The S-curve component renders cumulative planned vs actual vs forecast line charts over a time axis. It is the standard visualisation for cost, hours, or quantity progress through a project lifecycle, producing the characteristic S-shaped curve.
When to use
- Cost or hours burn-down against an approved baseline.
- Quantity completion tracking (metres installed, units fabricated).
- Revenue recognition and invoicing versus contract schedule.
- Forecast-to-complete comparisons overlaid on approved budget.
Adding the component
- Open the report output in the Output Designer.
- Click + Insert → S-Curve.
- Position and size the component.
- In the Data tab, bind the data source and configure series.
Data source options
| Source type | Description |
|---|
| Blueprint section | Bind to a repeating-row section containing period-by-period values. |
| Planner project | Automatically aggregate from the Planner schedule's resource or cost data. |
| Static dataset | Upload a CSV of period values for standalone charts. |
Series configuration
Add one or more series. Each series is one line on the chart:
| Series setting | Description |
|---|
| Series name | Label shown in the legend (e.g. "Planned", "Actual", "Forecast"). |
| Value field | The field or column containing the period value. |
| Cumulation | Running total (cumulative) or period values (non-cumulative). |
| Data date line | Show a vertical line at the data date separating actual from forecast periods. |
| Baseline series | Optional — render baseline as a separate series for comparison. |
| Colour | Line and fill colour for this series. |
| Style | Solid, dashed, or dotted. |
| Area fill | Fill below the line (on/off, with configurable opacity). |
Time axis (X axis)
| Property | Options |
|---|
| Period granularity | Days, weeks, months, quarters, financial years. |
| Date range | Project start–finish, or a custom from/to date. |
| Label format | DD/MM/YYYY, Mon-YY, Q1 2025, etc. |
| Label rotation | 0°, 45°, or 90°. |
| Gridlines | Show or hide vertical period gridlines. |
Value axis (Y axis)
| Property | Options |
|---|
| Unit | Number, Currency, Percent, or custom label. |
| Scale | Auto or fixed min/max. |
| Secondary Y axis | Optional right-side axis for a second unit (e.g. cost on left, % complete on right). |
Milestone markers
Enable milestone markers to show key project dates on the X axis:
| Property | Description |
|---|
| Milestone source | Planner milestone field, or a date field from the blueprint. |
| Marker shape | Diamond, triangle, or circle. |
| Marker colour | Static or conditional on milestone status. |
| Label | Show milestone name on the chart. |
Export behaviour
- PDF / Word: Full vector render at high resolution.
- Excel: Chart embedded as a static image; data table exported as a separate sheet.
- For long projects (multi-year) consider narrowing the date range to the current and next 3 months to keep the chart readable in A4 portrait.