Review project cost forecast and performance
Use the Cost Forecast widget to understand current and projected project costs, cost and schedule performance, and key cost drivers.
This guide is designed for project manager.
Steps
Step 1: Open the Cost Forecast widget on the financial dashboard
Navigate to the financial section of the PlanOps dashboard and locate the Cost Forecast widget card. Wait for the data to load, or review the loading placeholders if data is still being retrieved.
Step 2: Compare estimate at completion to the approved budget
In the widget header, review the Estimate at Completion (EAC) and Budget at Completion (BAC) values, displayed in the relevant currency. Check the Variance at Completion (VAC) to see whether you are forecast to be under or over budget.
Step 3: Assess cost and schedule performance indices
Review the CPI, SPI and TCPI indicators shown in the widget. Use the associated status labels and colour coding (Good, Caution, Critical, Challenging, Achievable, Favourable) to quickly gauge whether cost and schedule performance are on track or at risk.
Step 4: Examine cost trends over time
Look at the cost trend section to compare planned, actual and forecast costs by period. Use this view to identify when variances started, and whether forecast costs are converging towards or diverging from the original plan.
Step 5: Identify key cost drivers and their impact
Review the list of cost drivers to see which factors are contributing most to cost changes. Note each driver’s impact value and trend indicator (up, down or stable) to understand where intervention may be required.
Step 6: Refresh the forecast data
If needed, select the refresh control on the widget to retrieve the latest cost forecast and performance data from the underlying project systems.
Related Tasks
Last updated: 2026-01-19