Cost Performance Index (CPI): Definition, How to Calculate & Use it?

You’re halfway through a project, stakeholders are asking for updates, invoices are piling up, and someone casually asks, “Are we still on budget?” You pause and not because you don’t manage costs carefully, but because answering that question confidently isn’t always straightforward. You know how much you’ve spent, but how do you explain whether that spending actually delivered the value it was supposed to? We understand that state of confusion and panic.

This is exactly where the Cost Performance Index (CPI) steps in. CPI gives you a clear, numbers-backed way to explain cost performance without guesswork, gut feelings, or vague status updates. Instead of debating opinions, you can point to one metric that shows whether your project is truly getting value for money.

In this guide, you’ll learn what CPI really tells you, how it works in practice, how to interpret its values correctly, and why it remains one of the most trusted project cost metrics across industries, project sizes, and complexity levels.

What is the Cost Performance Index (CPI)?

The Cost Performance Index is a straightforward ratio that tells you whether your project is getting good value for the money it’s spending. Think of it as a financial efficiency score that answers one simple question: for every dollar spent, how much planned work are you actually getting done?

CPI compares the value of work completed against what has actually been spent at a given point in time. This gives project managers an objective way to measure project performance without relying on gut feelings or incomplete status updates.

The core rule is simple:

CPI = Earned Value (EV) ÷ Actual Cost (AC)

• CPI = 1.0 means you’re exactly on budget
• CPI < 1.0 means you’re over budget
• CPI > 1.0 means you’re under budget

CPI is part of earned value management, a framework that integrates scope, schedule, and cost into a single performance measurement system. Organizations across IT, construction, engineering, and marketing use CPI to monitor project costs and make data-driven decisions.

Here’s a quick example: if your project has completed $500,000 worth of planned work (EV) but has only spent $450,000 (AC), your CPI is 1.11. That means you’re generating $1.11 of value for every dollar spent, you’re under budget, and running efficiently.

CPI gives you a single number that cuts through the noise and shows whether your project’s cost performance is on track.

Here are the key properties of CPI that every project manager should understand:

• Point-in-time measurement: CPI is always calculated at a specific status date and will change as the project progresses through its life cycle. What matters is the trend over time, not any single reading.
• Standardized comparison: Because CPI is a ratio, it allows direct comparison across projects regardless of their total budget. A $50,000 IT project and a $50 million construction project can both report CPI on equal terms.
• Budget-focused: While earned value management tracks scope, schedule, and cost together, CPI specifically measures cost performance. It tells you about money spent, not time elapsed.
• Objective measurement: CPI removes subjectivity from budget discussions. Instead of debating whether the project “feels” on track, teams can point to a concrete number based on completed work and actual expenses.
• Predictive power: Research on large programs suggests that once a project’s cumulative CPI stabilizes (typically after 20-30% completion), it becomes a reliable predictor of final cost performance.

Cost Performance Index formula

The cost performance index formula is straightforward:

CPI = Earned Value (EV) ÷ Actual Cost (AC)

Both EV and AC are measured in currency units, so the result is a unitless ratio that’s easy to interpret across any project or budget size.

Let’s break down each component:

• Earned Value (EV): The budgeted cost of the work actually completed to date. If your project budget is $1,000,000 and you’ve completed 40% of the scope, your EV is $400,000.
• Actual Cost (AC): The real money spent on the project up to the same date, based on accounting data, timesheets, invoices, purchase orders, and allocated overheads.

Here’s a concrete example:

This CPI of 0.80 means the project is getting only 80 cents of budgeted value for every $1 spent. The team is overspending, and every dollar of planned work is actually costing $1.25.

The intuitive interpretation:

• CPI > 1.0: Getting more value per dollar than planned (under budget)
• CPI = 1.0: Getting exactly the planned value per dollar (on budget)
• CPI < 1.0: Getting less value per dollar than planned (over budget)

Earned Value (EV)

Earned value is a monetary representation of the work completed using the original approved budget, not what you’ve actually spent. This distinction is critical: EV reflects planned costs for completed work, not actual project costs.

The basic formula is:

EV = % of work completed × Budget at Completion (BAC)

For example, if your project has a total budget (BAC) of $2,000,000 and you’ve genuinely completed 40% of the scope, then:

EV = 0.40 × $2,000,000 = $800,000

Key points for accurate EV calculation:

• Use consistent progress measurement rules: Common approaches include the 0/100 rule (no credit until complete), the 50/50 rule (50% at start, 50% at finish), or detailed percentage complete based on actual deliverables.
• Measure real progress, not time elapsed: Being “6 months into a 12-month project” doesn’t automatically mean 50% complete. Base EV on actual work performed.
• Stick to baseline budgets: EV should use the original approved budget (BAC), not updated forecasts. If the baseline changes through formal re-baselining, document this clearly.
• Avoid inflating percent complete: Overestimating completion percentage is the most common way CPI gets distorted. Be honest about what’s truly done versus what’s in progress.

Actual Cost (AC)

Actual cost is the total amount actually spent on the project up to the status date. This includes labor, materials, subcontractors, equipment, and any overheads allocated per your cost plan.

Unlike EV, AC comes from financial systems rather than estimates. You’re pulling real numbers from:

• Timesheets and payroll entries
• Vendor invoices and purchase orders
• Expense reports
• Allocated overhead charges

For example, as of June 30, all approved invoices and recorded payroll for a project might sum to AC = $915,000.

Watch out for these common issues that can distort your AC:

The most important rule: EV and AC must be measured at the same cut-off date. If your EV reflects work through June 30 but your AC only includes costs through June 15, your CPI will be meaningless.

How to calculate CPI step by step

This section walks through an end-to-end cost performance index calculation using a realistic project scenario.

Step 1: Define your project budget and timeframe

Let’s say you’re managing a 10-month software implementation starting in March. The approved Budget at Completion (BAC) is $1,200,000.

Step 2: Choose your status date and determine actual progress

At the end of month 5 (July 31), you need to assess how much scope has actually been completed. This requires looking at deliverables, not just calendar time. After reviewing completed modules, tested features, and signed-off milestones, you determine that 45% of the total scope is genuinely complete.

Step 3: Compute Earned Value

Apply the formula:

EV = % complete × BAC EV = 0.45 × $1,200,000 = $540,000

Step 4: Gather Actual Cost from finance

Your finance team confirms that the total project spending through July 31 is $600,000. This includes all contractor invoices, internal labor charges, software licenses, and allocated overheads.

Step 5: Apply the CPI formula

CPI = EV ÷ AC CPI = $540,000 ÷ $600,000 = 0.90

Step 6: Interpret the result

A CPI of 0.90 means the project is getting 90 cents of budgeted value for every $1 spent. You’re over budget by about 10% relative to the work completed. If this trend continues, you’ll need approximately $1,333,333 to complete the remaining work that was budgeted at $660,000.

Step 7: Repeat at each reporting period

Track CPI monthly or at each reporting cycle to identify trends. A single month’s CPI can be affected by one-off events; the cumulative CPI over the project lifecycle tells a more reliable story.

How to interpret CPI values

Understanding what CPI values actually mean is essential for making sound project management decisions. The three main ranges each tell a different story about your project’s financial performance.

CPI > 1.0 (Under budget)

Your project is spending less than planned to achieve the completed work. For every dollar spent, you’re generating more than a dollar of planned value.

This typically indicates:

• Efficient execution and productivity gains
• Original estimates were conservative
• Favorable pricing on materials or labor
• Deferred spending that will catch up later

However, a very high CPI (above 1.2) can also signal problems, perhaps the scope is being silently reduced, quality work is being skipped, or risk mitigation activities aren’t happening.

CPI = 1.0 (On budget)

Cost performance is exactly as planned relative to the baseline. This is the theoretical target, though achieving exactly 1.0 is rare in practice. Most projects aim to stay within an acceptable range of around 1.0.

CPI < 1.0 (Over budget)

Every dollar spent is generating less than a dollar of planned value. A CPI of 0.75 means you’re paying approximately $1.33 for every $1 of budgeted work.

Common causes include:

• Underestimated effort in original planning
• Scope creep without corresponding budget increases
• Productivity issues or rework
• Unexpected cost increases for resources or materials

Context matters for interpretation

Short-term deviations can be completely normal. A bulk equipment purchase in month 2 might temporarily push CPI to 0.7 before stabilizing as work progresses. Managers should examine trends over several reporting periods rather than reacting to any single reading.

Consider also:

• Project phase (early phases often show more volatility)
• Learning curves for new teams or technologies
• Major scope changes that haven’t been fully re-baselined
• Seasonal factors affecting resource costs

CPI thresholds and operating ranges

Smart organizations don’t just calculate CPI; they define acceptable bands in advance and use them as control limits.

The CPI operating range concept recognizes that not all projects can or should hit exactly 1.0 at every checkpoint. Some variability is normal and expected.

Setting your thresholds

For stable, well-defined projects (like internal IT implementations with known scope and experienced teams), a narrow operating range makes sense:

• Acceptable: 0.95 – 1.05
• Investigation trigger: Below 0.95 or above 1.05
• Escalation trigger: Below 0.90 or above 1.10

For more volatile projects (like complex projects in construction with weather dependencies, supply chain variables, and regulatory uncertainties), wider bands are appropriate:

• Acceptable: 0.85 – 1.15
• Investigation trigger: Below 0.85 or above 1.15
• Escalation trigger: Below 0.75 or above 1.25

Industry-specific examples

Using thresholds in practice

When CPI crosses outside the agreed range, it should automatically trigger management review. This isn’t about assigning blame; it’s about understanding what’s happening and whether corrective action is needed.

Base your target ranges on:

• Historical data from similar past projects
• Risk profile and inherent uncertainty
• Contract type (fixed-price tends to have tighter expectations)
• Stakeholder risk tolerance

Why is CPI important in project management?

CPI is one of the fastest ways to see if a project is burning budget too fast or using funds efficiently. Without it, project teams often don’t realize they’re overspending until it’s too late to course-correct.

Here’s why CPI matters for project success:

• Early detection of overruns: CPI surfaces budget problems while there’s still time to act. A project halfway through that shows CPI of 0.75 is heading toward significant overspend; knowing this early enables corrective actions like scope cuts or resource reallocation.
• Objective stakeholder communication: Instead of vague status updates, project managers can report a specific CPI value that everyone interprets the same way. Sponsors, finance teams, and delivery leads all understand that CPI 0.9 means the project is spending more than planned.
• Improved forecasting accuracy: Organizations use CPI trends to refine estimates, calculate realistic completion costs, and make informed project management decisions about funding and priorities.
• Contractor and vendor assessment: On outsourced work, CPI provides an objective measure of contractor performance against agreed budgets. This supports fair negotiations and data-driven vendor evaluations.
• Structural problem detection: For long-running projects (such as 18–24 month construction programs), consistently low CPI across multiple periods can signal fundamental problems in planning, estimation, or execution that need addressing at a strategic level.
• Portfolio-level insights: PMOs managing multiple projects can compare CPI across their portfolio to identify which initiatives are delivering value efficiently and which need intervention.

Why does the Cost Performance Index fluctuate?

CPI is dynamic by nature. As new actual costs are booked and more work gets completed, the ratio moves. Understanding why helps you distinguish normal variation from genuine problems.

Internal drivers of CPI fluctuation

• Learning curves: Early project phases often show lower CPI as teams ramp up. Efficiency typically improves as people gain familiarity with the work.
• Productivity changes: Team turnover, illness, or shifting expertise levels directly affect how much work gets done per dollar spent.
• Rework and quality issues: Defects discovered late require additional effort without adding new earned value, dragging CPI down.
• Team composition changes: Adding expensive senior resources or replacing contractors with cheaper internal staff will move CPI.
• Delayed deliverables: If work takes longer than planned, AC accumulates while EV stalls.

External drivers

• Inflation: Material and labor cost increases can push AC higher than budgeted, even with efficient execution.
• Supply chain issues: Expedited shipping or alternate suppliers often cost more than planned.
• Regulatory changes: New compliance requirements can add unbudgeted work.
• Resource price volatility: Market rates for specialized skills can shift significantly during long projects.

One-off events

Large purchases early in a project (equipment, licenses, bulk materials) can temporarily distort CPI. A construction project might show CPI of 0.6 in month 2 due to a major equipment purchase, then stabilize at 0.95 once that spending is absorbed across more completed work.

Always look at CPI alongside schedule metrics (SPI), scope changes, and your risk log to explain fluctuations. A sudden CPI drop with a corresponding risk event logged tells a different story than an unexplained decline.

The key is tracking trends over 3–6 reporting periods rather than overreacting to a single data point.

Using CPI to improve project performance

CPI is only useful if it leads to decisions and actions, not just monthly reports that get filed away. Here’s how effective project teams turn CPI data into better project outcomes.

Trigger root-cause analysis

When CPI remains below your target range for two or three consecutive periods, don’t just report the number. Dig into why:

• Are estimates systematically low for certain work types?
• Is productivity suffering due to resource constraints?
• Has scope crept without corresponding budget adjustments?
• Are change control processes being bypassed?

Common corrective actions informed by CPI

Improve forecasting

Recurring CPI analysis feeds directly into rolling forecasts. If your historical CPI for a work type averages 0.85, use that insight when estimating future similar projects rather than assuming perfect efficiency.

Align stakeholders

Regular CPI reviews at steering committee meetings help sponsors, finance, and delivery teams agree on trade-offs. When everyone sees the same cost performance data, conversations shift from opinions to evidence-based decisions.

Control costs proactively

Rather than discovering at project completion that you’re 30% over budget, CPI lets you track costs continuously and intervene early. This is especially valuable for organizations managing multiple projects where resources and funding compete.

Linking CPI to Estimate at Completion (EAC)

Estimate at Completion is the forecast of the total project cost based on current performance. It’s one of the most important outputs of any earned value management system, and CPI is central to calculating it.

The most common formula when the current CPI is expected to continue:

EAC = Budget at Completion (BAC) ÷ CPI

This assumes the project will maintain its current cost efficiency for all remaining work.

Example calculation:

This indicates an expected overrun of $750,000 if current performance continues.

Some organizations use more sophisticated EAC formulas that factor in schedule performance or weight past versus expected future efficiency. However, the BAC ÷ CPI version provides a solid baseline that’s easy to calculate and explain.

Practical application

Recalculating EAC monthly enables early conversations with sponsors about:

• Funding gaps and contingency usage
• Scope trade-offs to stay within the original budget
• Schedule adjustments that might improve cost efficiency
• Whether the business case still holds, given the projected final costs

Cost Performance Index examples

The following mini-cases illustrate how different organizations interpret and act on CPI data across various project types.

Under budget example: product launch campaign

A consumer tech company ran a 3-month launch campaign from March through May with a total budget (BAC) of $600,000 covering media buys, content production, and event costs.

At the end of April (two months in), the marketing team assessed that approximately 70% of planned campaign activities were complete. This included all major media placements, most content production, and the primary launch events.

With a CPI of 1.20, the campaign was generating $1.20 in planned value for every dollar spent. The team had negotiated better media rates than budgeted, and production costs came in lower due to efficient vendor management.

Decision made: Rather than returning unused budget, the team allocated savings to an additional social media channel for the final month, extending campaign reach without exceeding the original BAC.

This CPI-driven decision was documented in the project knowledge base to inform future campaign planning.

Over budget example: SaaS platform implementation

A mid-size financial services firm began a SaaS implementation in January with a BAC of $2,500,000 spread over 12 months. The project involved migrating from legacy systems, integrating with existing infrastructure, and training 2,000 users.

By the end of July, the project team assessed that 45% of the scope was complete, including core system configuration, most integrations, and pilot user training.

A CPI of 0.80 signaled significant trouble. Every dollar of planned work was costing $1.25, projecting a final cost of over $3,100,000 if the trend continued.

Management response:

• Froze all non-essential change requests immediately
• Split the remaining scope into “must-have” and “nice-to-have” releases
• Renegotiated the implementation timeline to reduce overtime costs
• Re-baselined the schedule to reflect a staged delivery approach

CPI was tracked monthly afterward. By September, corrective actions had improved the period CPI to 0.92, indicating progress toward cost control.

On budget example: Local infrastructure project

A city authority commissioned a small bridge rehabilitation project with a BAC of $4,000,000 over 10 months. The work involved structural repairs, deck replacement, and updated safety features.

At month 5, the project manager reported that 50% of the work was complete. All major structural repairs were finished, deck removal was done, and the new deck installation was underway.

A CPI of 0.99 indicated the project was essentially on budget, within normal variation, and requiring no immediate corrective action.

Team approach: The project team continued monitoring both CPI and Schedule Performance Index (SPI) to ensure cost and time stayed on track. Minor fluctuations were expected as the project moved into later phases with different cost profiles.

This example illustrates that a CPI near 1.0 is often the realistic goal. Perfect alignment at every checkpoint isn’t necessary; stability and trend consistency matter more.

CPI and other Earned Value Management (EVM) metrics

CPI doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a family of performance indicators that together provide a complete picture of project health. Mature PMOs track multiple EVM metrics side by side for each major initiative.

Key related metrics include:

When CPI and SPI are viewed together, you get a two-dimensional picture: cost efficiency versus schedule efficiency. A project can be under budget (CPI > 1.0) but behind schedule (SPI < 1.0), or vice versa. Understanding both helps project teams make balanced decisions.

Planned Value (PV)

Planned Value (also called Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled or BCWS) represents the authorized budget for work that was supposed to be completed by a specific date according to the project plan.

For example, if your project schedule showed 60% of work should be done by June 30, and the total budget is $1,000,000, then:

PV = 0.60 × $1,000,000 = $600,000

Comparing EV to PV tells you whether you’re ahead or behind the original schedule in value terms:

• If EV > PV, you’ve completed more work than planned
• If EV < PV, you’ve completed less work than planned

PV uses baseline schedule assumptions and should only change through formal re-baselining. This preserves the integrity of the schedule performance measurement.

Cost Variance (CV)

Cost Variance measures the absolute dollar difference between earned value and actual cost:

CV = EV – AC

CV and CPI complement each other. CPI gives you the efficiency ratio (useful for forecasting and comparison), while CV tells you the actual value of money at risk, which executives often find more immediately meaningful.

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Schedule Performance Index measures schedule efficiency using the same ratio concept as CPI:

SPI = EV ÷ PV

For example, if EV = $500,000 and PV = $625,000:

SPI = $500,000 ÷ $625,000 = 0.80

This means the project is only completing 80% of the work that was scheduled for this point, and it’s behind schedule.

Why CPI and SPI must be viewed together

A project can show:

• High CPI, low SPI: Saving money but falling behind schedule (maybe understaffed)
• Low CPI, high SPI: Ahead of schedule but overspending (maybe paying for overtime or expedited work)
• Both high: Efficient and on schedule (ideal)
• Both low: Problems on multiple fronts (urgent intervention needed)

Reviewing CPI and SPI together prevents tunnel vision and supports more balanced project management decisions.

Common pitfalls when using CPI

Misusing CPI can lead to false confidence or unnecessary panic. Here are the mistakes experienced project managers watch out for:

Inaccurate progress estimates

CPI is only as reliable as your EV measurement. If the percent complete is inflated (the “90% done syndrome” where projects seem almost finished for months), CPI will look better than reality until the truth catches up.

Mixing baseline and revised budgets

EV should be calculated against the original approved baseline (BAC). If you use updated forecasts without formally re-baselining, CPI comparisons become meaningless over time.

Ignoring scope changes

Approved scope additions should trigger baseline updates. If BAC stays the same while scope grows, CPI will inevitably decline even with perfect execution on the original work.

Interpreting CPI in isolation

A CPI of 0.95 might seem concerning until you realize SPI is 1.15 and the project is deliberately spending extra to accelerate delivery. Always consider cost performance alongside schedule and scope status.

Overreacting to single readings

A CPI of 0.7 in month 2 due to a major equipment purchase isn’t the same as a CPI of 0.7 after six months of accumulated inefficiency. Look at trends across periods before making major decisions.

Data quality issues

Common problems that distort CPI:

• AC and EV measured at different cut-off dates
• Inconsistent definitions of “complete” across work packages
• Missing costs or delayed invoice processing
• Misallocated overhead charges

Checklist for reliable CPI

Before trusting your CPI numbers, verify:

• [ ] EV uses baseline BAC, not revised estimates
• [ ] AC includes all cost categories defined in the plan
• [ ] Both metrics use the same cut-off date
• [ ] Progress measurement follows consistent rules
• [ ] Recent scope changes are reflected in the baseline (if re-baselined)

Tracking CPI with modern project management tools

Most teams use project management software rather than spreadsheets for CPI and EVM tracking. The right tools reduce manual errors and make performance data available in near-real time.

Core capabilities to look for

When evaluating tools for earned value management and CPI tracking:

Integration matters

The biggest source of CPI errors is disconnected data. When your project management software pulls actual costs directly from your ERP or accounting system, and earned value from your work tracking system, manual entry errors disappear.

Many organizations configure automated weekly or even daily AC updates, enabling more frequent CPI calculations than traditional monthly reporting cycles.

Alerts and dashboards

Modern tools can notify project managers immediately when CPI crosses predefined thresholds. Instead of discovering a problem at the monthly review, teams can investigate within days of cost efficiency dropping.

Document your analysis

The best project management software lets you document CPI analyses, corrective action decisions, and lessons learned directly alongside the metrics. This creates a knowledge base for future projects and supports continuous improvement in estimation and planning.

When selecting tools, prioritize those that make CPI tracking a natural part of the project status workflow, not an additional reporting burden.

Turning CPI into a metric you can actually trust

If you’re being honest, CPI only feels valuable when you trust it. And that trust comes from stability. When CPI jumps around every reporting cycle, it stops being a decision-making tool and turns into just another number in a status deck. What you really want is a CPI trend that’s predictable, explainable, and grounded in reality.

That’s where Cflow makes a real difference. By standardizing how work is requested, executed, and approved, Cflow removes the process chaos that often distorts earned value and delays cost capture. Everyone follows the same workflows, progress is validated through actual approvals and deliverables, and costs flow cleanly into your reporting. The result is a CPI that reflects what’s truly happening on the project and 0not guesswork or late data.

When your processes are consistent, CPI becomes more than a reporting metric. It becomes something you can rely on to forecast outcomes, explain performance to stakeholders, and take action early instead of reacting late.

If you want CPI trends that stay stable, meaningful, and defensible in 2024 and beyond, it starts with fixing the workflows behind the numbers. Take a closer look at how Cflow can standardize your project processes and give you CPI insights you can confidently act on—because better data leads to better decisions.

Frequently asked questions(FAQs)

1. Which no-code workflow platforms offer the strongest cost efficiency for handling 500+ approval requests each month?

For high-volume approval environments, cost efficiency comes from reducing manual effort, rework, and approval delays—not just licensing fees. Platforms like Cflow perform well because they standardize approvals, automate routing, and eliminate email-based follow-ups. This lowers the actual cost per approval, improves earned value consistency, and helps projects maintain a more stable CPI over time.

2. Which workflow automation tools provide the best cost-per-approval value for manufacturing purchase orders under $10,000?

Manufacturing purchase orders under $10K benefit most from automation that enforces rules without slowing teams down. No-code platforms that support conditional approvals, predefined thresholds, and audit-ready workflows reduce processing time and prevent unnecessary escalations. This directly lowers administrative costs per transaction, improving cost efficiency without compromising control.

3. What no-code workflow platforms deliver the best value for mid-sized manufacturing approval processes?

For mid-sized manufacturing teams, value comes from scalability and consistency. The best platforms allow you to standardize approval logic across plants, departments, and vendors while keeping workflows flexible. When approvals follow the same structure every time, earned value becomes easier to validate, and CPI trends become more predictable across projects and cost centers.

4. How does workflow automation impact CPI in approval-heavy projects?

Workflow automation improves CPI indirectly by stabilizing both earned value and actual cost inputs. When approvals are standardized and tracked through defined workflows, progress measurement becomes more accurate, and cost leakage is reduced. This leads to CPI trends that are easier to explain, forecast, and trust.

5. Can no-code automation reduce cost overruns caused by approval delays?

Yes. Approval delays often lead to expedited purchases, overtime labor, or missed discounts—all of which inflate actual costs without increasing earned value. Automating approvals shortens cycle times and removes bottlenecks, helping projects avoid unnecessary spending that drags CPI below target ranges.

6. Why do standardized approval workflows lead to more reliable CPI trends?

CPI becomes unreliable when work completion and cost capture vary from project to project. Standardized workflows ensure approvals, handoffs, and validations follow the same rules every time. This consistency reduces volatility in CPI readings and makes trend analysis far more meaningful for decision-makers.

7. Is workflow automation more valuable for cost control or for reporting accuracy?

In practice, it delivers both—but cost control comes first. By reducing manual effort, rework, and delays, automation lowers actual costs. At the same time, structured workflows improve reporting accuracy by tying earned value to real approvals and completed steps. Together, these effects strengthen CPI as a performance metric rather than just a reporting number.

8. When should organizations invest in workflow automation to improve CPI?

If your CPI fluctuates unexpectedly, approvals rely heavily on email, or cost data arrives late from finance, it’s time. Workflow automation is most effective when introduced early in project lifecycles or across recurring processes, where consistent execution has the biggest impact on long-term cost performance.

Share this post

Let your network discover this content

𝕏

Post on X Quick micro-share

f

Share on FB Friends & followers

in

Share on LinkedIn Pro audience

⧉

Copy link Get shareable link

What should you do next?

Thanks for reading till the end. Here are 3 ways we can help you automate your business:

Do better workflow automation with Cflow

Create workflows with multiple steps, parallel reviewals. auto approvals, public forms, etc. to save time and cost.

Try Cflow for free

Talk to a workflow expert

Get a 30-min. free consultation with our Workflow expert to optimize your daily tasks.

Book a demo

Get smarter with our workflow resources

Explore our workflow automation blogs, ebooks, and other resources to master workflow automation.

Check out our blogs

Get Your Workflows Automated for Free!

Business Name

Business Email

Phone

Good time to call

Describe your requirements (If any)

By submitting this form, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Δ