earned value concept

A time-phased method for measuring project performance. It compares the amount of work that was planned with work that was actually accomplished to determine if cost and schedule performance are as planned.

There are a number of different ways in which you can use the earned value method to determine how budget amounts are to be earned:

• Milestones

  Milestones are attached to the activity and a percentage or amount of the budget is assigned to each milestone. When you reach a milestone, the assigned budget is earned.

• Start and End Percentage

  Percentage values are assigned to the start and end points of the activities. In other words, the start percentage is earned when the activity starts and the remaining percentage is earned when the activity is completed.

• Percentage Completed

  Budget amounts are earned in proportion to the percentage progress of the activity.

• Level of Effort

  Budget amounts are released in proportion to effort. This method is appropriate for time-driven activities where it is assumed that there will be no discrepancy between scheduled work planned (PV) and work performed (EV).

• Apportioned

  Apportioned efforts are those which have an intrinsic performance relationship to some other discrete activity. Budget amounts are earned in the same way as for the linked activity.