A preliminary plan for a measurable KPI associated with an activity. It can be a revenue, cost, profit, utilisation rate, deadline, etc. The bottom line is that it is our expectation of a measurable outcome related to an activity. Its achievement is measured later and the associated variances are managed.

A KPI forecast that is based on and analyses factual data, using probabilities of trends and future expectations to predict the expected outcome for a given KPI. It is always an approximation of expected future data, not actual data. The deviation of the forecast from the plan indicates that something is deviating from the plan: it is going better or worse.

An aggregate result for a KPI for an activity after it has been completed. The actual data cannot be changed, only analysed. A deviation of the actual data from the plan indicates that we have underperformed or overperformed compared to our plans. The factual data can be a 'to date' fact during the activity for the parts up to that point, or a final fact after the whole activity. Either way, it is already produced after analysis of past data.

Project pricing, a form of accounting in which the client is billed on the basis of inputs rather than a fixed, predetermined price. In most cases, labour is what is charged and the client is billed according to an agreed schedule, e.g. the number of hours worked per month by colleagues on the project.

The amount the client pays us for completing the project.

For fixed-price projects, this is the sum of the contract price agreed by the client in a tender and the income from any additional work done in the meantime. For T&M projects, it is the total amount invoiced on the basis of expenditure over the whole duration of the project. For flat-fee / retainer based projects, e.g. support, it is the total fees paid for a given period.