Project & PMO · Power BI template

Construction Project Controls Power BI template

Dark Power BI construction project dashboard template: earned value S-curve, CPI and SPI, forecast at completion, change orders and site safety incidents.

By · Founder & Reliability Engineer · Updated

Free for commercial use

Light version: same layout, colours re-solved and checked for WCAG AA contrast.

Construction Project Controls Power BI dashboard template: 5 KPI cards, a line chart, a bar chart, a table, a column chart and 2 slicers on a 1280×720 page

BetaOpens in Power BI Desktop with 6 tables of sample data and every visual bound. See what’s inside

Free, no sign-up. The PBIP with sample data includes the background, theme and a README. 1920×1080 fits a new page in a Fluent 2 report; 1280×720 and 2× fit Classic pages. Downloads carry a small “Made with VizForge” mark (sign in to the studio to remove it).

Customise in the design studio →
Layout
Band header, 5 KPIs, full-width earned-value S-curve, CPI bars + change-order table + safety columns
Page size
1280×720 px (16:9, Power BI default)
Theme
Copper Industrial

Open the sample-data PBIP in Power BI Desktop

Checked against Microsoft Learn's Power BI Desktop projects documentation (as of Nov 2026).

  1. 1

    Unzip to a short path and open the .pbip

    Extract the zip to a short local folder such as C:\PBI (Windows limits project paths to 260 characters, and Desktop can't save a project straight to OneDrive or SharePoint), then double-click the .pbip file or use File → Open in Power BI Desktop. Microsoft still lists projects and TMDL as preview features (as of Nov 2026): if Desktop won't open the project, go to File → Options and settings → Options → Preview features, tick “Power BI Project (.pbip) save option” and “Store semantic model using TMDL format”, then restart Desktop.

  2. 2

    Select Refresh once

    The project ships without the local data cache (.pbi/cache.abf), so Desktop opens the full model definition without data. Select Home → Refresh: every table is built from values written into its Power Query step, so there is no data source to sign in to.

  3. 3

    Save as .pbix or connect your data

    Use File → Save as to keep a single .pbix file, or open Transform data and replace each table's Source step with your own query, keeping the column names so the measures and visuals keep working.

What’s inside the Construction sample model

Rendered from the same definition the download writes as TMDL, so this list always matches the file.

Tables
6
Fact rows
352
DAX measures
11

Three fictional building projects over 14 months (Sep 2025 to Oct 2026): planned value, earned value and actual cost for 18 work packages each month, 36 change orders with status and value, and 64 site safety incidents by severity. Units: Pounds sterling; CPI and SPI as ratios (1.00 = on plan).

Tables and columns

Calendar

Date table · 2025–2026, one row per day

Date table generated in Power Query (List.Dates), marked as the model's date table.

  • Date (date)
  • Year (whole number)
  • Quarter (text)
  • Month (text)
  • Month Name (text)
  • Week Start (date)
  • Weekday (text)
  • Fiscal Year (text)

Project

Dimension · 3 rows

Fictional projects.

  • Project (text)
  • Sector (text)

Work Package

Dimension · 18 rows

Work packages with their budget at completion.

  • Package ID (text)
  • Project (text)
  • Package Type (text)
  • Budget (decimal)

Progress

Fact · 252 rows

Monthly planned value (PV), earned value (EV) and actual cost (AC) per work package.

  • Month (date)
  • Package ID (text)
  • Planned Value (decimal)
  • Earned Value (decimal)
  • Actual Cost (decimal)

Change Orders

Fact · 36 rows

Change orders with status and value.

  • CO No (text)
  • Date (date)
  • Project (text)
  • Description (text)
  • Status (text)
  • Value (decimal)

Safety Incidents

Fact · 64 rows

Site safety incidents by severity.

  • Incident ID (text)
  • Date (date)
  • Project (text)
  • Severity (text)

Relationships

Many-to-one, single direction. Inactive relationships are switched on inside a measure with USERELATIONSHIP.

  • Progress[Month] → 'Calendar'[Date]
  • Progress[Package ID] → 'Work Package'[Package ID]
  • 'Work Package'[Project] → Project[Project]
  • 'Change Orders'[Date] → 'Calendar'[Date]
  • 'Change Orders'[Project] → Project[Project]
  • 'Safety Incidents'[Date] → 'Calendar'[Date]
  • 'Safety Incidents'[Project] → Project[Project]

DAX measures

All measures live in a dedicated Key Measures table. Copy any of them into your own model; rename the table and column references to match.

Planned Value (Cumulative)Planned value to date (S-curve).
Planned Value (Cumulative) =
CALCULATE (
    SUM ( Progress[Planned Value] ),
    FILTER ( ALL ( 'Calendar'[Date] ), 'Calendar'[Date] <= MAX ( 'Calendar'[Date] ) )
)

Format string: £#,0

Earned Value (Cumulative)Value of work completed to date.
Earned Value (Cumulative) =
CALCULATE (
    SUM ( Progress[Earned Value] ),
    FILTER ( ALL ( 'Calendar'[Date] ), 'Calendar'[Date] <= MAX ( 'Calendar'[Date] ) )
)

Format string: £#,0

Actual Cost (Cumulative)Cost incurred to date.
Actual Cost (Cumulative) =
CALCULATE (
    SUM ( Progress[Actual Cost] ),
    FILTER ( ALL ( 'Calendar'[Date] ), 'Calendar'[Date] <= MAX ( 'Calendar'[Date] ) )
)

Format string: £#,0

CPICost performance index: below 1.00 means over budget for the work done.
CPI =
DIVIDE ( [Earned Value (Cumulative)], [Actual Cost (Cumulative)] )

Format string: 0.00

SPISchedule performance index: below 1.00 means behind plan.
SPI =
DIVIDE ( [Earned Value (Cumulative)], [Planned Value (Cumulative)] )

Format string: 0.00

Budget at CompletionApproved budget.
Budget at Completion =
SUM ( 'Work Package'[Budget] )

Format string: £#,0

Forecast at CompletionEstimate at completion if current cost efficiency continues (BAC ÷ CPI).
Forecast at Completion =
DIVIDE ( [Budget at Completion], [CPI] )

Format string: £#,0

Approved ChangesValue of approved change orders.
Approved Changes =
CALCULATE ( SUM ( 'Change Orders'[Value] ), 'Change Orders'[Status] = "Approved" )

Format string: £#,0

Change Order ValueValue of change orders in context.
Change Order Value =
SUM ( 'Change Orders'[Value] )

Format string: £#,0

IncidentsSafety incidents reported.
Incidents =
COUNTROWS ( 'Safety Incidents' )

Format string: #,0

Days Since Lost-Time InjuryDays from the last lost-time injury to the latest progress month end.
Days Since Lost-Time Injury =
VAR AsOf = EOMONTH ( MAX ( Progress[Month] ), 0 )
VAR LastLTI = CALCULATE ( MAX ( 'Safety Incidents'[Date] ), 'Safety Incidents'[Severity] = "Lost time", REMOVEFILTERS ( 'Calendar' ) )
RETURN
    DATEDIFF ( LastLTI, AsOf, DAY )

Format string: #,0

What each visual is bound to

The PBIP opens with these fields already on each visual.

Field bindings per visual
VisualFields
ProjectSlicerProject[Project]
Package typeSlicer'Work Package'[Package Type]
Budget at completionCard[Budget at Completion]
Forecast at completionCard[Forecast at Completion]
CPICard[CPI]
SPICard[SPI]
Days since lost-time injuryCard[Days Since Lost-Time Injury]
Earned value S-curveLine chartCalendar[Month], [Planned Value (Cumulative)], [Earned Value (Cumulative)], [Actual Cost (Cumulative)]
CPI by package typeBar chart'Work Package'[Package Type], [CPI]
Change ordersTable'Change Orders'[CO No], 'Change Orders'[Description], 'Change Orders'[Status], Project[Project], [Change Order Value]
Safety incidents by monthColumn chartCalendar[Month], [Incidents], 'Safety Incidents'[Severity]

Questions this dashboard answers

Each one is answered by a visual on the page, from the sample model's own tables and measures.

About this dashboard layout

Construction cost reports are built on earned value. The S-curve plots three cumulative lines by month: planned value (the work scheduled to date), earned value (the budgeted cost of the work actually done) and actual cost. When earned value sits below planned value the job is behind; when actual cost sits above earned value it is over budget for the work done.

Those gaps become the two indices on the cards: CPI (earned value ÷ actual cost) and SPI (earned value ÷ planned value), where 1.00 means on plan. Forecast at completion divides the budget by CPI, the simplest estimate at completion, assuming today's cost efficiency continues.

The cumulative measures use FILTER over ALL dates up to the last date in context, so the S-curve keeps climbing past months with no new work. CPI by package type (groundworks, frame, envelope, MEP services, fit-out, external works) is sorted worst first; the change-order table lists every variation with status and value; and safety incidents by month are stacked by severity, from near misses to lost-time injuries.

Days since the last lost-time injury is the fifth card, because a project that is on budget but unsafe is not on track. The sample covers three fictional projects and 18 work packages over 14 months.

Visuals on the page

Positions are Power BI page pixels. Enter them in Format → General → Properties → Size and position, or use the PBIP download where they are already set.

Visual positions in the Construction Project Controls template
VisualTypeXYWidthHeight
ProjectSlicer8881617640
Package typeSlicer10801617640
Budget at completionCard4010416864
Forecast at completionCard29610416064
CPICard54410416064
SPICard79210416064
Days since lost-time injuryCard104010416064
Earned value S-curveLine chart402161200184
CPI by package typeBar chart40448312232
Change ordersTable400448488232
Safety incidents by monthColumn chart936448304232

Custom visuals for this layout

Built-in Power BI visuals cover most slots above. These slots also suit a custom visual; each page covers the data shape, DAX and a prompt to generate it as a .pbiviz.

Already have a report?

Brand Makeover tries Construction Project Controls first on every page of your Power BI project (.pbip zip) where it fits: the page's visuals have to go into its 9 data slots without overlaps. Pages it can't seat get another catalog layout or a brand grid. Queries, filters and bookmarks are left as they are. Free, in your browser.

Opens with the Analyst / Dense preset, because the Executive preset doesn't use this layout (9 data slots; this preset uses templates with at most 7).

Restyle my report into this

Swap a slot for a custom visual

Pick any slot and VizForge AI writes a custom visual (.pbiviz, with TypeScript source) sized to it, in this template's colours and shaped for the fields it is bound to.

Generate one that fits this layout.

Card · 168×64 px · bound to [Budget at Completion]

1, 2 or 5 credits depending on the brief · 5 free on signup. Sign in or create a free account on the next screen; the brief is saved for 30 minutes.

Brief sent to the generator (you can edit it there)

A Power BI card visual titled "Budget at completion". It sits in a 168×64 px slot on a designed report page. Match the report's brand: data colours #E08A4F, #7DA7D9, #4ADE80, #FACC15, #C4B5FD, #5EEAD4; background #1C1F24; text #F1F2F4; font Segoe UI. Transparent visual background so the page design shows through; no visual border. In the sample model it is bound to [Budget at Completion]; keep the same data roles so the fields drop straight in.

Not sure what to build? Browse the visual catalog or open the template in the design studio and hand off any slot from there. Or start in the AI generator with a blank brief.

Colours and theme

Copper Industrial

Dark steel Power BI theme with a copper accent and high-visibility data colours for manufacturing, energy and plant-floor dashboards.

See the Copper Industrial palette and contrast checks →

Use the background in an existing report

Prefer to keep your own report? Apply the design to it instead of opening the PBIP.

  1. 1

    Download the background

    Take the 1920×1080 PNG for a new page in a Fluent 2 report (the default size for new pages), or the 2× PNG (2560×1440) for sharp text on a 1280×720 Classic page. Power BI scales the image to the canvas.

  2. 2

    Set the canvas background

    Format page → Canvas background → Browse. Set Image fit to Fill and transparency to 0%.

  3. 3

    Import the theme

    Design ribbon → Import theme (in the Power BI service: View → Theme pane), then pick the downloaded JSON. Data colours and fonts now match the design. Older Desktop builds: View → Themes → Browse for themes.

  4. 4

    Place your visuals

    Size each visual to the positions above with background and border off, or open the PBIP project where they are already placed.

Questions about this template

Does the Construction Project Controls template come with sample data?

Yes. The “PBIP with sample data” download contains a semantic model with 6 tables and 11 DAX measures, and every visual on the page is already bound to it. The sample: Three fictional building projects over 14 months (Sep 2025 to Oct 2026): planned value, earned value and actual cost for 18 work packages each month, 36 change orders with status and value, and 64 site safety incidents by severity. The data is written into each table's Power Query step, so there is no data source or sign-in.

Is it a .pbix file?

It is a Power BI project (PBIP): a folder of text files that Power BI Desktop opens like a .pbix. Open the .pbip file, select Refresh once to load the sample rows, then use File → Save as if you want a single .pbix.

What visuals are in the Construction Project Controls template?

The page has 11 visual areas: 2 slicers, 5 cards, 1 line chart, 1 bar chart, 1 table, 1 column chart. Their exact positions are listed on this page so you can match them in Power BI's Format → General → Properties panel, or skip that step by downloading the PBIP project.

Which theme does the Construction Project Controls template use?

It ships with the Copper Industrial theme (dark tone). Download the theme JSON here, or open the template in the design studio and switch to any other theme or your own brand colours.

Is there a light version of the Construction Project Controls template?

Yes. Switch the preview to Light and every download (background, theme JSON and PBIP) comes in that version. The layout is identical; the page, card and text colours are re-solved for a light page, and the accent, status and data colours keep their hues but are adjusted until text meets WCAG AA (4.5:1) and chart colours reach 3:1 against the cards.

How do I use the background image in Power BI Desktop?

Select the page, open Format page → Canvas background, choose Browse and pick the PNG, then set Image fit to Fill and transparency to 0%. Give your visuals a transparent background and no border so the designed panels show through.

Can I open the PBIP project in Power BI Desktop?

Yes. PBIR is the default report format in Power BI Desktop since September 2026, and the download is a PBIP project: unzip it and open the .pbip file, select Refresh once and the sample data loads into visuals that are already bound (the empty PBIP leaves the containers unbound for your own data). Microsoft still lists projects and TMDL as preview features (as of Nov 2026), so if Desktop won't open it, enable them under File → Options and settings → Options → Preview features.

Dashboard guides that use these visuals

Guides to the same dashboard job: which custom visuals it needs, the DAX behind them and prompts to generate them.

KPI cards for this layout

Headline numbers drawn by one DAX SVG measure each, for the Card visual or a table row.

Want the headline numbers to look like cards rather than plain values? Browse the KPI card gallery or build your own in the SVG measure builder.

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Make the Construction Project Controls template yours

Swap in your brand colours and logo, move panels, add icons and generate missing visuals with AI, then export the background, theme JSON and PBIP project.

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