Portfolio Guide · Chapter 05

Reporting & Forecasting

Reporting cadence, audience-appropriate report formats, EAC forecasting methods, and how to convert EVM data into management decision and action.

Portfolio & EVM Guide Chapter 05 of 5
00Overview 01Introduction 02Earned Value Management 03PMI / MoP / P3O 04Portfolio Governance 05Reporting & Forecasting
Reporting & Communication

Reporting & Forecasting

EVM's discipline only delivers value if the resulting reports actually drive decisions. The right reporting cadence, the right level of detail for each audience, and the right delivery medium are what convert EVM data into management action.

Reporting cadence

Monthly is the default reporting cadence on most Australian infrastructure — aligned with progress claim cycles, finance month-end, and board cycles. Major projects with daily volatility (commissioning, ramp-up) benefit from weekly summary reports between monthly reports. Quarterly is appropriate at the portfolio level for executive review.

Three audiences, three reports

Project team: full EVM detail at control account level, variance commentary, action register. Used for daily project management.

Executive sponsor / steering committee: project-level summary (BAC, current EAC, SPI, CPI, top 5 issues, decisions required). 1–2 page format.

Portfolio board / lender: portfolio-level dashboard (RAG status, aggregated $M EAC, top portfolio risks). Heavy use of visualisations rather than tables.

Forecast methods

Standard EAC formulae use current performance to project final cost. The most common: EAC = BAC / CPI assumes current cost performance continues. EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) / (CPI × SPI) assumes current cost AND schedule performance continues. Cenex applies the appropriate formula for the project context and reports forecast confidence range alongside the point estimate.

From reporting to action

The single biggest failure mode in EVM implementation is producing the reports without acting on them. A formal monthly review meeting where each variance is discussed, owners are assigned, and timelines agreed is essential. Cenex builds these governance routines as part of every PPM/EVM stand-up, so the discipline is sustained beyond the consultant's involvement.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the right reporting cadence for an infrastructure portfolio?

Monthly at project level (aligned with progress claims and finance month-end), quarterly at portfolio board level. For projects with high daily volatility (commissioning, ramp-up), weekly summary reports between monthly reports add value. The cadence should match the rate of change — over-reporting wastes effort; under-reporting misses intervention windows.

Which EAC formula should I use?

The most common: EAC = BAC / CPI (assumes current cost performance continues). For projects where schedule slip is also driving cost overrun: EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) / (CPI × SPI). Cenex applies the formula appropriate to the project context and always reports a forecast confidence range alongside the point estimate.

How do I avoid reports that just sit on the shelf?

The single biggest failure mode in EVM is producing reports that no-one acts on. A formal monthly review where each variance is discussed, owners are assigned, and timelines agreed is essential. Cenex builds these governance routines as part of every PPM/EVM stand-up so the discipline is sustained after we leave.

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