Schedule
Project Planning & Scheduling
Schedules that reflect reality, not wishful thinking.
Primavera P6 and MS Project schedules built from the WBS up. DCMA 14-point health, logic that holds under scrutiny, float you can defend. We set them up, run them through delivery, and read them for risk.
What good looks like
- A logic-linked, resource-loaded schedule ready for baseline.
- Float properly protected, not eroded by default calendars.
- Near-critical paths visible — not just the headline critical path.
- Monthly progress and variance reporting the PMO can use.
What you get
- Schedule build in P6 or MS Project
- DCMA 14-point assessment
- Baseline and rebaseline support
- Progress updating and variance reporting
- Change-control assessment against baseline
- Schedule risk read-across to QRA
Choosing the right type
Primavera P6 vs Microsoft Project — which fits your programme?
| Primavera P6 | MS Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Multi-project enterprise programmes with thousands of activities | Single-project planning at SME / mid-cap scale |
| Logic + critical path rigour | Industry-standard CPM engine, native DCMA-14 export, defensible float reporting | Adequate for simpler networks; struggles past ~1,000 activities |
| Resource loading + EVMS integration | Built for it — multi-project resource pools, native EVM tracking, Acumen / ARM compatible | Possible but light — typically requires a separate cost system to feed it |
| Baseline management | Multiple baselines, baseline comparison views, version control native | Single-baseline UI; multiple baselines via add-ins |
| Stakeholder accessibility | Specialist licence required; stakeholders need P6 viewer | Inside Microsoft 365 ecosystem — read-only access in Teams / SharePoint |
| Cost | Oracle licence — typically £1,000+/user/year list, lower at enterprise | Included in some M365 licences; standalone <£300/user/year |
| Use when | NEC4 / MoD / National Highways / HS2 / NDA / Network Rail (often contractually mandated) | Internal portfolio management; smaller construction; programmes <£10m with single contractor |
How we start
A 30-minute discovery call. We listen. If the shape of the problem matches the shape of our work, we come back within one working day with a short scoping note — scope, duration, team, indicative cost. Nothing binding, nothing fluffy.
Frequently asked
Project Planning & Scheduling — questions we get asked
- What does SOMA's Project Planning & Scheduling service include?
- Our Project Planning & Scheduling service covers: Schedule build in P6 or MS Project, DCMA 14-point assessment, Baseline and rebaseline support, Progress updating and variance reporting, Change-control assessment against baseline, Schedule risk read-across to QRA. All work is delivered by chartered practitioners with live-project experience.
- What outcomes can I expect from Scheduling?
- A logic-linked, resource-loaded schedule ready for baseline. Float properly protected, not eroded by default calendars. Near-critical paths visible — not just the headline critical path. Monthly progress and variance reporting the PMO can use.
- How does SOMA start a Scheduling engagement?
- We begin with a 30-minute discovery call to understand the shape of the problem. Within one working day we provide a short scoping note — scope, duration, team, and indicative cost — with no obligation.
- What sectors does SOMA deliver Project Planning & Scheduling for?
- SOMA delivers Project Planning & Scheduling across UK infrastructure sectors including rail, highways, nuclear, water and utilities, defence, and energy. Our work is areaServed: United Kingdom and we focus on programmes that require chartered, practitioner-led controls.
Got a programme that needs the numbers straight?
Tell us what you are working on. We will come back within one working day with a useful answer — not a sales pitch.