Why does Project 2000 show "0" when I calculate SPI

[Stevie]

Hi all,

Since I didn't get very much of an answer to my previous post, I opted
reposting it again here.

What I need is a field to calculate the SPI.
This is how I do it:
I save my baseline, and then afterwards construct my project adding
tasks.
I make the BCWS and BCWP fields show. The strange things begin right
here: the values show zeros.
I afterwards add a field (Number 11 e.g.). I customize it (Tools >
Customize), and configure it so I can add a formula. The formula for
SPI is BCWS/BCWP, and I make it be put in. Still, the value shows a
zero.

I am not very experienced with Project 2000, and I couldn't get it to
workby the explanation of Project help itself.
What I need is a very clear explanation what I should look at.
My configuration is Project 2000 in a Win NT 4.0. environment.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Stevie,
A couple of things.
1. You mention that you have baselined your project
before adding tasks. You should add your tasks, link
them, define resources (with costs), assign resources and
then baseline.
2. Without resources, rates, and assignments you will not
see any earned value figures.

Hope this helps.
Julie

 

[Steve House]

There are a number of problems with your approach as you've outlined it.
First and foremost you said you save your baseline and then add your tasks.
This is completely backwards. The baseline is a collection of data about
the tasks and resources and so if you do it in that order there is no data
yet present to save in the baseline. The baseline is a fixed "snapshot" of
the project data at the moment you've saved the baseline and does NOT
automatically update as the project changes. You need to set up the entire
project, enter all the tasks and sequence them, define your resources and
their rates and assign them to their tasks (You didn't mention that you'd
done anything with resources but without them there is nothing for Earned
Value and SPI to measure since it uses resource costs as the tracking
metric), level any overallocations, and finalize the schedule, THEN save (or
re-save) your baseline. The baseline should represent the completed project
plan as you intend to work it, saved as the very last thing done after
getting management approval and sign-off but before beginning actual work.
Then as work proceeds you update the project posting in actual performance.

Now to earned value - remember BCWS is the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled,
BCWP is Budgeted Cost of Work Performed, *AS OF a specific Status Date* (you
left out whether you had set the status date or not). That's why you need
to have both assigned resources and entered actual progress to date.
Without resources there is no work to be scheduled and without actuals there
is no record that work has been performed. So you decide what date you want
to see earned value reported current to and set that date as the status date
in the Project Information menu. Then in the View Menu, select Table, More
Tables, and from the list of available table displayed select one of the
Earned Value tables. You don't need to create a custom field to display
SPI, it's already there as a standard field and is already included in the
EV tables supplied out-of-the-box or available for inclusion in a custom
table.

Hope this helps ...