Once you obtain your results in ALICE, it is time to share it with your project team and other project stakeholders. ALICE supports many different export types directly within the platform and indirectly. In this article, you will learn different ways to share a schedule.

 

Direct Exports within ALICE:

Here are the exports that are supported directly in the platform:

• Primavera P6 (.xml)
• Primavera P6 (.xer)
• Microsoft Project (.mpp)
• CSV file (.csv)
• PDF file (.pdf)
• Comparison report (.csv)

Other Ways to Export Information to Desired Platform:

• Export to TILOS using P6 XML

 

Export to Primavera P6 (.xml, .xer)

ALICE-specific fields are exported to Primavera P6 (in both .xml and .xer formats) as follows: 

Exported in relationship comments by activity:

1. Precedence Logic vs. Resource Logic Distinction:
   • Format: ALICE [Type of Constraint]: [Resource Name]
   • The relationship logic that is shown on the Analyze page under Task Relationship Details is either based on Precedence or Resource. Read more about this unique functionality in ALICE. 
   • ALICE exported schedule distinguishes the two by exporting the resource logic tag as a relationship comment. Here is a helpful resource that we found to help you locate the relationship comments.

Exported in root WBS notes topic "Alice Internal Notes":

1. Production Rates

Exported in task notes by activity:

1. Duration formulas
2. Material quantity equation
3. Material requires vs supplies
4. Equipment quantity equation
5. Crew ranges

Exported as resource UDF (custom properties) by activity:

1. Material type: consumable vs reusable
2. Crew: Idle time enablement, people per crew (currently set to 1 for all imported crews)
3. Equipment: Idle time enablement

How to Print a Schedule via PDF file (.pdf)

If you are looking for instructions on how to export/print PDFs of your ALICE projects, you are in the right place!

For a more hands-on experience, navigate through the player for an interactive walk-through, or if you prefer a more detailed approach, scroll down for a step-by-step guide:

 

 

Print PDF:

1. On the Analyze page, click Export on the upper-right side of the page
2. From the dropdown list, select PDF File
3. In the appeared window, choose the Paper Size and click Print Preview to process the forward
4. In the following window, select Save as PDF or any other custom PDF printer

5. Activate Headers and Footers, and Background Graphics settings.

6. Click Save and select a location to save the PDF file. 

 

 

Export to TILOS using P6 XML

ALICE users are able to export ALICE schedules into P6 XML files which can then be imported into TILOS. This section provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for executing the process.

 

Workflow to import ALICE Schedule into TILOS

The solution can be represented with the following scheme: 

ALICE schedule → P6 XML Export → TILOS XML Import

To make sure all the information is correctly represented in TILOS, the user needs to guarantee several steps are followed (both in ALICE and in TILOS):

1. ALICE steps:
   1. Set up ALICE UDF’s and its Values
   2. Export ALICE Schedule as P6 XML

2. TILOS steps:
   1. Create a New Project in TILOS (with the template that recognizes the UDF names)
      1. Define basic TILOS settings
   2. Import ALICE schedule to TILOS
   3. Define Activity Template Settings
   4. Apply Template Settings to Imported Project
   5. Save the TILOS Project as a template

 

ALICE steps

1.1. Set up ALICE UDFs and Their Values

The first step in this process is to establish the start and end chainages as User Defined Fields (UDFs). This can be accomplished either directly in ALICE or in P6.

Create the following three crucial UDFs:

1. AL TILOS_Start (Define the start point of an element)
2. AL TILOS_End (Define the end point of an element)
3. AL TILOS_Template (Assign a unique name for each element, such as "Excavation.")

Make sure to add those columns in Gantt view:

1.2. Export ALICE schedule

Run solutions and open a schedule you want to export.

In the top right corner click Export to export your ALICE schedule in the form of a P6 XML file.

 

TILOS Steps

2.1. Create a New Project in TILOS (with the template that recognizes the UDF names)

Start by creating a new project in TILOS. When prompted, select a template (.hst) file for your project. Initially, you can choose any of the available templates. We'll customize and create a new template tailored to your specific needs as we proceed with the setup process.

2.1.1. Define basic TILOS settings

After selecting the template, TILOS prompts you to define some basic settings. In this step, it's essential to specify the appropriate start and end distances based on your model's requirements. Additionally, ensure that the start and end dates of the project are accurately defined. These settings ensure that TILOS is configured to accurately reflect the location and timeline of your project model.

2.2. Import ALICE schedule to TILOS

The following step includes the import of a P6 XML to TILOS:

a. Go to the File tab and select Import:

b. In the first Import Wizard, make sure to select the Primavera P6 (native Primavera XML) option:

c. In the second Import Wizard, navigate to the location of your exported XML and select it

d. The third Import Wizard prompts the selection of the information you want to import from P6. Make sure you have the below options selected, but the most important fields to mark are the following:

• Import Activity Templates be set to User-defined Field (UDF)
• Field Name/Activity Code to match the TILOS template name set in ALICE
• The Additional Field Mapping to have the additional chainage UDFs set with matching names 

 

Important Note: UDF names originating from ALICE have the name created in ALICE. To ensure the correct UDF name, you can open the exported XML file from ALICE in P6 and copy the User Created parameter names accordingly. UDF Type should be set up as UDF Numeric.

2.3.  Define Activity Template Settings

As a next step, we want to create the Activity Templates. The names of the Activity Templates need to match the TILOS Templates UDF names.

Activity templates serve the purpose of creating activities on a time distance diagram. Within an activity template, the appearance of an activity is predefined as well as data for the calculation, cost, and resources. This data can be set later on individually inside an activity.

Select the main folder Tilos Explorer > Library > Activity Libraries > Activity Templates to show a structured list of existing activity templates inside the Working Window. Double-click to open the selected item for editing.

2.4.  Apply Template Settings to Imported Project

Once Activity Templates are created, they should be applied to the project. To do so, locate the Activity list button in the top left corner, which displays the Task list. Here, the visual style of the activities needs to be defined. Select the Activity Template and navigate to the Display tab, where you can control various aspects such as Shapes, Lines, Display Types, and their respective colors. This customization ensures that your project's activities are visually represented according to your preferences and requirements.

Now, you can review your project in the "Integrated View" located at the top left corner of the interface. This view provides a comprehensive perspective, allowing you to visualize the integration of your project's data seamlessly across ALICE and TILOS.

2.5. Save the TILOS Project as a Template

Once your TILOS project (.hsp) is configured according to your requirements, you can save it as a template for future use. To do this, navigate to the "File" menu and select the option "Save As Template." By saving the project as a template, you can conveniently reuse it for different ALICE solutions, streamlining your workflow and ensuring consistency across projects.