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Ekton: Mastering P6 & ERP Integration — Unlocking 360º Visibility for Complex Capital Projects
Discover how Ekton integrates Primavera P6 and ERP systems to deliver 360º project visibility, real-time EVM metrics, and predictive control for complex capital projects.
Ekton: Mastering P6 & ERP Integration
Unlocking 360º Visibility for Complex Capital Projects
Executive Summary: The Unified Advantage
- Eliminate Cost Variance Blind Spots: Automated Actual Cost flow from ERP to P6 calculation.
- Predictive Cash Flow: Link ERP financial obligations directly to P6 scheduled activity completion for accurate liquidity forecasting.
- Governance & Auditability: Enforce a single source of truth by aligning WBS structures with financial cost objects.
The Strategic Imperative
In capital-intensive industries, effective project management is foundational. Organizations rely on Primavera P6 for detailed scheduling and on their ERP for financial control of actual costs, procurement, invoicing, and payroll.
Use Case: Consider a major bridge project. P6 plans concrete pours (Planned Value). If Actual Costs from ERP are updated manually, Cost Variance may surface days or weeks late, delaying corrective actions. The hidden cost of silos is the lack of timely insight and predictive control.
Historically, project and financial domains operated as isolated systems. Ekton's integration is a strategic imperative to ensure schedule integrity, financial accountability, and a single source of truth.
Data Flow Visualization: P6-ERP Integration
BEFORE: Disconnected, Manual Flow
P6 Scheduling
❌
Manual Spreadsheets / Email
❌
ERP Financials
Result: Latent Actual Costs, Delayed Performance Metrics (CPI/SPI).
- Automated workflow efficiency. Re-entry of actual labor hours and procurement milestones is eliminated, saving time and reducing error.
- Enhanced decision-making with 360º visibility. Executives compare planned costs in P6 with actual expenditures in ERP to drive precise interventions.
ROI of P6-ERP Integration — Impact Across Functions
| Functional Area | Key Integration Benefit | Strategic Impact (KPIs) | Integrated Data Flow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Controls (PPM) | Real-time EVM and integrated cost/schedule metrics | Reduced Cost Variance; earlier intervention on critical path | Actual Costs (ERP) to P6 WBS an /Budget (P6) to ERP |
| Procurement and Contracts | Accurate commitment tracking versus planned scope | Lower contingency usage; faster invoice processing aligned with physical progress | Planned Budget/WBS (P6) to ERP; Invoices/Actuals (ERP) to |
| Finance and Treasury | Predictive cash flow forecasting based on activities | Improved liquidity management; optimized working capital | Payment Terms (ERP) to P6; Activity Dates (P6) to ERP |
EVM requires Planned Value, Earned Value, and Actual Cost P6 manages PV and EV. Accurate AC resides in ERP. Ekton’s integration automates validated import of AC into P6.
Scenario: New automated manufacturing line. The ERP tracks labor and materials costs. Automated import enables immediate CPI and SPI calculation, exposing overruns or delays in real time.
Performance Metrics (CPI/SPI)
For long-duration capital projects, accurate cash forecasting is critical. Ekton links ERP financial obligations to progress.
- Driver-based forecasting. Payment forecasts trigger from scheduled completion of activities and milestones.
- Optimized working capital. Treasury aligns ERP payment terms and contracts with the P6 timeline to predict liquidity needs and prevent shortfalls.
Cash Flow Forecasting Accuracy
Data Mapping & Harmonization
Successful integration aligns the Primavera P6 WBS with ERP financial cost objects. The WBS defines physical scope, while the ERP defines the financial containers where costs aggregate.
Use Case: Primavera P6 WBS elements such as 'Steel Structure Assembly' map to ERP cost collectors. Budget is first transferred from P6 to ERP to enforce spending limits, and ERP then returns validated actual costs to P6 for EVM.
WBS to Actual Cost Hierarchy
WBS Element
ERP Cost Object
Purchase Order
Invoice
>
Two high-volume streams feed Actual Cost into P6: material and nonm-labor invoices, and labor timesheets. Ekton imports Actual Labor Units From ERP TIme and Attendace or payrol to the cosrrespondending P6 activities.
Actuals Data Flow Examples
| WBS Element | ERP Object | Data Direction | Validation Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1-Steel Erection | Vendor Invoice #4001 | ERP → P6 (Material) | Invoice total < Budgeted PV for WBS. |
| 2.3.5-Foundation Pour | Internal Labor Timesheet | ERP → P6 (Labor) | Activity ID must exist and be 'In Progress' in P6. |
| 3.1.2-Equipment Install | Rental PO #R789 | ERP → P6 (Non-labor) | PO amount reconciled against committed cost in P6. |
Secure Integration Architecture
Global enterprises often run hybrid landscapes with legacy on-prem ERPs and modern cloud EPM. Point-to-point integrations are brittle, costly, and risky. Ekton leverages iPaaS platforms (such as MuleSoft or Boomi) for centralized management.
Synchronize across multiple sites, entities, and teams without performance degradation.
- Comprehensive audit logs and traceability for each transaction, enabling SOX and internal compliance.
- Data validation gates enforce mapping rules before loading to P6, protecting critical path logic and metrics.
- Strong encryption and access controls for sensitive financial and project data.
Secure Integration Flow
P6 EPM
ERP Financials
Ekton iPaaS Hub
Encrypted
Data Lake / DW
Analytics Dashboards
Note: Role-Based Access applied at every connection point.
Conclusion: From Reactive to Predictive
Ekton’s P6-ERP integration shifts organizations from reactive management to proactive and predictive execution. By rigorously synchronizing the WBS to cost centers and automating the validated flow of actual costs and timesheets, leaders gain unified, 360º visibility to deliver on time, on budget, and at quality.
“From Reactive to Predictive Execution.”
Capability Maturity: Before vs After Ekton
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