Profit Mirror
Real-time margin trends and quote vs actual comparisons — see profitability as work happens, not after.
Profit Mirror
Traditional profitability reports tell you what happened after a project ends. The Profit Mirror shows you what's happening right now — so you can course-correct before margin erodes.
Margin trend line
The margin trend (/reports/profit-mirror) plots gross margin percentage over time for any project, client, or the entire organization.
The chart shows two lines:
- Projected margin — based on quoted amounts and estimated remaining hours at current member rates
- Actual margin — based on invoiced amounts and logged hours at member rates
As work is logged, the actual line updates daily. When projected and actual diverge, you can see exactly when the drift started.
Reading the trend
| Pattern | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Lines close together | Project is on track | None needed |
| Actual dipping below projected | Spending more hours than estimated | Review scope, check for creep |
| Actual above projected | Delivering under budget | Potential to increase scope or finish early |
| Sharp drop | Sudden spike in logged hours | Investigate — was it planned overtime or a problem? |
Quote vs actual visualization
Below the trend line, a per-project comparison table shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Project | Project name with client |
| Quoted hours | Total hours in the original quote |
| Logged hours | Hours tracked so far |
| Remaining (est.) | Estimated hours still needed (from open tasks) |
| Projected total | Logged + remaining |
| Variance | quoted − projected total (positive = under budget) |
| Margin % | Current margin based on logged + invoiced |
Color coding:
- Green variance — under budget, healthy margin
- Amber variance — within 10% of quoted hours
- Red variance — over budget or projected to exceed
Filters
- Date range — focus on a specific period
- Client — filter to one client's projects
- Project status — active, completed, or all
- Billing type — fixed price, T&M, or all
When to use Profit Mirror vs Client Profitability
| Report | Best for |
|---|---|
| Profit Mirror | Active projects — "are we on track right now?" |
| Client Profitability | Completed projects — "how did we do overall?" |
Use Profit Mirror during a project to catch problems early. Use Client Profitability after invoicing to evaluate the relationship.
Profit Mirror requires projects to have FiC quotes linked. Projects without quotes show logged hours and costs but no margin calculation.
Related
- Client Profitability — post-project margin analysis
- Budget Health — automated alerts when budgets are at risk
- Budget Model — how hours flow through the budget hierarchy