Advanced Planning Analytics

Earned Value Management is best understood when you work through the story behind the numbers.

During this recent EVM 101 course, we moved beyond memorizing formulas and used a practical project exercise to connect scope, schedule, cost, progress, and forecasting. By the end, the students could see how EVM helps answer the questions every project team needs to understand:

Are we truly on budget?
Are we progressing as planned?
What is the project likely to cost at completion?

I’ll be offering additional instructor-led EVM courses for project controls professionals, schedulers, cost engineers, project managers, and anyone ready to build a practical understanding of earned value.

Interested in attending an upcoming course or arranging private training for your organization?
Register Here:
https://www.advancedplanninganalytics.com/p6-advanced-evm.html

📊 Learn Primavera P6 the way it’s used on real projects.

Our Primavera P6 Scheduling Training goes beyond software basics. Learn practical planning, CPM scheduling, logic development, progress updates, and project controls techniques used across Data Centers, EPC, Oil & Gas, and industrial projects.

Whether you're building your P6 skills or looking to move into a scheduling role, this course is designed around real-world application — not just theory.

📅 Register today or DM me for upcoming course dates. Also check calendar dates on th website.
https://www.advancedplanninganalytics.com/p6-sign-up.html

One year ago, AI failed.

I published a video showing my attempt to teach AI how to generate a Primavera P6 XER file. The concept worked... but the XER didn't.

Primavera P6's XER format turned out to be far more complex than expected, with undocumented rules, strict table relationships, and import requirements that AI simply couldn't figure out on its own.

Instead of giving up, I spent the next year reverse engineering the XER format, testing dozens of schedules, identifying import rules, and iteratively teaching AI what Primavera actually expects.

Today, things have changed.

🎥 The Revenge of AI: We Finally Built a Working Primavera P6 XER

In this video, I compare where we started, what went wrong, what we learned, and demonstrate AI successfully generating a Primavera P6 XER that imports into P6.

This wasn't about replacing schedulers—it was about understanding the file format deeply enough to use AI as a development partner.

I think this is a glimpse into where project controls is heading. AI won't replace experienced planners and schedulers, but those who learn to leverage AI effectively will gain a significant advantage.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you experimented with AI in Primavera P6, scheduling, or project controls?

https://youtu.be/-Qf8soY7qt8?si=DqxyyqpKNmBYFjUq

🚀 Expand Your Primavera P6 library with professionally developed XER Templates.

Whether you're building a schedule from scratch, training new planners, creating proposals, or looking for a proven starting point, these ready-to-import Primavera P6 XERs can save hours—if not days—of schedule development.

Available templates include:
✅ Data Centers
✅ Onshore Drilling
✅ Onshore EPC
✅ Offshore EPC
✅ EPC Onshore Mini

Each template includes:
• Fully developed CPM logic
• Industry-standard WBS
• Resource-ready activity structure
• Multiple P6 layouts (WBS, 2-Week Lookahead, 4-Week Lookahead, 3-Month Lookahead, Longest Path, and Multiple Float Path)
• Instant digital download

These aren't generic examples—they're practical schedules built from real project controls experience and designed to give schedulers, project managers, and project controls professionals a head start.

Browse the full collection and download today:
https://www.advancedplanninganalytics.com/xer-p6-templates.html

🚀 New Release – Data Center Primavera P6 XER Template

Over the past several months I've been developing a library of Primavera P6 schedule templates designed to help project controls professionals build quality schedules faster.

I'm excited to release the first one:

Data Center Primavera P6 XER Template

✅ 372 professionally developed activities
✅ Logic-linked schedule
✅ Structured WBS
✅ Ready for Primavera P6 import
✅ Fully editable

BONUS: Includes 6 professional Primavera P6 layouts

• WBS Layout
• 2-Week Lookahead
• 4-Week Lookahead
• 3-Month Lookahead
• Longest Path Layout
• Multiple Float Path Layout

Whether you're developing a proposal schedule, owner's schedule, contractor baseline, or simply looking for a solid starting point, this template can save hours of schedule development while following proven project controls practices.

This is just the beginning.

I'm also developing a much larger enterprise-level Data Center schedule with approximately 3,000–5,000 activities for teams needing a highly detailed ex*****on schedule.

I'd love your feedback on what other industries you'd like to see next:
• LNG
• Pipelines
• Chemical Plants
• Power Generation
• Manufacturing
• Turnarounds

Available now through the APA Store.
https://www.advancedplanninganalytics.com/store/p100/XER-Data-Center-P6-Template.html

One thing I’ve noticed after years in EPC projects:

Time & Materials contracts often create two completely different perceptions of reality.

Contractor perspective:
“Just document the work and bill what it took.”

Owner perspective:
“Where did the hours go and how do we control the cost?”

Neither side is necessarily wrong… but the gap in perception is real.

Which cartoon captures your experience better?

👇 Contractor view
👇 Owner view

Let’s see where the industry lands.

What’s the hardest part of building a turnaround schedule?

• Thousands of short-duration activities
• Craft coordination and congestion
• Sequencing work in tight windows
• Constant field changes

Turnarounds move fast, and the schedule has to keep up.

That’s why I wrote Turnaround Scheduling Simplified — a practical guide to building schedules that actually work during shutdowns.
https://a.co/d/05rSryuz