Primavera P6 Tips That Save Project Managers Time

If you've ever worked with Primavera P6, you know it's a powerful project scheduling tool—but it can also feel a bit overwhelming. With so many features packed into one platform, it's easy to miss the small tricks that can save you real time and effort. Whether you're new to Primavera or a seasoned user, these tips will help streamline your workflow and keep your projects running smoothly.

1. Drag and Drop Activities Like a Pro

One of the simplest and most underused time-savers in Primavera P6 is the drag-and-drop feature. Instead of copying, pasting, or manually retyping data when reorganizing your schedule, just click the left edge (the "activity band") of the activity. When a small white box appears, you can drag the activity to a new location. It's fast, easy, and avoids unnecessary clicks.

2. Rearrange Columns Without the Menu

Want to change the order of your columns? Forget the menu buttons. Just click on the column header and drag it to the position you want. It might look like nothing's changed while you're dragging, but once you release the mouse, the column will jump to the new spot. It's a quick way to personalize your view without digging through menus.

3. Jump Through the Calendar Quickly

Planning a long-term project? Instead of clicking month-by-month through the calendar, try this shortcut: Click on the month name at the top of the calendar. Now, every arrow click will jump forward (or backward) by one full year. Once you reach the correct year, click the month name again to return to normal view and pick your desired date.

4. Speed Up Data Entry With Fill-Down

If you need to enter the same value across multiple fields—say, assigning the same resource or code—you don't need to copy and paste repeatedly. Select the fields using Shift, then press Ctrl+E to fill down automatically. This simple trick saves tons of time on repetitive tasks.

5. Use Finish-to-Start Relationships Smartly

To link tasks in a logical order, use the Shift key to select multiple activities in the sequence they should occur, then create a Finish-to-Start (FS) relationship. This is especially helpful when rescheduling a project or when tasks need to be dependent on each other. If the order changes, hold Ctrl while clicking activities to reorder them.

6. Add Meaningful Prefixes to Activity IDs

Activity IDs are often autogenerated, but you can make them much more useful by adding prefixes. For example, if you're working on a parking garage project, use "GAR" for related tasks (GAR1, GAR2, etc.). This helps keep activities organized and easy to search, especially in larger schedules.

7. Create Custom Units of Measure

Sometimes, you'll need to track units that aren't already defined in Primavera P6. You can add your own custom unit by going to the Administrative menu in the web version, selecting Enterprise Data, then Resources, and clicking Add. Type in your unit abbreviation and name, then hit Ctrl+S to save it. Now it's available across your projects.

Final Thoughts

These tips may seem small on their own, but together, they can shave hours off your project planning time. Primavera P6 has a steep learning curve, but learning a few shortcuts goes a long way in helping you stay efficient, accurate, and focused on what really matters—delivering successful projects on time and on budget.

For an advanced Primavera training, connect with Global PM today!