Installation

How to start

Once you have accessed the url where the installer is located, a “setup.exe” file will be downloaded and you must execute it. If you don't have a url to start, you can visit this page

After that, the operating system usually warns about the installation of external software on your computer. The installer is signed with a “Code Signing Certificate” that ensures the legitimate origin of its manufacturer, in this case Valor Ganado S.A.S.

Download and Installation of Components

Downloading components from the installation process is a very fast process (usually a few seconds). During this process, the web domain from which the software being downloaded comes from: valorganado.com, preceded by HTTPS. The secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (in English: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure or HTTPS), is an application protocol based on the HTTP protocol, intended for the secure transfer of data, that is, it is the secure version of HTTP. The HTTPS system uses encryption based on SSL / TLS security to create an encrypted channel, so that the information cannot be used or altered by an attacker who has managed to intercept the transfer of data from the connection, since the only thing an attacker will get will be a stream of encrypted data that will be (virtually) impossible to decipher.

Once the source of the files has been verified, the installer will offer the option to start the installation. If the origin is Valor Ganado S.A.S., you can proceed.

The installation process is also very fast (seconds), it is advised not to interrupt.

Once the software has been installed, a form will be displayed announcing the success of the procedure, after that you can close the form and start using the software. The first time you load Ms-Project, the AddIn will also be loaded and you will be asked for the subscription key (code).

Software use

Initial loading

Once installed, the AddIn is automatically loaded when Ms-project is started. If you are connected to the Internet, the first action taken is the verification of the existence of an improved version. In case such a version exists, the improvement will be installed automatically, it takes very little (usually seconds). A welcome form marks the moment when the AddIn starts running.

The subscription or license key

If you have never entered the subscription key or if the subscription key has expired, it will be shown a form requesting the key. 

Normally the key is a string of 32 characters (8 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 12), you must copy it complete, including symbols such as hyphens. If the subscription key is not correct, you can change it. You must save when completing the operation.

The functionalities in the menu or the ribbon

If the installation of the AddIn has been completed successfully, you will see a menu section called EVM. It is a non-native menu element, it does not belong to the base software, the elements on the ribbon are functionalities that are part of the AddIn.

There are three groups of controls. On the Configuration Group you can find AddIn information (about) and a configuration form. In the Task Group you will find the Physical Percentage Complete buttons (in green) and the Actual Cost buttons (in red). In the Project Group you will find the cut-off date (status date) buttons, the button to display the EVM Chart and the button to display the Verification Form.

About

At the top of this form you will find the version of the AddIn. From left to right the numbers correspond to: Major version, Minor version, Build and Revision. These numbers can serve to make better traceability of possible problems. The AddIn is updated automatically and these numbers characterize the application that is in use on your computer at the time of the problem.

This form also shows the name of the subscription holder (possibly you). The name is stored both on the site (valorganado.com) and on your computer.

A recognition of the developer (author) is shown at the bottom of the form and the rights holder organization is mentioned.

Verification

The verification form allows you to verify that the file options are compatible with the earned value management method. From left to right, the first (inspect) button will not make any modifications, it will only warn the recommendations. The central button (ask before changing) will make recommendations and ask if you want to proceed with any change. The button on the right (try to improve) will make changes trying to improve the options.

The inspect button takes a tour of the configuration options that are associated with the calculation of earned value. You will not make any changes, you will only notice the recommendations and leave them on the text area (blank) for later review. 

The middle button (ask before changing) will make recommendations and display a question. It takes a tour for the configuration options that are associated with the calculation of earned value. If you wish to proceed with any change, respond accordingly. Only accepted modifications will be made and will be recorded on the text area (blank) for later review. 

The button on the right (try to improve) will make changes trying to improve the options. It takes a tour of the configuration options that are associated with the calculation of earned value. It won't confirm if you want to proceed with the change. The modifications will simply be made and records will be left on the text area (blank) for later review. 

AddIn Settings

The AddIn Configuration Form has a section of reserved fields. Initially, the only mandatory reserved field is Text30. The base software has a large number of Customizable Fields. The AddIn needs to reserve only one of them (minimally), possibly one of the least used by users, to save information from the AddIn. In this way your work with the AddIn is saved in the file and travels with it. If another user uses the same AddIn, they can retrieve the project configuration (share it). It is important that you do not try to change the value of this field manually because it can generate unexpected behavior.

Earned Schedule fields are optional. The AddIn can calculate the Earned Schedule for each task and put it in the Customizable Field you choose as the project progresses. If you do not choose any, the Earned Schedule calculations will not be made.

The Progress% field is optional and useful if you want a different aggregation of the progress. The aggregation (rollup) of the native field Percentage Complete is weighted by duration, which is not recognized as a best practice. The Physical Percentage Complete is better weighted by costs according to best practices, but exceptions have been observed when the summary tasks add certain combinations of methods and progress, so it can be better (depending on the project) to make an independent aggregation (alternative).

The Automatic option for dependence between the Percentage Complete and Physical Percentage Complete fields enables a very sophisticated function. When the option is set, if you decide to report the progress of a task with the Percentage Complete, the AddIn will calculate and record (additionally) the Physical Percentage Complete as:

`"Physical Percentage Complete"={"c"/"Baseline Cost"}*100`

If instead, you decide to report the progress of a task with the Physical Percentage Complete and the option is set, the AddIn will calculate the Percentage Complete as:

`"Percentage Complete"={"t"/"Baseline Time"}*100`

Once the task level calculation is done, the AddIn will continue upstream (roollup) with the summary tasks, until the project summary task is reached, that is, the overall project summary, correcting the progress, task by task, so that is consistent throughout the project. In this way, you can choose the method you prefer for each task or the one that best suits the nature of the job. The AddIn will do the rest.

The status date

The status date buttons offer features for drawing and then moving the status date according to periods of common use. You can always do it through native functionality, but if the periods you use coincide with those implemented (day, week, two weeks and month) it will be easier to use these buttons.

Establishment of the Status Date

This button sets the status date at the end of the first day of the project and draws it as a solid red line, a fairly widespread practice among those who use the Earned Value Method.

Daily Step

This button modifies the status date to place it at the end of the day following the current status date. If the current status date is the end of the day, pressing the button will take you to the end of the next day.

Weekly Step

This button modifies the status date to place it at the end of the day of the end of the week of the day following the current status date. If the current status date is the end of current week, pressing the button will take you to the end of the following week.

Biweekly Step

This button modifies the status date to place it at the end of the day of the end of the two weeks of the day following the current status date. If the current status date is the end of a week, pressing the button will take you to the end of the day in two more weeks.

Monthly Step

This button modifies the status date to place it at the end of the day of the end of the month of the day following the current status date. If the current status date is the end of the month, pressing the button will take you to the end of the following month.

The Earned Value Chart

The EVM Chart solves several problems that arise in the native reports. Internally it has been implemented as a web view that uses a web service. For this reason you must be connected to the Internet. The cost scale is automatically adjusted to cover the maximum between the baseline cost and the final estimated cost of the project. The time scale is automatically adjusted to cover the maximum between the final baseline date and the final estimated date of the project. The estimates are made taking into account trend, that is, it is assumed that in the future it continues with the previous performance.

Gantt Chart

If you are on the Gantt view when you show the graph, you can change the state of the tasks while viewing the change in the EVM curves. It is advised to choose the correct table for what you are doing.

Chart over Kanban

The Chart can be combined with the Kanban view only if your version of Project Professional allows it. Apparently, the manufacturer (today) does not offer such functionality in all product versions. If you are on the Kanban view when you show the graph, you can move the tasks between Kanban columns while viewing the change in the EVM curves. This is something very particular about AddIn since the software natively changes the Percentage Complete when you move the tasks. The AddIn uses Physical Percentage Complete.

Status Record

In native form, the base software does not incorporate the buttons to register Physical Percentage Complete and Actual Cost. The AddIn provides these buttons to facilitate the use of the Earned Value Management method. The Completed Physical Percentage matches best practices.

Physical progress

They are the black and green buttons. It is equivalent to recording the percentage expressed in the buttons on the Completed Physical Percentage column (fields).

Actual cost

They are the black and red buttons. It is equivalent to recording the cost (as a percentage of baseline) on the Actual Cost column expressed in the buttons. It is necessary that a baseline cost has been registered and that the project configuration is compatible with the manual actual cost recording (by default, the manufacturer disables the option). If in doubt, run the Verification Form Inspection option.

Uninstall

Go to the Windows application settings and features.

Search for ProjectAddInEVM and start the process.

After confirming the uninstallation, it will proceed with it and will be completed successfully.