Desktop Client: What does BVA (Business Value Add) value class mean, and why would I use it?

An activity is marked as BVA if the activity is required by the business, but the task does not contribute directly to the product or service.

In other words, the activity adds value to the business, but not to the customer whom the product or service is being produced for. This is in contrast to VA (Value Add) that adds value to both the business and customer, and NVA (No Value Add) that adds value to neither the business nor the customer.

One example of BVA work would be a Doctor's office checking for insurance coverage before treating a patient. This adds value to the business, but does not add value to the patient's condition being treated.

The concept of BVA, or Business Value Add, comes from the book “Business Process Improvement: The Breakthrough Strategy for Total Quality, Productivity, and Competitiveness” by H. James Harrington.