Software Project Estimate Excel Template and Example

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Free Software Project Estimate Template in Excel / Google Sheets  The template below has been successfully used in dozen of software development project. It calculates total project effort based on development estimates.  You can finetune the template to your project by adjusting corresponding percentages. Please follow the steps below to obtain full and realistic project estimate. Free Excel Software Project Estimate Template Free Google Sheets Software Project Estimate Template How to use this template Please follow the steps below to obtain full project estimate. Fill-in the cover.  It is important to list all the assumptions that make your estimate relevant. They may include the versions of frameworks, agreements with your client or contractors, disputable points in project scope definition, requirements etc. Place them onto Assumptions sheet. Create a WBS for your project. Noun-based WBS is preferable. List the work items in ESTIMATE sheet. Carefully read the contract, RFP or any
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Project Estimation Experiment and the Estimation Constant

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There is a small experiment I like to run when making project estimate trainings.

Imaging there is a flower merchant who owns a couple of kiosks and is interested in a system to tack sales, orders and money. How would you estimate the effort needed to build such a system? You are free to ask any questions you want. I would act and answer as a real merchant.

Flower merchant experiment

The result is always similar and quite surprising. No matter how experienced and qualified the audience is, the highest estimate is always twenty time higher then the lowest, after excluding outliers. This was true for experienced audience of co-workers as well as for students that had little to do with project estimation.

project estimate distribution

Twenty is what I call the Uncertainty Estimation Constant. Yet another proof of validity of Cone of Uncertainty concept. In the very beginning of your project the estimate can be times lower or higher than actuals at the end of it.


cone of uncertianty

You may also take part in this experiment:

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