BCWP returns zero values

[Chris]

I am just starting to track earned value on a project that was setup over two years ago by others. I can view the eanred value table ok, but the BCWP column retunrs zero values against all activites - does anyone know why? I expect it's some simple setting I've missed.

Any guidance will be a great help

 

[James G]

Hi Chris,

In order to track Earned Value, you will need to have:
- Saved the tasks with some form of £ budget against them. This can be done by allocating resources, complete with their hours and hourly rate, against the task, or directly entering a £ value in the task's Cost cell. Doing this sets the BCWS.
- Saved the project with a baseline (post insertion of the planned cost values).
- Entered timephased Actual Hours worked, against the resource, or timephased Actual Cost against the task.

I don't know whether there is any previously input "progress", but you have to be really careful if you want to get meaningful values from the EV. I assume that you are using MSP 2000. If so, the BCWP is calculated on the basis of the % Complete of the DURATION of the task - and not on the % Work Complete, as you would normally expect.

If you have saved your project with a baseline etc. and you just input the task as being 100%, without accounting for what really happened, over whatever period, then you will get a "perfect" EV curve - which isn't really much help - especially if it isn't the reality.

Best of luck and HTH.

James.

 

[Chris]

thanks James,

I am using MS Project 2002.

I do have allocated resources with budgets, rates, durations etc. and a baseline has been set and saved. I am entering actual hours used. I can see BCWS, ACWP, SV, CV, EAC, BAC and VAC in the EV table, but for some reason the BCWP values are all zero. The project is set to track physical % complete independantly from actual hours spent against those budgeted. I want to plot my S curve to see actual progress against planned both in time and cost, but with BCWP at zero I'm sure I won't get the right answer - any ideas?

 

[James G]

Hmmm, you've got me stumped on that one!

I am aware that MSP 2002 has the option of doing EV (BCWP) against the "Physical % Complete", but I'm not sure if there any additional options that have to be selected in order for it to start calculating. I presume that you have set the "Status Date"?

Sorry to be of absolutely no use to you on this one - but I just can't think of why BCWP would show zero values, when all the other EV data is there.

 

[Steve House]

In order for Earned Value to be calculated you must also specifiy the Status
Date (Project menu, Project Information) to be used for the calculation.
Think of it as designating the reporting date within the project you want to
see the earned value figures for.

--
Steve House [MVP]
MS Project Trainer/Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

thanks James,

I am using MS Project 2002.

I do have allocated resources with budgets, rates, durations etc. and a

baseline has been set and saved. I am entering actual hours used. I can
see BCWS, ACWP, SV, CV, EAC, BAC and VAC in the EV table, but for some
reason the BCWP values are all zero. The project is set to track physical %
complete independantly from actual hours spent against those budgeted. I
want to plot my S curve to see actual progress against planned both in time
and cost, but with BCWP at zero I'm sure I won't get the right answer - any
ideas?done by allocating resources, complete with their hours and hourly rate,
against the task, or directly entering a £ value in the task's Cost cell.
Doing this sets the BCWS.have to be really careful if you want to get meaningful values from the EV.
I assume that you are using MSP 2000. If so, the BCWP is calculated on the
basis of the % Complete of the DURATION of the task - and not on the % Work
Complete, as you would normally expect.the task as being 100%, without accounting for what really happened, over
whatever period, then you will get a "perfect" EV curve - which isn't really
much help - especially if it isn't the reality.over two years ago by others. I can view the eanred value table ok, but the
BCWP column retunrs zero values against all activites - does anyone know
why? I expect it's some simple setting I've missed.

 

[Steve House]

Do you have actual progress posted? Which fields did you update to record
it if you do? BCWP is Budgeted Cost of Work Performed. If there are no
entries in the Actual Duration / Actual Work fields, the BCWP values will be
zero.

--
Steve House [MVP]
MS Project Trainer/Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Thanks Steve,

I have specified th status date - could it be that there are currently

additional activities and resources to those set in the baseline I'm trying
to track EV against? I would have thought that Project should still be able
to compare against the activites that are the same though and calc a BCWP
value for them.

I'm still getting zero BCWP values for all activities so I presume the

calculated EAC is wrong until this is sorted. BWCS does however return
values!

 

[luis]

If you are using Physical % Complete as the EV basis, then you also need
to enter a Phys %. MSP does not do this automatically, even if the %
complete is greater than zero or even 100%. So, make sure the Phys %
Complete field has values. If you still have issues, if you want to send
me the file I can try to figure it out.

Good luck,

Luis