Actual exceeds plan
Check hidden scope, interruption, quality work, access delays, dependencies, and estimation assumptions.
Planned versus actual guide
A practical guide to planned versus actual project tracking.
Compare estimates and recorded delivery evidence in a way that improves forecasts without turning variance into individual surveillance.
Preserve what was approved and what changed.
Keep the original estimate, approved revisions, current remaining estimate, planned period, and scope basis. A single overwritten number cannot explain how understanding changed.
- ✓Choose the project, milestone, work type, role, and period being compared.
- ✓Use the same units on both sides.
- ✓Define which time records are complete and approved.
- ✓Keep scope and date changes visible.
Look for causes that change a future decision.
Actual is below plan
Check removed scope, incomplete time records, reuse, automation, or conservative estimation.
No actual evidence
Confirm whether work has started, records are late, or the plan moved to another period.
A variance matters when it changes the forecast.
- ✓Revise remaining effort where evidence supports it.
- ✓Update delivery dates and resource demand.
- ✓Refresh budget and margin forecasts.
- ✓Record the explanation and accountable owner.
- ✓Use repeatable patterns to improve similar estimates.
Review teams and work systems before judging individuals.
Raw time variance does not capture scope, complexity, assistance, quality, interruption, or record completeness. Use it to prompt a contextual delivery review.