Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)

Quick definition: The Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) is the time-phased budget plan that Earned Value performance is measured against. It includes all budgets, direct and indirect, allocated to Control Accounts and Summary Level Planning Packages, plus any Undistributed Budget.

Budget is allocated to Control Accounts and Summary Level Planning Packages through Control Account planning and Work Authorization. Until then, budget for authorized scope sits in Undistributed Budget, which is part of the PMB but should be distributed fairly quickly — usually within one or two accounting periods. Management Reserve is outside the PMB: the PMB plus Management Reserve is the Total Allocated Budget.

What this means for you

The PMB is a critical and necessary component of Earned Value measurement. It establishes a time-phased budget based on planned accomplishments over time. The PMB must be closely aligned with the baseline dates in the schedule. Once established, the PMB serves as the yardstick against which performance is measured.

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