1

Microsoft Project Earned Value and Project Tracking for Blue Zuma Project

1. Default Date in Project to calculate reports is today’s date. BE SURE TO

CHANGE THE STATUS DATE BEFORE YOU RUN YOUR REPORTS.

2. All MS Project reports should reflect the title of the report, current date of report,
and your name on that report.

3. The Status report should follow the format of Exhibit 13.1 chapter 13.

Earned Value Reporting

Microsoft Project contains four (4) Earned Value tables
1. Earned Value for Tasks
2. Earned Value Cost Indicators
3. Earned Value Schedule Indicators
4. Earned Value for Resources

Earned Value for Tasks

1. compares relationship between work and costs for tasks
2. evaluates budget to estimate future budget needs and to prepare accounting
statements of project
3. answers – if work is being done for the amount of money spent or if a
particular task needs more or less money

Earned Value for Resources

1. compares relationship between work and costs for resources
2. evaluates budget to estimate future budget needs and to prepare accounting
statements of project
3. answers – if work is being done for the amount of money spent or if a
particular task needs more or less money

Earned Value Cost Indicators and Earned Value Schedule Indicators

1. enables you to compare various cost factors in project
2. enables you to focus on effects of scheduling variances on cost of your project

Earned Value Cost Indicators table closely resembles the Earned Value for Tasks
table, but focuses on different earned value fields.

Charting Earned Value Data

You can export the earned value information to Microsoft Excel and then use Excel’s
ChartWizard to create charts of earned value information.
 2

Before you can export you have to check Security of your file.
 Go to Tools > options
 Click on Security tab
 Make sure Allow loading of files is marked
 Click ok

To create an Excel workbook:

 In Project File containing information you want to use in Excel, choose File –
Save As
 Type a name for Excel workbook, don’t put in an extension Project supplies it
 Open Save as type list box and select Microsoft Excel Workbook
 Click Save to start exporting mapping wizard
 Click Next
 Choose Selected Data
 Click Next
 Choose Use Existing Map
 Click Next
 Choose Earned Value Information
 Click Finish

Then you use the Chart Wizard to create your charts.

OR for a quick Earned Value graph:

 Click on Reports
 Visual Reports
 Choose Earned Value information
 Click view
 3

Category Name Definition

ACWP Actual cost of Shows actual costs incurred for work already done on
(now AC) work performed a task, up to the project status date
BAC Budget at Shows the total planned cost for a task, a resource for
completion (also all assigned tasks, or for work to be performed by a
Baseline cost) resource on a task
BCWP Budgeted cost of The cumulative value of the task’s, resource’s, or
(now EV) work performed assignments’ percent complete multiplied by the
(also earned timephased baseline costs up to project status date.
value)
BCWS Budgeted cost of The cumulative timephased baseline costs up to the
(now PV) work scheduled status date.
(also planned
value)
CPI Cost performance The ratio of budgeted (or baseline) costs of work
index performed to actual costs of work performed, up to the
project status date.
CV Earned value cost Shows the difference between how much it should
variance have cost and how much it has actually cost to achieve
the current level of completion up to the status date.
CV = EV - AC
EAC Estimate at Shows the expected total cost of a task based on
completion (also performance up to status date.
forecast at EAC = ACWP + (baseline cost – BCWP)/CPI
completion FAC) (comparing EAC against original BAC yields VAC)
SPI Schedule Shows the ratio of the budgeted cost of work
performance performed to the budgeted cost of work scheduled
index (BCWP/BCWS). Used to estimate the project
completion data.
SV Earned Value Shows the difference in cost terms between the current
Schedule variance progress and baseline plan of a task, all assigned tasks
of a resource, or for an assignment up to the status
date.
SV = EV - PV
TCPI To complete Shows the ratio of work remaining to be done to funds
performance remaining to be spent as of status date.
index TCPI = (BAC – BCWP)/(BAC-ACWP)
VAC Variance at Shows difference between the BAC and EAC for a
completion task, resource; provides early warning of “how bad it
will get if we keep this up”
 4

For both Part 5 and 6 print the following reports:

1. Earned Value table
2. Earned Value Cost Indicator table
3. Earned Value Schedule Indicator table
4. Tracking Gantt chart page 1.
5. Graphs

Instructions for Part 5 Project

Following the instructions in your text book and answering all the questions in Part 5,

1. Make sure that you input the correct status date before you run your reports.
2. You will need to put in the Actual duration information BEFORE running your
report.
3. Your report will include:
a. Title page (title of this project, your name, and the submission date of this
report)
b. Status Report must be typed. Double spaced. For the status report use the
same layout and headingns as the report on page 328 in your text book.
c. Make sure your status report answers all the questions asked in Part 5
d. Include all a Tracking Gantt Chart and reports which includes PV, EV, AC,
BAC, EAC, SV, CV, and CPI for each task (as indicated in your textbook) as well as
your reports attached to the front.
e. Be sure your work is in order (title page, status report and supporting tables,
and charts.)
f. label your printed project reports correctly using the correct dates in part 5,
NOT the date you turn it in to the Dropbox on D2L.

Instructions for Part 6 of Project

Following the instructions in your text book and answering all the questions in Part 6.
This is a separate report.

1. Write a memo that answers all the questions after you have made your updates.
2. Attach a cost table and Tracking Gantt Chart and Earned value report.
3. REMEMBER to change the status date.
4. Don’t forget your graph(s).
5. Remember to put your report in order. (Memo, supporting tables, graphs)