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Tracking Benefits

Track forecasted value through to realized outcomes by setting baselines, entering actuals, and monitoring variance in the Value Studio and Governance workspaces. This guide covers the full realization lifecycle from conversion to quarterly review.

Who this is for

End User Admin Executive

Prerequisites

Step-by-step instructions

1. Convert the business case

  1. Open the approved business case detail page.
  2. Scroll to Post-Approval Actions.
  3. Click Convert to Value Realization.
  4. The system creates a realization plan linked to the original case.

2. Set baselines

  1. In Value Studio, select the Realization Plan tab.
  2. For each value driver, enter the baseline value before implementation begins.
  3. Baselines represent the starting point: cost, time, or revenue before your solution is applied.
  4. Click Lock Baselines when finished. Locked baselines require admin approval to change.

3. Define milestones

  1. In the Realization Plan tab, click Add Milestone.
  2. Enter a name, target date, and expected outcome for each milestone.
  3. Link milestones to specific value drivers so variance can be traced later.
  4. Set reminder notifications for 3 days before each due date.

4. Enter actuals

  1. As work progresses, return to the Realization Plan tab.
  2. For each reporting period, input actual measurements against each driver.
  3. Actuals can be entered once per driver per period.
  4. Add a note explaining any significant deviation from forecast.

5. Monitor variance

  1. The system calculates variance as actual - forecast.
  2. Drivers that deviate beyond tolerance are flagged automatically.
  3. Open the variance chart to see positive and negative contributors.

6. Review realization analytics

  1. Open Analytics → Value Realization Analytics.
  2. Review the realization rate: realized value / forecasted value.
  3. Inspect variance decomposition to see which drivers contribute most to the gap.
  4. Review attribution to link outcomes back to specific business cases.

7. Adjust forecasts

  1. If actuals diverge significantly, return to the Value Model tab.
  2. Update formula variables or assumptions.
  3. Recalculate in the ROI Calculator.
  4. Save the updated scenario and document the reason for the change.

8. Audit changes

  1. Use Governance → Traces to review who changed baselines or actuals and when.
  2. Use Governance → Audit Log for a complete history of realization plan edits.

Tip: Use variance decomposition to prioritize

Variance decomposition shows which drivers contribute most to the overall gap. Focus remediation on the top contributors first rather than trying to fix every small deviation.

Permissions required

Role Permission Scope
User Enter Actuals / View Assigned accounts
Admin Edit Baselines / Tolerances / Lock / Unlock Tenant-wide
Executive View Analytics / Export Portfolio

Limits and guardrails

Limit Actuals can only be entered once per driver per reporting period. Limit Baseline changes after the first actual is logged require admin approval. Limit Milestone reminders are sent 3 days before the due date. Limit Realization plans support up to 50 milestones per initiative.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Variance shows negative for all drivers

Cause: Baselines were set after implementation began, or forecasts were overly optimistic. Resolution: Revisit the Value Model tab to validate formula assumptions and update benchmarks. If baselines were incorrect, request an admin to unlock and reset them.

Issue: Realization rate is stuck at zero

Cause: No actuals have been entered, or the business case was not converted to realization tracking. Resolution: Click Convert to Value Realization from the business case detail page, then enter actuals for at least one period.

Issue: Cannot edit a baseline

Cause: Baselines are locked after the first actual is entered. Resolution: Ask an admin to unlock the baseline in the Realization Plan tab. Provide a justification for the change.

Issue: Milestone reminder never arrived

Cause: Notification preferences are disabled, or the milestone was created without a due date. Resolution: Check Settings → Notifications and ensure milestone reminders are enabled. Edit the milestone to confirm a due date is set.

Issue: Actuals entry rejected as duplicate

Cause: An actual was already entered for this driver and period. Resolution: Edit the existing actual instead of creating a new one. If the original value was wrong, document the correction in the notes field.

Escalation path

If realization data does not match source-of-truth systems, open a support ticket with severity P3 and include the account ID and reporting period.