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Step-by-step answers for PVology, written for what you are trying to do.
PVology ProjectOrbit
- Control accounts and estimate-at-completion methodsOpen the project's Cost page and choose Control accounts to split the budget into parts someone owns; budget moves only through recorded movements. On the Cost page, choose how the estimate at completion (EAC) is worked out; each method shows its formula.
- Customer satisfaction in ProjectOrbitOpen the project and choose Satisfaction (or Ask the customer on the overview). Ask people with portal access to answer three short questions, or record feedback you received by phone, email or in a meeting. Each response can have a follow-up action.
- How to add activities to a project scheduleOpen the Schedule tab and use Add an activity or milestone: enter an ID, Name, Type and Duration (working days), optionally a predecessor, and choose Add to schedule. PVology recalculates the dates.
- How to add and track project milestonesAdd a milestone on the Schedule tab with Type Start milestone or Finish milestone. Milestones appear on the project Overview and in Upcoming milestones on the Projects home; record them as done with an actual finish on the Progress tab.
- How to add resources and load them onto activitiesOn the Resources tab use Add a resource, then Load a resource onto an activity with the total quantity. PVology shows weekly demand against capacity and can propose leveling.
- How to build a work breakdown structure (WBS)On the Schedule tab use Add a WBS element (code, name and optional parent), then choose the WBS for each activity. Activities are grouped by WBS in the schedule and Gantt.
- How to check the quality of a scheduleOpen the Schedule health tab. PVology checks the logic and lists each issue with why it matters, its severity and the activities involved.
- How to choose between an internal and an external customer projectChoose Internal project for work for your own organization, and External customer project for work delivered for a client. External projects add client fields, contract dates and the Client view tab.
- How to choose predictive, agile or hybrid for a projectChoose Predictive / Waterfall when scope is clear, Agile when requirements will evolve, and Hybrid for a master schedule with agile delivery. You can change it later in Profile & settings.
- How to create a portfolio and add projects or programsIn Projects choose Portfolios, fill in New portfolio and choose Create portfolio. Then use Add a project or program. Intake and prioritization and Scenarios and capacity are tabs inside the portfolio.
- How to create a program and add projects to itIn Projects choose Programs, fill in New program and choose Create program. Then add projects under Add a project, track program benefits and follow items escalated from projects.
- How to create a project with the guided wizardOpen Projects → New project. The wizard has six steps: Approach and context, Project essentials, Dates and reporting, People and governance, Cost and value, and How to start, then Review. Choose Create project on the Review step.
- How to create and approve a baselineOpen Baselines, enter a name (and optional change reference) and choose Capture draft baseline. An approver enters a reason and chooses Approve. Approved baselines never change.
- How to create and approve a work orderOn the Work orders tab choose an activity (optional), enter the details and choose Create work order. Then move it through approval, issue, execution, completion and verification with the Next step buttons.
- How to edit a project's profile and settingsOpen the project and choose Profile & settings. Change the name, status, project manager, methodology, customer context, reporting cadence, dates, budget and scope details, then choose Save profile.
- How to explore the sample project programChoose Explore sample data in Projects (or Preferences → Sample data) to add the fictional Regional Water Infrastructure Improvement Program. A tour card on the Projects home links to eight short stops.
- How to find the critical path and total floatThe Schedule tab shows Total float for each activity and lists the critical activities. Total float is how many working days an activity can slip without delaying the project; zero or negative float is critical.
- How to get PVology AI suggestions in ProjectsWhen AI assistance is available, Projects offers Suggest risks (Risks register), Suggest work breakdown (Schedule) and Draft narrative (reports). Each suggestion is a draft you accept or reject; nothing is added without your decision.
- How to get started with PVology ProjectsOpen Projects from the menu (Applications → Projects), then create a project or explore the sample program. The Projects home shows upcoming milestones, items that need attention, your open actions and the list of projects.
- How to link activities with logic (predecessors and successors)On the Schedule tab use Add a logic link: enter the Predecessor ID and Successor ID, choose FS, SS, FF or SF and an optional lag, then choose Add link.
- How to manage a backlog and sprints in an agile projectIn an agile or hybrid project open Agile. Add items to the Backlog, create a sprint under Sprints and analytics, plan items into it, then Start and later Complete sprint.
- How to manage project risks with probability, impact and residual riskOpen Registers → Risks and add a risk with Probability (1–5), Impact (1–5), a Response strategy and, after the response, Residual probability and Residual impact. Score = probability × impact (1–25).
- How to move work on the agile board and set WIP limitsIn Agile choose Board. Move items between columns with the arrow buttons, and set column names and work-in-progress limits under Columns and work-in-progress limits.
- How to prepare an extension of time requestOn the Delay & EOT tab use Start an extension of time request, link the delay events and time impact analyses, complete the request, and choose Generate draft package (Word). The draft is stored in Documents for professional review.
- How to read the project overview and healthThe Overview tab shows forecast finish, variance against the approved baseline, schedule and register counts, and a Project health list where every factor states its reason. There is no hidden score.
- How to record a delay eventOpen the Delay & EOT tab, fill in Record a delay event (event, responsibility, status, dates, notice and affected activities) and choose Record event.
- How to record stage gate decisions and close a projectOpen Governance to add stage gates and record each decision with reasons. To close, complete the closure checks and team confirmations, then an owner or administrator chooses Close project.
- How to run a time impact analysis or what-if scenarioOpen Scenarios (or Analyse time impact on a delay event), choose the type and basis, add a fragnet or changes, and choose Calculate scenario. It runs on a copy; the live schedule is never changed.
- How to run a value study on a projectOpen the project's Value tab and choose Start value study. Work through the phases: add functions (verb + noun, cost and worth), add and rate ideas, develop recommendations and record decisions.
- How to score and prioritize project requests in a portfolioIn the portfolio open Intake and prioritization, add each request with its cost, people and ratings, and PVology ranks them by a visible weighted score. Approved requests can be authorized to create a project.
- How to see upcoming work with the lookaheadOpen the Lookahead tab and choose a 2, 4 or 6 week window. It lists unfinished work in that window from the data date (or today) with owner, float, constraint and linked risks.
- How to set up a project from a contract or scope documentChoose Analyze project documents when creating the project (or Documents → Analyze project documents later), upload the file and accept, edit or reject each finding. Nothing is used until you accept it.
- How to set working days and holidays for a projectOn the Schedule tab choose Calendars. Edit the project calendar's working days, hours per day and holidays, or add another calendar, then save.
- How to share a read-only client view of a projectFor an external project, open Client view, choose who the link is for, how many days it is valid (up to 90) and which sections to show, then choose Create link and send the link yourself. Client links are disabled for sample projects.
- How to submit and approve a change requestOpen Registers → Changes, add a change request with its impact on scope, schedule, cost, risk and value, then an owner or administrator sets it to Approved or Rejected with a decision reason.
- How to test portfolio choices against budget and people capacityIn the portfolio open Scenarios and capacity, create a what-if scenario (make requests mandatory or defer them) and choose Calculate scenario. Nothing changes until an owner or administrator chooses Accept this scenario.
- How to track project cost and cashflowOpen the Cost tab. Load budgets onto activities (directly or through resources with cost rates), record actual costs and commitments, and read the cumulative baseline, forecast and actual cashflow by month or week.
- How to update only part of a project (for example its dates)Open the project and choose Guided update. Tick only the areas you want to change, such as Dates and reporting, then Next. Review shows current → proposed values; choose Apply changes. Only the chosen areas change.
- How to update project progressOpen Progress, set the data date, enter actual start and finish dates, percent complete or remaining days, and choose Save progress and reschedule.
- How to use earned value (EVM) on a projectOn the Cost tab choose Use earned value on this project. PVology shows PV, EV, AC, SV, CV, SPI, CPI, EAC, ETC, VAC and TCPI with their formulas, and lists anything missing.
- How to use project registersOpen the project and choose Registers. Pick a register (for example Risks, Issues, Changes, Decisions or Actions), then use the form at the bottom to add an item with owner, status and, where offered, a due date.
- Keep a communication planOpen the project and choose More → Communications. Each line says who hears what, how often, how and from whom. Owners are reminded the day before a line is due and while it is overdue; Mark done moves the next date on.
- Keep contract notices and claims with their deadlinesSwitch on Notices & claims in Profile & settings → Optional modules, then open More → Notices & claims. Record an event as soon as you know about it, with its notice deadline and evidence. PVology does not give legal advice or decide entitlement.
- Plan project meetings and publish minutesOpen the project and choose More → Meetings. Plan a meeting, keep the agenda and minutes, record actions and decisions, then publish the minutes. Published minutes are read-only and changed only by an amendment.
- PVology Projects: common questionsProjects needs the application in your plan and, in an organization, a Projects licence. Approvals need an owner or administrator. AI suggestions need AI Plus. Sample data can be added and removed at any time. Export CSV, Excel and schedule files are available.
- Track inspections, tests and defects (Quality)Switch on Quality in the project's Profile & settings → Optional modules, then open More → Quality. Add inspections, tests, checklists, defects, nonconformances and corrective actions; a record closes only when someone verifies it.
- Track procurement packages and lead timesSwitch on Procurement in Profile & settings → Optional modules, then open More → Procurement. Add the packages the schedule depends on with their required, promised and delivery dates; PVology shows which are late or at risk.
- Use the task board and My WorkOpen a project and choose Task board to see its activities as Not started, In progress and Done cards. Open ProjectOrbit → My Work to see every activity and action assigned to you across the projects you can open, and record progress there.
- Your project's attention listThe project overview starts with What needs your attention: the items you can act on, most important first, each with the reason, the date and a link to fix it. Choose Show all to see more than the top 8.
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