We’ll first define a project plan and outline what goes into creating a project plan document. Then we’ll show how it works by illustrating several project plan examples.

What Is a Project Plan?

A project plan is a foundational document that outlines the goals, scope, timeline, resources and key deliverables. It serves as a roadmap to guide teams through execution and ensures everyone is aligned on the objectives and how they’ll be achieved. The plan typically includes tasks, deadlines, roles and risk management strategies—making it essential for setting direction.

However, while the project plan is critical, it’s not enough to effectively manage a project in real time. Projects require active coordination, dynamic scheduling, progress tracking, resource allocation and real-time communication, capabilities that go beyond what a static document can provide. That’s where project management software comes in. These tools bring your project plan to life by helping you organize workflows, track milestones, collaborate with your team and quickly adapt when things change, ensuring your project stays on time, on budget and target.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that schedules and plans work on robust Gantt charts. Create plans that schedule tasks, resources and costs and link all four types of task dependencies. Then, toggle to the sheet, board, list or calendar views to see how plans are evolving in real time, or use one-click reports and dashboards to transform data into charts and graphs. If needed, share pertinent details with stakeholders using free guest licenses. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

1. Construction Project Plan Example

In this construction project plan example, the plan is scheduled on a Gantt chart. This breaks the larger project into smaller stages, as seen in the screenshot below. There is a stage for contracts, design, procurement, construction, etc.

The project begins with document management and moves into permitting and procurement. Different colors define these sections to make it easier to distinguish at a glance. This sets up the project for when the construction begins, which is the longest phase of the project, as seen in the bar chart.

The Gantt chart also shows the planned start for each task, the planned resource cost and the planned hours for the task duration. When a baseline is set, the actual time, cost, etc., can be compared to the plan to track if the project is on schedule. On the right side, those tasks are displayed on a bar chart, which visually represents the project.

2. Event Project Plan Example

The Gantt chart can also be used for event planning. Here, the event is again broken down into phases; only these phases are planning, promotion, event prep, etc. Under each of these phases are the tasks that are necessary to complete them. Like the other Gantt charts, there are columns to show the planned effort.

Events begin with preparation, which can be viewed in the planning phase, which includes everything from finding the right venue, contracting with speakers and creating a list of attendees. This is followed by the marketing arm of the project, which grows awareness for the event through advertising, whether online or through physical media. As the event date nears, the site is set up and throughout the event, security, food services and other contractors or coordinated to ensure everything runs smoothly.

An event is also a project plan example, featuring phases and tasks. Just as in other Gantt charts, the plan is divided into a spreadsheet on the left and a bar chart on the right. The bar chart can also be colored to make it visually easier to see the different phases. Some tasks dependent on one another are shown linked on the chart.

3. Manufacturing Project Plan Example

The Gantt chart is a versatile tool used in many industries. We’ve already shown it employed in construction and event planning. Here, it’s being used to plan a manufacturing project. Though the industry is different, one can see that the layout is roughly the same.

Manufacturing a product begins with setting goals based on what customers want and then creating prototypes that are tested to ensure they are meeting that demand. This leads to setting up production to mass produce this product, which also involves various points in that production where the product is tested to ensure it’s meeting quality standards. While the product is being manufactured, other departments, such as marketing, are working on creating interest and knowledge of the product. The sales team is getting orders. All of this is coordinated so that product and delivery meet demand.

Again, the project plan example is broken down into phases. The difference is that these phases relate to the manufacturing industry. They show a design phase, prototyping phase, pre-production and so forth. However, the tasks, though different, are displayed in a bar chart to the right.

4. IT Project Plan Example

This project plan example is also on a Gantt chart. It’s an IT project and follows the course of an IT project, with phases for design, development, testing and so forth. But again, one can see that the project plan is illustrated no differently than plans in other industries.

Initiation starts the planning process, defining goals and writing a project charter. Then, define the technical details of the software product, including screen layouts, database structures and system interfaces. Next, there is refinement and the development of blueprints for developers. Testing ensures the planned system or software meets requirements, detects defects and verifies functionality before implementation.

That’s because the Gantt chart is the perfect tool for any structured project that starts with one phase and doesn’t move to the next until that phase is finished. That’s why Gantt charts are the preferred tool of project managers working in a structured environment.

5. Excel Project Plan Example

While Gantt charts are preferred, especially when they’re part of a project management software, an Excel spreadsheet can also be used. Below is an action plan, which, like a Gantt chart, breaks the project down into phases and tasks.

The action plan is made up so that each line of the spreadsheet is dedicated to a specific task, including its priority,  resources required to execute it and a column for status, which shows the percentage complete. This helps track the work so it can be completed as scheduled. However, unlike project management software, a spreadsheet must be manually updated.

Unlike a Gantt chart, there is no visual representation of the project. There is a timeline, but it’s mapped out in columns that show the start and due dates as well as the duration of each task. This project plan example is not dissimilar to the Gantt chart, except that it lacks a bar chart.

6. Agile Project Plan Example

Working in an agile environment is not ideal for using a Gantt chart, as the tool is designed for waterfall methodology. However, agile projects use project management tools. The kanban board is ideal for working more iteratively.

One of the advantages of using a kanban board in an agile environment is that the scrum team can manage their backlog of user stories and collaborate as they plan the sprint. Meanwhile, the product owner and scrum master can view the board and spot any potential bottlenecks that will slow the team down. They can then reallocate resources as needed to clear up those issues.

The kanban board is broken down into phases of production. For example, in this project plan example, there are columns for the backlog items, work that’s in progress, ready to deploy and those that have been tested and need work on bug fixes. Under each column are task cards that move from one column to the next as they work through the production cycle.

7. Word Project Plan Example

Word documents can also be used for a project plan, as illustrated below in this project plan example. This shows just a bit of an extensive outline for a project. Here one can see the project goals and objectives, an outline of the project teams, resource requirements, budget, timeline and risk log.

Planning a project involves coordinating many different things, from assembling human and nonhuman resources to accurately forecasting the budget and defining its goals and objectives. The benefit of a Word document is that it has the bandwidth to gather all this diverse data in one place, which will inform the project going forward.

For example, each field outlined in the project plan example is filled out to make it easier for stakeholders to see what the project is all about. It also informs the project team to keep them on the same page, while fully understanding what is required to deliver the project successfully. The only problem with this project plan example in Word is that the whole thing will eventually have to be manually moved over to project management software.

8. Project Plan Example Document

A project plan example is a sample document that outlines how a project will be executed, monitored and completed. It provides a clear structure for organizing tasks, timelines, resources and responsibilities.

This example is based on our free project plan template for Word and acts as a practical reference to help teams or project managers understand what to include in their plans, ensuring consistent and thorough project planning from the start.

Project Overview

The objective is to construct a 2,000 square foot single-family residential home on a cleared lot within 6 months, with a budget of $350,000. The home will include 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a garage. The project will follow a predictive life cycle with clearly defined phases.

Scope Management

The scope includes:

• Site preparation
• Foundation
• Framing
• Roofing
• Plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems
• Interior and exterior finishing
• Final inspection and occupancy certificate

Exclusions: Landscaping, fencing and furnishing are not included. Scope will be managed through a scope statement and WBS. Scope changes require formal approval.

Schedule Management

A Gantt chart will define all activities and dependencies. Major milestones include:

• Permits approved: Week 2
• Foundation completed: Week 6
• Framing completed: Week 10
• Final inspection: Week 24

Progress will be tracked weekly against the baseline using MS Project.

Cost Management

• Estimated cost: $350,000
• Contingency reserve: $15,000

The cost baseline will be tracked monthly, using actuals vs. planned. Variances over 5 percent will be escalated.

Quality Management

Quality standards include local building codes, structural safety and energy efficiency certifications. Inspections will occur at key stages: foundation, framing and final. Nonconformities will be documented and corrected before progressing.

Resource Management

Resources include the project manager, general contractor and subcontractors, construction crew and architect (on-call).  Resources will be acquired through contracts. Labor availability will be reviewed during weekly planning.

Communications Management

Weekly site meetings with the contractor team. Monthly progress reports to the client (homeowner). Communication will be handled via email and shared folders. Stakeholder updates will follow the RACI matrix to ensure clear ownership.

Risk Management

Key risks include permit delays (mitigation: early submission and follow-up), material shortages (mitigation: early procurement) and weather delays (mitigation: build schedule buffer). A risk register will be updated biweekly and contingency plans will be triggered if thresholds are breached.

Procurement Management

Major procurements include materials (lumber, concrete, fixtures) and subcontracted services (plumbing, electrical, HVAC). Contracts will be fixed-price where possible. Procurement will follow the company procurement policy and include vendor evaluation.

Stakeholder Management

Key stakeholders are the homeowner (sponsor), architect, general contractor and local building inspector. Engagement strategies involve the homeowner in design and finish selections and keeping the city inspector informed of inspection timelines

Change Management

All change requests must be submitted to the project manager in writing. The impact will be evaluated for scope, schedule and cost. Approved changes will be reflected in the updated baselines.

Performance Measurement Baseline

Integrated baseline includes the scope baseline (WBS), schedule baseline (approved Gantt chart) and cost baseline ($350,000). Earned Value Management (EVM) will be used at monthly checkpoints: Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), Actual Cost (AC) and Variance analysis (SV, CV)

Related Project Planning Templates

It’s one thing to look at project plan examples, it’s another thing to do one. We have over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word that cover all aspects of managing a project. Below are a few that can help interested parties play around with creating their project plan.

Resource Plan Template

Download this free resource plan template for Excel to plan, manage and execute project resources. Human resources are listed by team member, department, total effort, rate and cost. There’s also a calendar attached to schedule resources to ensure that the project has what it needs when it needs it.

Gantt Chart Template

Use this free Gantt chart template for Excel to view tasks, milestones and deadlines. It helps project managers and teams outline the project’s schedule by mapping activities along a horizontal time axis, showing when each task starts, how long it will last and when it will end.

Project Budget Template

A project budget template is a structured financial planning tool that helps project managers estimate, allocate and track the costs associated with completing a project. This project budget template for Excel provides a framework for organizing budget items, such as labor, materials, equipment and overhead, into a clear and manageable format.

How ProjectManager Helps Manage Projects

A project plan sets the stage for a successful project, but it’s only the beginning. While one can plan out the project on templates, it’s not advisable because then, the project plan is isolated on a static document. There’s no way to collaborate and any changes must be manually made. When managing a project, it’s important to work efficiently, which is why professionals choose project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with powerful Gantt charts to plan out work and multiple project views that give teams the tools they need to execute that work, be it on kanban boards or task lists. There’s even a calendar view that stakeholders can use to stay updated on progress.

Keep Productive With Robust Resource Features

Missing from our project plan examples is the execution of the project. At that point, project managers are working to keep the project on track. One way to do that is by effectively delivering resources. This starts on the Gantt chart, which schedules them, and continues when onboarding teams, where their availability can be set. This helps to assign the right resources to the right tasks at the right time.

A color-coded workload chart makes it easy to view resource allocation across one or multiple projects and balance the team’s workload to keep them working at capacity but not burning them out. A team page provides a real-time daily or weekly summary of their tasks, which can be filtered by priority or progress. Tasks can even be updated without leaving the page.

Monitor Project Metrics on Real-time Dashboards and Reports

Another way to keep to the project plan is by monitoring and controlling the project during its execution. For a high-level overview of key performance indicators (KPIs), toggle to our dashboards that capture live data on time, cost, workload and more on easy-to-read graphs and charts. For example, the portfolio summary dashboard is pictured below.

To get deeper into the data, visit our customizable reports on status, variance, workload, timesheets and more. Each can be filtered to focus on specific data points or show a summary of progress that can be shared with stakeholders. Secure timesheets streamline the payroll process, but also help keep projects on budget by tracking labor costs.

Related Project Planning Content

While there’s more to project management than the project plan examples we’ve shared, there’s also more to project planning. For those interested in going deeper into the subject, below are links to various related blogs we’ve recently posted.

• How to Write an Action Plan (Example Included)
• How to Make a Program Management Plan
• What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps
• How to Make a Time Management Plan You’ll Actually Use
• How to Execute a Plan Successfully
• How to Make a Process Improvement Plan (Free Template)
• How to Plan an Event: Event Planning Steps, Tips & Checklist
• How to Create a Project Execution Plan (PEP)

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 8 Project Plan Examples (Templates Included) appeared first on ProjectManager.

Let’s break down the process of how to manage a project step by step. Below are the 10 pieces that show how to manage a project successfully. While we recommend using project management software, for those not ready to upgrade, we end with free templates.

1. Define the Project Goals and Objectives

Defining clear goals and objectives is the foundation of how to manage a project successfully. This step ensures all stakeholders have a shared understanding of what the project aims to achieve and provides a roadmap for decision-making, planning and execution.

Start by identifying the project purpose. Use SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals and know the difference between goals and objectives (the former are broad, high-level outcomes the project aims to achieve, while the latter are specific, actionable steps to achieve the goals).

Be sure to engage clients, team members and executives to ensure the goals are aligned with stakeholder expectations and business needs. Record the goals in a project charter or scope statement and share them with the team to ensure clarity, accountability and commitment. This provides a clear benchmark for measuring success, minimizes scope creep and helps to prioritize tasks and resource allocation when scheduling work on a Gantt chart.

Gantt charts are usually part of project management software, which adds efficiency to the project management process. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that schedule tasks, resources and costs.

They can also link all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track planned effort against actual effort in real time to help projects stay on track. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

2. Identify Project Stakeholders and Make a Plan to Engage Them

Since we’ve mentioned stakeholders, let’s define what they are. Stakeholders are individuals, groups or organizations that have an interest in or are affected by the project. Identifying them early and planning how to engage them ensures strong communication, collaboration and project success.

Stakeholders can be internal, such as the project sponsor, team members, senior management and other departments, or external, such as clients or customers, vendors and suppliers, regulatory bodies and investors or partners. These are first identified and then categorized by the amount of influence and interest they have in the project.

The next part of how to manage a project is developing a stakeholder engagement plan. This includes the communication method they prefer (meetings, progress reports, emails, etc.), who the responsible person is that gets that missive and the frequency of the communication.

Be sure to manage stakeholder expectations by being clear about the project scope, deliverables and timetables. Address concerns proactively to maintain trust and stay flexible and adjust engagement strategies based on stakeholder feedback. This ensures alignment, reduces conflicts and misunderstandings, improves decision making and gets buy-in and support.

3. Make a Work Breakdown Structure to Define the Project Scope

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a key tool in project management that helps define and organize the project’s scope by breaking it down into smaller, manageable components. It ensures clarity, accountability and effective planning by identifying all essential tasks, deliverables, milestones and dependencies.

By using a WBS, project managers can visualize the entire project, allocate resources effectively and set realistic deadlines, which is important when figuring out how to manage a project. It prevents scope creep and ensures all project elements align with the defined objectives.

• Project Tasks: Specific actions or work packages that must be completed to achieve project goals. Tasks should be clearly defined, assigned and measurable.
• Project Deliverables: The tangible or intangible outputs that result from completing tasks. Deliverables should align with project goals and stakeholder expectations.
• Project Milestones: These are major checkpoints that indicate progress in the project life cycle. Milestones help track whether the project is on schedule.
• Task Dependencies: The relationship between tasks, where one task depends on another before it can start or finish. Identifying dependencies ensures a logical workflow and prevents bottlenecks.

4. Make a Project Schedule

A project schedule is a detailed timeline that outlines all project activities, tasks, milestones and deadlines. It serves as a roadmap to ensure the project is completed on time and within scope, helping teams stay on track and efficiently manage resources.

When it comes to how to manage a project, the schedule is critical. It includes task assignments, estimated durations, task dependencies, milestones and resource allocation. This keeps projects organized and on track, identifies potential delays and risks early, allocates resources efficiently and improves team coordination.

Below are some methods and tools to help make the schedule.

• Critical Path Method (CPM): Identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks to determine the shortest project duration. Helps prioritize critical tasks to avoid project delays.
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT): Uses optimistic, pessimistic and most likely time estimates to calculate task durations. Useful for projects with high uncertainty in task completion times.
• Project Network Diagrams: A visual representation of project tasks and their dependencies. Helps identify bottlenecks and task sequencing for smooth execution.
• Gantt Charts: A bar chart that visually maps tasks over a timeline. Shows task start and end dates, dependencies and progress. Widely used for tracking deadlines and resource allocation.

5. Define the Project Resource Requirements

Project resource requirements refer to the people, materials, equipment, budget and technology needed to complete a project successfully. Identifying and allocating these resources ensures that the project progresses smoothly, stays on schedule and remains within budget.

This ensures efficient resource utilization and prevents shortages. It also helps control project costs and avoid budget overruns. Identifying, allocating and managing resources improves task execution, workflow efficiency and reduces risks associated with delays and misallocation.

6. Estimate Costs and Make a Project Budget

Cost estimation involves predicting the total expenses required to complete a project, while a project budget is a financial plan that outlines all expected costs, resource allocations and financial constraints. A well-planned budget ensures cost control, financial efficiency and project feasibility.

How to manage a project includes identifying cost categories: direct costs, which are expenses directly tied to project execution and indirect costs, which are overhead costs that support the project. There are also contingency costs that are a buffer for unforeseen risks or changes.

Several cost estimating methods can be used, from analogous (uses past project data) to parametric (applies statistical formulas based on project size and complexity) and bottom-up (breaks down tasks into individual costs and sums them up) to three-point (uses optimistic, pessimistic and most likely cost estimates for accuracy).

Next, develop a budget by organizing estimated costs into a structured budget plan. Make sure that there is financial alignment with the project goals and funding availability. Distribute budgeted funds across different phases of the project life cycle and set aside a contingency reserve for unexpected expenses. Budgets must be monitored and expenses tracked throughout the project’s life cycle.

7. Identify Potential Project Risks and Define Mitigation Strategies

Project risk management involves identifying, analyzing and addressing potential risks that could impact the project’s success. Risks can arise from budget constraints, resource shortages, technology failures, stakeholder conflicts or external factors like regulatory changes. A proactive approach to risk management helps ensure smooth project execution and minimizes disruptions.

Once risks are identified by conducting a brainstorming session, reviewing historical data and using a risk breakdown structure, they must be analyzed and prioritized. This is based on the likelihood of the risk occurring and its impact on the project. A risk matrix helps to classify risks as low, moderate, high or crucial. A mitigation strategy to determine whether risks should be eliminated, reduced, transferred or accepted will also be created.

Risk identification and mitigation are critical to how to manage a project. They prevent delays and costly setbacks. This also leads to improving decision-making with proactive risk planning. Stakeholder confidence is enhanced, which supports project success. Finally, it ensures smooth execution by reducing uncertainties.

8. Procure Project Resources from Vendors

Project procurement involves identifying, selecting and managing external vendors or suppliers to obtain the necessary resources, such as materials, equipment or services, needed to complete a project. A well-planned procurement process ensures quality, timely delivery and cost-effectiveness while minimizing risks.

This begins by defining procurement needs, researching and identifying potential vendors. Then, request quotes and proposals, negotiate contracts and terms and issue purchase orders. After this, how to manage a project requires the close monitoring of vendor performance and deliveries to ensure all is going as planned.

9. Assemble a Project Team and Begin Project Execution

Assembling a project team involves identifying, selecting and assigning roles to individuals with the skills and expertise needed to complete the project successfully. A well-structured team ensures efficient collaboration, accountability and smooth project execution.

To assemble a project team, first define the project roles and responsibilities by using a RACI matrix to determine who is responsible, accountable, consulted and informed for each task. Also, assign roles based on skills, experience and project needs.

Then select and onboard team members. Explain the project details, goals and expectations and provide them with the necessary tools, resources and training. Set up regular meetings and establish the collaborative process.

Once the team is in place, project execution begins—this is the phase where the project plan is put into action and tasks are carried out to achieve project objectives.

10. Use a Project Tracking Software to Monitor Project Execution

Project tracking is the ongoing process of monitoring progress, identifying risks and ensuring the project stays on schedule, within budget and meets quality standards. Using project tracking software helps teams stay organized, accountable and adaptable throughout execution.

When looking for project tracking software, use one with real-time visibility into the project progress. This allows project managers to identify risks easily and adjust plans proactively. It also improves team accountability and communication, keeps projects on track, within budget and aligned with goals.

Free Project Management Templates

For those who are not ready to upgrade to project tracking software or project management with a full suite of features to plan, manage and track projects, there are workarounds. These free templates, a few of the over 100 project management templates for Excel and Word on our site, can help with figuring out how to manage a project.

Project Plan Template

Download this free project plan template for Word to organize, track and document all the key elements required for a successful project. It serves as a guide throughout the project life cycle, outlining all tasks, timelines, resources, risks and deliverables.

Project Budget Template

Use this free project budget template for Excel to plan and track all the financial aspects of a project. It helps project managers allocate resources, set financial goals and monitor expenditures throughout the project lifecycle.

Project Dashboard Template

A project dashboard is a visual tool used to track and display key project metrics, progress and performance at a glance. This free project dashboard template for Excel consolidates important project data into a single view, making it easier for project managers, stakeholders and teams to monitor the project’s health.

How to Manage a Project With ProjectManager

As mentioned above, it’s not recommended to manage a project with templates. They are a cheap alternative, but one gets what they pay for. Templates are fine for some things, but managing dynamic projects with static documents is not one of them. Project management software is designed to work more efficiently.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that plans and schedules projects with multiple views. We’ve already mentioned our powerful Gantt charts, but teams can choose between kanban boards and task lists to execute their tasks, while stakeholders can get a monthly overview of the project on the calendar view.

Allocate Resources and Monitor Their Utilization

Human and nonhuman resources are scheduled on the Gantt chart, but before assigning tasks to teams, set their availability when onboarding. This shows who has PTO, vacation or when global holidays occur. It also lists skills and pay rate, all of which streamline the assignment process. To view resource allocation across one or multiple projects, use the color-coded workload chart. It makes seeing who is overallocated or underutilized quick and easy.

Then, balance the team’s workload to keep everyone working at capacity without leaving the chart. There’s also a team page that shows daily or weekly activities. It can be filtered by progress or priority and tasks can also be updated without leaving the page.

Track Time, Cost and Progress With Real-Time Dashboards

How to manage a project might hinge on tracking. Without monitoring project metrics, the project is blind. To get a high-level overview of progress and performance, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio management dashboards. They automatically collect live data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts showing time, cost, workload and more.

Customizable reports go deeper into status, variance, workload, timesheets and more. Each can be filtered to focus on specific data points or more be more general and shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. Even our secure timesheets help track labor costs to keep on budget.

Related Project Management Content

There’s a lot more about how to manage a project than the 10 steps we outlined above. For readers interested in learning about the project life cycle, documentation and more, below are a handful of recently published articles from our blog.

• What Is the Project Life Cycle? Project Phases Explained
• Project Documentation: 15 Essential Documents
• How to Write Effective Project Objectives & Goals Every Time
• Project Management Tools & Techniques
• Project Management Basics: Definitions, Methods and Tools

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post How to Manage a Project in 10 Steps appeared first on ProjectManager.

After defining what a project is, we’ll explain what should be included and the steps to writing a project plan. We’ll also include a free project plan template and a few others related to the planning process.

What Is a Project Plan?

A project plan is a structured document that outlines the objectives, scope, timeline, resources, risks and responsibilities needed to complete a project. It serves as a roadmap, guiding the project team through each phase while ensuring alignment with stakeholders. A project plan typically includes details such as deliverables, milestones, communication strategies and budget allocations to keep the project on track and within scope.

By clearly defining these elements, a project plan helps mitigate risks, allocate resources efficiently and ensure timely execution. It also provides a reference for monitoring progress, managing changes and ensuring accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

After writing a project plan, project managers will have the fundamental details to structure a timeline, tasks, dependencies and milestones. It also outlines the scope, objectives, key deliverables and estimated timeframes, all of which can be translated into a Gantt chart to create a clear, sequential workflow. To get the most out of the project schedule, most will execute this process on project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that schedule tasks, resources and costs, but also link all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filters for the critical path and sets a baseline to track variance in real time. Plus, plans are shared on kanban boards and task lists for teams to execute their tasks and calendar views for stakeholders to stay updated on progress. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

What Should Be Included in a Project Plan?

A project plan is a comprehensive document made up of several subsidiary plans that detail various aspects of project management. These subsidiary plans provide structure and guidance on key project elements, ensuring smooth execution and alignment with goals. Below are the essential components of a project plan.

• Scope Management Plan: Defines the project’s scope, including deliverables, boundaries and how scope changes will be managed to prevent scope creep
• Schedule Management Plan: Outlines how the project schedule will be developed, monitored and controlled to ensure timely completion
• Resource Management Plan: Identifies the personnel, materials and tools needed for the project, along with strategies for resource allocation and management
• Cost Management Plan: Details the project budget, cost estimates, funding sources and financial controls to keep expenditures within approved limits
• Stakeholder Management Plan: Defines how stakeholders will be identified, engaged and managed to ensure their expectations are met throughout the project
• Risk Management Plan: Identifies potential risks, their impact and mitigation strategies to minimize disruptions to project progress
• Communications Management Plan: Establishes protocols for information sharing, including reporting frequency, communication channels and stakeholder updates
• Procurement Management Plan: Outlines how external vendors and suppliers will be selected, contracted and managed for project needs
• Quality Management Plan: Specifies quality standards, testing procedures and assurance measures to ensure deliverables meet requirements
• Change Management Plan: Defines how changes to the project scope, schedule, or budget will be evaluated, approved and implemented

By incorporating these subsidiary plans, a project plan provides a structured framework for managing all critical aspects of a project, ensuring efficiency, accountability and successful completion.

How to Write a Project Plan

A project plan is a structured document that outlines how a project will be executed, monitored and controlled. It’s made of various subsidiary plans that guide different aspects of project management, ensuring smooth execution and stakeholder alignment. Below are the key steps to writing a comprehensive project plan.

1. Define the Project Scope

How to write a project plan starts with the project scope, which establishes the project’s boundaries and details deliverables, tasks and exclusions.

• Make a Work Breakdown Structure: Break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks to clarify the scope and assign responsibilities effectively
• Set a Scope Baseline: Establish a reference point for the approved scope, ensuring any changes are formally evaluated
• Write a Scope Management Plan: Document how the scope will be defined, controlled and monitored to prevent scope creep

2. Create a Project Schedule

The next step in how to write a project plan is a well-defined schedule. It ensures timely project completion and efficient resource allocation.

• Use Project Scheduling Methods Like CPM and PERT: Apply techniques such as the critical path method (CPM) and program evaluation review technique (PERT) to optimize scheduling
• Set a Schedule Baseline: Define a fixed project schedule against which progress can be measured
• Write a Schedule Management Plan: Outline how the schedule will be maintained, updated and adjusted as needed

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Project Plan Template

Use this free Project Plan Template to manage your projects better.

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3. Identify What Resources Will Be Needed

Proper resource planning is also part of how to write a project plan. It ensures the project has the necessary manpower, materials and tools.

• Make a Resource Breakdown Structure: Categorize resources by type and availability to facilitate allocation
• Make a Resource Schedule: Plan the timing and usage of resources to prevent conflicts or shortages
• Write a Resource Management Plan: Document strategies for resource acquisition, allocation and optimization

4. Estimate Costs and Make a Budget

Effective cost management ensures financial feasibility and control over expenditures, which makes it financially one of the most important aspects of how to write a project plan.

• Set a Cost Baseline: Establish the approved project budget to track actual versus planned costs
• Write a Cost Management Plan: Define methods for estimating, monitoring and controlling costs throughout the project

5. Identify Stakeholders and Create a Plan to Engage Them

Stakeholder engagement is crucial for project success and alignment with expectations, which is why it’s part of how to write a project plan.

• List Stakeholders with a Stakeholder Register: Identify individuals, groups and organizations impacted by the project
• Analyze Stakeholders with a Stakeholder Map: Assess stakeholder influence, interest and engagement needs
• Write a Stakeholder Management Plan: Define communication strategies and engagement techniques to address stakeholder concerns

6. Identify Potential Project Risks and Make a Plan to Manage Them

The next stage in how to write a project plan is risk management, which minimizes uncertainties and enhances project resilience.

• Log Potential Risks in a Risk Register: Document potential risks, their impact and likelihood
• Use a Risk Analysis Matrix to Prioritize Risks: Assess and categorize risks to focus on the most critical threats
• Write a Risk Management Plan: Outline risk response strategies, mitigation measures and contingency plans

7. Create a Plan to Manage the Communication Efforts of the Project Team

How to write a project plan continues with emphasizing the need for clear communication, which ensures project transparency and stakeholder alignment.

• Define What Project Reports Will Be Used Throughout the Project: Specify reporting formats, frequency and key metrics
• Establish Channels of Communication and Reporting Frequency: Define how and when project updates will be shared among stakeholders
• Write a Communications Management Plan: Document communication protocols, responsibilities and escalation procedures

8. Define Guidelines for the Procurement of Project Resources

Procurement planning ensures the timely and cost-effective acquisition of necessary materials and services and is the next step in how to write a project plan.

• Identify Potential Vendors: List possible suppliers based on quality, reliability and cost-effectiveness
• Create a Vendor Eligibility Criteria: Define requirements that vendors must meet for selection
• Write a Procurement Management Plan: Detail procurement processes, contract management and vendor evaluation strategies

9. Establish Quality Assurance and Quality Control Procedures

Next in how to write a project plan comes quality management, which ensures the project meets predefined standards and expectations.

• Define Quality Assurance and Quality Control

1. Quality Assurance (QA): Focuses on preventing defects through planned processes
2. Quality Control (QC): Involves inspecting deliverables to detect and correct defects

• Write a Quality Management Plan: Document the standards, testing procedures and quality review methods to use.

10. Establish a Procedure for Managing Changes to the Project Plan

The last step of how to write a project plan involves change management. This part ensures that modifications are assessed and approved systematically.

• Assemble a Change Control Board: Designate a team responsible for reviewing and approving change requests
• Create Change Order Request and Approval Forms: Standardize the process of requesting and documenting project changes
• Write a Change Management Plan: Define the procedures for handling scope, schedule and cost changes to maintain project stability

By following these structured steps, a project plan becomes a comprehensive roadmap, ensuring clarity, efficiency and successful project execution.

Project Plan Template

A project plan template provides a structured framework for developing a detailed project plan. Download this free project plan template for Word that lets project managers organize key elements such as scope, schedule, budget and risk management. The template ensures consistency, improves efficiency and helps teams align with project goals.

The free template includes defining the purpose, goals and success criteria of the project as well as its governance. There are sections on team and stakeholder management, scope management, project schedule, resource management, procurement, budget and cost management, as well as changes and risk.

More Free Project Management Templates

A project plan template, like a project plan, is made up of smaller plans. To help create those plans, below are three related free project management templates from the over 100 that can be downloaded from our site. Get these templates and then look over the others, which touch on every aspect of managing a project across multiple industries.

Project Budget Template

Download this free project budget template for Excel to help estimate, allocate and track costs throughout the project lifecycle. It ensures financial control, prevents overspending and aligns the budget with project objectives.

Project Charter Template

Use this free project charter template for Word to authorize a project, define its objectives and provide a high-level overview of its scope, stakeholders and key elements. It serves as a foundation for project planning and execution by outlining responsibilities and aligning expectations.

Project Dashboard Template

Once the project plan has moved to the execution, monitoring and controlling stages, a project dashboard template is a visual tool that provides an overview of project performance, key metrics and progress toward objectives. This free project dashboard template for Excel helps project managers and stakeholders track important data, enabling better decision-making and efficiency.

How to Manage a Project Plan With ProjectManager

While it can be helpful to write a project plan with templates, it can get frustrating quickly. All that work is now isolated on static documents that have no way to connect with project management tools. Worse, as the project changes, someone will have to manually import that new data into the templates. Who has time for that? Rather than try to plan, manage and track projects with templates, use project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has multiple project views that allow managers to schedule on Gantt charts, teams to execute their tasks on kanban boards and task lists, while stakeholders stay updated on the calendar view. There are also resource management and tracking tools.

Keep to the Project Plan by Managing Resources

Human and nonhuman resources are scheduled on Gantt charts. Then, teams will be assigned tasks to complete by the deadline. To ensure the right resources are assigned to the right tasks at the right time, set team availability when teams are onboarded.

Project managers can view resource allocation on one or multiple projects by viewing the workload chart, which is color-coded to make it easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized. The team’s workload can be balanced without leaving the chart. This keeps everyone working at capacity without worrying about burnout. A team page provides a daily or weekly summary of their activities, which can be filtered by progress or priority and tasks can be updated from that page.

Monitor Projects with Real-Time Dashboards and Reports

To make sure the project is progressing as planned requires constant monitoring is required. Our software does that for you without having to take time away from the project to set up real-time project or portfolio dashboards. They collect live data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more.

For a deeper understanding of status, variance, workload, timesheets and more, use our customizable reports. They can be filtered to focus on key data points or summarize progress and be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. Even our secure timesheets help by monitoring labor costs and helping projects get delivered on budget.

Related Project Management Content

How to write a project plan is just the beginning of the larger story of project management. For those who want to read more about the big picture, below are some recently published articles from our blog covering the project life cycle, documentation and much more.

• What Is the Project Life Cycle? Project Phases Explained
• Project Documentation: 15 Essential Documents
• How to Write Effective Project Objectives & Goals Every Time
• Project Management Tools & Techniques
• Project Management Basics: Definitions, Methods and Tools

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post How to Write a Project Plan: Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on ProjectManager.

While a project outline might seem obvious, it’s worth spending a little time defining what the phase means. Once that’s clear, we’ll show when a project outline is made, what should be included and provide an example to show how it works in a real-life scenario.

What Is a Project Outline?

A project outline is a high-level overview that summarizes the key components of a project. It typically includes the project’s objectives, scope, timeline, key milestones, deliverables, stakeholders and resources. A project outline serves as a roadmap, providing an understanding of what needs to be accomplished and how the work will be structured, helping to ensure alignment and effective project management.

True, a project outline isn’t a formal, standardized term that one would find in project management frameworks, such as the Project Management Institute (PMI) and its Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) or agile. However, it’s still a widely used concept across industries and project types. The idea can be found in the project brief (PRINCE2), project charts (PMBOK), statement of work and project initiation document.

A project outline also serves as the foundation for creating a Gantt chart by providing the essential details needed to map out tasks and timelines. It identifies key tasks, milestones and deliverables. Additionally, identifying dependencies, resources and responsible team members from the project outline helps accurately sequence tasks and assign responsibilities in the Gantt chart. This is all facilitated by the use of project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views to turn a project outline into an actionable plan. Tasks, resources and costs can be scheduled on the Gantt chart, which goes further by linking all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns.

Improve Project Outlines with ProjectManager

• Use the sheet, list, kanban and calendar view alongside the Gantt to execute outlines
• Reference real-time reports and dashboards to see how outlines are being executed
• Share data with stakeholders using free guest licenses. Try it free

When to Make a Project Outline

A project outline is typically created in the early stages of project planning, often before or alongside the development of a project charter or project proposal. It acts as a simplified version of those documents, helping to break down the project’s key components and organize initial thoughts. Creating a project outline can clarify objectives, identify major tasks and estimate timelines, making it easier to draft a more detailed and comprehensive charter or proposal.

It’s useful for stakeholder discussions, ensuring alignment before committing to more detailed planning. Essentially, a project outline is a practical starting point that streamlines the development of formal project documents by providing a clear, high-level structure.

A project outline is particularly useful when you’re still in the brainstorming or early planning phases. It allows you to explore the project’s feasibility, refine the objectives and identify potential challenges without the commitment of a formal document. If you’re working on a project proposal to gain stakeholder approval or secure funding, the outline summarizes the key points, ensuring you’re aligned on the project’s purpose and scope before investing time in detailed planning. Similarly, when preparing a project charter, which formally authorizes the project and defines roles and responsibilities, the outline serves as a precursor by organizing the core details in a clear, manageable format.

What Should Be Included in a Project Outline?

A project outline serves as a high-level summary that provides clarity and direction for project stakeholders. It helps establish a shared understanding of the project’s purpose, scope and key details. Below are the essential sections that should be included in a project outline.

Project Background

The project background provides context for why the project is being initiated. It typically includes information about the problem or opportunity the project is addressing, relevant industry or organizational challenges and any previous efforts to resolve the issue. This section helps stakeholders understand the motivation behind the project.

Project Overview

This section offers a concise summary of the project, including its name, purpose and a brief description of what will be accomplished. It should cover the key aspects of the project in a few sentences to provide a clear understanding of the project’s intent.

Project Goals and Objectives

Clearly state the goals and objectives the project aims to achieve. Goals are broad statements that define the desired outcomes, while objectives are specific, measurable actions that contribute to those goals. This section provides a benchmark for measuring the project’s success.

Project Scope

The project scope defines the boundaries of the project, outlining what is included and excluded. It specifies the deliverables, features, functions and activities involved. Establishing a clear scope prevents scope creep and ensures all stakeholders are aligned.

Project Management Team

Identify the key individuals and their roles within the project. This typically includes the project manager, team members, sponsors and other stakeholders. Describing the responsibilities of each role ensures accountability and clarity within the team.

Resource Requirements

List the resources necessary to complete the project, including personnel, materials, equipment, technology and facilities. This section helps in planning resource allocation and estimating the overall project needs.

Project Estimated Costs

Provide an initial estimate of the project’s budget. This should include direct and indirect costs such as labor, materials, software and any external services. While the estimate may not be precise at this stage, it should offer a realistic view of the anticipated expenses.

Estimated Project Timeline

Outline the project’s expected timeline, including key milestones, deliverable dates and deadlines. While a detailed schedule may come later, providing an estimated timeline helps stakeholders understand the project’s duration and major phases.

Risks and Assumptions

Identify any potential risks that could impact the project, along with assumptions made during planning. Risks may include technical challenges, resource limitations or external dependencies. Understanding these factors early allows for proactive risk management and contingency planning.

Including these components in your project outline will provide a solid foundation for further planning and ensure that all stakeholders have a clear, consistent understanding of the project from the outset.

Project Outline Example

Now that we understand what a project outline is and the components that make up one, let’s illustrate the process by imagining how one is applied in a real-life scenario. Below is a project outline for the design and construction of a new warehouse.

Project Background

The rapid growth of the client’s e-commerce operations has outpaced the capacity of their current distribution infrastructure. To meet rising demand and reduce shipping times, a new regional warehouse is required.

Project Overview

This project involves the design and construction of a 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility in the Greater Dallas area. The warehouse will include receiving and shipping docks, climate-controlled storage, office space and parking for delivery vehicles.

Project Goals and Objectives

Here’s a list of the project’s goals and objectives.

• Expand storage and distribution capacity by Q2 2026
• Improve delivery efficiency in the southern U.S. region
• Construct a cost-effective and scalable facility
• Ensure compliance with local zoning and building regulations

Project Scope

Below is what will be in and out of scope for the project.

• In Scope: Site preparation, permitting, foundation, structural framing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, interior build-out and final inspection
• Out of Scope: Staffing operations and ongoing warehouse management

Project Management Team

Another step towards realizing the project is determining the team that will lead and execute it. For this project, the project team includes the following.

• Project Sponsor: VP of Logistics
• Project Manager: Construction PM from General Contractor
• Architect: XYZ Design Studio
• Contractor: ABC Commercial Builders
• Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer and MEP Specialists

Resource Requirements

Resources are the people, materials, equipment, etc., needed to execute the project tasks. Those resources are included below.

• Construction materials (steel, concrete, insulation)
• Labor crews for all phases of construction
• Heavy equipment and machinery
• IT infrastructure for security and operations
• Legal and permitting services

Project Estimated Costs

Projects cost money, and the funding needed to complete one must be estimated in advance. Here are the forecast costs for the project.

Total estimated cost: $8.5 million, includes design, construction, materials, equipment, labor, permits and contingency reserves

Estimated Project Timeline

The project schedule will determine the estimated start and finish dates for the project.

• Design and Permitting: April–June 2025
• Site Prep and Foundation: July–August 2025
• Structural Framing: September–October 2025
• MEP and Interior Work: November 2025–January 2026
• Final Inspection and Handover: February–March 2026

Risks and Assumptions

Risk are potential events or conditions that could negatively or positively impact the project, while assumptions are factors considered true without definition proof.

Key Risks

• Delays due to permitting or weather
• Rising material costs
• Supply chain disruptions

Assumptions

• All permits will be approved on time
• No major zoning or environmental constraints
• Contractor availability remains stable throughout the project

Benefits of Making a Project Outline

Creating a project outline provides numerous benefits by offering clarity, alignment and efficient project management. First, it establishes a shared understanding among stakeholders by clearly defining the project’s goals, scope and responsibilities. This minimizes misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is working towards the same objectives.

Second, a project outline is a practical planning tool that helps identify potential risks, resource needs and timeline constraints early in the process. By highlighting these elements upfront, project managers can make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively and mitigate risks before they become major issues.

Finally, a well-structured project outline acts as a reference document throughout the project’s lifecycle. It keeps the team focused on priorities, tracks progress against milestones and supports effective communication with stakeholders. This alignment and visibility contribute to the successful execution of the project from initiation to completion.

Free Project Management Templates

While project management software is better suited to planning, managing and tracking projects, for those not ready to upgrade, we have over 100 free project management templates that can be immediately downloaded from our site. Some templates address every aspect of managing projects across multiple industries. Below are just three that can help with the project outline process.

Project Charter Template

Download this free project charter template for Word to outline the key details of a project and authorize its initiation. It serves as a foundational reference that provides stakeholders with a clear understanding of the project’s purpose, objectives and structure.

Project Plan Template

Use this free project plan template for Word to detail the steps required to complete a project. It serves as a roadmap that guides the project team through each phase, ensuring all tasks are completed on time, within scope and budget.

Scope of Work Template

A scope of work (SOW) outlines the specific tasks, deliverables, timelines and expectations of a project. This free scope of work template for Word serves as a detailed agreement between the project team and stakeholders to ensure mutual understanding of the project’s scope.

How ProjectManager Helps Bring a Project Outline to Life

Templates can help gather the information needed to create a project outline, but then all the hard work will have to be replicated onto the tools needed to plan the project. That’s because templates are static documents that must be manually updated and are poor for collaborating on project execution. They might help at first, but then they slow progress and can lead to project failure. To avoid that, use project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has multiple project views that are collaborative and easy to edit. We also have resource management features and tools to track progress to help projects succeed.

Use Resource Planning to Stay Productive

Both human and nonhuman resources are scheduled on the Gantt chart. When onboarding team members, project managers can set their availability, which makes it easy to know which resources can be assigned to which tasks and when. To view resource allocation across one or multiple projects, use the color-coded workload chart.

See who is overallocated or underutilized at a glance and balance the team’s workload to keep them working at capacity without threatening burnout. A team page provides a daily or weekly overview of their activity, which can be filtered by progress or priority, and tasks are updated without leaving the page.

Track Progress With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports

Ensuring that the execution of the project goes as planned requires close monitoring of key project metrics. Project managers can get a high-level overview of progress, cost, resources and more by toggling over to the real-time project or portfolio management dashboards. Each dashboard offers unique data on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more.

For deeper analysis, use customizable reports on status, workload, variance, timesheets and more. Each can be filtered to show key data points or a more general summary of progress, which can then be shared with stakeholders. Even our secure timesheets help by monitoring labor costs to help keep to the budget.

Related Project Planning Content

A project outline is like an overview of what is needed to deliver a project. For those readers who’d like more information on project planning, you’re in the right place. Below are a handful of links to recently published articles from our blog on the topic.

• What Is the Project Life Cycle? Project Phases Explained
• Project Documentation: 15 Essential Documents
• How to Write Effective Project Objectives & Goals Every Time
• Project Management Tools & Techniques
• Project Management Basics: Definitions, Methods and Tools

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post How to Make a Project Outline (Example Included) appeared first on ProjectManager.

First, we’ll answer the question: What is a dashboard? Then we’ll move on to what is typically included in a dashboard and illustrate some dashboard examples. For each, we’ll list the type of metrics that they monitor. We’ll end with a few free downloadable dashboard templates for a hands-on idea of how they work.

What Is a Dashboard?

A dashboard in project management is a visual tool that provides a real-time overview of key project data, metrics and performance indicators. Think of it as a control center—it brings together important information about a project’s progress, schedule, budget, risks and resources into a single, easy-to-read interface.

Dashboards are designed to help project managers, teams and stakeholders quickly assess the health and status of a project and make informed decisions without digging through lengthy reports. This leads to better decision making, improved communication and delivers real-time data that replaces the old, manual reporting style. Dashboards are ubiquitous in project management software, but not all are the same.

Elevate Project Dashboards with ProjectManager

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with powerful real-time dashboards to track project, program or portfolio performance in real time, with no setup required. Use the dashboard along with our other project views, including reports, Gantt charts, lists, sheets and calendars to keep projects on track.

• Track unique data on customized project and portfolio-level dashboards
• Turn dashboard data into custom reports in a matter of clicks
• Use free guest licenses to share pertinent data with stakeholders. Try it free

What Should Be Included in a Dashboard?

A well-designed project dashboard provides a clear, real-time snapshot of a project’s performance and progress. To be truly effective, a dashboard should include the most relevant and actionable data, presented in a way that’s easy to interpret. It should help teams and stakeholders make quick decisions, identify issues early and stay aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Here’s a breakdown of the essential elements every dashboard should include.

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): These core metrics show how well the project is performing against its goals. KPIs can vary depending on the project, but common ones include the task completion rate, budget vs. actual cost, schedule adherence, resource utilization and risk status.
• Data Visualization Charts: Visuals make complex data easier to understand. Dashboards should include: bar and pie charts for task status or resource allocation, Gantt charts for project timelines and dependencies and burn-down charts for tracking remaining work in agile projects.
• Comparisons and Trends: It’s important to not just see current data, but understand how it’s changed over time. Dashboards should show planned vs. actual timelines or costs, performance over weeks or sprints and historical trends in risk or workload.
• Filters and Drill-Down Features: Dashboards become even more powerful when users can customize their view. Filters allow users to sort by team member, department, task type or time. Drill-downs let users click into metrics to explore more detailed data.

5 Dashboard Examples

Now that we understand what is a dashboard and the various widgets that make it up, the next step is to explore the different dashboard examples. Let’s look at some of the more common ones and define them, as well as list the various things they usually track.

Project Dashboard

A project dashboard is a centralized tool that provides a real-time visual overview of a project’s progress, performance and key metrics. It helps project managers, teams and stakeholders track tasks, budgets, resources and potential risks in one place. By consolidating important project data, a project dashboard enhances decision-making, accountability and efficiency throughout the project lifecycle.

Here are the key components of a project dashboard.

• Project Timeline (Gantt Chart or Milestones): Displays the project schedule, critical deadlines and key milestones
• Task Progress and Completion Rates: Tracks task statuses to show what’s completed, in progress or delayed
• Budget vs. Actual Costs: Compares planned costs with real-time spending to prevent budget overruns
• Resource Allocation and Workload: Shows how team members and resources are distributed across tasks
• Risk and Issue Tracking: Identifies potential risks, bottlenecks and unresolved issues
• Key Deliverables and Deadlines: Highlights major project outputs and their due dates
• Status by Project Phase or Team: Breaks down progress by phase or department for better tracking

Business KPIs Dashboard

Another one of the dashboard examples we’d like to highlight is a business KPIs dashboard. It is a data-driven tool that provides a real-time snapshot of an organization’s performance based on KPIs. It helps business leaders and teams monitor progress toward financial, operational and strategic goals. By visualizing essential metrics in one place, this dashboard enables informed decision-making, efficiency improvements and growth tracking.

Here are the key metrics commonly included in a business KPIs dashboard.

• Revenue Growth and Profit Margins: Tracks sales performance and overall profitability
• Customer Acquisition and Retention: Measures how well the business attracts and keeps customers
• Operating Expenses: Monitors costs related to running the business
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Gauges customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Return on Investment (ROI): Assesses the profitability of investments and business initiatives
• Employee Productivity Metrics: Evaluates workforce efficiency and output
• Strategic Goal Tracking: Aligns business operations with long-term objectives

Marketing Dashboard

A marketing dashboard is another one of the commonly used dashboard examples. It’s a centralized tool that provides a real-time view of marketing performance across various channels. It helps marketing teams track key metrics, analyze campaign effectiveness and optimize strategies to maximize ROI. By visualizing data from multiple sources, a marketing dashboard enables data-driven decision-making, improved targeting and better allocation of marketing budgets.

Here are the key metrics commonly included in a marketing dashboard.

• Website Traffic and Bounce Rate: Measures the number of visitors and how many leave without engagement
• Conversion Rate by Channel: Tracks the percentage of visitors who take desired actions (e.g., sign-ups, purchases) across different marketing channels
• Cost per Lead (CPL) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Calculates how much is spent to acquire a lead or customer
• Email Campaign Metrics (Open Rate, Click-Through Rate): Analyzes email engagement and effectiveness
• Social Media Engagement: Measures interactions such as likes, shares and comments on social platforms
• SEO Keyword Rankings: Tracks website ranking positions for targeted search terms
• Lead Funnel Performance: Evaluates how leads move through the sales pipeline from awareness to conversion

Sales Dashboard

Another dashboard example is a sales dashboard. This real-time visual tool tracks and displays key sales metrics, helping teams monitor performance, identify trends and optimize the sales process. It gives sales managers, reps and stakeholders a clear view of how well targets are being met and where improvements can be made. With a well-designed dashboard, teams can make data-driven decisions, improve forecasting and boost revenue.

Here are some of the core elements commonly found in a sales dashboard.

• Monthly and Quarterly Sales Revenue: Total income generated over a specific period
• Sales Pipeline and Opportunity Stages: Tracks deals as they move through each phase of the sales cycle
• Lead-to-Customer Conversion Rate: Measures the percentage of leads that successfully become customers
• Top-Performing Sales Reps: Highlights sales team members with the highest results or closed deals
• Deal Win Rate: The percentage of total deals that are successfully closed
• Average Deal Size: The typical revenue amount brought in per closed deal
• Sales Forecast vs. Actual: Compares projected sales with real outcomes to assess

Operational Management Dashboard

An operational management dashboard is one of the dashboard examples that is a powerful tool that provides a real-time overview of an organization’s core operations. It consolidates key metrics related to production, logistics, workforce performance and customer service into one centralized view. This type of dashboard helps operations managers monitor efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, maintain quality standards and ensure smooth day-to-day functioning across departments.

Here are the key components typically included in an operational management dashboard.

• Production Volume and Efficiency: Tracks output levels and how effectively resources are used during production
• Supply Chain and Inventory Levels: Monitors stock availability and supply chain performance to avoid shortages or overstock
• Order Fulfillment Times: Measures how quickly and accurately customer orders are processed and delivered
• Downtime and Maintenance Metrics: Captures machine or system downtime and scheduled maintenance to prevent disruptions
• Quality Control (Defect Rates): Tracks product defects or errors to ensure consistent quality standards
• Workforce Utilization: Shows how effectively employee time and skills are being used in operations
• Customer Support Response Times: Measures how quickly support teams respond to customer inquiries or issues

Benefits of Using Dashboards in Project and Business Management

The previous dashboard examples should make it clear that these are critical tools for managing projects and business. Dashboards provide a centralized view of critical data, allowing project managers and business leaders to monitor performance, track progress and make informed decisions with ease.

By consolidating key metrics—such as timelines, budgets, resources and KPIs—into one visual platform, dashboards eliminate the need to sift through multiple spreadsheets or reports. This streamlined access to information not only saves time but also enhances visibility, enabling teams to stay aligned and proactive throughout the project or business lifecycle.

Another significant benefit of using dashboards is their ability to highlight trends, identify risks early and track goals in real time. With dynamic charts, progress bars and comparison tools, users can quickly spot variances between planned and actual performance.

Whether it’s catching a cost overrun, recognizing a delay in task completion or seeing a dip in customer engagement, dashboards provide timely insights that help mitigate issues before they escalate. This level of responsiveness is crucial for maintaining control and achieving successful outcomes.

Dashboards also foster transparency and accountability across teams and stakeholders. By making project and business performance visible to everyone involved, they encourage collaboration, promote shared responsibility and support data-driven conversations.

When each team member can see how their work contributes to the bigger picture, engagement and motivation improve. At the same time, stakeholders gain confidence in the process, knowing they have a clear, real-time understanding of progress, risks and results.

Free Dashboard Templates

As promised, below are three free dashboard templates, which users can play with to execute the features showcased in our dashboard examples. These are only some of the over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word that can be downloaded from our site. They cover all aspects of managing a project across multiple industries.

Business KPI Dashboard

Download this free business KPI dashboard for Excel to provide insight into how well the business is performing across various departments. The goal is to help leaders and teams monitor progress, spot trends and make informed decisions that align with strategic goals.

Project Dashboard Template

Use this project dashboard template for Excel to visually track and manage key aspects of a project in one centralized view. It helps project managers and teams monitor progress, performance and potential risks by displaying important metrics.

Budget Dashboard Template

A budget dashboard is a visual tool designed to help individuals or organizations track income, expenses and overall financial performance against a budget. This free budget dashboard template for Excel provides an overview of financial health by consolidating key budget data into interactive charts, graphs and summaries—all in one place.

ProjectManager Is the Best Dashboard Tool for Project Management

Using a template as a dashboard is going to be frustrating. Templates are status documents. That means all the project data must be manually entered. Therefore, one isn’t viewing real-time data, but is always looking in the rearview mirror. It takes online project management software to deliver the most accurate and current information about the project.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has real-time dashboards for one or multiple projects. But that’s only the start of the tracking features available from our software.

Use Multiple Project Management Views

Data displayed on dashboards comes from team members updating their status. Gantt charts help schedule tasks, resources and costs. Then, set a baseline to track those metrics in real time. From there, teams have a choice of tools to execute their work. They can use kanban boards or task lists, both of which can record status updates that feed into the dashboard automatically. There’s even a calendar view for a monthly overview that stakeholders can use to stay updated.

Robust Resource Management and Cost Tracking Features

Other tools monitor progress and performance to help keep projects on track. When onboarding teams, their availability can be set, which helps streamline assignments. Project managers can view resource allocation across one or more projects on the color-coded workload chart. This makes it quick and easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized and balances the team’s workload without leaving the page to keep everyone working at capacity without threatening burnout.

A team page provides a daily or weekly snapshot of team activity, which can be filtered by progress or priority. Tasks can also be updated from this page. Customizable reports can focus on key data points or more general information to share with stakeholders, while secure timesheets track labor costs to help projects stay on budget.

Related Dashboard Content

For those still curious about how dashboards help manage projects, below are free links to recently published pieces on our blog that compare the dashboards of various project management software, construction dashboards and more.

• Free Excel Dashboard Templates
• Monday.com Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons
• Notion Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons
• Asana Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons
• Why Use a Construction Project Dashboard?
• Trello Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post What Is a Dashboard? 5 Dashboard Examples appeared first on ProjectManager.

What Is a Stakeholder?

A stakeholder is either an individual, group or organization that’s impacted by the outcome of a project or a business venture. Stakeholders have an interest in the success of the project and can be within or outside the organization that’s sponsoring the project. Stakeholders are important because they can have a positive or negative influence on the project with their decisions. There are also critical or key stakeholders, whose support is needed for the project to exist.

A stakeholder is a person, like any other member of the project, and some are easier to manage than others. You’ll have to learn to use stakeholder mapping techniques to identify who your key stakeholders are and make sure you meet their requirements.

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Stakeholder Analysis Template

Use this free Stakeholder Analysis Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

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Stakeholder vs. Shareholder

Stakeholders are not the same thing as shareholders. A stakeholder can be a wide variety of people impacted or invested in the project. For example, a stakeholder can be the owner or even the shareholder. But stakeholders can also be employees, bondholders, customers, suppliers and vendors.

A shareholder can be a stakeholder. A shareholder, though, is someone who has invested in a corporation through the purchase of stocks. A stakeholder has an interest in the corporation’s overall performance, not stock performance.

Types of Stakeholders: Internal vs External Stakeholders

Stakeholders can be anyone with influence or anyone who can be influenced by the project. We’ve already seen that there can be many stakeholders, something that we’ll discuss below. All stakeholders can be broken into two groups: internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. Let’s take a look at both.

1. Internal Stakeholders

Internal stakeholders are within the organization. The project directly impacts them as they serve and are employed by the organization managing it. Internal stakeholders can include employees, owners, the board of directors, project managers, investors and more.

How to Identify Internal Stakeholders

To identify internal stakeholders, make a list of everyone in the organization who may be interested in or affected by the project at any level. Then categorize them and analyze their influence and interest. Talk to key individuals directly to understand their perspectives and review project documents such as the business case or the communication plan for identified stakeholders. Be sure to keep them updated regularly throughout the project.

2. External Stakeholders

External stakeholders are outside of the organization and are indirectly impacted by the project. They’re influenced by the organization’s work but are not employees of the organization. These people can be suppliers, customers, creditors, clients, intermediaries, competitors, society, government and more.

How to Identify External Stakeholders

External stakeholders are outside of the organization, so list all external individuals, groups or organizations that care about or may be impacted by the project. Categorize them, such as competitors, customers, government agencies, etc. Then, analyze their influence and interest in the project using a power-interest grid. Communicate with them through surveys, meetings, etc. and be sure to update them regularly in case their views change. Managing both internal and external stakeholders is easier with the right tools.

Update Stakeholders in One Place with ProjectManager

ProjectManager offers in-depth planning, tracking and reporting features to plan projects and keep your stakeholders updated in one place.

• Use unlimited guest licenses to provide instant status updates to your stakeholders
• Leverage unique summary dashboards to track costs, budgets, workload and more
• Generate and share in-depth reports with stakeholders in only a few clicks. Try it free

Stakeholder Examples

As we mentioned, there are many types of stakeholders, many of which fall under the internal or external stakeholder categories. Let’s take a look at some of the more common stakeholder examples.

• Senior management or executives: These are leaders who make strategic decisions and have an interest in the project’s contribution to organizational goals.
• Investors: These are stakeholders looking for a financial return and can be shareholders and debtholders. They have invested capital in the business and want a return on that investment.
• Employees: These stakeholders rely on their employment and job security. They have a direct stake in the organization as it supports them and provides them with benefits.
• Customers: These stakeholders want the product or service that the project delivers and they expect it to be of quality and contain value.
• Company owners: This person or group of people has a financial stake in the overall success of the organization.
• Competitors: Other organizations in the same industry may be impacted by the project’s success or failure.
• Other departments: Adjacent departments or teams in the same organization may be impacted by the project’s outcome or even involved in its implementation (customer service, sales, operations).
• Suppliers and Vendors: These stakeholders have their revenue tied up with the project as they sell goods and services to the business managing the project. Project success means more business for them.
• Communities: These stakeholders don’t want the project to negatively impact their health, safety or economic development. The organizations that are housed in their communities or working on projects in their communities can impact job creation, spending and more.
• Government: These stakeholders get taxes and gross domestic product from a project. They are major stakeholders as they collect taxes from both the company on a corporate level and individually from those it employs.

A stakeholder is a person, like any other member of the project, and some will be easier to manage than others. You’re going to have to learn to deal with a variety of personalities and make sure you have a productive dialogue to know the project goals you’ve been hired to meet. But first, who is the stakeholder?

Stakeholder Analysis Template

Identifying who your project stakeholders are is one of the most important tasks you’ll have as a project manager. For that reason, we’ve created a free stakeholder analysis template that lets you list your stakeholders, their level of influence, and their preferred method of communication, among other relevant information about them.

How to Manage Project Stakeholders

Managing stakeholders is easy if you follow the right stakeholder management steps. Here are the steps that any project manager should follow when managing stakeholder relations.

1. Stakeholder Identification

Identifying the stakeholders in your project is key as the project’s success depends on it. If your stakeholder isn’t happy, the project isn’t a complete success. You’ll want to start this process as soon as the project charter is created.

A good place to start figuring out who your stakeholders are is by reviewing the project charter, which documents the reason for the project and appoints the project manager. Among the information about objects, budget, schedule, assumptions, constraints, project sponsors and top management, you can discern the stakeholders.

Make sure to review the contracts as stakeholders might be mentioned in these documents. Are there environmental factors or other organizations with key ties to the project? Look those over as they might supply you with the names of stakeholders. For example, if there are environmental factors dictated by the government, then the government is a stakeholder. Review their regulations and standards to stay on good terms with them.

2. Stakeholder Analysis

Once you identify your project stakeholders, it’s time for the stakeholder analysis phase. This is when you’ll gather information and requirements from them. The main goal is to identify, understand and prioritize the stakeholders who can influence the outcome of the project.

During this phase, focus on documentation such as a stakeholder register and stakeholder map. The stakeholder register documents and tracks the details about stakeholders, while the stakeholder map is a visual representation of the project’s stakeholders based on their influence and interest in the project’s outcomes.

You’ll also need to begin estimating their level of involvement and influence in your project to prepare stakeholder communication strategies and prioritize them.

3. Stakeholder Prioritization

A key question for anyone managing a project is how should you manage a stakeholder on the project? To complicate matters, there might be many stakeholders, and you should treat them like you would any other task on your to-do list: by prioritizing them.

Over the course of a project, one stakeholder might be more valuable in terms of the project objections and some might demand more attention than others. When you’re building your project schedule, make sure to define who those people are and at what point in the project phase you might need to attend to them more.

4. Stakeholder Engagement

Now we’ve come to the second part of our question. When we talk of stakeholder management, what we mean is creating a positive relationship with your stakeholders by meeting their expectations and whatever objectives they agreed to in the project. This relationship isn’t just granted, however. It must be earned. You can earn the trust and build a positive relationship with stakeholders through proactive communication and by listening to their needs.

One way to do this is by interviewing the project stakeholders—not all of them, but certainly the most important ones. You might need to speak to experts to get background information on particular fields or groups so when you do have one-on-one conversations with stakeholders, you’re well-informed and productive.

Like everything in project management, there’s a process for this:

• Document Stakeholder Communications. Do this formally by creating a stakeholder communication plan. Note their names and roles in the organization they represent. Document every conversation you have with these key project partners, both to record their interests and requests, but also to be able to review their information later for accuracy.
• Enforce Process. Next, you want to keep to a process of communications with stakeholders and make sure that process is transparent so everyone knows what to expect. This includes project requests or feedback. How you’ll document and respond to those requests needs to be subject to a formal process of review and approval. This lets the stakeholders know that requests are subject to review and that you have a process that you adhere to for formal requests.
• Provide Frequent Status Reports. Providing regular and timely status reports for stakeholders is crucial, but make sure to tailor the reports to the audience. You can go into details with team members while executives typically want more of an overview. Don’t forget to follow up with stakeholders and ask questions to see if they have any feedback.
• Dispel Myths. Your stakeholder might be working on multiple projects, which means they’re not going to have the same closeness to the project as you. But that doesn’t mean they’re not getting other information about your project from other sources. You don’t want them to be subject to gossip or get incorrect information that might sway their opinions on the project.

Keys to Stakeholder Communication: 3 Tips

The ability to engage with stakeholders in a meaningful way is invaluable in long-term success. Here are three tips to keep in mind.

1. Be Proactive & Transparent: Communicate with stakeholders early and often instead of waiting for problems to develop before reaching out. Regular updates are helpful, even when there isn’t significant news. Both successes and failures should be shared honestly to help build trust and maintain positive stakeholder relationships.
2. Actively Listen & Seek Feedback: Stakeholder feedback is invaluable. Whenever possible, create opportunities for stakeholders to share their thoughts and concerns. Pay attention to what they are saying and ask any questions to ensure you understand their perspective. This shows them that their input is valued and will be addressed.
3. Manage Expectations: Make sure stakeholders have a realistic understanding of what the project will and won’t deliver. If there are potential challenges or risks, be sure to highlight them early and discuss mitigation strategies. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver; it’s best to be realistic about timelines and resources.

Stakeholder Management Templates

Managing stakeholders and their expectations is an important part of project management. You need to keep stakeholders updated but you don’t want them interrupting the important work of managing the project. Not only does ProjectManager offer software but also free templates for every stage of your project. Here are a few templates that deal with stakeholder management.

Stakeholder Map Template

Our free stakeholder map template for Excel helps you see each stakeholder’s level of interest and influence. Their answers help you determine if they must be managed closely, kept satisfied, kept informed or monitored. There’s also a color key to make it easy to read; green means they’re supportive, yellow means they’re neutral and red means they’re a blocker.

Communication Plan Template

Finally, once you understand your stakeholders, it’s time to set up a way to keep them informed. Our free communication plan template for Word is the ideal tool to define your objectives, channels and regularity by which your stakeholders expect to be updated. The free communication plan template works for all of your project communication needs, not only for communicating with stakeholders.

Use ProjectManager for Stakeholder Management

Now that you know what a stakeholder is and why it’s important to keep them in the loop during the life cycle of your project, make sure you have the right tools available to help. ProjectManager is work and project management software that helps you manage stakeholder expectations and update them with real-time data.

Detailed Reports for Stakeholder Presentations

We’ve shown how our real-time dashboard offers a big picture of the project, but stakeholders often want to go deeper into the data. With one click, you can generate the reports that stakeholders want to see, whether that’s project status, time or cost. If stakeholders have questions, know that every report can be filtered to show select data. Reports are easily shareable so stakeholders are always in the know.

Create Transparency With Gantt Charts

The project plan is the roadmap that charts the direction of the project. It’s a critical document and one that changes throughout the project. Stakeholders need the project plan to keep the project’s progress in context, so project managers want an easy-to-share project plan. With ProjectManager’s Gantt chart view, you can import and export project plans and share them with anyone. As the project plan changes, just send an updated one to your stakeholders and keep them in the loop.

Our tool has project reporting features to help you create project reports in minutes. We give stakeholders the transparency they want to stay informed, allowing the project manager and project team the room they need to complete the project on time, within budget and to stakeholders’ quality expectations.

When you’re reporting to stakeholders you want to make sure the process is both streamlined and accurate. ProjectManager makes sharing reports as easy as a click of a button. Our cloud-based project management software updates in real time, so you always have the most accurate, up-to-date project data for yourself and your stakeholders. Try our award-winning software today with this 30-day free trial. 

The post What Is a Stakeholder? Definitions, Types & Examples appeared first on ProjectManager.

What are those project phases? We’ll define them in detail. This is a great opportunity for those new to project management, but also serves professional project managers and their teams who can never go over this critical information enough.

What Are the 5 Project Management Phases?

The five project management phases are a structured approach to planning, executing and completing a project. Based on the Project Management Institute (PMI) framework, these phases help project managers and teams stay organized, manage resources effectively, and achieve project goals.

By following these five phases, project managers and their teams can structure and organize their project management approach. This is going to improve the chances of having a successful project outcome. We’ll get to defining the five project phases in a moment, but first, these project phases require project management software for a more efficient and effective planning, execution and tracking of the project.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views that allow everyone on the project team to do their jobs collaboratively. Each project phase is represented by features, such as Gantt charts to schedule tasks, resources and costs, but also link dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track progress in real time. Teams execute their tasks on kanban boards or task lists, while stakeholders track work on the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

1. Project Initiation Phase

It all begins with the project initiation phase, the first stage of the project management lifecycle. This is where a project is formally authorized and its feasibility is evaluated. During this phase, project managers and stakeholders define the project’s purpose, objectives and high-level scope. This step sets the foundation for all future project activities and ensures there is a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved.

The primary purpose of the initiation phase is to determine whether a project is viable and valuable for the organization. It helps stakeholders make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the project, based on factors such as expected benefits, risks, resource availability and alignment with business goals. Additionally, this phase ensures all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project’s objectives and key requirements.

Let’s explore the roles and responsibilities and documentation that come with this phase.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Initiation Phase

In the project initiation phase, clearly defined roles and responsibilities are essential to ensure the project starts on the right track. Each participant has a specific role in shaping the project’s vision, assessing its feasibility and securing approval to proceed. From project sponsors and managers to stakeholders and subject matter experts, effective collaboration during this phase establishes a strong foundation for success. Understanding who is responsible for what ensures alignment and accountability from the outset.

• Project Sponsor: The project sponsor defines project objectives, secures funding and ensures executive approval to initiate the project. They align the initiative with business goals, liaising between leadership and the project team and provide strategic direction. Their role includes approving the project charter, resolving high-level concerns and ensuring organizational support.
• Project Manager: The project manager leads the initiation phase by developing the project charter, identifying key stakeholders and assessing feasibility. They facilitate risk identification, coordinate early resource discussions and ensure stakeholder engagement. Their role is to define the project’s purpose, establish governance structures and secure approvals necessary for transitioning into detailed planning.
• Stakeholders: Stakeholders influence project initiation by providing input on business needs, feasibility and strategic fit. They help define success criteria, validate objectives and assess risks. Their involvement ensures organizational buy-in and that the project addresses key concerns. Early engagement helps refine the project scope before formal planning begins.
• Business Analyst: The business analyst assesses business needs, gathers high-level requirements, and ensures the project aligns with organizational objectives. They collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate feasibility and identify potential risks or constraints. Their role is to document initial requirements, define potential solutions and support the project team in clarifying business objectives.
• Project Team Members: During initiation, project team members contribute expertise to feasibility assessments, risk identification and initial scope definition. They provide technical, financial or operational insights that help shape the project’s viability. Their early input ensures a realistic approach and helps prepare for a smooth transition into planning.
• Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures governance and alignment with organizational standards during project initiation. They provide templates, best practices and guidance on feasibility assessments, risk identification and stakeholder engagement. Their role is to support the project manager in structuring the initiation process and ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
• Clients or End Users: Clients or end users provide insights into expectations, needs and potential project benefits. Their role in initiation includes participating in feasibility discussions and defining high-level functional requirements. Their early involvement ensures the project is designed with end-user value in mind before detailed planning begins.

Documentation of the Project Initiation Phase

Documentation in the project initiation phase serves as a formal record of the project’s purpose, scope and feasibility. It provides clarity and alignment among stakeholders while ensuring that important decisions and approvals are well-documented. Key documents created during this phase act as foundational references throughout the project lifecycle, guiding planning, execution, and monitoring efforts

• Project Charter: A high-level document that formally authorizes the project, outlining objectives, scope, stakeholders, risks and key constraints.
• Business Case: Justifies the project by detailing expected benefits, costs, risks and alignment with business goals.
• Feasibility Study: Assesses technical, financial and operational viability to determine whether the project should proceed.
• Stakeholder Register: Identifies key stakeholders, their roles, interests and influence on the project.
• Risk Register: Lists early identified risks, their potential impact and possible mitigation strategies.
• Project Proposal: A preliminary document used to seek approval and funding, summarizing the project’s purpose, goals and expected outcomes.
• Assumptions and Constraints Log: Documents any key assumptions and limitations that could affect the project’s success.

2. Project Planning Phase

The project planning phase is the second phase of the project management lifecycle, where the project’s roadmap is developed. After receiving approval in the initiation phase, project managers and teams create detailed plans that outline how the project will be executed, monitored and completed. This phase involves setting goals, defining deliverables, allocating resources and creating schedules.

The primary purpose of the planning phase is to establish a clear and actionable strategy to guide the project. It ensures all team members understand their roles, tasks are organized and risks are identified and mitigated. Comprehensive planning also helps prevent scope creep, manage budgets and ensure timely delivery.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Planning Phase

Again, roles and responsibilities play a crucial part in this project phase. Let’s take a look at them.

• Project Sponsor: The project sponsor approves the project plan, resolves escalated issues, and supports the project manager in securing necessary resources. Their role is crucial in maintaining executive buy-in and ensuring the project stays on track strategically.
• Project Manager: The project manager leads planning efforts by defining the project scope, project schedule, budgets and risk management strategies. He coordinates team efforts, ensures stakeholder alignment and oversees project documentation. Their responsibility includes integrating all project planning components to create a structured project management plan to guide the execution phase.
• Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): SMEs provide specialized knowledge in specific areas relevant to the project. They validate technical feasibility, advise on industry best practices and contribute expertise in areas such as engineering, compliance or IT. Their input helps refine the scope, mitigate risks and ensure project deliverables meet quality standards.
• Project Team Members: Project team members contribute to planning by estimating task efforts, identifying dependencies and providing input on scheduling and resource needs. They participate in risk assessment, document requirements and prepare for execution. Their collaboration ensures the project plan is realistic, executable and aligned with organizational capabilities.
• Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO provides governance, best practices and standardized methodologies for project planning. They ensure compliance with organizational policies, support risk assessment and assist in resource allocation. The PMO also helps in refining documentation and ensures project objectives align with overall strategic goals.

Documentation of the Project Planning Phase

Documentation plays a role in all project phases. It captures detailed plans and strategies that will guide the project’s execution. These documents also act as a reference for all stakeholders to align them on timelines, budgets, resources and objectives. Below is a list of those documents.

• Project Management Plan: A comprehensive document outlining how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled, covering scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk and communication.
• Scope Statement: Clearly defines the project boundaries, deliverables, constraints and assumptions to prevent scope creep.
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): A hierarchical breakdown of the project’s deliverables into smaller, manageable components for better tracking and assignment.
• Project Schedule: A detailed timeline, often using Gantt charts, that maps out tasks, dependencies and deadlines to ensure timely execution.
• Resource Management Plan: Identifies the necessary personnel, materials and equipment required for project success, ensuring efficient allocation.
• Risk Management Plan: Documents identified risks, their potential impact, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans to proactively address uncertainties.
• Budget and Cost Management Plan: Outlines cost estimates, funding requirements and financial controls to ensure the project stays within budget.
• Communication Plan: Establishes guidelines for information flow, reporting frequency and stakeholder engagement to maintain alignment and transparency.
• Procurement Plan: Defines processes for acquiring external resources, including vendor selection, contract management and procurement timelines.
• Change Management Plan: Provides a structured approach for handling modifications to project scope, schedule, or budget, ensuring controlled adjustments.

3. Project Execution Phase

Now, we get to putting the plan into action, which is called the project execution phase. This project management phase is where teams carry out tasks, produce deliverables and ensure the project progresses according to the established timeline, budget and scope. Effective coordination and communication are essential to keep everything on track.

The purpose of the project execution phase is to deliver the project’s outputs and meet the defined objectives. It involves managing people, resources and processes to ensure tasks are completed efficiently. This phase is also where project managers monitor progress, address issues and ensure quality standards are maintained. Successful execution results in tangible deliverables that fulfill the project’s goals and stakeholder expectations.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Execution Phase

As with all project phases, roles and responsibilities need to be defined. They are below.

• Project Manager: The project manager oversees daily operations, ensuring tasks are executed according to the plan. They manage team coordination, track progress, mitigate risks and communicate with stakeholders. They handle issues, ensure resource availability, maintain quality standards and make real-time adjustments to keep the project on schedule and within scope.
• Change Control Board: The change control board evaluates and approves or rejects proposed changes to the project scope, schedule, budget or resources. They ensure changes align with business objectives, assess risks and impacts and maintain project integrity. They review change requests, enforce decision-making protocols and prevent unnecessary scope creep.
• Stakeholders: Stakeholders provide feedback, monitor progress and ensure the project aligns with expectations. They review deliverables, address concerns and support necessary changes. Their role includes approving key decisions, ensuring business needs are met and engaging in regular status updates.
• Vendors and Contractors: Vendors and contractors provide specialized services, equipment or materials essential to project execution. They adhere to contractual agreements, deliver quality work on time and collaborate with the project team. Their responsibilities include meeting deadlines, ensuring compliance with requirements and addressing any logistical or technical issues that may arise.
• Project Team Members: Project team members execute assigned tasks, collaborate to meet project objectives and ensure deliverables meet quality standards. They report progress, address issues proactively and adhere to the project plan. Their role includes problem-solving, maintaining documentation and working closely with other team members to keep execution on track.
• Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures adherence to project governance, methodologies and best practices during project execution. They provide oversight, monitor project performance and assist with risk management. Their role includes supporting the project manager with reporting, quality assurance and ensuring the project remains aligned with organizational objectives and compliance standards.

Documentation of the Project Execution Phase

These are the common documents that will be generated during this project phase.

• Status Reports: Regular updates on project progress, including completed tasks, issues encountered and upcoming milestones, ensuring stakeholder transparency.
• Work Performance Reports: Summarize key performance indicators (KPIs), such as budget usage, schedule adherence and quality metrics, to assess project health.
• Change Requests: Formal documentation of proposed modifications to scope, schedule or resources, requiring approval before implementation.
• Issue Log: Tracks project issues, assigned responsibilities, resolutions and follow-up actions to prevent delays and disruptions.
• Risk Register: Continuously updated to reflect new risks, mitigation actions and the status of existing risk responses.
• Meeting Minutes: Records discussions, decisions and action items from project meetings, ensuring accountability and follow-through.
• Deliverables and Work Acceptance Forms: Document the submission and approval of completed work packages, confirming compliance with quality standards.
• Quality Assurance Reports: Capture quality control activities, inspections and corrective actions taken to ensure project deliverables meet expectations.
• Communication Logs: Maintain records of key project communications, including emails, stakeholder updates and team discussions.
• Procurement Documentation: Includes purchase orders, vendor contracts and supplier performance reviews to track procurement activities.

4. Project Monitoring and Control Phase

The project monitoring and control phase occurs concurrently with the execution phase, ensuring that the project stays on track and aligns with the established plan. During this phase, project managers track progress, measure performance and implement necessary adjustments to keep the project within scope, on schedule, and within budget.

This is done to identify and address any deviations from the project plan. By continuously monitoring KPIs and assessing progress, project managers can mitigate risks, manage resources effectively and ensure quality standards are upheld. This proactive oversight helps maintain alignment with project goals and stakeholder expectations.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Monitoring and Control Phase

Here are the various roles and their responsibilities for this project phase.

• Project Sponsor: During project monitoring and control, the project sponsor ensures the project remains aligned with strategic objectives by reviewing performance reports and addressing escalated risks or budget concerns. They approve corrective actions, ensure continued stakeholder confidence and provide guidance when deviations from scope, schedule, or costs require high-level decision-making.
• Project Manager: The project manager actively tracks project performance, analyzes key metrics and ensures adherence to scope, schedule and budget. They identify variances, implement corrective actions and manage risk responses. Their role includes leading status meetings, ensuring compliance with quality standards and continuously optimizing workflows to keep the project on course.
• Stakeholders: Stakeholders review project reports, assess deliverable quality and provide feedback to ensure project objectives are met. They participate in risk assessments, approve necessary changes and ensure alignment with business needs. Their role includes monitoring progress against KPIs and supporting mitigation strategies for emerging issues.
• Project Team Members: Project team members report on task progress, identify roadblocks and implement corrective actions when needed. They contribute to performance assessments, track deviations in execution and ensure compliance with defined quality standards. Their role includes documenting issues, adhering to change controls and supporting continuous monitoring to maintain project efficiency.
• Quality Assurance Team: The quality assurance team ensures deliverables meet predefined standards through inspections, audits and testing. They monitor compliance with quality requirements, track defects and recommend corrective actions. Their role includes implementing process improvements, verifying adherence to quality control procedures and ensuring the project meets regulatory and customer expectations.
• Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO enforces governance, oversees project reporting and ensures adherence to methodologies. They provide monitoring tools, conduct project health checks and track KPIs. Their role includes supporting risk management, facilitating audits, ensuring documentation accuracy and assisting in implementing corrective and preventive actions to maintain project control.

Documentation of the Project Monitoring and Control Phase

The following documents are produced during this project phase.

• Performance Reports: Summarize key metrics such as cost, schedule adherence, scope completion and risk status to track project health.
• Variance Analysis Reports: Compare actual project performance against planned targets, identifying deviations in budget, schedule and scope.
• Risk Register (Final Updates): Continuously updated to reflect new risks, mitigation actions taken and final risk outcomes.
• Issue Log (Final Updates): Documents how all open issues were resolved and ensures no unresolved problems remain.
• Change Log: Maintains a record of all approved changes, including their impact on project scope, schedule and costs.
• Quality Control Reports: Track testing, inspections and corrective actions to ensure deliverables meet required standards.
• Stakeholder Feedback Reports: Collect input from stakeholders to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.

5. Project Closure Phase

When the project is delivered, it’s not finished until the project closure phase is done. This project management phase marks the formal completion of the project. It’s when all project activities are finalized, deliverables are handed over and necessary documentation is completed. Additionally, the team reviews the project’s outcomes to assess its success and identify lessons learned.

This is done to ensure all project objectives have been met and that the project is concluded in an organized manner. It involves confirming that stakeholders are satisfied with the deliverables, releasing project resources and providing final reports. This phase also provides an opportunity to reflect on the project’s performance, documenting insights that can improve future projects.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Closure Phase

Even this last of the project phases has specific roles and responsibilities, which are as follows.

• Project Sponsor: During project closure, the project sponsor ensures final deliverables meet business objectives and formally approves project completion. They review performance evaluations, validate that all contractual obligations are met and oversee the transition of project outcomes into operations. Their role includes ensuring lessons learned are documented and closing financial commitments.
• Project Manager: The project manager leads the formal closure process by verifying deliverable acceptance, finalizing documentation and ensuring all objectives are met. They conduct post-project evaluations, oversee contract closure and facilitate lessons learned sessions. Their role includes archiving project records, releasing resources and ensuring all administrative and legal closure activities are completed.
• Stakeholders: Stakeholders review final project results, assess success criteria and provide feedback on project performance. They ensure deliverables align with expectations and support the transition of project outputs into operations. Their role includes participating in lessons learned discussions and signing off on project closure reports.
• Project Team Members: Project team members complete final deliverables, document outstanding issues and assist in knowledge transfer. They participate in project review meetings, provide feedback on processes and ensure all assigned work is finalized. Their role includes contributing to lessons learned, helping transition work to operational teams and closing any remaining tasks.
• Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures the project is closed in compliance with organizational policies. They oversee final documentation, facilitate closure audits and store project records for future reference. Their role includes standardizing lessons learned, ensuring project performance data is captured and verifying that governance procedures were followed throughout the project lifecycle.

Documentation of the Project Closure Phase

As with all project phases, this final one also has many documents created to fully close out the project. Here is a list of them.

• Final Project Report: Summarizes overall project performance, achievements, challenges and lessons learned.
• Lessons Learned Document: Captures insights on successes and failures to improve future project management practices.
• Final Work Acceptance Forms: Confirm that all deliverables have been completed and accepted by stakeholders or clients.
• Contract Closure Documents: Ensure all vendor contracts are fulfilled, payments settled and legal agreements closed.
• Financial Closure Report: Provides a final review of budget performance, cost overruns and remaining funds.
• Project Archive: Stores all key documents, including plans, reports and approvals, for future reference and audits.
• Team Release and Acknowledgment: Officially releases project team members from responsibilities and recognizes their contributions.

How to Use ProjectManager to Manage All Project Management Phases

Managing the project management phases can be done without project management software, but it’s not recommended. Even trying to organize a small project is dangerous when using digital tools, such as spreadsheets. While better than keeping all the information in one’s head, there are better ways to plan, manage and track projects.

Project management software is designed to deliver successful projects. Though not all of these products are equal. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software with multiple project views for all project stages, but also automated workflows, task approval settings, version control, global search, risk management and so much more.

Manage Resources and Stay Productive

Resource management touches all five project management phases. We’ve already shown how our Gantt chart can schedule human and nonhuman resources, but that’s just the start. When assigning human resources to tasks, project managers can set their availability, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, when onboarding. This streamlines the assignment process by having the right resource at the right time assigned to the right job.

To view resource allocation across a project or multiple projects, use the color-coded workload chart. It makes it easy to see who’s overallocated or underutilized, and managers can balance their workload from the chart. Use the team page to get a weekly or daily view of their activities, which can be filtered by progress or priority. Tasks can also be updated without leaving the page.

Track Progress and More With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports

While all project management phases are important, the monitoring and controlling project phase deserves special attention. Our software understands that and gives users a high-level overview of project KPIs whenever they want it, without time-consuming setup. Our real-time project or portfolio dashboards automatically collect live data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more.

Customizable reports go deeper into status, variance, timesheets, workload and more, and they can be filtered to focus on specific data points or shared with stakeholders who want to see a more general summary of progress. Even our secure timesheets help by monitoring labor costs to help stay on budget.

Related Project Management Content

There’s more to project management than project management phases. For those who want to continue their study of the subject, below are some recent blog posts we’ve published on tools, techniques, principles and more.

• Project Management Tools & Techniques for Project Managers
• Key Project Management Principles & How to Use Them
• Common Project Management Styles: Pros & Cons
• Best Project Management Certifications (2025)
• Project Management Process Groups: A Quick Guide
• Project Management Methodologies: An Overview

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens, just some of the companies that use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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What Is an Issue Log?

An issue log is a simple list or spreadsheet that helps managers track the issues that arise in a project and prioritize a response to them. We have created an Excel Issue Log template you can download for free. It’s an easy way for you to manage those issues that always disrupt a project and resolve them before they develop into a problem that takes the project plan off track and grounds it in failure.  

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Issue Tracking Template

Use this free Issue Tracking Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

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Why Is an Issue Log Important?

An issue log is a critical project management tool that provides a structured and systematic way to identify, track, manage and resolve problems that appear throughout a project. It offers a central repository for all identified problems, questions or concerns that could impact the project. Everyone on the team and relevant stakeholders can see this information, helping to improve visibility.

It also helps with proactive problem-solving. A formal issue-logging process can help identify and document potential problems before they escalate into major crises. As each issue is usually assigned to a person or team member, it’s clear who is accountable for taking action.

Issue logs also help establish a structured management process. It offers a consistent and standardized process for managing issues and ensuring all problems are handled in an organized manner. The team can then focus on addressing the most critical issues first.

An issue log template is great, but it’s not integrated with the rest of your project. ProjectManager has multiple project views that let teams use the tools they prefer to log issues. For example, teams can see their issue log of a task list and work their way through it. Managers can add priorities and even customize workflow and set up automated task approvals to make sure only they’re authorized to change the status to done. Get started with ProjectManager for free today!

Who Creates and Manages the Issue Log?

The project manager is usually responsible for creating and managing the issue log. They will set up the initial log, often on a spreadsheet, database or project management software. Then, they will define the fields to be tracked, such as the issue name, date reported, priority, status, assignee, etc.

This means the project manager is also responsible for logging issues, either documenting issues themselves or guiding team members on how to do so. They will track and monitor the log regularly to understand the current status of all issues.

Other roles, such as team members or senior leadership, may also be involved. This is especially the case when an issue escalates or requires strategic decision-making. Senior leadership, for example, can review escalated issues and choose to allocate additional resources as needed.

What Are the Components of an Issue Log?

An issue log is, at its most basic, a list where issues are collected as either ongoing or closed. This way you can track the issue from the time it’s identified until you have resolved it.

But an issue log can be more dynamic. They can order and organize issues by type and severity, which can help you prioritize and manage them—a key part of issue management. Therefore, you want to have column titles such as the following.

• Issue Number: If you want to track the issue, you should have an easy way to differentiate it from the others, because there’ll always be more than one.
• Status: It’s important to note whether the issue is open, in progress, blocked or done. This is where you’ll keep track of resolving it.
• Issue Description: Write down what the issue is, in detail. It might sound obvious, but you don’t want to have the same issue tracked repeated in your log, and you want the person who will resolve the issue able to clearly understand what has happened, so they don’t have to chase people up and delay the response.
• Category: You might want to categorize issues by department or vendor, or define the type of issue it is. These might vary depending on the project or team.
• Priority: You might not have time or resources to address every issue, so it’s crucial that you prioritize them. Are they low, medium or high priority? Now you can filter the log and work on those issues that are most important to the project.
• Assigned to: This is also of paramount importance. If the issue doesn’t have an owner, it’s likely never to get resolved. This is where you note the team member who is assigned to follow that issue to its resolution.
• Raised by: This is different from the assigned to owner, who will shepherd the issue through the project and work on resolving it. This person is the one who first identified it, and they should be noted here, as they might prove a resource later in terms of answering questions that work towards its resolution.
• Open Date: You want to have a time frame, and to do so you must have a beginning, which is the day the issue was identified.
• Closed Date: Now you have a firm timeline from start to finish, which can help when and if you go back to look at historic data when dealing with a similar issue in a later project.
• Comments: You always want space to jot down important information like how the issue was resolved, whether it was connected to another task, and the likelihood of recurrence, etc.

Issue Log Template

Our free issue log template helps you log issues as team members find them while working on the project. But more than just a list of issues, you can use this free issue tracking template for Excel to monitor progress as your team works to resolve the issue. Add the date opened and closed, priority, impact and more.

Issue Log Best Practices

When using an issue log there are a number of things you need to understand in order to get the most out of it. One is that you want to make sure you touch on all the components of an issue log. It might seem like a waste of time—you just want to get the issue fixed—but outlining what type of issue, describing it and so forth is all key to capturing and resolving the issue.

It’s also important to have a plan with milestones. Meet with the team member who owns the issue and together come up with a way to quickly eradicate the issue. By adding milestones to the plan, you have a simple and effective way to track their progress. If they’re not meeting those milestones then you might have to review the plan or add resources to keep it on track.

Related Issue Tracking Templates

If you’re not using project management software you can still log issues with our free templates. We have many project management templates for Excel and Word that help you manage every aspect of your project. Here are some that can help you create an issue log, track progress and report back to stakeholders to keep them updated.

Risk Register Template

This free risk register template helps you list down potential project risks before they turn into issues. By doing this you can be prepared to mitigate issues faster, which could help you reduce the impact that issues might cause in your project budget or schedule.

Project Dashboard Template

Our free project dashboard template for Excel furthers your ability to monitor and track the work being done by your team to get those issues resolved. While not able to monitor in real time as in project management software, you can still set up metrics to track your tasks, workload, task lengths and costs in colorful graphs.

Project Status Report Template

Another free template is ideal for stakeholder presentations as you update them on issues in the project. Our free project status report template for Excel is a snapshot of the project that is great for communicating where you’re at and where you’re going. You have places to put milestones you’ve met, list key risks and issues.

Using ProjectManager for Issue Management

Now that you know the basic framework for creating an issue log, how do you manage project issues? An issue log is a great tool to have in your project management toolbox. It can help you manage both your team and stakeholders.

That’s because an issue log delivers more than just a resolution of the issue, but creates trust and satisfies your stakeholders that you’re handling the project promptly and properly. Stakeholders and your team will feel they’re being heard and these issues won’t impact the project.

You’ve already created the issue log, which is great. It should, at best, be a collaborative document, or even better, integrated with ProjectManager, an online project management tool. If you can share it online, so everyone has access to it. You’ve streamlined the process and made sure that no issue gets lost.

Kanban Boards as Issue Logs

The next step is logging in an issue once it’s been identified. You can do this online, where the person who first notes the issue has the responsibility to put it in the log. ProjectManager has online kanban boards that can track the issue.

When it’s first identified, there can be a column that collects the issue. Then that card, which is the issue, can be assigned to a point person who is responsible. Now the team knows to go to them and they know it’s their responsibility to log the issues as they arise.

Follow the protocol of the issue log we outlined above. After assigning someone to take on that issue as their own, they are responsible for working on a resolution and tracking the progress of that action through the course of solving the issue.

This project tracking features are why ProjectManager is so much more than an issue log. Not only can it assign an owner, who can collect documents directly to that task, as well as comment and @ team members for collaboration, but it also offers transparency to monitor the issue log. The final responsibility for the resolution of these issues doesn’t sit on the shoulders of those who are assigned to own it but on your own.

Monitoring Issues

Part of the monitoring process is assessing the impact of the issue and the actions in place to resolve it. Maybe you need to put all your resources on this one issue, but maybe that level of attention and effort is counterproductive. So, you must know what issues need to be escalated and which don’t.

Along those lines, you want to ensure your actions are right for the issue at hand. Maybe this issue can wait. Maybe it needs immediate attention. That, of course, can change, which is why monitoring and continual assessment are important. You can see how the ProjectManager dashboard lets you monitor your tasks in one simple view, so you can ensure that your issues are being addressed.

While a team member might have ownership of the issue, once a course of action is developed to address it and, hopefully, resolve the issue, it’s now up to you to make final approval before implementing. Then you must make sure the plan is in fact effective and resolving the issue. If it’s not, then it’s back to the drawing board. Last but not least, the best part is when the issue has been resolved. Now you can strike the issue from your issue log. It feels good, doesn’t it?

ProjectManager is online project management software that can help you better manage the issues in your project. You’re online and connected to your team, getting real-time data, which keeps you more on top of the issue and better equipped to resolve it. Try it out for yourself and see what it can do for you and your teams, with this free 30-day trial.

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Naturally, scope management is an important area of project management and there’s a lot to learn about it. But before we jump into that, let’s start with the definition of project scope.

What Is Project Scope?

The project scope is the total amount of work that needs to be done to complete a project. To define it, project managers must break down the project into the tasks and deliverables that’ll be executed to meet goals and stakeholder requirements and deliver the project successfully.

Defining the project scope is an integral part of the project planning process because based on the scope, project managers will assemble their teams, estimate what project resources are needed and determine what the project plan, schedule and budget will be.

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Project Scope Template

Use this free Project Scope Template for Word to manage your projects better.

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Who Is Responsible for the Project Scope?

The project manager has the main responsibility for defining, managing and controlling the project scope. While defining the scope, they often work with key stakeholders and the project team who provide input on what the project will and won’t include. The project manager will also manage the scope throughout the project lifecycle and inform stakeholders of any updates.

The project sponsor initiates the project and provides high-level requirements and business needs that drive the project scope. They also formally approve the project scope statement or major changes. Also involved at a higher, more strategic level than the project manager may be portfolio managers or PMOs, as they work to ensure that all projects and programs within the portfolio align with the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.

The project team or subject matter experts may contribute to defining the scope by offering insights into the tasks, resources and deliverables needed for their areas of work.

What Is Project Scope Management?

Project scope management is the process of tracking the scope of a project once it starts to ensure it doesn’t grow beyond control. It’s important that no extra work or extra costs are added to the project scope without the supervision of a project manager; if the scope of a project changes during the project execution phase, the project plan, schedule and budget that were initially defined won’t match the scope, causing project delays and overspending. This is known as scope creep and might cause projects to fail.

However, the scope of a project can safely expand when stakeholders or project team members use a formal change request which is agreed upon by both parties. This allows project managers to ask for more time and resources and adjust the project schedule and budget accordingly.

To control project scope, project managers create two main project scope management documents: a scope statement and a scope management plan. These documents define the scope during the planning phase and establish the rules and guidelines for tracking it. We’ll explore these documents in more depth in the section below.

But before doing so, let’s hear some expert advice. In the video below, Jennifer Bridges, professional project manager (PMP) explains what the scope of a project is and why it is so important to control it.

Now that we’ve defined what project scope management is, let’s focus on each of the scope management steps to better understand this process.

Project Scope Management Steps

Managing scope means from the start that you and the stakeholders have a clear line of communication. You must know their vision to know what they’re expecting in a project. That way, when change happens you can direct it to meet the project’s goals while keeping the project on track. But that’s just the beginning.

To manage the scope of the project, you have to do five things:

1. Define the Project Scope

Defining the scope of a project consists of identifying the work that’ll be performed. To do so, you must first outline the main goals and objectives of the project and think about the activities required to achieve them. Then, once you have an idea of what your project should accomplish, you can use a work breakdown structure to break down the project into a set of tasks. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a planning tool that helps project managers visualize the tasks required to complete a project, prioritize them and identify deliverables and dependencies.

Once the scope of a project has been determined, it needs to be managed through a process known as project scope management. Project management software helps you manage scope. ProjectManager, award-winning project management software that has robust Gantt charts, helps you to create a project plan, where all of your scoped tasks are scheduled with assignees and deadlines. Plus, our Gantt charts feature progress bars that update in real time as team members complete their tasks, so you have utmost transparency. You can also set a baseline to track your planned effort against your actual effort in real time to avoid scope creep. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Once you’ve defined the project tasks that’ll be executed, you should consider what won’t be included in your project scope, which is known as project exclusions. Determining that is just as important as defining the scope. That will help you avoid any misunderstandings with project stakeholders when submitting a project proposal. It’s also important to note any important constraints such as costs that might affect the project scope.

Related: Project Proposal Template

2. Write a Project Scope Statement

Once you’ve defined your project scope, you can write a project scope statement, also known as a project scope document, which describes the following elements:

• Project goals & objectives: The project requirements or acceptance criteria.
• Project deliverables: The outcomes of project tasks.
• Project exclusions & constraints: As a project manager you need to explain what can’t be done and why.
• Project assumptions: Some initial assumptions that the project management team has before executing the work.
• Project milestones: These mark important moments in your project life cycle, such as the end of a phase.
• Scope baseline: Your original scope as you planned it. The scope baseline allows you to compare actual results against what it’s in your scope statement.

The scope statement is also a guideline for the project manager. It helps them make decisions about change requests throughout the project life cycle. Change is an inevitable part of any project, no matter how thorough your project plan is, so you want to include the likelihood of change in your scope statement to better manage it later.

3. Create a Scope Management Plan

The scope management plan is a document that describes the guidelines and procedures on how the scope will be defined, tracked and adjusted. The scope management plan is an important component of the overall project plan. While there’s not a one-size-fits-all method to create a scope management plan, it should:

• Include the scope statement
• Show the work breakdown structure that was used to define the project scope
• Describe the scope baseline
• Explain who are the team members and what their roles and responsibilities are
• Establish acceptance criteria for project deliverables
• Describe what are the major milestones and project phases
• Explain what change control procedures will be used to change the project scope

4. Define a Scope Baseline to Control the Scope

A scope baseline describes the project scope that was approved by both the project stakeholders and the project management team. It’s used during the project execution phase to ensure the project scope is executed as planned.

5. Monitor and Control your Project Scope During the Project Life Cycle

Besides creating project documents, most project managers use project management software tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards and project dashboards to keep track of their project scope. For example, ProjectManager’s Gantt charts allow you to create a visual project schedule where you can add tasks, link their dependencies and set due dates.

Then, ProjectManager’s real-time project dashboard lets you monitor the status of your project and check whether tasks have been completed on time and under budget. We even have portfolio dashboards that allow you to track data across all of your projects.

Project Scope Template

Defining the scope of a project can be challenging for both new and experienced project managers alike. For this reason, we’ve created a free project scope template for Word to facilitate this process. Download it for free now to get started quickly.

Why Is Project Scope Important?

Scope management is one of the most critical areas of project management because managing the project scope also helps manage its schedule and budget. That’s because scope management consists in achieving the goals of the project within the timeline and costs approved by the stakeholders. An effective scope management process can help project managers achieve the following goals.

• Creating realistic project plans
• Avoid issues like cost overrun and scope creep
• Set clear expectations for project stakeholders
• Hire team members with the right skills and qualifications for the project
• Meet project deadlines
• Produce high-quality deliverables
• Establish change management procedures

How to Prevent Scope Creep in Project Management

Scope creep can happen in any project, resulting in delays, budget overruns and even decreased team morale. Here are five ways to avoid it.

Define and Document the Project Scope from the Beginning

Establishing project boundaries from the beginning can go a long way in managing expectations early. Define what is included and excluded during the planning process and document any assumptions made during planning. Visual representations of the project scope are helpful as well, including a work breakdown structure (WBS) to ensure everyone has a shared understanding.

Establish a Formal Change Control Process

Outline the steps for requesting, evaluating and approving changes to the project scope. All formal requests should be submitted in writing and there should be an impact analysis of the proposed change on the budget, resources, schedule and overall project objectives. Consistently adhere to this process and don’t make any exceptions.

Maintain Consistent, Proactive Communication with Stakeholders

Stakeholders should be informed about project progress and any scope-related discussions. Be proactive in communicating and addressing misunderstandings as quickly as possible. If stakeholders have feedback or concerns, pay attention to what they have to say. However, always refer back to the documented scope.

Implement Scope Verification and Validation

Conduct periodic reviews of project deliverables with stakeholders to ensure they approve of the defined scope and acceptance criteria. If needed, get formal sign-off on key deliverables and project phases to ensure the work meets the agreed-upon requirements. This way, stakeholders can’t later request additional features or changes.

Foster a Culture of Scope Awareness within the Project Team

The team should be aware of the project scope and how their responsibilities contribute to it. Do they fully understand how important it is to adhere to the project scope? If they notice any requests or tasks that seem to fall outside the scope, encourage them to flag them. Should there be any perceived scope changes, the team should understand and follow the established change control process.

Project Scope Management Tips

Here are some of the best project scope management tips for project managers.

Start by Defining Project Goals & Objectives

Project goals and project objectives aren’t the same things. Goals are higher-level than objectives, which are more specific. They must be set before you can define the scope.

Collect Project Requirements

Stakeholders have quality, financial, and other types of project requirements. Those requirements will help you define what can and can’t be included in your scope.

Make a Resource Management Plan

Based on your project scope, you should create a resource management plan which will guide how resources will be acquired, allocated and leveled throughout the project. This includes team members, equipment and materials. Estimate the costs related to these project resources and add them to your project budget. This is key to ensuring the execution of your project scope goes as planned.

Establish a Change Control Process

The project scope can be negatively impacted when changes such as new project requirements go unnoticed. That’s because they create extra work which isn’t accounted for. To avoid that, you need to change control procedures such as change requests so that the project team can adjust the scope management plan.

How to Manage Project Scope With ProjectManager

ProjectManager has a bevy of tools to help managers track their project scope. Our online software gives you real-time data to make more insightful decisions and fosters collaboration by allowing teams to share files, comment and much more.

Task Management Features for Doing the Work

ProjectManager comes with different views for working on tasks: Gantt charts, kanban boards and task lists. All three views can be used to work on the same project, which means team members can work on the project tasks in their own way. This flexibility improves productivity across the team, making sure that you avoid the dreaded scope creep.

Project Dashboards for Better Tracking

Dashboards are your best friend when you’re trying to spot scope creep. Our real-time project dashboard gives you a live look at critical metrics across your project. This live data lets you spot bottlenecks and issues faster than you would have thought possible. Plus, it’s all displayed in simple graphs that can easily be shared with stakeholders or team members.

Related Content

There’s a lot to learn in project management before you can plan, schedule, execute and deliver projects successfully. For this reason, we’ve created dozens of blogs, templates, ebooks and videos on the most important topics in project management. Here are some of them.

• 20+ Project Management Tools & Techniques
• Best Project Management Certifications
• Project Management Basics: Definitions, Methods and Tools
• 100+ Project Management Terms: PM Terminology
• PMBOK: The Project Management Body of Knowledge Explained
• Top 15 Project Management Methodologies: An Overview
• Best Project Management Charts for Project Planning
• ¿Qué es la Metodología de un Proyecto? 15 Tipos de Metodologías

The best way to manage the scope of a project is to have an online project management tool that gives you real-time data so you can act when issues arise and before they become problems. ProjectManager is online, so when your team updates their status, from wherever they are and at whatever time, that information is immediately updated and you can monitor the progress of your project more accurately. See for yourself by taking this free 30-day trial. 

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This guide defines what project documentation is and why it’s important in addition to outlining the top 15 project documents that you should always create to plan and execute your projects.

What Is Project Documentation?

The term project documentation refers to the project management documents that are created throughout the project life cycle. These documents, such as the project plan, project schedule or project budget, define activities, procedures and guidelines that the project team should follow.

Project documentation has several purposes such as project planning, cost management or risk management. In addition, there are certain project documents that must be created at a specific project phase as they set the stage for the next step. For example, the project management plan must be created before the project execution phase can begin.

Project management software can help you organize and share information that is crucial to the success of your project. ProjectManager is project management software with advanced planning, tracking and reporting that has unlimited file storage and makes it easy to share product documentation with your team and stakeholders. All of its multiple project views share one source of information to keep everyone on the same page. Get started for free.

Let’s take a look at which project documents should be created at each project management phase.

Project Documentation by Project Phase

Projects vary in size and complexity and some require more comprehensive project documentation than others. Here’s an overview of some of the project documents that are usually created throughout the project life cycle.

• Project Initiation: Project charter, project summary, business case, project kickoff meeting agenda
• Project Planning: Project management plan, work breakdown structure, project budget, project schedule, change management plan, scope management plan, risk management plan
• Project Execution: Project status report, project execution plan lessons learned template, timesheets, change requests, change orders
• Project Monitoring and Control: Project status report, lessons learned template, timesheets
• Project Closure: Project closure template, punch list

Now that you have an idea of the right project documentation for each phase of your project life cycle, let’s dive into some critical project management documents.

Top 20 Project Documents to Include in Your Project Documentation

Here’s a brief description of the important project documents and a corresponding project management template for each of them. Don’t forget to check our library of free project management templates where you’ll find dozens of templates to build your project documentation.

1. Project Plan

The project plan is the most comprehensive of all project management documents because it compiles the project documents that are created during the project planning phase. For example, your project plan should include your project budget and your project schedule.

2. Project Charter

The project charter is written during the project initiation phase and it sets the stage for the project plan. Project managers use project charters to provide a quick overview of the project to stakeholders, sponsors and clients.

3. Business Case

Just like the project charter, a business case is a document that’s created during the initiation phase to convince project stakeholders of the project’s value by explaining the potential benefits it could have for their organization.

4. Project Schedule

At a basic level, the project schedule defines the timeline for the execution of all project tasks. It can also include more details such as the resources needed for each task, who’s responsible for it, the float or slack your project has and the critical path. ProjectManager’s Gantt chart is the perfect tool for creating a detailed project schedule.

ProjectManager offers four kinds of dependencies, baseline tracking and real-time resource availability when assigning work. You can break down you project into subtasks and track costs for each phase to ensure you stay on track. Get started with ProjectManager for free and build a better project schedule.

5. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a fundamental example of project documentation. It breaks down the project’s scope into smaller, more manageable components. At the top is the overall project goal that is progressively broken down into smaller pieces. This tool helps organize complex projects and ensures they stay on track.

6. RACI Chart

RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. A RACI chart, also known as a RACI matrix, helps define roles and responsibilities for different tasks and deliverables within a project or process. It aims to eliminate confusion about who is responsible for what and improve communication. This is a valuable tool for projects of all sizes, especially those with multiple stakeholders and complex workflows.

7. Risk Register

This document allows you to register all potential project risks and includes a brief description of their potential impact and likelihood. A risk register is an important project document as it provides important information for your risk management plan that contains all risk management documents, strategies and guidelines.

8. Scope Statement

A scope statement defines the activities that will be executed to complete a project. It’s used by project managers to let stakeholders know what will be done and what won’t be done so that expectations are clear from the beginning. It’s part of the scope management plan, a comprehensive document that explains the procedures and guidelines related to the project scope.

9. Project Budget

The project budget is a critical project management document. To create one, you’ll need to estimate your project costs, which include labor, materials, equipment and anything that’s needed to execute the project.

10. Project Communication Plan

A communication plan sets all the guidelines for communication among team members and project stakeholders. It defines the communication channels to be used, the communication schedule and roles and responsibilities among other details to streamline the communication process throughout the project life cycle.

11. Project Status Report

Project status reports are a must-have project management tool because they allow you to check the health of your project at any point in time and share data with stakeholders to keep them updated. Status reports are brief and include the most relevant information only.

12. Project Closure Template

It’s always necessary to create project documentation at the end of the project closure phase. That’s because project managers need to close contracts, create a “lessons learned” document and get formal approval from stakeholders among other important tasks. All of this must be documented so that nothing falls through the cracks.

13. Project Proposal Template

A project proposal is a project management document that provides a quick overview of the key areas of a project. Its main purpose is to convince potential stakeholders of the value of the project during the initiation phase. It should be a persuasive document that highlights the main benefits, goals and requirements.

14. Issue Log Document

An issue log is an example of project documentation that helps manage problems or obstacles that come up during a project. It’s a list or spreadsheet that’s used to document, monitor and resolve issues that could potentially impact the project’s schedule, budget, scope or quality. An issue log helps establish responsibility for resolving issues and creates a historical record for future reference.

15. Change Request Form

A change request form is a standardized project document that formally proposes, evaluates and approves alterations to a project’s original plan. It helps manage modifications to scope, budget, schedule or other project aspects in a controlled manner. This form helps mitigate the negative impact of uncontrolled changes and keeps the project on track with its overall goals.

16. Project Brief Template

A project brief is a summarized version of your project plan, geared towards an audience such as cross-functional teams or stakeholders who don’t need to dive into all the details of a project management plan but still need to have an understanding of the project goals, budget, roles & responsibilities among other key aspects.

17. Requirements Gathering Template

Project requirements are the goals and specifications that are expected from a project to make sure all stakeholders are satisfied. Our free requirements gathering template will help you document all your project requirements.

18. Project Overview Template

A project overview is a 1-page document that outlines the most critical aspects of a project such as its timeline, milestones, budget, status and the team members’ roles & responsibilities.

19. Team Charter Template

A team charter is a project management document that shows the roles, responsibilities, deliverables and resources of a project team. It helps project managers understand the workload and objectives of each team member for better resource planning.

20. Stakeholder Analysis Template

Stakeholder analysis helps identify individuals with a vested interest in a project. A stakeholder analysis template is the ideal type of project documentation to use before the project’s execution phase. It analyzes the stakeholders who can be impacted by a project, decision or initiative. Use this template to better understand stakeholder needs, expectations and influence to develop effective communication and engagement strategies.

What’s Worth Documenting for a Project

No matter your organization’s structure, the ability to record and document all aspects of a project is vital to being a successful project manager. Multiple reports, charts, graphs, documents, change requests and status updates need to be maintained throughout the project life cycle, and documentation works to stitch the disparate pieces of a project together and bring it to a successful finish.

However, your time is limited, and so is patience in most organizations for tedious paperwork. How can you maintain efficiency and effectively document the project? Consider the following to determine what’s worth documenting:

• Client-Related Everything – Imagine that a client suddenly questions a decision that was made months ago. The client says that they chose one direction but your company decided to go down another path during implementation. Clear documentation on client meetings, including notes with dates, times and attendees helps resolve misunderstandings.
• Legal Dictates – For certain projects, legal teams are required to review documentation during the project. For public projects, there might be oversight and review processes that analyze a project after its completion. Know the documentation requirements your legal team needs before your project begins. Playing catch-up is risky in this kind of environment.
• The Right Amount of Process – While you don’t want to get lost in documenting so much of the plan and process that you’re not actually processing, you do want some definition around the project plan and goals. Let your organizational structure guide how many processes to document. For example, trying to operate process-free on a project that requires legal documentation will only get your project in trouble. When in doubt, the best approach is to document.
• Changes to the Project – Ongoing project reports are essential to document, especially as project goals shift. Ideally, you’ll have a real-time online project management tool so your resources and task changes are scheduled live and issues are captured as they occur. However, larger impacts to the project plan should be added to project documentation in a version-controlled manner.

Project Documentation Best Practices

So what are the best strategies you should use to keep your documentation effective, efficient and timely? To align your documentation according to best practices you should:

• Take the Time – Use your calendar! Many people think that calendars are only for scheduling meetings. It’s not. Use it to schedule 2-3 hour blocks of uninterrupted time to assemble an essential document. Instead of taking calls or conversing with a coworker, take the time to get in the zone of writing. With focused time and attention, you’ll be able to make significant progress. Likewise, schedule 10-15 minute blocks in your calendar each week to review and update documentation.
• Have the Right Level of Detail – Putting documentation together for engineers is different from documents you present to executives. Engineers need details you can provide while executives don’t have time to be bogged down with details. They just want bullet points, the bottom line and the next steps. It’s up to you to determine the right level of documentation for the right audience.
• Use Smart Storage – Your documentation needs to be easy to locate. Documentation is useless if it’s buried under a rock where nobody can find it. This includes making sure that the infrastructure is in place to access the documentation online and that the folder structure and hierarchy are easy and intuitive to understand.
• Share with Others – Most people hate putting documentation together but love it when it’s packaged up for them. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that people actually read the documentation! Use your online project management software to store your documents online with the project, ideally in a collaborative, secure environment.
• Version Control and Up-to-Date – Keeping project documentation current and updated is challenging. It’s easy to get to the point of the initial version, but it’s painful to go back and update documentation and maintain version control. The biggest help is the document repository infrastructure you have in place. Automatic version control allows you to manage this process and the consumers of your documentation always trust that they have the latest version.

How ProjectManager Helps With Project Documentation

ProjectManager is work and project software that connects hybrid teams and fosters collaboration. All project documents can be stored on the tool and everyone who needs access to documents will have it. You can create project plans and so much more, making ProjectManager the only software you need for project success.

Make Project Plans on Interactive Gantt Charts

One of the most important project documents is your project plan. You can make and share this with our Gantt chart, which organizes all your tasks, links dependencies and plots milestones to help you stay on schedule. It even filters for the critical path. Our online Gantt charts deliver real-time data and are easy to share so everyone is always working from the most current data.

Monitor Your Project With Real-Time Dashboards

Your project documentation only sets the stage for the execution of your project. To keep to those plans, you need to have a way to monitor progress and performance in real time. Our live dashboard automatically collects, calculates and delivers real-time metrics for time, workload and more. Unlike other tools, there’s no setup necessary. You see what’s happening as the project unfolds.

Go Deeper Into the Data With One-Click Reporting

When a high-level view isn’t enough, you can generate project reports with a keystroke. Get more information on your costs, progress and more. All reports can be filtered to show only the data you want to see. You can attach reports to stakeholder emails or print them out for presentations.

ProjectManager is a flexible tool that allows you to update your project documentation as needed as projects change. Everyone is updated with email notifications or in-app alerts so there’s never any confusion about what’s expected. Use a tool that manages your project plan, resources, cost and team while storing all the project documentation you have to deliver success.

Related Content

• How to Write a Project Summary (Free Template Included)
• How to Write a Project Description: A Quick Guide
• How to Write an Executive Summary: A Quick Guide
• Ultimate Guide to Gantt Charts
• Ultimate Guide to Project Tracking
• How to Use a Project Decision Log for Optimal Results

Sure, documentation can be the bane of your project, but you need it. There are tools that can help you do it easier, better and faster. The online software suite from ProjectManager is a great collaborative tool to create and store your project documentation for easier access and document sharing with your team. Get started for free.

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