Performing Top-down Estimation (P6 Professional Only)

Top-Down Estimation enables you to apply labor, nonlabor, and/or material resource units to activities in a top-down manner using assigned weights.

To perform top-down estimations, you must first assign estimation weights to WBS elements and activities. You can limit the scope of your estimate according to WBS element and resource. After you develop a top-down estimate, save the estimate for later reference or use, or apply the estimate to the project. If you apply an estimate, remaining labor/nonlabor units are updated for activities that are not started or are in progress and activity resource assignments within the estimation scope. Completed activities, that is activities with remaining units equal to zero, are not affected by top-down estimation. Top-down estimations do not affect project expenses.

When performing a top-down estimation, you should first determine the total number of labor or nonlabor resource units to apply. You can determine this number using prior experience on similar projects. You can also use the Function Point option if you are estimating an information technology project.

You must select material resources individually because their units of measure may differ.

Related Topics

Performing top-down estimations using prior experience (P6 Professional Only)

Performing top-down estimations using function points (P6 Professional Only)

Applying Saved Top-Down Estimations To a Project (P6 Professional Only)