FRUSTRATED - PV not calculating in master plan

[DJ Huff]

Related to my last email...

When I uncollapse a subplan in my master in the Earned Value view, it zeroes
out the BCWS field in the subplan (just within the master, not in the subplan
iteself). It appears MSP 2003 has a bug regarding displaying earned value in
a master plan.

I even made sure the views, tables, and filters used in this view are
exactly the same in each plan as in the master (trying everything, even if
seemingly unrelated)...didn't help! When I close out of the master and open
it back up, the sub plan EV fields are correct, but the program level BCWS,
BCWP, and ACWP fields still show zeroes. This means I cannot use MSP to
chart program-wide EV metrics, rendering the purpose of the master design
useless for cost and schedule tracking.

Can you tell I am frustrated!

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I've had a similar issue in MPP 2007, which seemed to resolve itself as follows:

1) Baseline the subprojects.
2) Baseline the master project.

It would appear that the master project doesn't take on the baseline of the
subprojects automatically - which makes sense from an aggregation standpoint,
I suppose.

See if that works.

-A

 

[DJ Huff]

Thanks for the response. Yeah, I tried that and it still didn't work. When
I first createde the master, after baselining each plan and inserting into
the master, then baselining the master, it worked fine. As soon as I did
anything with the inserted plans, the program-level BCWS zeroed out. From
that point on, it continuies to be wrong. Each time I "uncollapse" an
inserted plan, the BCWS of the inserted plan in the master (not inthe sub
plan itself), displays 0 in the BCWS. It does that for each plan I touch.
Then, if I rebaseline an inserted plan outside of the master, then display
the master, the master picks up only the last baselined plan's ev numbers as
its own. It is really perplexing. It should not work like this. It should
be straight forward.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

Have you tried to set the status date appropriately in each subproject, then
reopen the master plan?

It would seem that just setting the status date in the master plan doesn't
do the trick.

-A

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

It looks like I was having the same issue until I did all of the following:

1) Push the status date out for each of the subprojects.
2) Push the status date out for the master project to the end of project
3) Rebaseline master project.

Now it seems to work fine.

-A

 

[DJ Huff]

Thanks, Andrew. It seemed to work (at least for now - my confidence in this
is minimal at this point). I knew MSP required specific sequencing of action
when using a master plan design. I have books ("Inside Out...", "Project
2003 Bible", Uyttewaal's "Dynamic Scheduling...", online help, etc.) and
could not find anything that spelled out the exact sequence of everything
when using a master plan design. Most of the books give very little info and
usually refer one to Project Server Enterprise version...which is frustrting.

So, a couple of questions, if you please...

1. We create metrics weekly...do I need to rebaseline the master everytimd I
change the status dates?
2. What does baselining the plans really do regarding Earned Vaue? I know
MSP does not calculate EV until the plan(s) is baselined, but can't see a
relationship between a task and a rebaseline. In other words, the EV metrics
for a task begin at the beginning of the task, regardless of when or how many
baselines are done, correct? It is the status date (or today's date when
status has not been set) that is the driver, correct? I would get no
different metrics if I baselined the plan each day of the week, but kept the
same status date, correct? This is something else that is somewhat confusing
that is not clarified in any bookd I have found.

Anyway, thanks for the tip. I just did not do that particular sequence of
tasks (I probably did when I first set up the master, but did not realize I
had done so).

Thanks again!

 

[Catapult Systems]

1) You shouldn't need to rebaseline, but you may need to move the status
dates in all projects to get accurate EVMS data. It seems to truncate if
the subproject status date comes before the master.

2) As for baselining, that's what determines BCWS, and you can't get CPI
or SPI without it. Without baselining, you have no basis for the calculation
of EVMS. Uyttewaal's book has a good section on the mechanics of rebaselining.
Sham Dayal's book on Earned Value Management Using Microsoft Project has
some useful tips and templates for getting that data (more specifically the
EVMS baseline) out into an Excel spreadsheet, which you probably would want
to do. I haven't seen too much literature on Master Projects, although -
and would be interested if you find any.

I've had some issues with baselining selected tasks vs baselining the entire
schedule. The data doesn't get transferred over to the resource baselines
when baselining selected tasks. It does update the timephased data. This
makes resource based EVMS calculations in the Resource Sheet difficult, but
shouldn't affect the tracking of the schedule in the Gantt chart.

3) The Status Date determines the point of time within which I am looking
at my data. For instance, SPI calculates the difference between PV and EV.
The Status Date determines when to take that snapshot of the PV to determine
if you are ahead or behind of schedule. If the Status Date is set far in
the future, it will show you as being severely behind schedule. Typically,
one of the biggest challenges with implementing EVMS, is making sure your
schedule is up to date - i.e. all remaining incomplete work is pushed past
the Status Date, and all completed work is prior to the Status Date. If
you rebaseline each day, that will simply negate any of the EVMS value.

Hope that helps. I might advise that you look into advanced MPP training
in your area - specifically addressing the mechanics of updating the schedule.
That might do a lot to address some of your questions.

-A

 

[Hemmige S Prashanth]

Dear Andrew,

I have exactly this same problem.

However, my question is - when I rebaseline by master project, will it
go and rebaseline my sub projects? I do not want this to happen. I'm
using my master schedule to just have a rolled up view and none of my
subprojects should be affected. If rebaselining my master does indeed
rebaseline the sub projects, how do I deal with this? Is there a
different way to roll up projects, without affecting the subprojects?

Thanks,
Prashanth

 

[Rob Schneider]

Dear Andrew,

I have exactly this same problem.

However, my question is - when I rebaseline by master project, will it
go and rebaseline my sub projects? I do not want this to happen. I'm
using my master schedule to just have a rolled up view and none of my
subprojects should be affected. If rebaselining my master does indeed
rebaseline the sub projects, how do I deal with this? Is there a
different way to roll up projects, without affecting the subprojects?

Thanks,
Prashanth

Prashanth,

What happened when you tried this? Did the subprojects update when you
did this?

 

[John]

Dear Andrew,

I have exactly this same problem.

However, my question is - when I rebaseline by master project, will it
go and rebaseline my sub projects? I do not want this to happen. I'm
using my master schedule to just have a rolled up view and none of my
subprojects should be affected. If rebaselining my master does indeed
rebaseline the sub projects, how do I deal with this? Is there a
different way to roll up projects, without affecting the subprojects?

Thanks,
Prashanth

Prashanth,
My first question is, does the master have tasks of its own? If it does,
then all you need to do is to selectively baseline just those tasks that
belong to the master. If however, the master is made up entirely of
subprojects, then setting a baseline at the master level is in fact
setting a baseline for each subproject task. As long as you don't save
changes, the baseline changes to the subprojects will not be permanent.

However I have to ask, what circumstances call for a different baseline
at the master level than exists at the subproject level?

John
Project MVP

 

[Hemmige S Prashanth]

John,

No, the master does not have any tasks of its own.

You asked - "However I have to ask, what circumstances call for a
different baseline at the master level than exists at the subproject
level? "

No, at least I do not have a scenario where the master and the
subprojects need to have different baselines. In fact, my master
schedule is only to roll up the sub projects. I want to see a rolled
up CPI / SPI data, that is all.

Thanks,
Prashanth

 

[John]

John,

No, the master does not have any tasks of its own.

You asked - "However I have to ask, what circumstances call for a
different baseline at the master level than exists at the subproject
level? "

No, at least I do not have a scenario where the master and the
subprojects need to have different baselines. In fact, my master
schedule is only to roll up the sub projects. I want to see a rolled
up CPI / SPI data, that is all.

Thanks,
Prashanth

Prashanth,
Take a look at the thread of a post in this newsgroup by Angelo dated
6/19/09 titled, "EV not calculating correctly with master plan". I think
Rod's response answers your question.

John
Project MVP