Earned Value Field Categories

[DK]

Hi,

I’m trying to get a handle on measuring EV performance using MS Project and
noticed there are six field categories for BCWS, BCWP & ACWP.

When I update my schedules I expect to see a combination of baseline and
status date updating the BCWS, actual duration plus remaining duration
updating the BCWP and actual work plus remaining work updating the ACWP.

Putting to one side the timephased fields... unless Microsoft are referring
to different views (Gantt, Resource, Task etc.), I’m actually at a loss to
see what the differences are between the BCWS, BCWP & ACWP task / resource /
assignments fields.

In layman’s terms could someone explain to me any of the distinctive
characteristics are and perhaps give some examples? Am I updating my
schedules using task, resource or assignment fields or by a combination? Will
BCWS, BCWP & ACWP show different values for each field category?

I’m using standalone 2k3

DK

 

[Jack Dahlgren MVP]

DK,

If the project is performed exactly as planned then there is no difference
between ACWP BCWP and BCWS.

If the project is running late, but is not taking more work or material
resources than planned then
BCWP and ACWP will be the same, but BCWS will be greater than BCWP (you have
not performed the tasks you expected to perform)

If the project is on time, but you are expending more resources then
BCWP and BCWS will be the same, but ACWP will be greater than BCWP. (you are
spending more on the tasks than you expected)

If the project is both late and over budget then nothing will match.
Likewise if under budget and ahead of schedule.

The level at which costs are determined is the assignment level. Tasks may
have multiple assignments, so the cost of a task = the sum of all the
assignments on that task. Resource fields do not make much sense in
determining Earned value.



-Jack Dahlgren

 

[DK]

Thanks Jack,

I probably rambled a bit in my first post so I wasn’t very clear.

I’m fine using EV using an excel spreadsheet, but using MS Project when I
look at Fields Reference via Help it gives me six Field Categories for BCWS,
six for BCWP and six for ACWP.

Task Field
Resource Field
Assignment Field
Task-Timephased Field
Resource-Timephased Field
Assignment-Timephased Field

Taking BCWP in isolation which Microsoft defines as “The earned value field
that indicates how much of the task's budget should have been spent, given
the actual duration of the task.†There’s a note attached that says “Project
calculates BCWP at the task level differently than at the assignment level.â€

I’m just confused as to why different field categories return different
values and what those differences are.

DK

 

[DK]

Jack,

Just re-reading your post, am I right in thinking that if I have two
resources working on a task, then each resource’s performance is measured
using EV and aggregated by rolling up to the task level to return the tasks
EV?

So the resource is using the assignment field and the task is using the task
field?

If it is then it makes a bit more sense as I was searching for different
views or tables.

DK

 

[DK]

Thanks Jack,

I think I was over-elaborating and assuming that when MS Project Help
referred to BCWS, BCWP & ACWP each having six ‘Fields’ they were talking
about six different ‘Columns’.

A bit like how the Entry Table can have different Text1 columns depending on
the View you are using (e.g. Gantt Chart vs Resource Sheet).

DK