Project Scheduler: user manual

Project Scheduler calculates schedules with the same critical path method (CPM) as Primavera P6: a forward and a backward pass, total and free float, the four relationship types with lags, calendars and constraints. If you know P6, the logic will feel familiar.

Practise planning on real schedule logic. Everything runs in your browser. Your files stay on your device.

1. Quick start (10 minutes)

1. Click New on the top bar. Give the project a name and a start date.
2. Set the working calendar first (section 2).
3. On the Schedule tab click Add WBS to create phases, then Add activity inside them.
4. Double-click a cell in the table to type a name or duration. Select an activity and open Relationships at the bottom to link it.
5. Click Schedule (or press F9). Dates, float and the critical path (red) recalculate.

2. Calendars and working hours

Where: open the Calendars tab. Each calendar is a card.

• Work days and hours: tick the days that are working days. Set Start, Break from, Break to and Finish for each day. Untick a day to make it a non-working day.
• Hours per day: the number used to convert hours into days (for example 8). Match it to your calendar so durations in days read correctly.
• Holidays and exceptions: choose a From date (and optionally a To date) and click Add holiday. Remove one with the x beside it.
• Project default calendar: click Use as project default on the calendar you want. New activities use it.
• Different calendar for one activity: select the activity, open the General tab at the bottom and change Calendar. Use this for 7-day concrete curing, wet-season weeks or crews on different rosters.
• Add or copy: Add calendar creates a new one from the default. Duplicate copies a card.

Why it matters: durations count only working time. A 5-day activity starting Wednesday finishes the following Tuesday on a Monday to Friday calendar, but finishes on Sunday on a 7-day calendar.

3. Activities and logic

• Types: Task (has duration), Start milestone and Finish milestone (zero duration).
• Relationships: Finish to Start (FS) is the default and should be about 90 percent of your links. SS, FF and SF exist for overlaps. A lag adds waiting time. Avoid negative lags (leads).
• Loop protection: the tool refuses a link that would create a circular logic loop.
• Missing logic: every activity needs a predecessor and a successor, except the first and last. Check this on Reports.

4. Constraints

Select an activity, open Constraints. Start on or after and Finish on or before are the safest. Mandatory Start and Mandatory Finish override logic and can create negative float. Use them sparingly and explain each one.

5. Float and the critical path

Total float is how long an activity can slip without delaying the finish. Zero or negative float is critical. Free float is how long it can slip without delaying its successor. Choose how float is measured and the critical threshold under Project settings.

6. Updating progress

1. Open Update progress. Set the Data date (the date progress is reported up to).
2. For each activity enter the actual start, percent done or remaining duration, and tick Finished when complete.
3. Click Close update and record progress. Your progress is added to the S-curve.

Out-of-sequence progress is handled by Retained logic (keeps the logic) or Progress override (ignores it). Choose in Project settings.

7. Baseline

When your plan is agreed click Save baseline. Tick Baseline in the toolbar to show grey baseline bars under each activity. Reports then show slip against baseline.

8. Reports

• Key figures: data date, forecast finish, progress, critical count.
• S-curve: planned, baseline and recorded progress.
• Schedule health: checks such as missing logic, leads, lags, hard constraints, high float and negative float.
• Critical activities and a two-week look-ahead.

9. Files in and out

• Open accepts Primavera XER files (choose the project if the file holds several), Excel workbooks and .bap.json project files.
• Save exports XER, Excel or a project file. XER and project files keep everything. Excel keeps activities, links and dates but not calendars or constraints in full.
• Excel format: an Activities sheet (ID, name, duration, predecessors such as A1010FS+2d) and optionally a Relationships sheet.

10. Print and PDF

Click Print for an on-screen preview. Choose paper size (A4, A3, Letter) and whether to show all or critical activities only. Then Save PDF or Print. Collapse WBS rows first to print a summary.

11. Demo and licence

Without a key the Scheduler runs in demo mode: view the example, build up to 100 activities, no opening, saving, exporting or printing. Click the licence badge at the top right and enter the email you enrolled with and your access key to unlock everything for one year.

12. Shortcuts and tips

• F9 recalculates. Ctrl+P opens print preview. Esc closes dialogs.
• Drag a XER or Excel file onto the window to open it.
• Use the Show filter for critical, in-progress, negative-float or look-ahead views.
• Use Zoom for days, weeks, months or quarters.

13. Part of one system

Become a Planner teaches the discipline and includes this Scheduler. AI Project Controls Science (AIPCS) applies it to live capital projects with AI generating the baseline and a qualified professional accepting, adjusting or rejecting every output.

13. How it compares with Primavera P6

The same: critical path method, forward and backward pass, total and free float, FS, SS, FF and SF relationships with lags, activity calendars, constraints, baselines and XER import and export.

Different: this is not a copy of P6 and not every P6 feature is included. Resource levelling, resource and cost loading, user-defined fields and multi-project enterprise structures are outside its scope. Results can differ from P6 where P6 scheduling options differ, for example how out-of-sequence progress is handled. Check any file you rely on professionally against P6.

Primavera and P6 are trademarks of Oracle. Project Scheduler is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Oracle.

This is a training tool. Confirm live project results in your organisation's approved scheduling software.