Earned value fields showing $0

[oldbradfordian]

MSPS 2007 Earned Value question:

Does anyone know why the earned value fields (BCWS, BCWP, ACWP,...) would
show $0 for all my schedule tasks, including those in progess (eg 50%) and
those completed (100%), even though the schedule was baselined several months
ago and both the "Baseline Cost" and "Cost" values for each task show
correctly based on the resource costs associated with each task? The "Project
Status" date is today (but is also has been updated regularly since the
baseline was created)

Thank you for any help you can offer.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

One possibility is that the Earned Value method may be set to Physical %
Complete. If the Physical % Complete is 0, then nothing would show up in
ACWP and BCWP. That wouldn't explain the BCWS though. You might check the
Earned Value Method for the tasks.

I assume we're talking within the Project client. I seem to recall there
being an issue with pre-SP1/IU Visual Reports not pushing out EVMS data properly.

-A

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I also assume that you're not using Cost Resources. They don't work with
EVMS.

-A

 

[oldbradfordian]

Not using Physical % Complete, and not using cost resources.

Using MS Project Pro 2007 client with MS Project Server 2007, latest SP
installed.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

Is Earned Value set to calculate from the correct baseline?

Tools > Options > Calculation > Earned Value....

-A

 

[oldbradfordian]

Yes. There is only a single baseline, teh standard "Baseline". I am not using
"Baseline 1", "Baseline 2" etc.

That does prompt a question, however. Take teh following theoretical example:

I baseline a schedule on March 1st, and teh baseline is for all tasks. Then
on March 10th I add a couple of new tasks (mayeb the scope changed or a task
got split into two separate tasks, for example). Then I select just the new
tasks and baseline them (just the selected tasks, not all tasks). Now all
tasks have been baselined only once, but on different days. Could this be a
problem, since the earned value appears to go off a single baseline date?

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I've had issues with baselining selected tasks vs baselining an entire project.
The issue seems to be that the baselining of selected tasks doesn't seem
to update the assignment or resource baselines - which are critical for EVMS
calculation.

Try baselining the entire project (not selected tasks) to Baseline 9 or something.
Set EVMS to calculate from that, and see if the numbers don't magically
start working.

-A

 

[oldbradfordian]

You are correct. That was the problem. Now I have some values showing in teh
earned value fields. BUT...they do not reflect the original Baseline data
values, only the current values are being used as the baseline. So I am I the
victim of yet another Microsoft bug that means I can't use Earned Value for
my existing projects?

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

You can, but typically it involves baselining up front, and then dropping
that data into Excel so you have it to compare to. Then when you make changes
to the baseline, you can modify it in Excel - and have everything work.

There's some pretty good resources on how to use EVMS in MPP. I think IIL
has a good book out on Amazon which would be a worthy investment and I know
Quantum PM has some sort of add-in which is supposed to make EVMS easier.

-A

 

[oldbradfordian]

Thanks for the suggestion.

So basically, if that's the case and a user should use Excel to manually
keep track of Earned Value, then MS Project Server is useless for reporting
Earned Value unless the user only ever baselines a project once for all
tasks and never does any subsequent baselining for any tasks in that project.
Thank you, Microsoft.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I wouldn't say it's useless, but it does have certain limitations around
which various vendors have built a whole ecosystem of applications. Many
companies perform EVMS quite happily in MS Project desktop and server.

-A