© execview 2011 execview portfolio management training october 2011 key functions guide for...

© Execview 2011Execview Portfolio Management Training

Execview Portfolio Management Training

October 2011

Key functions guide for Portfolio and Project Managers


Contents

Introduction1. Overview

62. Security

73. Access

84. Support

95. Structure

106. Login

11

Setting Up New Projects7. Creating a new Project – Set up process

138. Accessing Portfolio Activities “Tree View”

14a. Project Definition: Business Case 15b. Project Definition: People, Components and Strands 16c. Project Definition: Overview 17d. Project Workflow 18 – 19

Terminology9. Key to Typical Execview Icons

2110. Glossary of Terms

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ContentsProject Progress View11. Implementation Arrow – Progress View

2412. Navigation from the Progress View

25

Milestones, Deliverables and Tasks13. Milestones

2714. Deliverables

2815. Tasks

29

RAIDs and Actions16. RAIDs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies)

31 – 32a. A more detailed look: Risks 33 – 34b. A more detailed look: Issues 35c. A more detailed look: Assumptions 36d. A more detailed look: Dependencies 37

17. Creating and Managing Actions38

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ContentsStakeholders18. Enabling Stakeholder Groups

40a. Adding Stakeholders via the Definition View

41b. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

42 – 44c. Updating Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

45

Finance Information19. Managing and Recording Finance information

47a. Entering Finance Data

48b. Entering an Overall Budget

49c. Entering a Baseline Plan

50d. Creating a Forecast

51e. Entering Actuals and Budget Variances

52f. Show Progress / Updating your Forecast

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Progress Reporting20. Progress Reporting

55a. Progress Reporting: Creating a Report 56b. Progress Reporting: Adding Commentaries 57c. Progress Reporting: Scoring Status using DAIs 58

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Introduction


1. OverviewExecview is designed to provide an intuitive, simple to use framework for running large projects and programmes of work.

Some of the Execview advantages are:

• Simple portal that holds all portfolio, programme and project information.

• The production of progress reports is straightforward. Reporting at higher levels is almost automatic.

• Two way reporting hierarchy that allows different summaries from the same underlying report.

• Managers can record and track all key project “components” (tasks, milestones, risks, issues, costs, etc) in a standard way. Items can be selectively escalated.

• The resulting views and reports are highly graphical.

• Software configuration and customisation is easy and can fit with the way an organisation works.

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2. SecurityExecview is a “hosted”, Internet-based service provided by Execview Ltd.

A number of measures exist to ensure the service and the data stored in it remain highly secure:

• Hosted in a high security facility by one of the world’s leading hosting companies with security clearance from customers such as the British Army, the BBC and many banks

• Highly secure initial passwords, followed by requirement to use at least eight characters with one capital and one digit

• Fully audited environment, with user actions stored and full audit trail available for almost all data items

• Strong processes and procedures for customer set-up and system administration

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• Security of system (IT)– The Execview software is written by Execview Ltd. However, the service is hosted

under contract to them by ‘Rackspace’, a major international hosting provider with very high-level security accreditation

– New Execview users receive two emails confirming a) the URL and their login id for the service and b) their initial password. This must be changed the first time you log in.

– New passwords in Execview must be at least eight characters long, containing at least one capital letter and one digit.

– The system forces you to change your password once every 30 days; you cannot use previous ones.

• Access Levels – Each Execview user is allocated one or more ‘roles’. For example, programme

manager of a specific programme, project sponsor, etc.– The roles given to your Execview account dictate the permissions you have in the

system, i.e. what you can create, edit or delete, etc.

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3. Access

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For normal IT problems and/or issues with Execview please contact <service desk info>

Typical role of a Project Management Office– Managing the organisation’s use of the Portfolio Module of Execview

– Setting up new users– Setting up projects– Moving programmes/projects between stages– Setting up Portfolio module scorecards– Managing the Execview supplier relationship

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4. Support

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Portfolio Summary

Contracted Service

Programme 1

Sub-Prog C

Sub-Prog A

Project 2

IT Project

Other Project

Operations Summary Commercial

Execview will allow a complex portfolio of projects to be built and tracked. A project can exist on its own in a portfolio, or as part of a programme:

Components

• Progress Reports• Milestones• Tasks• Deliverables • Risks• Issues• CSFs & KPIs• Assumptions• Dependencies• Resources• Finances• Benefits• Documents• Definition (PID)• Workflow (status)

There is a four tier security model (security on four levels):

• Contracted Service (CS) – This forms a security boundary. The Execview system can be on a separate server for additional security.

• CS Administrator – controlling access and configuration of the system for one organisation

• Activity – managing Portfolios, Programmes and Projects

• User – preferences, password change

Portfolio

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5. Structure - Flexible and Secure

Project 1

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When you first log in to Execview you are taken to a personalised home page:

• The graph on the right displays the aggregate view of the items tasked for you to deliver.

• Further information below this lists things you must do or know about.

• There are a several navigation tabs located in the top left of the screen:

Home (this page) Operations (where service delivery

is tracked and reported) Portfolio (where projects are

tracked and reported) Resources (timesheets and work

assignment information) Administration (for admin users

only)

NB: Some of these tabs may not appear if you are not set up to use them.• Your name, and links to Support,

Feedback, Change Password and Logout are shown in the top right corner

Personalised home page dashboard, displays by project, programme and portfolio all of the Tasks, Actions, Risks, Issues, Dependencies, Assumptions, Change Requests, etc. that you are responsible forHome Page

Login ScreenExecview user login details

Reset password

Current overall RAG status

Date & links toMy ActionsMy Tasks My RAIDs

Delivery graph of Planned v Completed items

Main Navigation tabs

You can retain your username and password details between sessions if your PC is secure / private

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6. Login

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Setting Up New Projects


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7. Creating a new project – Set up process

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The standard method of accessing a programme or project is via the ‘tree view’:

• Click ‘Portfolio’ on the top level menu.• The ‘Status View’ that appears lists all

activities in your portfolio, together with managers’ names, dates of their most recent reports and status indicators (called ‘DAIs’).

• Reports are ‘produced’ and kept in an archive for each activity. You cannot produce a report prior to the date set for it.

• To enter an activity, click on its title: If you have the appropriate ‘role’ for a

project or programme, the link will be blue and you will be able to click the link to get to the project’s progress report.

If you do not have the right permission, the link will be black and you will be able to see the link in the treeview but not access it. Contact the CPO/PMO to gain access.

•As a shortcut, you can go straight to Tasks, RAIDS, Documents, Actions etc. in a project by selecting the component view.

Delivery Assurance Indicators (DAIs)

Add and edit new projects, programmes or portfolios hereComponent View

Status View

Project Manager & Date of last report

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8. Accessing Portfolio Activities via the ‘Tree View’

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Access this page by clicking into the project from the Portfolio tab

Then click the large ‘Definition’ arrow near the top of the screen

This page is split into four sections, described below and on the next slide:

Business Case

• Project purpose• Business problem definition• Context information• Business impacts summary• Delivery approach• What’s In and Out of Scope• Success Criteria (CSFs)• Performance Measures with Targets• Finances• Benefits

Overview

Aims & Measures

Select this icon to create a pdf version

Select this icon to add a measure

Select this icon to add a target

Finances & Benefits

Edit

Delete

Add

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a. Project Definition: Business Case

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People, Components & Strands

• People – this section lets the user define who the project manager and project sponsor will be via the use of name fields.

• Components – this is a quick way for components such as milestones, tasks and RAIDs to be entered.

• Strands – sets up strands into which components can be grouped.

Adding an item to these pages has two effects:

• Builds the project definition document for sign-off, including the governance of the project, and

• Automatically adds all trackable items to the database, so that later additional information and status can be managed

People

Components

StrandsEdit

Delete

Add

Edit

Delete

Add

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b. Project Definition: People, Components and Strands

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Overview

The Definition arrow’s Overview screen is a multi-screen form describing the project in full, which can also be generated as a pdf.

It includes all the information entered into the previous four tabs.

Overview

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c. Project Definition: Overview

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Execview’s workflow functionality moves an activity through a set of pre-defined states (see project lifecycle next page)

A project’s workflow has two key functions:

1. Allows the project definition to be drafted, and ‘Locked’ at the end of the first stage. The project workflow states are either ‘active’ or inactive’. Completed, On Hold or Closed are examples of inactive states –

most other states are Active.2. Allows the project status to be controlled by the CPO / PMO

An end date can be entered against each workflow state to signify when this stage should end and the next phase should commence. The CPO has the permissions to move a project from one state to another.

TIP:

• A project in an ‘Inactive’ state will not appear by default in the Portfolio tree view.

• Select Status: ‘– All –’ or ‘Inactive’ at the top of the Portfolio tree view in order to access a project that is not active.

d. Project Workflow

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Idea stage

Concept stage

Definition stage

Impl’ment stage

Handover stage

Completed

Approval of project mandate

Approval of Outline Business

Case

Approval of Final Business Case

Approval of Implementation

stage

Approval of Handover and

Closeout

• Statement of requirements (SoR)

• Resourcing of PM, Sponsor• Delivery approach• Draft Contract• Design stage plan and

resourcing• Project Management Plan

(PMP)

• Business problem definition

• High level conceptual description

• High level project economics

• Technology assessment• Impact assessment• Project Charter

• Detailed planning• Technical design

specifications• Build stage plan and

resourcing

• Build deliverables (products, processes)

• Solution set-up• Testing stages• Training design• Comms plan• Rollout stage plan

• Project delivery• Handover documents• Project close-out report• Lessons Learnt

Meeting review of:• Outline analysis of the

problem and opportunity• Discussion of delivery

approach, complexity, risk, costs and benefits

• Start dates and duration• Fit with other work

Typical outputs from each stage (for information)

Gateway – this is the primary approval point (or transition) where a Steering Group or individual grants approval for the project to continue to the next stage thereby progressing the workflow (to move forward)- Typically workflow will be updated by the CPO on behalf of the project following an approval meeting

QA review – this is an optional approval in the workflow, typically by a specialist team that signs off the outputs from the previous stage. - Typically requires multiple signatures by the PM, Technical Design Architect, Business Design Architect, Project sponsor, in order for this review to have completed.

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d. Project Workflow continued

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Terminology


These icons are used in the project and programme components:

Update item definition

Update item status

Manage Actions

Store Documents

• BLUE – Completed and signed-off

• GREEN – High Delivery Confidence – On track to complete in the agreed timescale and to the required output criteria.

• AMBER – Medium Delivery Confidence - Some issues or risks impact this item, but it will be recovered by management action

• RED – Low Delivery Confidence - Will be impacted in output completion or timescale; cannot be recovered to original intent

• GREY – Not relevant or no status information is available

Note: a key to some of these symbols can be added to the bottom of your progress reports. Tick the checkbox in the Progress Report settings screen.

These icons are used in the tree view for setting up new Portfolios, projects, programmes:

Add new workstream Edit workstream

Add new programme / project Add Change Request

Workflow Deliverables

Tasks Milestones Finances Progress Report RAIDs Actions Aims and Measures Documents Resources Scorecards Import Rules Outcome Maps

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9. Key to Typical Execview Icons

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http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Milestone_UI.aspx?activity=18&componentID=27&progress=true

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Milestone_UI.aspx?activity=18&componentID=19

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Milestone_UI.aspx?activity=18&componentID=27&document=true

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Workflow_UI.aspx?activity=18&showList=true

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Activity_UI.aspx?type=2&parentID=44&parentType=9&topParentType=9

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Activity_UI.aspx?type=3&parentID=44&parentType=9&topParentType=9

http://devlogin.evlem.net/prompts/Milestone_UI.aspx?activity=18&showList=true


RAG Red, Amber, Green: Often used to express confidence that something will be delivered as expected (Red, Amber and Green respectively mean low, medium and high confidence). Blue, where used, means completed and Grey means not scored

DAI Delivery Assurance Indicator: RAG indicators relating to key aspects of running any programme or project

Milestone A single point in time at which something is now able start, or has been achieved

Deliverable Something a project must produce, whether tangible or intangible

Task Some work for people to do, with both a start and end date, a lead person, and from which a Deliverable will be produced

RAID A collective term for Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies. These are all entered and managed by Execview in much the same way.

Issue A problem that has arisen about which some action needs to be taken. Word these in the past tense.

Risk A problem that may arise but hasn’t yet, about which some action may be taken now to reduce its likelihood or to anticipate its consequences. Word these in the future tense.

Assumption A general fact you are relying on to be true over which you and your immediate colleagues have little control

Dependency Something you are relying on to be delivered which is the responsibility of someone outside your chain of command to provide (or the opposite, where you are delivering something for other people which they cannot influence)

Notes on In deciding whether to assign an item as a Risk, Issue, Dependency or Assumption considerationRAIDs: should be given to how you wish to manage any item. They are similar but, for example, if you want to

record a probability and/or mitigation approach, then create a Risk as this data only exists on Risks in Execview. Likewise, only a Dependency can record the name of the person who is responsible for delivering it.

A Dependency may slip, and an Assumption may turn out to be false. These could therefore also be regarded as Risks and added to Execview as such. But since it is more work to monitor and manage two things than one, and it is possible to indicate a RAG status on any Dependency or Assumption, it may well be sufficient to use just them. 22

10. Glossary of Terms

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Project Progress


All projects and programmes have a standard initial page called the Progress View:

• This page carries the latest project status, and reports milestones, products, RAIDS (Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies) deliverables (if any) and finances.

The tracking menu contains a number of other Views:• Schedule (timeline)• Delivery (phases/milestones)• Scorecard (exception reports)• Change Request List• Actions• Finances• Measures• Stakeholder Map

Other things you can access:Left-hand grey floating menu buttons: take you to screens for managing the related project components.• Click the titles and status icons of items

on the report to access their definitions and latest status information.

Hover over the three small squares on the very left-hand edge of the screen to view these buttons

Back to tree view, up to parent or across to other projects

Milestones and Task progress graphs

Project, Programme, Portfolio name

Different Views are available under tracking

Progress View

Delivery Assurance Indicators (DAIs)

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11. Implementation Arrow – Progress View

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Schedule View

Progress View

Actions View

Delivery View

Finance View

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12. Navigation from the Progress View

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Scorecard View


Milestones, Deliverables, Tasks


Workflow Stage: this field dictates at which stage of the project the milestone relates

to

• A Milestone is a single point in time by which something has been achieved, or something is enabled or ready to happen.

• Milestones are managed in a very similar way to Tasks and Deliverables (see next two pages).

• You can attach to any Milestone: One or more documents One or more actions

TIP: Remember, Milestones are listed on your Project progress report – the quality of how you document them is important.

Search Filters Status filterShows Milestones at lower

levels and by activity

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13. Milestones

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Reporting Level field: controls whether this item is escalated to appear on higher level reports.

Decide whether to do so in discussion with the related

Portfolio manager


Deliverables are what your project is going to produce which will achieve business change

• Press the “Deliverables” button to manage them.

• Click “Add Deliverable” (top right) to create one.Select the title to update a Deliverable’s definition, including owner and approver and the level you want it reported at.

• The search box allows the user to filter on key words in the title or description

• Click the ‘status’ icon to update current status. You will see that an audit trail of all previous status updates is kept.

• You can attach to any Deliverable: One or more documents One or more actions

Deliverable definition screen

Status update screen

Excel report

The blue highlight signifies the last product to be accessed by that user

Search Filters Status and people filtersShows Deliverables at

lower levels and by activity

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14. Deliverables

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Tasks are major items of work to be completed for your project. They represent how effort and resources will produce your project’s deliverables

• Press the “Tasks” button to manage them.

• Click “Add Task” (top right) to create one.Select the title to update a Task’s definition, including its start and expected end date, a person leading its delivery and a the level you want it reported at.

• The search box allows the user to filter on key words in the title or description

• Click the Status icon to update current status. You will see that an audit trail of all previous status updates is kept.

• You can attach to any Task: One or more documents One or more actions

TIP: Remember that Tasks are listed on your Project progress report. The quality of how you document these is important. Try to be concise – a sentence or two in most cases is sufficient for all but the most complex tasks.

Task definition screen

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15. Tasks

Status update screen

Excel export

The blue highlight signifies the last item accessed by

you

Task grid view

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RAIDs and Actions


• Risks: problems that may arise (but haven’t yet)

• Assumptions: things you are relying on to be true but probably cannot influence

• Issues: problems that have arisen• Dependencies: something you need to

receive where delivery is outside your control

• RAIDs are managed in a very similar to Deliverables, Tasks and Milestones (see previous pages).

TIP: Keep items short and succinct – it helps the progress reporting. If you want lots of detail, attach a document to the RAIDs item

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16. RAIDs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies)

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There are two RAID reports available:

• A ‘Full RAID Report’ which is a formatted printable option that can be used to review RAIDs in meetings.

• An Excel document as with Milestones and Tasks that can be manipulated as you wish

The filter options allow for different views of RAIDs to be created. Both reports export whatever is displayed in list.

Search Filters Status Filters Shows RAIDs at lower levels and by activity

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16. RAIDs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies)

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Search Filters Status FiltersShows RAIDs at lower levels and by activity

Overdue Risks have red dates, otherwise

green (or amber if within one week)

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a. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Risks

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If categories have been set up by your administrators, then you have the option to

set them on the definition screen. Alternatively they can also be left to ‘Not set’.

Business Impact:4 – Critical3 – Major2 – Moderate1 – Minor

Risk Probabilities:4 – 99 percent3 – 66 percent2 – 33 percent1 – 0 percent


State what you are trying to do to mitigate (or provide contingency) for this risk in the ‘Mitigating Actions” field. Then state progress towards achieving this in the ‘Latest

Progress’ field.

This graphic shows you Execview’s estimation of the risk’s current severity (the black circle). It usually lies somewhere between

where the severity was initially judged to be and a target to be achieved.


State the current delivery confidence of completing

mitigation

Always state the current view of risk impact and probability on the Latest Progress screen

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a. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Risks

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Business Impact:4 – Critical3 – Major2 – Moderate1 – Minor

Risk Probabilities:4 – 99 percent3 – 66 percent2 – 33 percent1 – 0 percent


Use the Issue Definition screen’s Mitigation field to state what you are trying to do to resolve or mitigate this issue. Then state

progress towards achieving this on the Latest Progress screen’s ‘Latest Progress’ field.

Business Impact:1 – Low2 – Medium Low3 – Medium High4 – High5 – Extremely High

Issue severity relates directly to Business Impact.

Status – confidence that the issue will be resolved or

worked around.


If categories have been set up by your administrators, then you have the option to

set them on the definition screen. Alternatively they can also be left to ‘Not set’.

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b. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Issues

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Select a RAG symbol to express confidence that this

assumption is valid


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c. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Assumptions

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There are spaces here to record:

Direction: is this something where you are dependant on something else (incoming) or someone is dependent on you (outgoing) or both?

Reciprocal owner: the other party involved in this dependency

Type: Internal or External, i.e. Whether this relates to something within or outside the overall organisation.


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d. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Dependencies

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Actions are small items of work for one person to carry out in support of managing milestones, tasks or RAIDs.

Click the light bulb icon to open a screen showing all existing Actions and then:

• Click ‘Add Action’ to create a new Action

• Enter a title and description for the Action

• Enter a date by when you require the Action to be completed – Execview suggests one week from today

• Enter the person you want to perform the Action

• Tick or untick the email checkboxes to indicate if you wish them to receive notifications of differing types

• Click ‘Save’

You can review Actions for individual project components, or use the Action button or Action View to list all the Actions relating to a project or programme:

Filter Actions by type of component Filter by Owner Filter by Status (Open, In progress, etc.) Search on key words in title or description Include/exclude those of child projects within a

programme Display actions by activity The list of actions displayed can be exported to

Excel and as well as being able to import a list back into Execview

Add newaction button

Component or activity to which this

action belongs

Search Filters Status Filters Shows actions at lower levels and by activity

Action Definition Screen

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17. Creating and Managing Actions

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Stakeholders


• The Stakeholders button for a given activity is only enabled if its parent’s “Stakeholder groups of child activities” setting is not turned off.

• This setting is accessed via the Settings button of any parent activity by either a Portfolio manager or the CPO

• The options are: Off no stakeholder groups can be set up on child activities Enforce stakeholder groups on child activities can only be selected from those set up

on the parent Offer stakeholder groups on child activities can be chosen from the parent’s set or

added as new group names Independent stakeholder groups on child activities are only ever added as new group

names

• Thus, if the Stakeholder Groups button is greyed out on an activity, someone with permission to access the parent must set the setting as required

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18. Enabling Stakeholder Groups

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The screen above will be displayed when accessing the stakeholders via the definition view of the activity.

• Stakeholder Group - in the example above, the user would have to choose from a list of existing stakeholders set at the parent level as this would have been the setting chosen.

• Area Of Interest – this is a free text field where the user would enter the area of interest for this group.• High Influence – the tick box would be checked if the stakeholder group is of high influence on the project. A

‘smiley’ face symbol would be displayed if the this tick box is checked.• High Interest – the tick box would be checked if the stakeholder group is of high interest for this project. A blue

icon would be displayed if only the high interest tick box is checked.A key symbol would be displayed if both of the above boxes are ticked.

An example of where only the stakeholders

set at the parent level, can be chosen

This a free text field where the user indicates

the area of interest

Use these tick boxes to

indicate level of influence

and/or interest

The key symbol indicates this stakeholder group is of high influence and high interest

Select this icon to add a stakeholder group

Select this icon to edit the

stakeholder group

Deletes the stakeholder group

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a. Adding Stakeholders via the Definition View

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• The list of stakeholder groups can be exported to excel with the use of the icon displayed.

• The filter options allow for different views of stakeholder groups to be created. The excel export generates a sheet with whatever is displayed in the list.

• High influence and interest

• High influence only

• High interest only

• Influence and interest not set

Search Filters Status Filters Shows Stakeholder groups at lower levels and by

activity

The blue highlights the last record accessed in the grid view

Search by stakeholder type

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b. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

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When adding a stakeholder group the user is presented with the screen on the left.•Stakeholder Group Name – the user can enter or choose from a list depending on the settings.•Area of Interest – free text field for the user to enter area of interest•Communication Plan – free text field for the user to enter a communication plan•Influence and Interest – determined by the use of tick boxes•Owner – choose the owner for this group•Reporting Level – determines what level this stakeholder group is reported at

Search Filters Status Filters Search by stakeholder type

Shows Stakeholder groups at lower levels and by

activity

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c. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

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The People tab allows the user to select key users for this stakeholder group• Group Lead – the user should choose

a lead for this group using the auto complete drop-down

• Contact Point – the user should choose a contact point for this group using the auto complete drop-down

• Users & Group Members – the user can select users for this group using the list in the box. To add a user to the group member box, simply click on the name. This name will then display in the group member box. To remove a user from this box, simply click on the name again.



activity

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d. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

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The latest progress tab allows you to enter details about on-going meetings with stakeholders• Latest progress –enter any status commentary

• Actions required –enter any actions required for the next meeting

• Date of last interaction – enter the date of the last communication with this stakeholder

• Date of next interaction – enter the date of the last communication with this stakeholder

• RAG status –a RAG to indicate how the communication plan is going

After the progress is entered it will then appear in the history tab as seen on the left



activity

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e. Updating Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view

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Finance Information


Execview’s finance functionality allows the entry of summarised cost and/or income information for management reporting.

The two types of finance can be displayed by choosing either option in a drop-down displayed.

Costs or income can be entered against any project or programme. Execview then automatically rolls up the information to higher levels. Even though some projects may appear under multiple programmes, finances are not double counted!

Projects can be set up in any required currency. You should then enter data across categories configured for your service (for example Resources, Assets and Other). Data can be created as follows:A “baseline plan” of how finance will be spent or received over the lifetime of a project can be set up. Actuals and a separate ‘forecast plan to completion’ are then entered or updated as the project progresses.A complete view of all finance data can be accessed from a ‘Show Progress’ button on the finance screen.

Overall budget

Actual spend so far (red solid line)

Phased forecast to completion (red dotted

line)

Baseline plan

Example extended finance graph

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19. Managing and Recording Finance information

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• Within any activity (project, programme, etc.) you can manage finances (both cost and income) by selecting either the Finance View through the implementation arrow or clicking the Finances button via the button bar

• The Finance module provides four tabs for entry of finance data:

1. Overall Budget

2. Baseline Plan

3. Actuals (includes budget variances) and

4. Forecast• As data is entered, a graph showing

the overall picture of finance builds up

• You can always choose to list all data entered so far by clicking the “Show Progress” arrow. This lists each record by type and date. The set of records can be exported to Excel.

• Finance data can be imported by using the ‘Import from Excel’ option in the progress section

• NB: The currency of the project you’re in is always shown here.• The finance type titles shown are examples. Your administrator

sets these for your organisation as a whole (see previous slide)• A comment can be stored for each and every item of finance data

Drop-down to choose between cost and income

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a. Entering Finance Data

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• The first thing to enter is an Overall Budget. This is simply the total amount of expenditure signed off for the project, and will be presented as a flat, top line on the cost/income graph.

• You can enter this overall budget broken down into the number of cost/income types set up for your Execview service.

• The finance record created is shown at the bottom of the screen.

• The records displayed will be for either costs or income depending on the type chosen in the drop-down.

1. Select the Overall Budget tab2. Enter values3. Enter a comment, if desired4. Click Update

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b. Entering an Overall Budget

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• The second thing to do is create a Baseline Plan of how your project is expected to spend money.

• You do this by entering successive amounts of expected spend for any number of dates (broken down by cost type).

• As you enter each date and set of amounts a record is added (see the Show Progress section).

• Dates do not have to be at regular intervals. There can be as many as you like.

1. Select the Baseline Plan tab2. Enter a date3. Enter values for the spend just in this period4. Enter a comment, if desired5. Click Update6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 to build up your plan

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c. Entering a Baseline Plan

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• The third thing to set up is your Forecast. This is your current view of how your project is going to spend money, which may vary from the original intended spend (the Baseline Plan).

• At the start of your project, the Forecast will be the same as your Baseline Plan.

• Execview makes it easy to set this up, by providing a button to create a copy of all Baseline Plan records to make equivalent Forecast ones.

• The graph shows the forecast as a dotted red line, which at first will lie directly on top of your blue Baseline Plan.

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d. Creating a Forecast

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• The previous slides covered things to set up at the start of a project.

• The data you need to enter during the life of a project are actual costs, any changes to the agreed budget and your expected future costs (i.e. your updated forecast).

• Use the Actuals tab to record actual spend each period and also any budget changes.

• NB: Amounts you enter are what you have spent since the last data entry, NOT your total spend to date.

1. Select the Actuals tab2. Enter a date3. Enter values for the spend just in this period4. Enter a comment, if desired5. Enter values for any changes to the overall

budget (prefix with a minus sign for a reduction)

6. Click Update7. Typically, you do this once each reporting

period8. A solid red line indicates Actuals entered so

far, with a dotted red line for any Forecast data beyond the date of the latest Actual.

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e. Entering Actuals and Budget Variances

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• To let people know your current expected spend from now until project completion, you have already set up Forecast records.

• However, as things change, they may need adjustment.

• Either change existing data by using the Edit button in “Show Progress” for dates already entered,

OR

• Enter new Forecast records for new dates using the Forecast tab

• Click the Edit icon to edit any existing Forecast data• Click the delete icon to delete an individual record• NB: Any Forecast records for dates earlier than the latest Actual

data are ignored by Execview

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f. Show Progress / Updating your Forecast

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Progress Reporting


• The Progress View automatically picks up latest status data for:• Milestones• Deliverables and Tasks• RAID items• Finance info

• For your report to be up to date when you produce it, you need to have first updated the above items.

• It is a good idea to use the Progress View to review how a report looks prior to ‘producing’ the report. Producing the report ‘locks’ it and stores a PDF version in your project’s archive. You’ll need to unlock it again if further editing is needed.

• Look at the format. Try to judge the amount of text to include. Our recommendation is that if you adhere to the overall format, and put status text in the right places, you can summarise most projects in two or three pages.

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20. Progress Reporting

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The progress report system generates a progress report in PDF format for distribution and printing.

Steps to create a full progress report:

• 1. From the left-hand buttons click the Progress Report button. This opens a new window.

• 2. Select the Create button (to create a new report) or, if greyed-out, the Edit button (to continue making a report previously started).

Now complete each tab (Edit, DAIs then Produce) to carry out each step needed – see the next few slides.

• The ‘Settings’ tab allows you to define: Report frequency (weekly is the default

and strongly recommended) Day of the week for reporting Previous period Status & Actions Various options, including display of costs,

a key to symbols and additional commentary fields

List of previous reports

If the create button is greyed out it means a report already exists in draft.

To access it press Edit instead.

Progress Report Window

Clicking the Progress Report button accesses

the set of screens for creating or editing the latest progress report.

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a. Progress Reporting: Creating a Report

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3. At the top of every progress report there are spaces for you to add comments about your activity. Use the Edit tab to record overall achievements so far and actions required in the future:

Say it as it is – use RAG statuses appropriately to focus attention

Relevance – focus on the areas of performance at risk and the main project roles who can endorse actions

Avoid surprises – progress reports should mostly reflect management actions already discussed.

4. Don’t forget to press Save!

Overall Status

Actions required (general)

GREEN – On track to complete in the agreed timescale and to the required output criteria.

AMBER – Some issues or risks may impact the activity, but it will be recovered through existing management action to meet required output criteria.

RED – The activity will be impacted in either output, quality, completion or timescale and cannot be recovered to the original intention.

Current expected completion date

A number of options exist to allow you to tailor your progress report. These are accessed via the Settings tab.

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b. Progress Reporting: Adding Commentaries

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• 5. Use the DAIs tab to enter each ‘Delivery Assurance Indicator’ (DAI) status and, if desired, some commentary.

• Each DAI has a RAG status to be selected and commentary text field. The screen also shows these values, for each DAI, for the last report produced.

• You can copy the previous text into that of the current progress report by pressing the Copy Last Comment button.

When finished, press Save at the bottom of the screen.

• 6. Producing a report is done via the Produce button on the Produce tab. This commits the current information into a final version of the report, which is then stored and accessible in the View Reports tab as part of the project’s archive of progress reports.

Previous reported RAG & commentary

Current report RAG & commentary

Report Produce button

If you want to edit a report even after it’s locked, then press the unlock button

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c. Progress Reporting: Scoring Status using DAIs

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Summary and Feedback


• This overview should enable you to produce reports.

• They will be produced on a regular basis. How frequently will be advised by the CPO.

• The circulation of the collected reports will cover many of the key stakeholders in the programme so please think about what you write and make it understandable by an audience not embedded in the workstreams.

• The reports will shape the conversations at review meetings, one-to-ones and project or programme boards.

• The reports should be straightforward to produce. If you spot errors or have suggestions for improvements please let us know – our aim is to facilitate delivery and to communicate the status of the projects.

• Q & A

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Summary and Feedback

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