This document outlines a simple method for using Excel to detect any modifications made to activity durations or relationships between programs in Primavera P6. The method involves exporting activity and relationship data from two P6 programs into Excel sheets. Formulas like VLOOKUP are then used to compare durations and relationships across the two sheets and flag any changes. For durations, a variance column calculates differences. For relationships, a concatenated ID is created to uniquely identify each relationship for comparison. Filters can then identify which items were modified. This Excel-based method provides an accurate and time-saving alternative to Primavera's "Claim Digger" tool for analyzing changes between project schedule updates approved by engineers.

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How to detect any Modification in Durations or Activity
Relationships between programmes
Amr M. Morsy, Consolidated Contractors Company, March 2017
In Updated programmes for progress, it is not recommended to modify the Activities durations
or the Relation between them without the approval of the Engineer. So, most of the Engineer
personnel uses the Primavera Tool “Claim Digger” to detect if the Contractor had modified
durations or relations. Unfortunately, this tool consumes time and also it may not get the
required data accurately. So, there is another simple method to detect those modifications
which is using Excel files exported from Primavera P6 Programmes.
The following points illustrate how to apply these methods:
I- The Activity Durations:
1- That method is very simple, where you can export the Excel sheets for Activities
from the both P6 Programmes in comparison as shown in Figure 1
Figure 1

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2- Use one of the two sheets (for example the Excel sheet exported from the older P6
Programme Update) then insert a column beside the column of the “Original
Duration” and name it “New Original Duration” then use the functions “VLookUp” in
Excel to search for the “Original duration” related to each Activity in the other Excel
sheet through the “ Activity ID” as shown in Figure 2
Figure 2
3- Fill the column of the “New Original Duration” and then insert another column and
name it “Variance” and check in it the variance between the values in the two
columns through deducting the values in one of the columns from the other
4- Use Excel filters to check the values that changed as shown in Figure 3

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Figure 3
II- The Activity Relations:
1- Export Excel sheets from both P6 Programmes as before, but this time export Activity
Relationships instead using the template shown in Figure 4
Figure 4

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2- Previously in the case of the durations we had the Activity ID which is unique as a base for
the entire method, but in the case of the relation we have two “Activity IDs”, one for the
predecessor in the relation and one for the successor. So, to solve this issue and to get a
unique ID for each relation, the function “CONCATENATE” is the savior as it can merge the
IDs of the predecessor and the successor in each relation as shown in Figure 5, which result
in achieving the desired unique ID for each relation in both sheets.
3- Use one of the two sheets (for example the Excel sheet exported from the older P6
Programme Update) then insert a column beside the column of the “Relationship Type” and
name it “New Relationship Type” then use the functions “VLookUp” in Excel to search for
the “Relationship Type” related to each Activity Relation in the other Excel sheet through
the “CONCATENATE ID”
4- Fill the column of the “New Relationship Type” and then insert another column and name it
“Variance” and check in it the variance between the values in the two columns as shown in
Figure 6
Figure 5

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Figure 6
5- Use Excel filters to check the values in the “Variance” column, if the Value is “True”, then
the relation has not been modified, if the Value is “False”, then the Relation Type has been
modified, , if the Value is “#N/A”, then the Activity Relation has been removed as shown in
Figure 7.
Figure 7

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6- This is method can be used also to check the “Lag” in each relation as well as the “Relation
Type”.
Using Excel files exported from Primavera P6 can save a lot of time and effort in detecting the
change in durations and relationships between different programmes. So, it is better to have the
knowledge of how to use benefit from the features provided from Oracle to use link Primavera
P6 with the Excel.