Implementing Earned Value Management in SyteLine ERP
Earned Value Management (EVM) brings rigorous cost and schedule performance measurement to SyteLine project management. By comparing planned value, earned value, and actual cost at regular intervals, project managers can identify cost overruns and schedule slips before they become unrecoverable. While SyteLine does not include a native EVM module, its project accounting, job costing, and reporting infrastructure provides the data foundation for a complete EVM implementation.
EVM Data Foundation in SyteLine
The three core EVM metrics—Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), and Actual Cost (AC)—map directly to SyteLine data structures. PV comes from the project budget phased across time periods in the Project Budget form. AC is the cumulative actual cost from SLProjectTrans and SLJobTrans tables. EV requires a measurement method: typically the cost-to-cost ratio (physical percent complete times budget at completion) or milestone-weighted completion from the Project Tasks form. Configuring these data feeds correctly is the foundation of any EVM implementation in SyteLine.
- Phase the project budget by period in the Project Budget form to establish the Planned Value (PV) baseline curve
- Pull Actual Cost (AC) from the Project Cost Summary IDO which aggregates SLJobTrans and SLProjectTrans records
- Calculate Earned Value (EV) using the Project Task percent complete field multiplied by Budget at Completion (BAC)
- Define the EV measurement method per task: 0/100, 50/50, milestone-weighted, or cost-to-cost percentage
- Store EVM snapshots in a custom table (Uf_EVMSnapshot) capturing PV, EV, AC, and date for trend analysis
CPI, SPI, and Forecasting Calculations
With PV, EV, and AC established, the derived EVM metrics calculate automatically. Cost Performance Index (CPI = EV/AC) tells you how efficiently you are spending. Schedule Performance Index (SPI = EV/PV) shows whether you are ahead or behind schedule. Estimate at Completion (EAC) projects the final cost using current performance trends. These calculations can be implemented as SyteLine IDO extension methods on a custom EVM IDO or as calculated fields in a Crystal Reports or SSRS report pulling from the EVM snapshot data.
- Calculate CPI (EV / AC) and SPI (EV / PV) per project snapshot period for performance trending
- Compute EAC using the formula: EAC = BAC / CPI for projects expected to continue at current cost efficiency
- Calculate Variance at Completion (VAC = BAC - EAC) to project total cost overrun or underrun at finish
- Implement To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI) = (BAC - EV) / (BAC - AC) for remaining work efficiency target
- Build an EVM dashboard using SyteLine Report Builder or SSRS connecting to the Uf_EVMSnapshot table
EVM Reporting and Decision Support
Effective EVM reporting requires consistent data capture at regular intervals—typically weekly for active projects and monthly for long-duration programs. The EVM trend reports should show CPI and SPI over time, with threshold alerts when indices fall below 0.9 or 0.8 indicating the need for corrective action. SyteLine's notification framework can trigger alerts through ION events when EVM metrics breach configured thresholds, enabling proactive project management rather than reactive firefighting.
- Schedule weekly EVM data capture using a SyteLine background task that populates the Uf_EVMSnapshot table
- Configure ION alert events to fire when CPI or SPI drops below 0.9 threshold for early warning notifications
- Build the S-curve report plotting cumulative PV, EV, and AC over time for executive project status briefings
- Create a project health dashboard showing red/yellow/green status based on CPI and SPI index ranges
- Export EVM data to Excel using SyteLine's Export Framework for integration with external project management tools
Want to bring earned value management to your SyteLine projects? Netray's AI agents can configure EVM data capture, automate calculations, and build dashboards—schedule a demo.
Related Resources
SyteLine Project Accounting Setup Guide
Set up project-based accounting in Infor SyteLine for ETO manufacturers. Configure project structures, cost collection, billing rules, and revenue recognition.
Infor SyteLineSyteLine Project Profitability Reporting Guide
Build project profitability reports in Infor SyteLine with revenue, cost, margin, and variance analysis. Configure P&L reporting for ETO and project-based manufacturers.
Infor SyteLineSyteLine Resource Planning for Project Manufacturing
Configure resource planning for project-based manufacturing in SyteLine. Schedule labor, machines, and materials across concurrent projects with capacity visibility.