Reports and Presentations - Construction Project Scheduling and Control - page 259

• Most importantly, many reports and other types of communication may remain
in electronic form and need not be printed. The most common format across
organizations is the PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format. A report in PDF format may
be produced directly by the software in this format or can be converted through
other software.
SUMMARY REPORTS
The scheduler must relate the schedule information to the project manager not only
as computer-generated colorful charts but also in clear language. For example, after a
periodic update, the scheduler will likely produce standard Primavera or MS Project
reports, including bar charts, cost tables, and so forth. Along with the reports, a doc-
ument (written in plain text) summarizing the situation should be included. This
summary report should contain the following information:
• The overall situation of the project: the total float for the critical path and the
updated expected completion date.
• The preceding information as compared with that in the last update: did we
gain or lose any days?
• The new critical path, if it has changed: what is delaying the project?
• Cost information (if applicable): cost this period, cost to date, cost to complete,
cost variance, cost at completion, and forecast cost variance.
• Any other information that may help the project manager identify or anticipate
trouble spots or make up for any lost time, as well as any suggestion to resolve
troubled situations.
• No unnecessary details, such as routine progress per activity or a slight delay in
activities that have sufficient float.
The summary report should not exceed one page or two pages. It should be
written in the form of a memorandum as a simple word-processed document.
PAPER OR ELECTRONIC REPORTS?
Computers have become an essential part of our lives and businesses, including project
management. Many documents are now sent electronically. Electronic signatures are
even legally accepted in many situations. Nevertheless, some documents still must
be printed on paper. Either way, the contractor, the design professional, the con-
struction management consultant, and the owner must be able to store, manage, and
retrieve information efficiently. The software industry has developed several software
packages for this purpose, such as Primavera Contract Manager, Meridian's Prolog
Manager, and Timberline's Project Management. These software packages help orga-
nize the “paperwork”: transmittals, submittals, purchase orders, payment requisitions,