This means issuing a new, updated baseline to measure against. Then, create the new one as a new plan, so you do not lose that historical data. A project baseline is a key tool for a successful project outcome. It helps you oversee the entire project, monitor performance , spot potential problems, and easily identify areas for change. The lack of a clear project baseline can lead to scope creep , cost overruns, and even project failure. A good software system will enable you to effectively plan your project and create a project baseline that provides visibility to every team member.
All stakeholders must understand and support the project baseline so that everyone is aligned on OKRs. There are at least six possible problems that may occur when a strong project baseline is absent:. Guide overview 1. Project Management Basics 2. Project Management Methodologies 3. Project Lifecycle 4. Project Management Software 5. Team Collaboration Tips 6. Agile Methodology Basics 7. Popular Agile PM Frameworks 9. Resources The baseline for a project consists of the scope baseline , the cost baseline , and the schedule baseline.
During the planning phase of a project, project managers must take care to describe the work and resources that will be required to deliver the project and achieve the project goals. The result of the planning phase is a baseline that includes your objectives, the project scope, the resources needed to complete the project, the details about the cost involved, and the project schedule.
To understand how baselines work and why they are important for any project, we'll consider the following scenario. We have been assigned a new project to set up a training classroom with 50 computers, including all installed software. It was agreed that the project manager would meet with the stakeholder once a week to update the project's progress. At the week 3 meeting, you communicate to the stakeholder the computer shipments are delayed by 1-week.
In addition, the building rules will not allow any construction until after PM. As a result of these conditions, it looks like the project may extend over the 3-month timeline and the workers will have to perform work on overtime, which will increase the budget.
Below is a quick overview of the project parameters:. Scope : Setting up the new classroom with 50 computers including all installed software. To all summary tasks Select this check box if you want updated baseline data for the selected tasks to be rolled up to the corresponding summary tasks. Otherwise, baseline data for summary tasks may not accurately reflect subtask baseline data.
From subtasks into selected summary task s Select this check box if you want baseline data for selected summary tasks to be updated to reflect both deletions of subtasks and added tasks for which you previously saved baseline values.
Note: If you selected both subtasks and their summary tasks, select both check boxes. In the Copy box, click the start and finish or baseline values that you want to save. The current start and finish, and baseline values are not numbered. In the Into box, click the name of the interim plan into which you want to copy the values. Interim plans are stored in the start and finish fields. Note: If you select one baseline in the Copy box and another baseline in the Into box, you will save a baseline, rather than an interim plan.
All baseline data will be copied. If you select a baseline in the Copy box, and a start and finish interim plan in the Into box, only the start date and finish date from the baseline will be copied to the interim plan. Click Entire project or Selected tasks to save the portion of the schedule that you want.
If changes to your initial plan occur after you set a baseline or an interim plan, you can update the saved data. Tip: If changes to your plan occur while your project is underway, you may find it helpful to save a second set of baseline or interim data, rather than updating your existing saved data.
In the Task Name field, select the tasks, including subtasks and summary tasks, that have baseline or interim data that you want to update. If you are updating baseline or interim data for the entire project, skip this step. If you are updating a baseline, click Set baseline , and then select the baseline that you want to update.
If you are updating an interim plan, click Set interim plan. In the Copy list, select the data that you are copying. In the Into list, click the interim plan that you want to update. To update the baseline or interim data for the entire project, click Entire Project.
To update the baseline or interim data for only the tasks that you selected in the Gantt Chart view, click Selected tasks. Under Roll up baselines , select how you want the updated baseline data to be rolled up:. From subtasks into selected summary task s Select this check box if you want baseline data for selected summary tasks to be updated to reflect both the deletions of subtasks and added tasks for which you previously saved baseline values.
After you set baseline or interim data, you can compare it with the scheduled and actual data to see how your project is tracking against your initial goals. After you set a baseline for the entire project, you can view the baseline data side-by-side with the current planned data, the actual data, and the variance.
On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Project Information. To view variance information in a sheet view, click the View tab. In the Data group, click Tables , and then Variance. To view variance information graphically, click the View tab. The Variance table shows start and finish dates for both scheduled information and baseline information, making it possible to evaluate your prediction of how the project would progress baseline by comparing that prediction with how the project is in fact progressing actual.
If the variance in your project doesn't show the values that you expect, there are several possible explanations:. The Account Manager sells a boat, the Project Manager plans to build a bridge across the river. Communications like this cause otherwise profitable projects finish up on the rocks. If you're on the go, download it here:.
What is a project baseline? By definition , a baseline in project management is a plainly outlined starting point for your project plan. In other words, a baseline is the initial plan you define together with stakeholders, bringing to light the project expectations and deliverables. Baselining is extremely beneficial in cases when you know requirements will change before the ink is dry on your statement of work.
When used for project monitoring and control, it will reveal how change affects key project metrics and if the project budget and scope should be re-negotiated. In addition, a project baseline plan always makes change control more efficient, as it helps project managers get their point across in numbers, when changes come in. A project baseline plan helps project managers set a perimeter and guardrails nobody can cross without discussing it in the first place and illustrates if change is feasible.
In addition, a solid initial plan is one way you can highlight disconnects and inconsistencies between the sales and project teams early on. Read on about the five reasons why you need a baseline here.
To evaluate different aspects of the project, three types of baselines in project management are recognized - scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost baseline. The scope baseline is your approved scope statement. Scope baseline is used as a basis for comparison between the initially approved project deliverables and the actual project performance.
As simple as that, the schedule baseline is the approved project schedule. Schedule baselines are then used to calculate the variance between planned and actuals. For example, if a milestone was planned for 2 weeks, but it took 3 weeks to complete during execution, there is a 1 week variance, eventually meaning 1 week delay in the project schedule.
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