How to Use the EVM Calculator
The EVM Calculator gives project managers an instant view of project health through earned value metrics.
- Enter BAC — Budget at Completion: the total approved budget for the project.
- Enter PV — Planned Value: how much work should have been done by now, in budget terms.
- Enter EV — Earned Value: the budgeted value of work actually completed.
- Enter AC — Actual Cost: the real money spent to achieve the earned value.
- Read Results — The EVM Calculator computes CV, SV, CPI, SPI, EAC, ETC, and VAC with color-coded indicators.
Formula & Theory — EVM Calculator
The core formula or rule set used by the EVM Calculator is summarized in the table below:
| Metric | Formula | Good Value |
|---|---|---|
| CV (Cost Variance) | EV − AC | Positive |
| SV (Schedule Variance) | EV − PV | Positive |
| CPI (Cost Performance Index) | EV ÷ AC | > 1.0 |
| SPI (Schedule Performance Index) | EV ÷ PV | > 1.0 |
| EAC (Estimate at Completion) | BAC ÷ CPI | Lower is better |
| ETC (Estimate to Complete) | EAC − AC | — |
| VAC (Variance at Completion) | BAC − EAC | Positive |
Use Cases for the EVM Calculator
- Project Status Reviews — Present EVM metrics to stakeholders in weekly or monthly project reviews using the EVM Calculator.
- Budget Forecasting — Use EAC and ETC to update project cost forecasts based on current performance trends.
- Schedule Recovery Planning — Identify schedule slippage early with SV and SPI to trigger corrective actions.
- PMP Exam Practice — Use the EVM Calculator to verify your manual calculations when studying for the PMP certification.
- Multi-project Portfolio Management — Compare CPI and SPI across multiple projects to prioritize management attention.