Earned Value and Progress   

Earned value and the measurement of progress are fundamental parts of project management. Both are closely linked key concepts for following up on project performance and performing project analysis. Earned value is often referred to as the Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP). IFS Applications has advanced functionality for measuring key factors used to manage projects, which includes tracking progress, calculating earned value and providing data needed for analyzing project performance.

This document describes how earned value and progress works in IFS/Project Management and is divided into the following sections:

Earned Value and Progress Parameters in IFS/Project Management

Earned Value and Progress on different levels in IFS/Project Management

Progress Methods

Duration, Template, Manual, Consumption Based, Tasks, Connected Objects - Earned value and progress per object

Related Information

Earned Value and Progress Parameters in IFS/Project Management

It is possible to configure how earned value and progress is reported in IFS/Project Management based on three parameters: Earned Value Method, Planned Cost Driver and the Progress Method. The values of these parameters should be selected with care, so that the earned value and progress reflect the work achieved in the best possible way. All progress methods can be used in combination with all the planned cost drivers and earned value methods.

Earned Value Method

The earned value method determines if the earned value is calculated based on baseline values or planned values. This parameter is set for each project as:

All projects have the earned value method as Planned until a baseline is created, after which it can be changed each time a baseline is created for the project. Taking a new baseline will result in the re-calculation of earned value throughout the project.

Planned Cost Driver

The Planned Cost Driver determines from where the planned cost and hours values are retrieved. The parameter is selected per activity as one of the following:

Since earned value is calculated based on the planned cost, the value of the planned cost driver will affect the earned value and progress values.

Example: An activity has a document package connected with 20 planned hours. In order to complete the work of the document package, a resource has been allocated with 25 planned hours. When determining the planned cost and hours it may not be correct to use the planned values from both the document package and the resource. By selecting the appropriate planned cost driver, you can decide whether the planned cost is driven by the resources or by the connected objects. If you select resources, the planned cost will be 25 hours, while selecting connected objects, will result with a planned cost of 45 hours. In this case it is better to select the planned cost driver as Activity Resources. If the planned cost driver is set to Estimated Cost, then the planned values are retrieved from values entered on the Project Navigator/Activity/Estimate tab.

Progress Methods

In IFS/Project Management you can select one progress method for each activity. The progress method determines how progress is calculated, which gives you the possibility to select a progress method that best reflects the work done in each activity.

There are two types of progress methods, which are referred to as Top-Down and Bottom-Up in this document. Top-Down means that the progress is calculated or assigned on the activity level and then applied to the individual project cost element lines of the activity. Bottom-Up means that the progress is calculated or assigned on the project cost element level of the object or of the activity, and then used in the calculation of the activity progress.

The parameter is selected per activity as one of the following:

The different methods are explained in detail in the Progress Methods section below.

Example: If you have a list of tasks where you report progress manually when certain things have been completed in your activity, e.g. if the arrival of purchased material is a task, it will be incorrect to have progress reported from both the task and the connected purchase order. Therefore it is more suitable to select Tasks as the progress method.
 

Earned Value and Progress on different levels in IFS/Project Management

This section is a general description of how progress is calculated and displayed for different levels in the application; e.g. per object, cost element, activity, sub project and project.

Progress for each Cost Element per Object, and Progress for each Object

Connected objects, such as shop orders, purchase orders, tasks etc., reports planned values per cost element to the activity (when the planned cost driver is Connected Objects). When the object is executed according to its business flow (receiving the ordered material, reporting time on operations etc), it will gain progress.

When the progress method is selected as Connected Objects or Tasks:

For other progress methods, the progress of the objects is not taken into consideration when deriving the activity progress, and the object progress is not displayed in the Connections tab.

Progress per Cost Element per Activity, and Activity Calculated Progress

Released activities have different ways of receiving progress values, depending on the type of the selected progress method. For more details on the individual progress methods, refer the Progress Methods section below.

Top-Down Progress Methods

If the progress method is Duration, Template Progress, Tasks or Manual (of type Top-Down):

Bottom-Up Progress Methods

If the progress method is Consumption Based, Connected Objects or Manual (of type Bottom-Up):

Progress per Cost Element per Sub Project, and Sub Project Progress

Note: It is possible to manually exclude activities from the progress calculation, by selecting the Exclude from WAD check box on the activity.

Progress per Cost Element per Project, and Project Progress

Cost element progress (cost progress and hours progress) values and project progress (weighted average cost development and weighted average hours development) values are derived in exactly the same way as on the sub project level for all activities in the whole project.

Note: It is possible to manually exclude sub projects or individual activities from the progress calculation, by selecting the Exclude from WAD check box on the sub project or activity.
 

Progress Methods

A detailed description of the progress methods that can be selected on activity level is given below.

Note: It is possible to close activities without reaching 100% progress.

Duration Progress

The values for the Calculated Cost Progress and the Calculated Hours Progress fields on activity level are calculated by dividing the Elapsed Work Days by the Total Work Days of the activity and taking the percentage value of the result. If the system date is after the early finish the progress is 100%, and if the system date is before the early start the progress is 0%. The duration progress will be updated only after the activity is released. Progress from the connected objects is not taken into account.  The activity progress is then applied to the cost element line level of the activity (Top-Down) and used in the calculation of earned value for each project cost element.

Template Progress

A Progress Template can be selected for the activity on the Project Navigator/Activity/Details tab. Then the progress of the activity is reported by manually selecting the relevant progress template step. This progress is directly copied to both the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields of the activity. Progress from the connected objects is not taken into account. The activity progress is then applied to the cost element line level of the activity (Top-Down) and used in the calculation of earned value for each project cost element line.

Manual

The values in the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields are based on manually entered progress values. Progress from the connected objects is not taken into account.

Manual Progress can be entered in four levels. The required fields are enabled (on the Project Navigator/Activity/Details tab or on the project cost element line) depending on the value selected for the Level of Entry field. Values for Level of Entry are as follows:

When the Level of Entry is set to Activity, it is possible to manually enter a value in the Activity Progress field. This value is directly copied to both the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields for the activity. The activity progress is then applied to the cost element line level of the activity (Top-Down) and used in the calculation of earned value for each project cost element line.

When the Level of Entry is set to Activity - Cost and Hours, it is possible to manually enter different values for the cost progress and hours progress in the Activity Cost Progress and the Activity Hours Progress fields. These values are directly copied to the Calculated Cost Progress field respectively the Calculated Hours Progress field for the activity. The activity cost and hours progress values are then applied to the cost element line level separately for cost and hours of the activity (Top-Down) and used in the calculation of earned value for each project cost element line.

When the Level of Entry is set to Project Cost Element, it is possible to manually enter one progress value per cost element line which will be used for both cost and hours progress. Progress values entered on one tab will be automatically copied to the corresponding cost element line on the other tab. The progress entered is used to calculate the earned value for the cost element line. The calculated cost progress and calculated hours progress values for the activity are calculated (Bottom-Up) by taking the total earned value for all the cost elements and dividing it by total Planned or Baseline values.

When the Level of Entry is set to Project Cost Element - Cost and Hours, it is possible to manually enter different values for cost and hours progress for the individual cost elements. The entered progress is used to calculate the earned value for the cost element line. The calculated cost progress and calculated hours progress values for the activity are calculated (Bottom-Up) by taking the total earned value for all the cost elements and dividing it by total planned or baseline values.

Consumption Based Progress

The consumption based progress is calculated on the activity level for each cost element. The values in the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields are based on the Used Cost and Used/Actual Hours reported from the connected objects. Progress from the connected objects is not taken into account. For information on when different objects report used cost and used/actual hours, refer the About Cost, Hours and Revenue reported to Activity.

Cost Progress per cost element is equal to the Used Cost divided by the Planned (or Baseline) Cost for a cost element. This progress value is used to calculated the earned value per cost element, as Earned Value = Progress * Planned (or Baseline). Hours progress and earned value per cost element is calculated in the same way.

Activity calculated cost/ hours progress is calculated as the sum of earned value divided by the sum of planned (or baseline) cost/hours for the activity (Bottom-Up).

Tasks

The values in the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields are based on the planned and progress values of the connected tasks which have been manually entered. Progress from any other type of connected object is not taken into account.

When all tasks have planned values, the activity cost progress is derived from the progress of all the tasks weighted according to their planned cost/hours:

When none of the tasks have planned values, the activity cost progress is calculated as follows:

Note: In a situation where some tasks have a negative value for planned cost, due to adjustments made to the plan, the total planned cost of all the tasks can result with zero or a negative value. In these cases the activity cost progress will be calculated using the above formula.

If only some tasks do not have planned values, the maximum contribution to progress from each task is equal to 100% divided by the total number of tasks. The tasks with planned values share the remaining portion and are weighted according to their planned cost/hours:

A = 100%/ Number of tasks
B = (Number of tasks-Number of tasks without Planned Cost) / Number of tasks *100%

  1. For task w (without Planned Cost): Progress = A * Task w's Progress on the task line. Repeat for all w.
  2. For task z (with Planned Cost): Progress = B * Task z's Planned Cost/ Total Planned Cost * Task Progress on the task line. Repeat for all z.
  3. Calculated Cost Progress = Sum the progress for all w and z.

Calculated hours progress is derived in the same way.

This progress is then applied to all cost element lines (Top-Down), to calculated the earned value per cost element, as Earned Value = Progress * Planned (or Baseline).

Here is an example to illustrate how activity progress is calculated when all tasks do not have planned values:

Task PCE Planned Cost Planned Hours Task Progress Cost Weight Calculated Cost Progress Hours Weight Calculated Hours Progress
A L01 1000 10 100 (5 - 2) / 5 * 1000 / (1000 + 100 + 50) * 100 % = 0.5217 52.17 % (5 - 1) / 5 * 10 / (10+5+3+2) * 100 % = 0.4 40 %
B P01   5 10 100 % / 5 * 10 % = 0.02 2 % (5 - 1) / 5 * 5 / (10+5+3+2) * 10 % = 0.02 2 %
C P01 100 3 0 (5 - 2) / 5 * 100 / (1000+100 + 50) * 0 % = 0 0 (5 - 1) / 5 * 3 / (10+5+3+2) * 0 % = 0 0
D L02   2 20 100 % / 5 * 20 % = 0.04 4 % (5 - 1) / 5 * 2 / (10+5+3+2) * 20 % = 0.016 1.6 %
E L03 50   30 (5 - 2) / 5 * 50 / (1000 + 100 + 50) * 30 % = 0.007826 0,78 % 100 % / 5 * 30 % 6 %
            58.95 %   49.6 %

So, in this example the calculated cost progress is 58.95% and calculated hours progress is 49.6%. These progress values are then applied to each cost element line on the Cost and Hours tab respectively (Top-Down).

Connected Objects

The values in the Calculated Cost Progress and Calculated Hours Progress fields are based on the progress and earned value of the connected objects. As the objects progress (receiving ordered material, reporting operations, entering manual progress etc), they contribute to the activity progress. Planned cost/hours are retrieved according to the planned cost driver. Earned value is calculated as Progress * Planned (or Baseline) values.

Activity calculated cost/hours progress is calculated as the sum of earned value divided by the sum of planned (or baseline) cost/hours for the activity (Bottom-Up). Using planned or baseline values when calculating the earned value is defined by the earned value method set on the project.

For this progress method, the following cost reporting object types report their progress or earned value to the activity:

The following cost reporting object types do not have any impact on activity progress or earned value:

Note: Revenue reporting objects does not report progress or earned value.


When using the connected objects progress method in combination with the different planned cost drivers, the planned values and earned value are retrieved as:

Planned Cost Driver Planned Cost is retrieved from Earned Value is retrieved from
Activity Resources Activity/Resource Planning tab Object Connections
Connected Objects Object Connections Object Connections
Estimated Cost Activity/Estimate tab Object Connections

Activity Progress is calculated as Earned Value/Planned Value.

 

Earned Value and Progress per Object

When the progress method is Connected Objects, the calculation of earned value and progress per progress reporting object is done as follows:

Progress is entered manually for each task.

Earned value and progress from a work order is reported from operations, tools and facilities, material requisitions and the purchase flow (purchase requisition created from a WO). For the purchase flow the planned values are saved on the purchase requisition line and inherited to the purchase order line.

Note: If the work order derives from a compatible unit, then the work order object will not report any planned values, progress or earned value.
 

Requirement Activity progress = sum Earned Value/sum Planned or Baseline value.

Earned value for Project Delivery PMRP demands behave in the same way as purchase orders and shop orders created from miscellaneous demands with the PMRP supply option.

    Sub Contract Progress = Sum of application total value per activity per currency/ sum of planned value per activity per currency

    or,

    Sub Contract Progress = Sum of certified total value per activity per currency / sum of planned value per activity pre currency

 

    This calculated progress is saved on each sub contract connection per activity and per currency. Earned value is calculated as follows and summed up for each project cost element.

 

    Earned Value = Progress * Planned or Baseline cost per line

 

 

Valuation 1 - Change the status to Application received:

Item

Currency

Activity

Contract Value

Application total value

Item 1

USD

A1

1000

100

Item 2

USD

A1

1000

500

Item 3

USD

A2

1000

400

Item 4

GBP

A1

1000

100

Contract summary by activity and currency:

Contract

Activity

Currency

Planned cost

Earned Value (Received or certified in item currency)

Calculated Progress (Earned Value / Planned Cost)

C1

A1

USD

2000

600

30.00%

C1

A1

GBP

1000

100

10.00%

C1

A2

USD

1000

400

40.00%

 

Project connection details after receiving application on valuation 1:

Project Connection  for Activity A1 & Currency USD

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

2000

600

30%

Project Connection for Activity A1 & Currency GBP

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

1000 x R1

100 x R1

10%

Project Connection for Activity A2 & Currency USD

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

1000

400

40%

 

 

Valuation 1 - Change the status to Certified:

Item

Currency

Activity

Contract Value

Application total value

Certified total value

Item 1

USD

A1

1000

100

80

Item 2

USD

A1

1000

500

400

Item 3

USD

A2

1000

400

300

Item 4

GBP

A1

1000

100

100

 

Contract summary by activity and currency:

Contract

Activity

Currency

Planned cost

Earned Value (Received or certified in item currency)

Calculated Progress (Earned Value / Planned Cost)

C1

A1

USD

2000

480

24.00%

C1

A1

GBP

1000

100

10.00%

C1

A2

USD

1000

300

30.00%

 

Project connection details after certifying valuation 1:

Project Connection  for Activity A1 & Currency USD

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

2000

480

24%

Project Connection for Activity A1 & Currency GBP

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

1000 x R1

100 x R1

10%

Project Connection for Activity A2 & Currency USD

 

 

 

 

 

Object

Planned cost

Earned Value (Progress * Planned cost)

Progress

 

Sub contract

1000

300

30%