Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Primavera P6

In developing a baseline schedule, creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Primavera P6 is a critical step for successfully importing the scheduling data discussed in the previous blog. This post will guide you through the process of setting up your project WBS using Primavera P6 software.

Setting Up Your Project in Primavera P6

1. Add a New Project:

   • Open Primavera P6 and navigate to the Enterprise Project Structure (EPS) where you want your project to be included.
   • Right-click on the EPS and select "Add" to create a new project.
   • Enter the project ID and name. For example, if the project start date is set to November 1, 2023, adjust the date according to your project's timeline.
   • Click "Next" and "Finish" to complete this step.

2. Open and Configure Project Details:

   • Right-click on the newly created project, select "Open," and navigate to the WBS page.
   • Refer to your WBS ID coding template that was created earlier.

Creating Your WBS in Primavera P6

1. Setting Up Levels:

   • Start by adding the level 1 WBS element, which is the project level.
   • For level 2, add five WBS elements: Milestone, General Requirements, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction. The number of WBS elements for each level will depend on your schedule requirements. Use the arrow keys on the right toolbar to organize them at the same level.
   • Enter the 2-character WBS ID and copy-paste the WBS description from Excel into Primavera P6.

2. Adding Further Levels:

   • Level 3:
     • Add WBS elements under each level-2 WBS.
     • Organize, input the WBS ID, and copy-paste the WBS descriptions as previously done.
   • Level 4:
     • Include WBS elements for discipline levels to each level-3 WBS as per the WBS ID coding template you’ve planned.
   • Level 5:
     • Add the last WBS level elements as per the WBS ID coding template.
     • If uncertain about level 5 applicability, add all elements and delete unnecessary ones later.

Importance of the WBS ID Coding System

The WBS ID coding system is crucial for developing a baseline schedule. It serves as a reference for activity codes, WBS paths, and activity IDs, facilitating the creation of an organized and manageable WBS in Primavera P6. This structured approach ensures that all project activities are clearly defined and easy to track.

By following these steps, you’ve now created a comprehensive Work Breakdown Structure in Primavera P6, making it easy to import detailed activities, cost loads, activity IDs, and activity codes, and to automatically organize activities into their corresponding WBS elements.

Note that the WBS level, the number of WBS elements, and their descriptions will always depend on scheduling requirements, project scope, or your organization’s practices.