Planned Value (PV) Calculator
Use this free Planned Value (PV) Calculator to estimate how much budgeted work should have been completed at a specific point in time. Enter your total project budget and the planned % complete to get PV instantly.
Planned Value (PV) Calculator
How Planned Value (PV) is Calculated
Planned Value (PV), also called Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS), is the budgeted value of work that should have been completed by the measurement date according to the baseline schedule. It is not a measure of actual spending.
Formula: PV = Budget at Completion (BAC) × (Planned % Complete ÷ 100)
Example
If your total approved project budget (BAC) is $500,000 and you planned to be 30% complete by this point, PV = $500,000 × 0.30 = $150,000. That means $150,000 worth of work was scheduled to be complete by the measurement date—not necessarily that $150,000 has been spent.
Why PV matters
PV is a core part of Earned Value Management (EVM). You compare it to:
- EV (Earned Value): The budgeted value of the work actually completed.
- AC (Actual Cost): What the project actually spent on completed work.
With PV, EV, and AC, you can analyze schedule variance (EV − PV), cost variance (EV − AC), schedule performance index (EV ÷ PV), and cost performance index (EV ÷ AC), when the applicable denominators are greater than zero.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Planned Value (PV) in project management?
Planned Value, also called Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS), is the budgeted value of work that should have been completed at a point in time based on the project plan.
How do you calculate Planned Value?
PV = Budget at Completion (BAC) × Planned % Complete ÷ 100. For example, if BAC is $500,000 and you planned to be 30% complete, PV is $150,000.
Why is Planned Value important?
PV helps you compare what should be completed (PV) with what has actually been completed (EV) and what has been spent (AC). These measures support schedule and cost performance analysis.