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 Impact of Revenue Recognition Methods in Project Cost Control Through Earned Value  
– by Francisco-Javier Rodríguez, MBA, PMP
One of the inputs earned value management (EVM) uses to obtain an indicator about the cost performance of projects is the cost incurred by the project until a certain date. Typically, such information is provided by finance departments. This paper reviews the different methods used by finance departments to calculate and measure the incurred costs in projects, and how these methods may impact the way the project manager applies the EVM to measure, control, and track the status of his or her project.

Profit = Project Management Partners with Finance to Use EVA  
– by Ravi Raj Kishore, PMP, CSM, ITIL, Six Sigma Greenbelt, Keane Inc.
One of the best ways of selecting a project is by utilizing economic value added (EVA) methodology. This methodology is also considered a criterion of project acceptance. EVA requires effective collaboration between finance and project management, an alliance that not only enables the project management professionals to understand how the company’s finance works, but also allows them to assist business leaders in making better financial decisions.

Innovation on R&D Earned Value IOC/C21 WatchKeeper System  
– by Kevin Peterson, UrsaNav
The challenge addressed in this article is using earned value in an IT project of less than US$20 million with multiple solution partners, fixed cost contracts, no labor cost data, and an 18-month deadline. The discussion presents an example of an innovative use of an R&D–based earned value technique. The software project overview is presented, traditional earned value reviewed, the derivation of the R&D approach is discussed, and the article closes with a look at the organizational benefit of the technique.

Implementing Earned Value Side by Side With Critical Chain 
– by Gershon Ben-Israel, PMP, BSc
This article focuses on an easy-to-use implementation of earned value management (EVM) and, specifically, cost performance index and estimation at completion – Cost side by side with the Critical Chain Method. The EVM implementation gives a comprehensive answer for budget management and budget report requested by the project sponsor.

Earned Value Management in "Electricity Bill" Type of Projects 
– by Sunil Raikhanghar, ITIL, PMP
Earned value management (EVM) is the control tool used for cost control, which is one of the most important areas in project management. It also provides additional useful information for the schedule variance. When used with progress reporting to determine schedule variance and schedule performance index, EVM becomes a highly valuable tool to track both cost and schedule. Budgets for projects with only department-wide budget allocations are analogous to a household electricity bill, having few details.