Compare the plan status with the baseline

The question

What has changed since the baseline in dates, effort and cost – and which phase carries the largest variance?

The data

The steps

1. Open the project and save a baseline

   The AI opens the lead project and creates the baseline “Plan V1”; it is selected as the comparison plan at the same time.

   

   Rillsoft Project shows the project; the new baseline appears in the baseline list.

2. Set actual data

   The AI sets the status date to 19 February 2027, derives progress from it and records that the running system test is only half done. The status date computation moves the rest behind the status date. In the delivered package that works only after the three fixed milestones Acceptance granted, Go-live completed and Project closed are released. Otherwise Rillsoft Project refuses the computation, because it would have to move fixed dates.

   

   Progress bars and the status date line appear in the Gantt chart: Implementation and Data migration 100 %, Test and acceptance 33 %; every step is an undo step.

3. Read the comparison views

   The AI sets the comparison views time, effort and cost one after the other and reads the plan/actual report per view: per element planned from the baseline, actual from the current status, variance.

   

   The comparison view shows planned and actual as stacked bars.

   Per element in WBS order planned, actual and variance: for time in hours per start and finish, for effort in the volume metric of the view (hours or person-days, as configured) with effort done and progress, for cost as computed resource cost. On the ERP module the time view reports ten elements with variance, all in Test and acceptance, Rollout and Close-out. System test finish +187 hours (22 February → 2 March). Acceptance granted +211 hours (16 → 25 March). Hypercare finish and Go-live completed +643 hours (7 April → 4 May). Project closed +667 hours. Effort and cost show zero variance on all 55 elements – 433 person-days (3,464 hours) and 266,400 cost units planned as actual – because only dates moved. Elements younger than the baseline would be marked “no baseline”.

4. Summarise the variance

   The AI orders the elements by variance and names in three sentences the phase with the largest delay, the largest extra effort and the highest extra cost.

   The answer refers to the same elements that stand out in the comparison view.

   The largest schedule variance sits in the phase Test and acceptance. The system test is 5.5 working days behind at the status date, and the status date computation moves Acceptance granted from 16 to 25 March 2027. No phase carries extra effort, none extra cost. The finish date does not hold: Go-live completed moves from 7 April to 4 May, Project closed from 9 April to 7 May 2027 – once the fixed milestones are released. With the milestones fixed the plan stays put and the backlog stays visible.

The result

For management this means: three figures per element and three sentences. Test and acceptance is late (Acceptance granted +211 hours, 16 → 25 March 2027). No phase became more expensive.

The finish date only holds while the milestones stay fixed; released, Go-live completed moves from 7 April to 4 May. Everything comes from the baseline “Plan V1” and the computed status at the status date 19 February 2027 – nothing is estimated.

What runs behind it

• rillsoft_project_file_open — File or session operation – not an undo step
• rillsoft_baseline_create — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_task_progress_set — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_project_status_date_set — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_task_progress_recalculate — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_task_update — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_project_status_date_reschedule — Changes the project (one undo step)
• rillsoft_view_state_apply — View – one undo step, changes no project data
• rillsoft_variance_report_get — Read-only mode is enough
• rillsoft_history_undo — File or session operation – not an undo step

Limits and variants

• Compare the current plan with the selected baseline
• Summarize the current project status
• Which tasks are delayed or have no free float left?