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Earned Value Dialog Box

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The Earned Value dialog box displays when you right-click a project or WBS level in the Activity Table of the Gantt chart and select Earned Value.

You can also select a WBS level in the Gantt, click Activity DetailsDown, select WBS Details, then click Earned Value.

Earned Value Tasks

Earned value is a technique for measuring project performance according to both project cost and schedule. This technique compares the budgeted cost of the work to the actual cost.

To perform an earned value analysis in the WBS Earned Value dialog box, you can select from two calculation techniques, which measure performance based on activities that are currently in progress:

For detailed information about calculating Earned Value, see:

To apply a technique for computing the earned value performance of percent complete:

The method for computing the performance percent complete depends on the earned-value technique selected for the activity's WBS.

In the Technique for computing performance percent complete section of the Earned Value dialog box, select from the following options:

Your selections are saved automatically.

To apply a technique for computing the Estimate to Complete (ETC):

  1. In the Technique for computing the Estimate to Complete section of the Earned Value dialog box, select one of the following options:
    • ETC = remaining cost for activity
    • ETC = PF * (Budget at Completion - Earned Value)
  2. If you select ETC = PF * (Budget at Completion - Earned Value), select one of the following options:
    • PF=1
    • PF=1/Cost Performance Index
    • PF=1/(Cost Performance Index * Schedule Performance Index)
    • PF = <Enter a value for PF.>
  3. Your selections are saved automatically.

    The fundamental earned value parameters used to calculate an activity's Estimate to Complete are:

You can derive an activity's Estimate to Complete and other earned value indexes from these parameters.

     
Controlling placement of the dialog box

You have full control of the placement of the Earned Value dialog box in the Activities page. By dragging and dropping the dialog box or using the controls available in the title bar of the dialog box, you move, dock, or reduce the dialog box to a tab that displays, by default, under or can be moved to the right of the Gantt chart or activity network diagram. See Customize activity views for more information.

Field Definitions

Maximize the dialog box - Maximize
Maximizes the dialog box to the full area of the Activity page.
Restore dialog box from maximized state - Restore from Maximized State
Restores the dialog box to its default size.
Float the dialog box - Float
Resizes and makes the dialog box able to be dragged and dropped within or outside the browser, referred to as Float State.
Restore from float state - Restore from Float State
Restores the dialog box from Float State and positions it within the window.
Note: Dragging and docking the dialog box creates the same results as Float and Restore from Float State controls.
Auto Hide - Auto-hide
Hides the contents of the dialog box by reducing the view to a tab. Clicking the tab restores the view of the dialog box.
Toggle Auto Hide - Toggle Auto-hide
Prepares the dialog box for the Auto-hide state. This toggle serves as an state in between the tabbed state and the restored state of the dialog box.
Exit the dialog box - Exit
Closes the dialog box.
Next WBS - Previous WBS
Moves up to the previous WBS in the Gantt chart, activity table, or activity network diagram.
Previous WBS - Next WBS
Moves down to the next WBS in the Gantt chart, activity table, or activity network diagram.
Technique for computing performance percent complete
Provides options for computing the performance percent complete.
Activity Percent Complete (button)
Choose to calculate earned value according to current activity completion percentages.
Use resource curves/future bucket periods (check box)
Mark the check box to include resource curves and future bucket periods in the calculation of earned value using current activity completion percentages.
WBS Milestones Percent Complete
Select to calculate earned value by defining milestones at the WBS level and assigning a level of significance or weight to each of them. As progress occurs and you mark each milestone complete, the WBS element’s performance percent complete is calculated based on the weight of the milestone.
0/100
Select to calculate earned value as 100 percent only after the activity ends.
50/50
Select to calculate earned value as 50 percent after the activity starts and until the activity ends. After the activity ends, the activity's earned value is 100 percent.
Custom percent complete
Select to calculate earned value as a percentage you specify. This percentage applies after the activity starts and until the activity ends. After the activity ends, the activity's earned value is 100 percent.
Technique for computing Estimate to Complete (ETC)
Provides options for calculating the ETC of an activity, which can be computed as either the remaining total cost for the activity (Remaining Total Cost), or as PF * (Budget at Completion - Earned Value Cost), depending on the earned-value technique selected for the activity's WBS.
ETC=remaining cost for activity

Select to calculate ETC values as the remaining cost to complete an activity where:

ETC = (remaining duration of activity * applicable resource rates)

ETC=PF * (Budget at Completion - Earned Value)

Select to calculate the ETC as a performance factor (PF) multiplied by the difference between the Budget at Completion (BAC) and Earned Value, as in the following equation:

ETC=PF * (BAC - EV)

PF=1
Select to set the performance factor to equal 1.
PF=1/Cost Performance Index

Select to calculate the ETC as a performance factor of 1 divided by the Cost Performance Index (CPI), where the CPI = Earned Value Cost / Actual Cost. The equation can be interpreted as:

PF=1/(EVC/AVC) =

PF=1/CPI

PF=1/(Cost Performance Index * Schedule Performance Index)

Select to calculate the ETC as a performance factor of 1 divided by the Cost Performance Index multiplied by the Schedule Performance Index (the Earned Value Cost divided by the Planned Value Cost). The equation can be interpreted as:

PF=1/(EVC/AVC) * (EVC/PVC) =

PF=1/(CPI * SPI)

PF=<value>
Select to calculate Estimate To Complete (ETC) values as a Performance Factor (PF) you specify multiplied by Budget At Completion (BAC) less Earned Value Cost. If you choose this option, type a factor in the PF field.