Fluid Contract Manager

Scheduling Jumpstart – How to Build a Schedule in 4 Simple Steps (Step 4)

Step 4 – Formatting

Okay, so you just spent a ton of time developing your super duper, gee whiz bang schedule with advanced logic and you are feeling pretty smart, so you must be done right? Wrong. Now it is time to take a step back, clear your head and format your schedule.

Proper formatting will separate you from others (can I say the men from the boys anymore?). It can be easy to lose focus…

Scheduling Jumpstart – How to Build a Schedule in 4 Simple Steps (Step 2)

  2. Add Durations

Now go through the activities and assign a fair amount of time for each activity. It is normal to add

Activity Duration Mobilization 5 Locate Existing Utilities 2 Demo / Over Excavate Grade Pad 5 Dig Footings / Grade Beams 7 Install Underground Utilities 14

 Here is our schedule in MS Project starting to take shape

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Scheduling Jumpstart – How to Build a Schedule in 4 Simple Steps (Step 3)

3. Add Logic

Start connecting the activities in your schedule. In what order do these items occur? Identify the predecessors and the successors to each activity.

In MS Project, the default settings identify a Predecessors column so you can type in the activity number, connecting the activities. Let’s take a look at how our schedule is shaping up.

If you want to show the successor column, select…

Scheduling Jumpstart – How to Build a Schedule in 4 Simple Steps (Step 1)

As part of our mini-series of posts on construction scheduling. the following 4 posts will show you how to setup a schedule in 4 simple steps. Here are the steps:

List all your projects activities

Add durations to each activity

Add logic, connecting each activity to another

Format your schedule

Okay, now it is time to roll up our sleeves and have some fun (yes, I do find this fun!)

We are going…

Scheduling Jumpstart – Scheduling Terms to Understand

  Project Management Types

The waterfall model is a sequential design process, used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of Conception, Initiation, Analysis, Design, Construction, Testing, Production/Implementation and Maintenance. The waterfall development model originates in…

7 Schedule Reviews that Help You Deliver – #7 As-Built Schedule, Fragnets and Recovery Schedules

This post is one in a series dedicated to getting a jumpstart into understanding construction scheduling.

As a construction manager, there are a number of different schedules that get reviewed as a project is planned for and executed. Each stage of development has its own level of detail that and items to watch out for. Here are some of key items to keep an eye on.

7. As-Built Schedule, Fragnets…

7 Schedule Reviews that Help You Deliver – #6 Short Interval Schedule

This post is one in a series dedicated to getting a jumpstart into understanding construction scheduling.

As a construction manager, there are a number of different schedules that get reviewed as a project is planned for and executed. Each stage of development has its own level of detail that and items to watch out for. Here are some of key items to keep an eye on.

6. Short interval schedule (ie…

7 Schedule Reviews that Help You Deliver – #5 Contract Update Schedule Review

This post is one in a series dedicated to getting a jumpstart into understanding construction scheduling. As a construction manager, there are a number of different schedules that get reviewed as a project is planned for and executed. Each stage of development has its own level of detail that and items to watch out for. Here are some of key items to keep an eye on. 5. Contract Update Schedule…

7 Schedule Reviews that Help You Deliver – #4 Baseline Schedule Review

  This post is one in a series dedicated to getting a jumpstart into understanding construction scheduling. As a construction manager, there are a number of different schedules that get reviewed as a project is planned for and executed. Each stage of development has its own level of detail that and items to watch out for. Here are some of key items to keep an eye on. 4. Baseline Schedule Review…

Constructability Review Checklist – Detailed Drawing Reviews by Scope – Equipment

Welcome to Checklist Thursday, where we will post a new section of a checklist every week for the foreseeable future. We are now posting a thorough checklist to run through when doing a constructability review for commercial buildings. We will break it up into the following sections: General Drawing overview (11 posts) Detail Drawing review (14 posts this is #10) Review by Discipline (7 posts) …

8 Schedule Reviews that Help You Deliver – #3 Initial Contract Schedule (first 90 days) Review

This post is one in a series dedicated to getting a jumpstart into understanding construction scheduling. As a construction manager, there are a number of different schedules that get reviewed as a project is planned for and executed. Each stage of development has its own level of detail that and items to watch out for. Here are some of key items to keep an eye on. 3. Initial Contract Schedule…

Change is hard… but it doesn’t have to be

Experience truly transparent change tracking with Fluid CM’s change order tools. With Fluid, you can: 1. Issue, review and review Change Order Requests from any device 2. Quickly drill down into change details 3. Approved changes automatically roll into your billings You can try it out by signing up for Fluid CM’s 2 project free tier.

Scheduling Jumpstart – An Intro and Practical Guide for the CM Firm – Scheduling Specifications

In the following posts we are going to learn about some scheduling basics and then switch over to some screenshots showing how you can develop a schedule of your own. What we are going to learn about are: Post #1 – A brief history on CPM scheduling Part #2 – Schedulers Math Post #3 through #9 – 7 Schedule reviews that help you deliver  (#2 is below) Post #10 Scheduling Terms to Understand Post…

Scheduling Jumpstart – An Intro and Practical Guide for the CM Firm – Early Planning Reviews

  In the following posts we are going to learn about some scheduling basics and then switch over to some screenshots showing how you can develop a schedule of your own. What we are going to learn about are: Post #1 – A brief history on CPM scheduling Part #2 – Schedulers Math Post #3 through #10 – 7 Schedule reviews that help you deliver (#1 is below) Post #11 Scheduling Terms to Understand Post…

Constructability Review Checklist – Detailed Drawing Reviews by Scope – Division 10 Specialties

Welcome to Checklist Thursday, where we will post a new section of a checklist every week for the foreseeable future. We are now posting a thorough checklist to run through when doing a constructability review for commercial buildings. We will break it up into the following sections: General Drawing overview (11 posts) Detail Drawing review (14 posts this is #9) Review by Discipline (7 posts)…

Can You Access Your Critical Contracts as Anytime?

Fluid CM Client and Subcontract tracking tools allow you to distribute and track you client and subcontracts electronically. Now your entire team can check scopes of work quicker than ever. It also lets you: 1. Establish a detailed Schedule of Values 2. Drill down to changes at different level of the approval process. 3. Make your workflow paperless with digital signatures and routing through…