Calculating true variance

[nogi]

I have a logic in my head which I am trying to work out the best way to implement using Power BI. I want to show variance (in days) for tasks using the following rules:

• Closed - Actual Finish - Baseline Finish
• Current - Today - Baseline Finish
• Future - Baseline Finish - Planned Finish

My datasource is from a sharepoint task list that is synced with Project Online so all those values are available, I am just not sure where to start with applying the above rules.

[nogi · Accepted solution]

For the moment, I have a calculate filed in project that gives me the value required:

IIf([% Complete]<100,IIf([Finish]>now(),DateDiff("d",[Baseline Finish],[Finish]),DateDiff("d",[Baseline Finish],now())),DateDiff("d",[Actual Finish],[Baseline Finish]))

[nogi · Accepted solution]

I played around some more and have found it easier to do the same with DAX:

Column: CheckVariance = IF(ISBLANK('Tasks'[TaskActualFinishDate].[Date]),
	IF(TODAY()>'Tasks'[TaskFinishDate].[Date],TODAY()-'Tasks'[BaselineFinishDate].[Date],
	'Tasks'[TaskFinishDate].[Date] - 'Tasks'[BaselineFinishDate].[Date]),
	'Tasks'[TaskActualFinishDate].[Date] - 'Tasks'[BaselineFinishDate].[Date])

Now, what if I only wanted to know the business days and exclude weekends from the count?

[v-jiascu-msft]

Hi @nogi,

1. You need to import all the data into Power BI Desktop;

2. It seems you want to group the data by rules. Then you can add a calculated column with "Closed", "Current" and "Future".

3. Use the build-in functions. Maybe it looks like this:

varPopulation =
VAR.P ( Sales[Quantity] )

The reports could be:

Rules      varPopulation

Closed    0.88

Current   1.66

Future     2.1

If you have more questions, please provide your .pbix file.

Best Regards!

Dale

[nogi]

hi @v-jiascu-msft,

No pbix file as of yet as I want to build it this weekend, just trying to plan it out first. thanks for the idea but I am actually wanting the variance in the one column rather than 3 based on those rules. I have a project online schedule which I will be importing into the desktop client to do this.

so, just to clarify, I will have tasks - some already completed, some in progress and some not started (future tasks). The logic should be something like:

if task = closed then
     variance = actual close - baseline close
else if task startdate <= today then
     variance = today - forecast date
else
     variance = forecast date - baseline date
endif

If closed, I want forumula 1 to be used, if open

[nogi · Accepted solution]

For the moment, I have a calculate filed in project that gives me the value required:

IIf([% Complete]<100,IIf([Finish]>now(),DateDiff("d",[Baseline Finish],[Finish]),DateDiff("d",[Baseline Finish],now())),DateDiff("d",[Actual Finish],[Baseline Finish]))

[v-jiascu-msft]

I see now. I thought it was the variance in Statistics.

Best Regards!

Dale