Latest Update: 4-13-2026
The Project Dashboard provides a high-level view of schedule performance, risk, and execution trends. It helps project teams quickly understand where the project stands, identify emerging risks, and focus attention on areas that may require action
Project Dashboard Overview
The Project Dashboard is designed to answer three core questions:
Where does the project stand today?
How is the schedule performing against plan and baseline?
Where are the biggest risks or deviations emerging?
To do this, the dashboard combines schedule dates, critical path metrics, performance indices, quality checks, and progress visualizations.
Schedule and Time Metrics
These fields describe the current time boundaries and duration of the project.
Data Date
The Data Date represents the point in time up to which project progress has been recorded. For more information on the project data date, read this help article.
The Data Date is a critical reference for all performance and progress metrics shown on the dashboard.
All actuals (Actual Start / Actual Finish) are evaluated relative to the Data Date
Schedule calculations assume progress is accurate through this date
Performance and Progress Indices
These metrics evaluate how well the project is performing against plan and baseline.
Start Date
The Start Date reflects the start of the project based on the current schedule version.
Finish Date
The Finish Date reflects the projected completion date of the project based on current logic, durations, and progress.
Duration
The total number of calendar days between the project Start Date and Finish Date.
Critical Path Total Float
Critical Path Total Float represents the total amount of time activities on the critical path can be delayed without impacting the overall project finish date.
A value of zero or negative indicates no schedule flexibility
Negative float signals that the project is forecasted to finish late
% Complete
Displays overall project progress based on completed work.
Calculated from activity completion status
Provides a quick snapshot of execution progress
Activity State Overview
This section summarizes the execution state of activities across the project.
Completed — Finished activities
In Progress — Activities currently being worked
Not Started — Activities yet to begin
This view helps assess readiness and execution balance.
Progress State Overview
Activities are categorized by how they are performing relative to plan.
On Time — Progressing as planned
Early — Ahead of schedule, adding positive float
Late — Behind schedule and requiring attention
Critical Path and Float Metrics
These fields help identify schedule risk and flexibility.
Float Path 2 (Total Float)
Total float available on the second most critical path.
Indicates limited schedule flexibility beyond the primary critical path
Useful for identifying near-critical risks
Critical Path Length Index (CPLI)
CPLI measures how achievable the current project finish date is, based on remaining schedule flexibility.
Formula:
(Critical Path Length + Total Float) / Critical Path Length
Where:
Total Float is taken from the Finish Milestone
Critical Path Length is the sum of remaining durations on the critical path
How to interpret CPLI:
≥ 1.00 Good: Project is on track or ahead
0.95 – 0.99 Acceptable: Monitor closely
< 0.95 At Risk: Schedule intervention needed
Baseline Execution Index (BEI)
BEI measures how efficiently work is being completed relative to the original baseline plan.
Formula:
How to interpret BEI:
≥ 1.00 — Excellent throughput
0.95 – 0.99 — Moderate risk
< 0.95 — Warning: Falling behind baseline
BEI focuses on execution efficiency, not float or logic
Quality and Risk Indicators
These indicators highlight structural and execution-related risks
Schedule Quality Score (DCMA)
A composite score based on DCMA’s 14-Point Schedule Assessment
Higher scores indicate stronger scheduling practices
Highlights logic gaps, constraints, and structural issues
Note: For more information on how the quality score is calculated, read this article
Total Negative Float Activities Remaining
Number of remaining activities with negative total float
Indicates work that is already forecasted late
Total Remaining Critical Activities
Number of remaining activities on the critical path
A higher number may indicate concentrated risk
Progress S-Curve
The Progress S-Curve compares planned, actual, and projected progress over time
It helps answer:
Are we progressing as planned?
How far ahead or behind are we?
What happens if current trends continue?
S-Curve Reference Lines
Planned ES (Green)
Planned progress assuming all activities start as early as possible
Planned LS (Red)
Latest acceptable progress without delaying the project
Actual Progress (Solid Blue)
What has actually been completed
Projected Progress (Dotted Blue)
Forecasted progress based on current trends
A table below the curve shows variance from plan as a percentage:
Positive variance = ahead of baseline
Negative variance = behind baseline
Note: Toggle between Early Start and Late Start to see your variance from planned update
Planned Percentage Complete (PPC)
PPC compares what was planned to be completed versus what was actually completed.
Formula:
(Number of Completed Activities / Number of Planned Activities) × 100%
PPC can be viewed by:
Daily (small projects only)
Weekly
Monthly
And drilled down by:
Location
Responsibility (see below for example)
Custom codes (if configured)
PPC Color Indicators
PPC values are color-coded for quick interpretation:
< 75% (Red) High risk, well behind plan
75% – 90% (Yellow) Caution, moderately behind
> 90% (Green) On track
PPC Bar Chart Rules
Each bar represents a time period and follows these rules:
If Planned = 0 and Completed = 0 → No value shown
If Completed < Planned → Percentage shown
If Completed > Planned → Capped at 100% with an indicator
Notes on Planned vs. Completed Activities
Completed Activities
Based on Actual Finish Date
Binned into the selected time period
Planned Activities
Based on Committed Finish Date
Taken from the Reference Version (typically baseline)
Only activities common to both versions are included in PPC calculations.
Variance Reason Details
Variance Reason Codes capture why activities did not proceed as planned.
Eligibility
Variance reasons can be assigned only to activities that are:
In Progress
Completed
Timeframes
Variance reasons can be analyzed:
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Visualization Options
Stacked Bar Chart
Shows distribution of variance reasons over time.
View by Percentage (%) or Count (#)
Helps identify trends or spikes in specific issues
Donut Chart
Provides a high-level breakdown of variance reasons for a selected timeframe.
Includes a table with raw counts
Useful for reporting and root cause analysis
Watchlist
Displays all activities, milestones, or elements that have been manually added to the Watchlist.
Helps track high-risk or high-priority items