All projects

Project 01 · Cost control

Project cost control dashboard

Earned value tracking for a contractor running eight jobs across three business lines. Filter by line, sort the portfolio, then open any project to see where the cost is going and test a what-if on progress and cost.

Demo data · fictional figures Earned value · CPI · EAC IFRS 15 billing position Live what-if

Atlas Build Co.

Portfolio cost report · month-end snapshot · amounts in SAR

Total contract value –
Budget at completion –
Actual cost to date –
Cost variance (EV − AC) –
Portfolio CPI –
Forecast margin –
IFRS 15 position
Contract assets (earned, not billed) –
Contract liabilities (billed in advance) –
Projects flagged –

Projects

SAR thousands. Select a project for its cost breakdown and what-if.

Projects with cost, earned value and billing figures, in SAR thousands. Column headers sort the table.

Earned budget vs actual cost

For each project: the budget for work done (EV) against actual cost to date, on a track showing the full budget.

  • Budget at completion
  • Earned budget (EV)
  • Actual cost (AC)
  • Overrun (AC above EV)

Cost breakdown by category

Earned budget applies the project's physical progress to each category budget. A negative variance means the category costs more than the work it has delivered.

Category Budget Actual Earned Variance CPI

What-if

Move progress or actual cost and watch CPI, EAC and margin recompute. Nothing is saved.

The tick on each slider marks the reported actual.

Metric Reported What-if Change

How it works

The accounting behind every number

One input drives most of the report: surveyed physical progress. It sets both the budget earned and the revenue recognized, so cost and revenue are measured on the same basis.

  1. 01

    Earned value

    EV = BAC × P

    P is physical progress surveyed on site, not the share of budget spent. EV is the budget for the work actually done, so it compares like with like against actual cost.

  2. 02

    Cost performance

    CV = EV − AC · CPI = EV ÷ AC

    A CPI of 0.90 means each SAR 1 spent delivered SAR 0.90 of budgeted work. Below 0.95 the project is flagged Over budget.

  3. 03

    Estimate at completion

    EAC = BAC ÷ CPI · ETC = EAC − AC

    Assumes cost efficiency to date continues. Guards: with no cost booked, EAC = BAC; with cost booked but zero progress, EAC = AC + BAC.

  4. 04

    Forecast margin

    GM = TCV − EAC · GM% = GM ÷ TCV

    TCV is the contract value. Compare with the planned margin, TCV − BAC. A forecast margin below 10% is flagged Margin at risk.

  5. 05

    Revenue earned (IFRS 15)

    REV = TCV × P

    Revenue is recognized over time using an output method. The same surveyed progress drives revenue and earned value.

  6. 06

    Billing position

    POS = BTD − REV

    BTD is billed to date. Positive: billed ahead of work, a contract liability. Negative: earned but not billed, a contract asset. Each contract is presented on its own, never netted with another. A contract asset above 5% of contract value is flagged Bill now.

Loss-making contracts

When EAC exceeds the contract value, the whole expected loss belongs in the current period, not spread over the remaining work. The tool provides for the part of that loss not already recognized through revenue and cost to date, as an onerous contract provision under IAS 37.

Provision = ETC − (TCV − REV)

Where I apply this

Where this experience comes from

The figures here are fictional. The experience behind the tool is below.

Multi-project cost control

I run project cost control for a multi-project contractor: cost centers by business line and by project, actual against budget, and profitability for every project.

Month-end close in 7 countries

I manage a general ledger across seven countries, including month-end close, GL reconciliations, and the fixed asset register with depreciation schedules. Reliable actuals start with a clean close.

IFRS and Saudi VAT

I handled Saudi VAT (ZATCA) and IFRS compliance for 5+ Saudi client companies.

Next project

Bank reconciliation & month-end close

Open the tool