Planned Value Calculator
Calculate Planned Value step by step: PV = BAC × planned % complete at the status date.
In short
Formula: PV = BAC × planned % complete at the status date.
What this calculator does
Calculate Planned Value step by step: PV = BAC × planned % complete at the status date. Worked example, questions and limitations included.
Use it to turn Currency (symbol only, never converted), Budget at completion (BAC), Planned percent complete at status date into a checked result you can compare, copy, or rerun with different assumptions.
The page shows the formula, a numeric worked example, and the assumptions that affect this earned value calculation.
Inputs and what they mean
- Currency (symbol only, never converted)
- — choice value.
- Budget at completion (BAC)
- — number value.
- Planned percent complete at status date
- — number value.
How to use it
- Enter each value in the unit shown next to the box (use the unit converter first if your numbers are in other units).
- Check the breakdown to see every intermediate step.
- Read the limitations before relying on the result.
Formula
Definitions follow the PMI PMBOK Guide and the ANSI/EIA-748 earned value management standard.
Planned value is the authorised budget for the work scheduled to be done by the status date (also called BCWS).
Use the percentage from your baseline schedule, not the actual progress; actual progress gives earned value instead.
PV = BAC × planned % complete at the status date.
Inputs used: Currency (symbol only, never converted), Budget at completion (BAC), Planned percent complete at status date.
Worked example
Status at month 4 of a 10-month plan
- PV = 500,000 × 40% = $200,000.
Reading the result
The headline figure is the main answer. Any breakdown underneath shows the parts that make it up, so you can check the working and see what changes when you adjust an input.
Limitations and assumptions
- Assumes a single overall planned percentage; real baselines are time-phased per work package.
- Does not handle management reserve, which is outside the performance baseline.
- A linear spread is only as good as the schedule it comes from.
- Results are planning estimates built only from the figures you enter. They are not a guarantee of cost, schedule or delivery, and they do not replace your organisation's own project controls.
- The result depends on the values you enter for this planned value calculator; it does not supply missing rates, rules, prices, dates, or assumptions for you.
Common questions
Is planned value the same as money spent?
No. Planned value is the budget for work that should be done by now. Money actually spent is actual cost (AC).
Where does the planned percentage come from?
From the time-phased baseline: add up the budgets of all work packages scheduled to finish (or partly finish) by the status date and divide by BAC. Check the formula, example, and limitations on this page before using the result for a real earned value decision.
What if the baseline changes?
Use the re-baselined BAC and schedule. Mixing an old BAC with a new schedule makes every later EVM figure misleading.
How do I use the Planned Value Calculator?
Enter the required values for Currency (symbol only, never converted), Budget at completion (BAC), Planned percent complete at status date. The calculator applies the formula on this page and shows the main result with any supporting breakdown so you can check the arithmetic.
What formula does the Planned Value Calculator use?
PV = BAC × planned % complete at the status date. The visible formula section above lists the calculation path and the edge cases the page handles, so the result can be checked without relying on the form alone.
Can the Planned Value Calculator be used for exact decisions?
Use it as a calculation aid, not as a substitute for checking the underlying rule, contract, policy, or professional advice that applies to your situation. When a result depends on local rules, personal details, prices, or dates, enter those values yourself and confirm them before acting.
Related tools
Calculate Earned Value step by step: EV = BAC × actual % complete.
Calculate Actual Cost (Earned Value) step by step: AC = sum of all costs actually incurred for the work performed to the status date.
Calculate Budget At Completion step by step: BAC = sum of the budgets of all work packages in the performance measurement baseline.