Create a new project to form the basis of the project schedule. In the Work Plan, build out the work breakdown structure (WBS) by adding work items such as sub-projects, milestones, tasks, and sub-tasks. As part of this step, you can define the project start and end date, duration, and dependencies.

The project schedule consists of any elements in the WBS that exist below the project level in the hierarchy, such as projects, milestones, and tasks, as well as effort, dates, and durations. The WBS can be displayed as a grid or as an Interactive Gantt view; this view also provides alternative project schedule views in the Gantt settings, such as critical path, baseline, or baseline vs. actuals.

For more information:

• Create a New Project Using a Template
• Work Items Overview
• Use the Relations Panel
• Project Management 101—Part 1: Building Projects and Templates

Determine the dates and durations of work items and establish logical relationships between work items in the project schedule you defined in the previous step, such as establishing a successor or using Shortcuts to add inter-project dependencies to the plan.

As a best practice, update the Work (effort) or Duration column in the Work Plan for each work item, and have the system automatically calculate the work item start and due dates.

For more information:

• Best Practices for Inter-Project Dependencies

Estimate the effort required to deliver the work at the project-level or for individual work items; define resource effort in the Work (effort) column using the Work Plan grid view. Use the Work Plan Resource Planning view to check resource availability and assign resources to projects.

For more information:

• Plan Resources at the Project Level
• Project Management 101—Part 2: Planning, Staffing and Activation

Create a Work Plan baseline to capture a snapshot of the project's schedule as it proceeds into execution.

This schedule baseline provides a record of the planned work tasks, milestones, dates, and durations to be monitored and compared to actual progress.

To view baseline values and variances, add them to Work Plan columns, or search for them in the project Property Card.  Baseline variances can also be viewed on the resource level in the Resource Planning view in the Work Plan.

View resource availability and assign resources to work items using the Work Plan Related Panel, or the Resource Planning View, where project managers can detail out resource assignments by day, week, or month. If multiple resources are assigned to a work item, by default effort is spread equally across the resources, but can be adjusted on an individual basis.

Note: the project work load is automatically assigned to the project manager until it is assigned to a resource.

Risks identify and track things that may happen, including their impact and likelihood, and require a response or mitigation plan to address them.

Create standalone risk case types in the Risks module. Add details to the Risk Properties card to describe and categorize the risks (e.g. risk rating), then associate the risks to one or more work items in the Add Related Panel. 

For more information:

• Project Management 101—Part 4: Basic Case Management
• Case management tutorial

Issues identify and track things that are happening now that require an owner to take action.

In the Issues module, create and record the issues associated with the delivery of the work, including additional details to describe and categorize the issues.

Changes are alterations to a project's scope or expected deliverables. Changes can be the result of addressing a risk or an issue, or the result of changing needs from the customer or management.

In the Requests module, create requests then associate them to the delivery of a work item in the Request Properties card. Include additional details to describe and categorize the request.

Requests that capture changes to project scope, timeline, or budget can be converted into a change request once approved.

Requests that are used as an idea intake can be converted into a project request once approved—however, the most efficient method is to create a new project then mark its state as Requested. Managers can view all projects by type (requested, approved, etc.)

Convert a change, risk, or issue from one case type to another (for example, from a change to a risk) or move a change, risk or issue from one project or work item to another as needed.

Risks, issues, and changes can be associated to projects or work items as well as converted to other case types in the Property card.

Close changes, risks, and issues when appropriate in a timely manner to help maintain a current overview of the factors affecting a project's progress. Establish automatic workflow rules to automate resolving a case once a work item is complete.

Use the following guidelines to close changes, risks, and issues:

• Changes—When all associated actions are finished.
• Risks—When they are no longer determined to be risks and have not been escalated or otherwise changed.
• Issues—When they have been resolved or mitigated.

Resources carry out the work that has been assigned to them.

As work progresses, resources' actual time spent on work is tracked, and project managers update milestones and other dates as needed.

Resources' time can be captured the following ways:

• Resources submit timesheets or report time directly on reportable work items
• Resources can also update progress by entering % complete, actual effort, or remaining effort directly on work items

Track and monitor work progress using baselines to compare the current status with planned progress, or use Project Roadmaps and the interactive Gantt tool for planned vs. actual, critical path, or other views of the Work Plan.

For example, project managers can monitor the scheduled and actual dates and track the variance against initial expectations, such as an initial baseline, to obtain a full understanding of the project progress. Then, they can save the Work Plan as a new baseline to compare against a baseline taken at the start of the project. This helps project managers have a clear understanding of how a project is progressing in relation to the original baseline and identify where dates have slipped or been brought forward. Any variance from the original project baseline may have financial implications or require the proactive reassignment of resources in order to negate any negative impact on the project.

Note: Clarizen can be custom-configured to save multiple baselines.

Manage the schedule for the remaining scheduled work, adjusting dates and durations if necessary.

Ensure the project/work status and work details are correct and current, evaluating and reprioritizing any items that aren't going to plan.

Review and update the status of work in the Work Plan, and generate related status reports.