LIVE PROJECT CONTROLS & REPORTING
Live project controls and reporting that make decisions, not just describe them
for Contractors & Asset Owners
Most projects don't fail because of bad planning. They fail because the programme stops being trusted.
When the schedule drifts, progress rules shift, and the narrative no longer matches the dates, teams stop using the programme to make decisions. Meetings become arguments. We run the update cycle so the programme stays credible, and everyone works from the same version of the truth.
NEC ACCREDITED
APMG QUALIFIED
P6 / MS PROJECT / ASTA
NEC / JCT / FIDIC
WHY THIS SERVICE EXISTS
Three things that go wrong without a disciplined controls cycle
These aren't failures of intent. They're what happens when the programme update rhythm breaks down, on almost every project, eventually.
- 01
The dates stop meaning anything
01
When progress rules shift, cut-offs aren't enforced and the data date moves without logic, stakeholders learn to distrust the schedule. Coordination moves to email threads and WhatsApp groups. The programme is still updated, it just isn't used.
- 02
02
Meetings become explanations, not decisions
When every progress meeting starts with twenty minutes of debating the numbers, the project is already in trouble. A stable, consistently updated programme with a clear variance narrative means the meeting can start from an agreed position and spend its time on actions.
- 03
03
Change becomes impossible to evidence later
Without a disciplined baseline, consistent cut-offs and traceable update history, compensation events and extensions of time are argued on memory rather than records. The commercial cost of this is usually far higher than the cost of the controls service.
Live controls through to practical completion. On a £50M+ NEC3 gas infrastructure package, NEC Planning Solutions ran the programme update cycle from baseline through to practical completion, maintaining Clause 32 reporting discipline, traceable change records and audit-ready reporting packs across the full delivery phase. View case study ›
HOW ONE CYCLE WORKS
What happens between one data date and the next
Every update cycle follows the same disciplined sequence. Select each stage to see what happens, who does what, and what gets issued.
1
Contract
Awarded
2
Progress
captured
3
Programme
updated
4
Lookahead
generated
5
Variance
narrative
6
Pack
issued
STAGE 01
Data date confirmed
What this involves
OUTPUT THIS STAGE
The data date is set and agreed before any progress is entered. Cut-off rules are applied consistently, no retrospective changes after the cut-off, no moving the data date to absorb slippage. This is the foundation of a programme that can be trusted.
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Data date agreed with project team in advance
-
Cut-off rules confirmed and applied consistently
-
No retrospective progress changes after cut-off
-
Previous cycle position used as the starting point
-
Confirmed data date communicated to team
-
Cut-off rules documented and applied
WHAT THE REPORTING PACK LOOKS LIKE
Contractor Performance Dashboard: a live reporting example
This is an extract from a live project dashboard produced by NEC Planning Solutions. Multi-discipline progress tracking against baseline, S-curve analysis, system-level breakdowns and obstacle tracking, issued as part of the weekly reporting cycle.
OVERVIEW
Overall progress dashboard. Six discipline S-curves tracking cumulative actual vs planned progress. Baseline dates, data date, variance and weekly progress increments visible at a glance. This is page one of the reporting pack issued every cycle.
S-CURVE
Overall progress dashboard. Planned vs actual, cumulative progress, weekly increment rates and variance position. Data table above, visual below. Built from the programme, not a separate spreadsheet.
HOURS
Hours-based progress tracking. Planned vs actual manhours with cumulative S-curves. Tracks earned value at the discipline level, not just percentage completion. Shows resource variance alongside schedule variance.
NOTE
This dashboard is from a live M&E installation project. Project name and client logos removed for confidentiality. All progress data, S-curves and system breakdowns are real. Dashboard format is tailored to each project's reporting requirements.
DELIVERY MODEL
Choose the model that fits your project
Three genuinely different ways of working, each with its own rhythm and responsibilities. Select the one that matches your reporting setup and site presence requirements.
đź–Ą
All updates, reporting and coordination delivered digitally to an agreed cadence
Remote-first
🔄
Hybrid
Remote delivery with planned site sessions for progress capture and key meetings
🏗
Embedded
Planner within your delivery team, integrating daily with site and commercial
What your team provides
-
Progress data collected from site, team or agreed format
-
Data validated against site diary and previous position
-
Incomplete activities assessed against remaining duration
-
Constraints reviewed for any that should now be removed
What we handle
-
All programme update mechanics, logic, progress, cut-offs
-
Lookahead extraction and formatting
-
Variance narrative written to match the programme
-
Reporting pack assembly and review before issue
What gets issued
-
Updated programme file (P6, MS Project or Asta)
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Rolling lookahead, 2–4 weeks
-
Variance narrative and reporting pack
-
Change visibility log aligned to reporting cycle
Typical cadence: weekly or fortnightly
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Organised by cadence, not by what we call it
Every cycle produces the same core outputs. Additional outputs are available depending on delivery model and reporting requirements.
EVERY UPDATE CYCLE
Core cycle outputs, issued every data date
Updated programme file
Logic-checked, progress applied, data date confirmed. P6, MS Project or Asta, in the format your team uses.
Rolling lookahead
2–4 week lookahead extracted from the programme. Interfaces, constraints and key activities highlighted for site and coordination.
Variance narrative
What moved, why it moved, and the priority actions for the next period, written to match the programme logic, not generic commentary.
EACH REPORTING PERIOD
Reporting pack outputs, to your stakeholder format and agreed cadence
Reporting pack
Formatted for your reporting structure, PM, commercial and client-facing. PDF or PPT. Dashboard views available where required.
Change visibility log
Agreed changes, pending items and key decisions kept visible and aligned to the programme update cycle. Supports NEC CE, JCT and FIDIC change processes.
KPI and milestone summary
Key dates, milestone status and critical float positions summarised for stakeholder review. Available as a standalone extract where required.
AVAILABLE WHERE REQUIRED
Enhanced outputs, included in embedded model or available as additions
Programme Assurance Passport
A one-page integrity summary issued alongside reporting cycles where governance evidence is required, for internal audit, client governance or framework requirements.
Pack templates & update protocols
Standardised reporting pack structure and update protocols to embed consistency across your wider planning team, where multiple planners are involved.
WHO IT'S FOR
Projects that need a reliable update cycle without an in-house planning function
Useful where progress comes from multiple sources, stakeholders expect regular reporting, and the programme is used for delivery, change discussions and governance.
WORKS FOR
HOW IT WORKS
Setting up the controls rhythm, before the first data date
The set-up session is where most of the value is created. Getting the rules agreed before the first cycle means every subsequent update is consistent.
STAGE 01
Set the controls rhythm
Confirm update cadence, data date, cut-offs, progress rules, reporting format and input responsibilities. Align all stakeholders on what the pack will contain each cycle, before the first update begins.
Written · Agreed before billing
STAGE 02
Run disciplined cycles
Collect progress, validate it, update the programme, produce the narrative and reporting pack, and agree actions for the next period. Same sequence, every cycle, no exceptions.
Governed review · Every cycle
STAGE 03
Maintain quality through delivery
NEC-accredited governance applied every cycle to keep logic behaviour stable and reporting consistent. Emerging risks and interface pressure escalated early, not after the reporting pack has gone out.
Governance · Proactive
PRICING
Retainer-based, scoped to your project
Live controls pricing reflects the update frequency, number of reporting stakeholders, delivery model and programme complexity. The bands below give context; exact fee is confirmed after a short project review.
ENGAGEMENT STRUCTURE
FIXED-FEE OPTIONS
Fixed fee where scope allows, otherwise a defined upper limit. Confirmed before any chargeable work begins.
SCOPE CONFIRMED IN WRITING
Outputs, fee and timeline confirmed before chargeable work begins.
INITIAL SCOPING AT NO CHARGE
A short call to confirm fit, scope and next step.
MINIMUMS AGREED UPFRONT
Any monthly cycle or minimum period is confirmed before work starts.
NEW £
Entry retainer
From £1,500/mo
Monthly cycle, single stakeholder
Monthly update cycle, single reporting stack, remote delivery. Lookahead and variance narrative.
Standard scope
From £3,000/mo
Multi-stakeholder reporting
Fortnightly or monthly updates, multi-stakeholder reporting, change log, KPI summary.
NEW £
Full controls retainer
Scoped
Embedded delivery
Weekly updates, dashboards, embedded site presence. Larger infrastructure and complex packages.
LIVE
Retainer pricing confirmed after project review. Minimum engagement periods apply on some scopes. See full pricing
Ready to establish a controls rhythm?
Tell us the contract type, current programme status and reporting requirements. We'll confirm the right delivery model, cadence and fee before the first data date.
Or send your current programme for an initial review of logic at no charge and contract alignment. No obligation to proceed.
Initial programme review at no charge, with no obligation to proceed.