UniGeniusProject Leadership Prep

Earned value calculator: CPI, SPI, EAC and TCPI in one step

Which EAC formula should I use on the exam? Read why the project is off plan. If the variance is expected to continue, use BAC / CPI.

The total approved budget for the work.

Budgeted value of the work scheduled by the status date.

Budgeted value of the work actually done.

What the work done has actually cost.

Only if the team has re-estimated the remaining work.

A footbridge refurbishment at month 6: BAC 1,200,000, PV 840,000, EV 720,000, AC 800,000.

Earned value

Enter BAC, PV, EV and AC

Your result

Pick the forecast that matches the cause. An estimate at completion is only as good as its assumption.

Questions people ask

Which EAC formula should I use on the exam?

Read why the project is off plan. If the variance is expected to continue, use BAC / CPI. If it was a one-off, use AC + (BAC - EV). If a fixed date forces recovery, use the CPI x SPI formula. If the original estimate is no longer valid, re-estimate: AC + bottom-up ETC.

What does a TCPI above 1 mean?

The remaining work must be done more efficiently than planned to finish within the target. A TCPI of 1.25 means earning 1.25 of planned work for every dollar still to spend.

Is a negative schedule variance always bad?

It means less work is done than planned by the status date. Whether that threatens the finish depends on whether the late work is on the critical path.

Can I type amounts like $1.2m or 1,200k?

Yes. The calculator reads currency signs, thousands separators and k or m shorthand, so 1,200,000, $1.2m and 1200k are the same amount.

How we work this out

What it does

Enter BAC, PV, EV and AC to get every earned value measure, the four estimates at completion with when each applies, and what the numbers mean.

The standard earned value measures used in PMP® Task II.6 (project finances) and Task II.9 (performance visibility), calculated from four status-date values and an optional bottom-up estimate to complete.

Method

  1. Variances and indexes: SV = EV - PV, CV = EV - AC, SPI = EV / PV and CPI = EV / AC.
  2. Estimate at completion by four formulas: BAC / CPI when current cost performance continues; AC + (BAC - EV) when the variance was a one-off; AC + (BAC - EV) / (CPI x SPI) when both cost and schedule performance weigh on the rest; and AC + ETC when the team re-estimates the remaining work.
  3. ETC = EAC - AC and VAC = BAC - EAC for each forecast. TCPI to BAC = (BAC - EV) / (BAC - AC), the cost performance the remaining work needs to finish on budget.

Sources

Checked .