The Earned Value Management Macros

The planned schedule for an assembly project is shown in Output 11.1.1. This schedule can be computed by either of the CPM or PM procedures. (For more details, see Chapter 4 or Chapter 5, respectively.)

The budgeted cost rates are given in Output 11.1.2. It is assumed that the activities incur costs continuously.

The budgeted periodic cost can now be generated with the following specification of the %EVA_PLANNED_VALUE macro:

%eva_planned_value(
    plansched=iout1,
    activity=activity,
    start=start,
    finish=finish,
    duration=duration,
    budgetcost=iatcost,
    rate=rate
);

For brevity, only the first 17 rows of the output data set are shown in Output 11.1.3.

Next, the actual progress of the project through September 30, 2010, is entered. The ACTUAL data set is shown in Output 11.1.4.

These inputs are then used by the CPM procedure with the original schedule to produce an updated schedule, given in Output 11.1.5. (For information about using the CPM procedure, see Chapter 4.)

The %EVA_EARNED_VALUE macro can then be used to generate the updated periodic cost, as follows:

%eva_earned_value(
    revisesched=updsched,
    activity=activity,
    start=start,
    finish=finish,
    actualcost=iatupd,
    rate=rate
);

Again, for brevity only the first 17 rows of the output data set are shown in Output 11.1.6.

The %EVA_METRICS macro can be called with a current date of September 30, 2010, as follows:

%eva_metrics(
    timenow='30sep10'd,
    acronyms=long
);

Output 11.1.7 shows the output listing from %EVA_METRICS. Notice that “ACRONYMS=long” is specified, which results in the long version of the earned value acronyms being used.

Next, the %EVA_TASK_METRICS macro is used to produce Cost and Schedule Variance by task.

%eva_task_metrics(
    plansched=iout1,
    revisesched=updsched,
    activity=activity,
    start=start,
    finish=finish,
    pctcomp=pctcomp,
    budgetcost=iatcost,
    actualcost=iatupd,
    rate=rate,
    timenow='30sep10'd,
    acronyms=long
);

The output listing is shown in Output 11.1.8.

Output 11.1.9 through Output 11.1.13 show charts that are produced using the earned value analysis reporting macros. First, the %EVG_COST_PLOT macro is used to generate the plot in Output 11.1.9.

%evg_cost_plot(acronyms=long);

According to the plan, the earned value percentage complete at the status date of September 30, 2010 (shown by the BCWS plot) should have been 2049/6650, or 30.81%. Instead, the percentage complete (shown by the BCWP plot) is only 1374/6650, or 20.66%.

Next, the %EVG_SCHEDULE_PLOT macro is used to produce the plot in Output 11.1.10. The resulting output shows a disastrous projected completion date of August 1, 2014, based upon the current earned value. This is two years and four months behind the planned schedule end date of March 10, 2012. Based on the performance of the project so far, it is estimated to cost $9793 at completion (EAC), amounting to nearly a 50% overrun.

%evg_schedule_plot;

The %EVG_INDEX_PLOT macro is then used to produce the plot in Output 11.1.11.

%evg_index_plot;

The plot in Output 11.1.11 shows that the performance factor must be increased from 0.68 to 1.14 in order to stay within the budget.

The %EVG_VARIANCE_PLOT macro is used to produce the plot in Output 11.1.12.

%evg_variance_plot;

The plot in Output 11.1.12 shows that both the cost and schedule variance have strayed outside of the area between the 10% threshold plots of the planned value.

Finally, the %EVG_GANTT_CHART macro is used to produce the Gantt chart shown in Output 11.1.13.

%evg_gantt_chart(
    plansched=iout1,
    revisesched=updsched,
    activity=activity,
    start=start,
    finish=finish,
    duration=duration,
    timenow='30sep10'd,
    id=pv ev ac cv cvp sv svp,
    height=3,
    scale=1.5
);