Apportioned Effort (AE)

Quick definition: Apportioned Effort is an Earned Value measurement method that is applied in cases where accomplishment is measured in relation to a related, directly measurable task.

Apportioned Effort applies when a task's own output isn't practical to measure discretely, so its earned value is instead tied to the progress of another, related task that is measured directly. As that base task earns value, the apportioned task earns value automatically. The base must itself be Discrete Effort — Apportioned Effort cannot be tied to Level of Effort, because that would make it earn by the passage of time rather than by accomplishment.

Why it matters

This lets EVM systems credit supporting work — like inspection tied to production — without needing a separate, direct measurement method for every task. It only works when the relationship between the apportioned task and its base task genuinely holds throughout the project, and when the base is discrete. Apportioning to Level of Effort breaks the logic entirely: the apportioned work would inherit LOE's time-based earning, producing earned value with no connection to accomplishment.

See also

FAQ