Execview
Portfolio Management
Training
Key functions guide for
Portfolio and Project
Managers
October 2011
Execview Portfolio Management Training
© Execview 2011
Contents
Introduction
1. Overview
2. Security
3. Access
4. Support
5. Structure
6. Login
Setting Up New Projects
7. Creating a new Project – Set up process
8. Accessing Portfolio Activities “Tree View”
a.
Project Definition: Business Case
b. Project Definition: People, Components and Strands
c.
Project Definition: Overview
d. Project Workflow
Terminology
9. Key to Typical Execview Icons
10. Glossary of Terms
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Contents
Project Progress View
11. Implementation Arrow – Progress View
12. Navigation from the Progress View
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Milestones, Deliverables and Tasks
13. Milestones
14. Deliverables
15. Tasks
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28
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RAIDs and Actions
16. RAIDs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies)
a. A more detailed look: Risks
b. A more detailed look: Issues
c.
A more detailed look: Assumptions
d. A more detailed look: Dependencies
17. Creating and Managing Actions
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33 – 34
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Contents
Stakeholders
18. Enabling Stakeholder Groups
a.
Adding Stakeholders via the Definition View
b. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
c.
Updating Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
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41
42 – 44
45
Finance Information
19. Managing and Recording Finance information
a.
Entering Finance Data
b. Entering an Overall Budget
c.
Entering a Baseline Plan
d. Creating a Forecast
e.
Entering Actuals and Budget Variances
f.
Show Progress / Updating your Forecast
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50
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Progress Reporting
20. Progress Reporting
a. Progress Reporting: Creating a Report
b. Progress Reporting: Adding Commentaries
c.
Progress Reporting: Scoring Status using DAIs
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Introduction
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1. Overview
Execview 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. Security
Execview 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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3. Access
• 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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4. Support
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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5. Structure - Flexible and Secure
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:
Contracted Service
Portfolio Summary
Operations Summary
Commercial
Portfolio
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
Components
Programme 1
Sub-Prog A
Project 1
Project 2
Sub-Prog C
IT Project
Other Project
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•
•
•
•
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•
Progress Reports
Milestones
Tasks
Deliverables
Risks
Issues
CSFs & KPIs
Assumptions
Dependencies
Resources
Finances
Benefits
Documents
Definition (PID)
Workflow (status)
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6. Login
When you first log in to Execview you are
taken to a personalised home page:
Login Screen
Execview user login details
•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.
You can retain
your username
and password
details between
sessions if your
PC is secure /
private
Reset password
•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)
Main Navigation tabs
Home Page
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 for
Date & links to
My Actions
My Tasks
My RAIDs
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
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Current overall RAG status
Delivery graph of Planned
v Completed items
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Setting Up New Projects
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7. Creating a new project – Set up process
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8. Accessing Portfolio Activities via the ‘Tree View’
The standard method of accessing a
programme or project is via the ‘tree view’:
•Click ‘Portfolio’ on the top level menu.
Project Manager &
Date of last report
Delivery Assurance
Indicators (DAIs)
Status View
•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.
Component View
Add and edit new projects, programmes or portfolios here
 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.
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a. Project Definition: Business Case
Overview
Access this page by clicking into the project
from the Portfolio tab
Select this icon to
create a pdf version
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:
Aims & Measures
Business Case
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•
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•
•
•
•
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
Select this icon to
add a measure
Select this icon to
add a target
Finances & Benefits
Edit
Delete
Add
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b. Project Definition: People, Components and Strands
People
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.
Components
Edit
Delete
•
Strands – sets up strands into which
components can be grouped.
Add
Adding an item to these pages has two effects:
•
Builds the project definition document for
sign-off, including the governance of the
project, and
Edit
•
Automatically adds all trackable items to
the database, so that later additional
information and status can be managed
Strands
Delete
Add
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c. Project Definition: Overview
Overview
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.
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d. Project Workflow
Execview’s workflow functionality moves an activity through a set of pre-defined
states (see project lifecycle next page)
TIP:
A project’s workflow has two key functions:
1.
2.
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.
Allows the project status to be controlled by the CPO / PMO
•
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.
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.
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d. Project Workflow continued
Idea
stage
Concept
stage
Approval of
project mandate
Impl’ment
stage
Definition
stage
Approval of
Outline Business
Case
Approval of Final
Business Case
Handover
stage
Approval of
Implementation
stage
Completed
Approval of
Handover and
Closeout
Typical outputs from each stage (for information)
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
•
•
•
•
•
•
Business problem
definition
High level conceptual
description
High level project
economics
Technology assessment
Impact assessment
Project Charter
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•
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Statement of requirements
(SoR)
Resourcing of PM, Sponsor
Delivery approach
Draft Contract
Design stage plan and
resourcing
Project Management Plan
(PMP)
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•
•
Detailed planning
Technical design
specifications
Build stage plan and
resourcing
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•
•
•
•
•
Build deliverables
(products, processes)
Solution set-up
Testing stages
Training design
Comms plan
Rollout stage plan
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•
Project delivery
Handover documents
Project close-out report
Lessons Learnt
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.
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
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Terminology
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9. Key to Typical Execview Icons
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
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
• 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.
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10. Glossary of Terms
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
RAIDs:
In deciding whether to assign an item as a Risk, Issue, Dependency or Assumption consideration
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.
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Project Progress
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11. Implementation Arrow – Progress View
All projects and programmes have a
standard initial page called the Progress
View:
Back to tree
view, up to
parent or across
to other projects
Project,
Programme,
Portfolio
name
Different Views are available under tracking
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
Delivery Assurance
Indicators (DAIs)
Milestones and Task
progress graphs
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12. Navigation from the Progress View
Delivery View
Progress View
Scorecard View
Schedule View
Finance View
Actions View
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Milestones, Deliverables, Tasks
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13. Milestones
Search Filters
•
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
Status filter
Shows Milestones at lower
levels and by activity
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
Workflow Stage: this field
dictates at which stage of the
project the milestone relates
to
TIP: Remember, Milestones are listed on your Project progress
report – the quality of how you document them is important.
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14. Deliverables
Search Filters
Status and people filters
Deliverables are what your project is going to produce
which will achieve business change
Shows Deliverables at
lower levels and by
activity
•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
The blue highlight signifies
the last product to be
accessed by that user
Status update screen
•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
Excel report
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15. Tasks
Task grid view
Tasks are major items of work to be completed for your
project. They represent how effort and resources will
produce your project’s deliverables
The blue highlight signifies
the last item accessed by
you
•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.
Status update screen
•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
Excel export
Task definition screen
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.
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RAIDs and Actions
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16. RAIDs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies)
•
•
•
•
•
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)
Search Filters
Status Filters
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
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.
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a. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Risks
Status Filters
Search Filters
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 – Critical
3 – Major
2 – Moderate
1 – Minor
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
Risk Probabilities:
4 – 99 percent
3 – 66 percent
2 – 33 percent
1 – 0 percent
Overdue Risks have
red dates, otherwise
green (or amber if
within one week)
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a. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Risks
Status Filters
Search Filters
Always state the current view
of risk impact and probability
on the Latest Progress screen
Business Impact:
4 – Critical
3 – Major
2 – Moderate
1 – Minor
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
Risk Probabilities:
4 – 99 percent
3 – 66 percent
2 – 33 percent
1 – 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.
State the current delivery
confidence of completing
mitigation
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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 34
achieved.
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b. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Issues
Search Filters
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.
Status Filters
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
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’.
Issue severity relates
directly to Business Impact.
Status – confidence that
the issue will be resolved or
worked around.
Business Impact:
1 – Low
2 – Medium Low
3 – Medium High
4 – High
5 – Extremely High
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c. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Assumptions
Search Filters
Status Filters
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
Select a RAG symbol to
express confidence that this
assumption is valid
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d. RAIDs – A more detailed look: Dependencies
Search Filters
Status Filters
Shows RAIDs at lower
levels and by activity
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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17. Creating and Managing Actions
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:
Action Definition Screen
•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:
Search Filters
Status Filters
Shows actions at lower
levels and by activity





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
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Component or
activity to which this
action belongs
Add new
action button
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Stakeholders
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18. Enabling Stakeholder Groups
•
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
Enforce

Offer

Independent
no stakeholder groups can be set up on child activities
stakeholder groups on child activities can only be selected from those set up
on the parent
stakeholder groups on child activities can be chosen from the parent’s set or
added as new group names
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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a. Adding Stakeholders via the Definition View
The key symbol indicates this
stakeholder group is of high
influence and high interest
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
Deletes the
stakeholder group
Select this icon to
edit the
stakeholder group
Select this icon to add a
stakeholder group
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.
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b. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
Search Filters
Status Filters
The blue highlights the last
record accessed in the grid view
•
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.
Search by
stakeholder type
Shows Stakeholder groups
at lower levels and by
activity
•
High influence and interest
•
High influence only
•
High interest only
•
Influence and interest not set
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c. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
Search Filters
Status Filters
Search by
stakeholder type
Shows Stakeholder groups
at lower levels and by
activity
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
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d. Adding Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
Search Filters
Status Filters
Search by
stakeholder type
Shows Stakeholder groups
at lower levels and by
activity
The People tab allows the user to select
key users for this stakeholder group
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•
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.
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e. Updating Stakeholders - Stakeholder grid view
Search Filters
Status Filters
Search by
stakeholder type
Shows Stakeholder groups
at lower levels and by
activity
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
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Finance Information
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19. Managing and Recording Finance information
Execview’s finance functionality allows the entry of
summarised cost and/or income information for
management reporting.
Example extended finance graph
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!
Overall budget
Baseline plan
Actual spend so far
Projects can be set up in any required currency.
(red solid line)
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.
Phased forecast to
completion (red dotted
line)
A complete view of all finance data can be
accessed from a ‘Show Progress’ button on the
finance screen.
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a. Entering Finance Data
•
•
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
Drop-down to choose between
cost and income
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
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b. Entering an Overall Budget
•
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.
2.
3.
4.
Select the Overall Budget tab
Enter values
Enter a comment, if desired
Click Update
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c. Entering a Baseline Plan
•
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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Select the Baseline Plan tab
Enter a date
Enter values for the spend just in this period
Enter a comment, if desired
Click Update
Repeat steps 2 to 5 to build up your plan
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d. Creating a Forecast
•
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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e. Entering Actuals and Budget Variances
•
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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the Actuals tab
Enter a date
Enter values for the spend just in this period
Enter a comment, if desired
Enter values for any changes to the overall
budget (prefix with a minus sign for a
reduction)
6. Click Update
7. Typically, you do this once each reporting
period
8. 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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f. Show Progress / Updating your Forecast
•
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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Progress Reporting
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20. 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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a. Progress Reporting: Creating a Report
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.
Clicking the Progress
Report button accesses
the set of screens for
creating or editing the
latest progress report.
Progress Report Window
If the create button is greyed out it
means a report already exists in draft.
To access it press Edit instead.
•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
List of previous
reports
 Various options, including display of
costs, a key to symbols and additional
commentary fields
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b. Progress Reporting: Adding Commentaries
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:
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.
 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
Current expected
completion date
Overall Status
 Avoid surprises – progress reports should mostly
reflect management actions already discussed.
4. Don’t forget to press Save!
Actions required (general)
A number of options exist to allow you to tailor your progress
report. These are accessed via the Settings tab.
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c. Progress Reporting: Scoring Status using DAIs
Previous reported
RAG & commentary
•
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.
Current report RAG &
commentary
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.
Report Produce button
If you want to edit a report even after it’s
locked, then press the unlock button
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Summary and Feedback
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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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