To schedule your project,
select Tools, Schedule, to open the Schedule form and check that the Project data date is correct. If
you know that your data date is correct and Automatic Schedule Calculation is set to Off, then
click on the icon to schedule the project.

9.

9
Results: The project planning and scheduling without resources using Primavera Sure
Trak 3.0 software are studied.

NO: 2
Exercise-I-Project Planning & Scheduling without Resources
Project definition: Installation of air pollution control equipment requires the following activities.

i. Identify the critical path

ii. Calculate the planned duration of the project in months
iii. Identify any non-critical tasks and the float on each