Exporting the results of simulation as XML has discrepancies

This forum includes discussion about project risk analysis and risk management theory: Monte Carlo simulations, Event Chain Methodology, schedule and cost risk analysis. Please submit questions and case studies about your experience with our project risk analysis software.

Moderator: Intaver Support

Post Reply
Chris Lafont
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:51 pm
Contact:

Exporting the results of simulation as XML has discrepancies

Post by Chris Lafont » Sat May 30, 2020 1:29 pm

I wanted to export the project resulting from the risk simulation based on certain percentile (e.g. P80) in XML format in MS Project. But discovered that simulation results in RiskyProject and MS Project are different.

Intaver Support
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:55 am

Re: Exporting the results of simulation as XML has discrepancies

Post by Intaver Support » Sat May 30, 2020 1:37 pm

One of the reasons why you may experience discrepancies between the results you see in RiskyProject and when you open the xml file in Microsoft Project is that when you export results as a percentile it does not calculate the critical path prior to the export. It is only an export of the raw simulation data, along with schedule network data such as constraints, calendars, project start time, and the precedent network (predecessors and successors) required to calculate a schedule. Therefore, if you run a simulation and choose to export an xml based on a p-value, the process selects the duration p values for each task along with its network data. The actual schedule is calculated when the xml is imported into Microsoft Project (or other scheduling tool). If schedule has hard constraints, activities with multiple predecessors, due to of differences in scheduling algorithms, there maybe slight differences between p-values exported and how they end up being calculated in the 3rd party tool.
However, you can however export a calculated schedule using the Baseline feature.

To create a Baseline and export it as an xml file:
1. Calculate the schedule
2. On the Schedule ribbon > Baselines, click Set. The Create Baselines dialog box opens.
3. Select Base (Mean) or another confidence level. The definition of Low and High are defined in the Project Options > Calculation tab.
4. Click OK. A dialog with the current baselines opens. Click Cancel to close

Image

5. Now export the baseline that you created. On the Schedule ribbon > Baselines, click Manage
6. Select baseline you created and set it as the Current (Deterministic) schedule.
7. From the File menu, choose Export > XML the deterministic schedule to XML.

Image
Intaver Support Team
Intaver Institute Inc.
Home of Project Risk Management and Project Risk Analysis software RiskyProject
www.intaver.com

Post Reply