In Primavera, when you need to make a quick update of project (Let’s say everything goes as it’s planned) we have 2 ways of automatically update progress:
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Apply Actuals
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Update Progress
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Here I will only explain what is the difference between these 2 options.
The Apply Actuals function will update any activities with the “Auto Compute Actuals” checkbox marked…
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…whereas the Update Progress (Progress Spotlight) feature will update activities which fall within the spotlighted region regardless the status of “Auto Compute Actuals” checkbox.
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And this is the rule when Primavera automatically apply the Actual (in both option):
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Apply an Actual Start to all Activities that have a Planned Start < Data Date. The Actual Start is set to the Planned Start.
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Level of Efforts and WBS Summary activites get there dates from other activities.
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Planned Finish is not changed.
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Calculates Remaining Duration as the Early Finish-New Data Date.
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Calculates Actual Duration as Original Duration-Remaining Duration.
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Calculates Actual Units as Activity % Complete * At Complete Units..
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If Planned Finish is < Data Date, then an Actual Finish will be applied. The Actual Finish is set to the Planned Finish.
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Actuals are subtracted from Budgeted values to calculate Remaining values.