A work performance information template transforms raw work performance data into analyzed, contextualized information that can be used for decision-making by the project manager, sponsor, and steering committee. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), work performance information is the key output of the Measurement Performance Domain in PMBOK 8, bridging raw execution data and actionable project reports. The work performance information template is where numbers become insights — where actual cost and percentage complete become SPI and CPI, and where those metrics become recommendations for corrective action or sponsor decisions. Without this analysis step, raw performance data accumulated in the work performance data template would remain as facts without meaning, unable to drive the proactive management decisions that separate high-performing project teams from reactive ones.

What is Work Performance Information?

A work performance information template is the result of analyzing work performance data against the approved project baselines — comparing what actually happened against what was planned. It calculates earned value metrics (SPI, CPI, SV, CV), schedule and cost variances, forecast at completion (EAC, ETC, VAC), and quality performance trends, producing a clear, analyzed picture of project health that supports management decisions. Work performance information is produced by applying analytical processes — earned value formulas, variance analysis techniques, trend analysis — to the raw data collected in the work performance data template. In PMBOK 8, work performance information is the input to project reports (status reports, risk reports, quality reports) and to change requests when variance analysis reveals the need for corrective action. The work performance information template ensures this critical analytical step is performed systematically and consistently at every reporting cycle.

What's Included in This Work Performance Information Template?

• Earned Value Calculations — Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), Actual Cost (AC), Schedule Variance (SV), Cost Variance (CV), SPI, CPI, Estimate at Completion (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), and Variance at Completion (VAC) calculated for each reporting period and cumulatively.
• Schedule Variance Analysis — Which activities are ahead, behind, or on track with quantified variances and root cause narratives for the most significant deviations, providing the context needed to assess whether variances are isolated events or systemic performance trends.
• Cost Variance Analysis — Over and under-spend by work package and cost category with explanations for significant variances, distinguishing between genuine performance variances and timing differences in cost recognition that may resolve themselves in future periods.
• Scope Performance Assessment — Deliverable completion status versus the scope baseline, milestone adherence rate, and any scope change implementation status, providing the scope dimension of performance information alongside the schedule and cost analyses.
• Quality Performance Summary — Defect rate, first-pass acceptance rate, customer satisfaction indicator, and quality trend compared to the quality management plan targets, summarizing quality health in a format that complements the detailed quality control measurements data.
• Performance Dashboard — One-page visual summary of all key performance dimensions with traffic-light indicators (Green/Yellow/Red) and trend arrows, enabling rapid executive assessment of project health before diving into the detailed analysis sections.

How to Use This Work Performance Information Template (PMBOK 8)

1. Input work performance data into earned value formulas — Feed the actual cost, percentage complete, and planned value data from the work performance data template into the earned value formulas to calculate the current period's performance metrics. Verify formula inputs against source systems before finalizing calculations.
2. Analyze variances to identify root causes, not just symptoms — A cost variance of -10% is a symptom. The root cause might be resource over-allocation, scope creep, underestimated complexity, or productivity shortfall. The work performance information template must name the cause to enable effective corrective action.
3. Update forecasts based on current trends and known risks — Calculate EAC using multiple methods (EAC = AC + ETC, EAC = BAC/CPI, EAC = AC + (BAC-EV)/CPI) and explain which method is most appropriate given the current performance context and remaining scope characteristics.
4. Use the performance dashboard as the status report basis — The performance dashboard in the work performance information template should form the foundation of the project status report, supplemented by the narrative explanations of variances and the decisions required from stakeholders.
5. Present variance analysis with corrective action recommendations — Do not present variances to the sponsor without also presenting a recommended corrective action, the estimated impact of the action, and the decision needed from the sponsor to authorize or approve the recovery approach.

When to Create This Document (PMBOK 8)

The work performance information template is produced at each reporting cycle throughout the execution phase, immediately after work performance data is collected and before the project status report is drafted. In PMBOK 8, it is the analytical bridge between raw data collection and stakeholder communication, ensuring that performance reporting is based on objective analysis rather than subjective narrative. The work performance information record is maintained for the full project lifecycle and archived at closure as evidence of project performance management discipline.

Related Templates

• Work Performance Data Template
• Schedule Forecasts Template
• Status Report Template
• Change Request Template
• Risk Report Template