When to Change the Project Baseline Schedule

In construction project management, the schedule is the support system for successful project execution. Among the many types of a project schedule, the Baseline Schedule holds an essential role. However, as projects progress, deviations from the baseline often occur due to unforeseen delays, resource constraints, or external factors. When the baseline and actual performance variance becomes significant or more than the agreed-upon variance, it is critical to submit a Recovery Schedule. Additionally, changes in project scope, whether an increase or a decrease demand the submission of a Revised Schedule.

In this article, we explore the importance of submitting and managing these schedules baseline, recovery, and revised highlighting how they contribute to maintaining control, ensuring transparency, and driving project success in lively environments.

When to change the baseline schedule

We start our planning journey after the project is awarded with a Baseline schedule. The baseline schedule goes back and forth between the engineer (Consultant) and the contractor until it reaches the final phase, which is accepting the baseline schedule. A major condition in the baseline schedule is that it includes No Updates and No Actuals. After finishing creating the project baseline schedule you should check the project Schedule log in Primavera P6. And find that the in-progress and completed (actuals) equal zero.

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If we submit a baseline schedule that includes actuals, we will face problems later when we start updating because the duration logic will be inaccurate, leading to inaccurate percentages in the schedule.

In case you have an activity that you will be updating using the duration % complete type. If the original duration is only 10 days but it includes actuals of 50 days, primavera will calculate the remaining works to be 5 days which is no longer logical. And we can see that the at complete equals 88 days while 50+5 equals 55 days. If we took those durations and percentages and used them in a new baseline it will provide false updates.

If we submitted the baseline schedule with no actuals, the durations, and percentages would follow a logical path to provide accurate data.

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Note:

This article assumes that you will submit the recovery and revised baseline schedules with the actuals after breaking the in-progress activities and fixing the out-of-sequence to avoid illogical work. You can check how to fix the out-of-sequence activities here.

The next phase after submitting a baseline schedule, is the monitoring and updating to track the project and whether it is on, behind, or ahead of schedule. You can read more about monitoring the project here. If the difference (variance) between the planned and the actual is higher than the percentage agreed upon at the start of the project, the contractor shall submit a Recovery Baseline Schedule. The contractor submits the Recovery Baseline Schedule if the delays are from his side. Delays from the client side often lead to claims and extension of time and this is not the case in this article.

Scope changes are common during the execution phase of a project, with adjustments that may increase or decrease the original scope. To address these changes effectively, the submitted schedule must reflect the updated scope. In such cases, the contractor is required to submit a Revised Baseline Schedule to ensure the plan remains accurate and aligned with the project’s new requirements.

What is the difference between Recovery and Revised

Since we covered when to submit a recovery and when to submit a revised, let us explain what the difference between them is.

Recovery

The recovery respects the finish date, we do not change the finish date. The finish date remains the same we only decrease the variance between the actuals and the planned.

Revised

The revised change the finish date, whether we extend the finish date or decrease the project duration, the change is based on what happened with the scope. In some cases, the changes may not affect the finish date but there is a change in the scope.

How to differentiate between Baseline, Recovery, and Revised.

1- If you received a baseline schedule that does not contain completed or in-progress activities (Actuals), then this is a baseline schedule.

2- If you received a baseline schedule that includes completed/ in progress activities (actuals) and there is a variance between planned and actual (in other words: the planned and the actual dates do not equal each other on the Gantt chart.), then this is a normal updated schedule, this can be submitted daily/weekly/biweekly or even monthly. The duration of submission depends on the contract and the agreement between the parties.

3- If you received a baseline schedule that includes completed/in-progress activities (actuals) and the variance is small nearly a zero (the planned and the actual dates do equal each other on the Gantt chart), this might be a recovery or a revised schedule. How to differentiate? Did the scope change? Then it is a Revised Baseline Schedule. If it is the same scope, then it is a Recovery Baseline Schedule. As explained previously in this article we can also check the finish date. Return to the original schedule or the contract if the finish date is stated. If the finish date has been changed, then this is a Revised Baseline Schedule.

Conclusion

Both schedules are more than just adjustments to the plan, they are important tools for maintaining, controlling, and ensuring the project’s success. By applying these tools effectively, project managers can navigate uncertainties, uphold accountability, and deliver value to all stakeholders, even in the face of change. You can learn more about planning and scheduling from our free Construction Project Management Fundamentals Course. And how to create schedules from our Construction Project Planning Intermediate Level with P6.

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