The project implementation schedule should be prepared so that it shows the logical sequence of activities, realistic deadlines for completing tasks, the link with the budget, the point at which indicators will be achieved and the possibility of settling the project correctly. It should not be merely a formal table with dates. The schedule must show that the project is organisationally, financially and technically feasible within the deadlines specified in the grant application.
In practice, the schedule is one of the key elements of the application. If tasks are poorly organised, deadlines are too short, costs are not linked to stages or indicators appear before activities have been completed, the project may be considered inconsistent.
Once the agreement has been signed, the schedule also becomes important at the implementation and settlement stage, as the grant agreement contains, among other things, the implementation schedule and the budget, and the grant application is annexed to it.
Why is the project implementation schedule so important?
The project implementation schedule shows when and in what order individual tasks will be carried out. This allows the assessor to check whether the project is realistic, whether the activities are logically ordered and whether the planned deadlines make it possible to achieve the declared results.
The schedule serves several functions:
- it shows the sequence of project activities,
- it indicates the planned start and end dates of the project,
- it links tasks to the budget,
- it makes it possible to assess how realistic the implementation of the project is,
- it shows when expenditure will be incurred,
- it indicates when outputs and results will be achieved,
- it facilitates financial liquidity planning,
- it forms the basis for subsequent project monitoring,
- it reduces the risk of errors during settlement.
A well-prepared schedule should not be detached from the project description. If the application refers to the purchase of technology, the implementation of a system, staff training and the achievement of indicators, the schedule should show the realistic sequence of these activities. Preparatory activities should come first, followed by purchases or implementation work, then tests, acceptance and training, and only at the end the achievement of results.
Where to start preparing the schedule?
Preparing the schedule should begin with organising the physical scope of the project. You should not start by entering dates into a table. First, you need to establish which tasks are necessary, which activities depend on one another and which elements must be completed before subsequent stages.
Before preparing the schedule, it is worth answering the following questions:
- what is the objective of the project?
- what tasks are necessary to achieve the objective?
- which tasks must be carried out first?
- which tasks can be carried out in parallel?
- which tasks depend on external suppliers?
- when will the main expenditure be incurred?
- when will it be possible to achieve the output indicators?
- when will it be possible to achieve the result indicators?
- does the project require procurement procedures?
- does the project require permits, decisions or approvals?
- does the company have the resources to carry out the tasks within the planned timeframe?
At this stage, it is worth preparing a working list of tasks. Only then should dates, costs and organisational responsibility be assigned to them.
The physical schedule and the financial schedule
In practice, grant applications often include a physical and financial schedule. This means that the schedule shows not only the activities, but also the costs associated with them.
The physical schedule answers the question of what will be done. The financial schedule answers the question of when and in what amounts expenditure will be incurred.
A well-prepared schedule should therefore combine both elements:
- the project task,
- a description of the physical scope,
- the task start date,
- the task end date,
- the cost assigned to the task,
- the cost category,
- the source of financing,
- the link with indicators,
- documents confirming completion of the task.
If the physical and financial schedules are not consistent, the project may raise doubts. For example, payment for an implementation service should not be planned before the purchase of the system to which the implementation relates. Nor should the achievement of a result indicator be planned before the completion of the activities that are to generate that result.
How to divide the project into tasks?
The division of the project into tasks should be logical, clear and adapted to the specifics of the investment. Tasks should be neither too general nor excessively fragmented. An overly general schedule makes it difficult to assess how realistic the project is. An overly detailed schedule may be difficult to implement and subsequently settle.
Sample tasks in an investment project
- preparing the project and technical documentation,
- carrying out the supplier selection procedure,
- purchasing machinery or equipment,
- delivery and installation of equipment,
- launching the technology,
- tests and final acceptance,
- staff training,
- achieving output and result indicators.
Sample tasks in a digitalisation project
- analysis of processes and functional requirements,
- selection of the system contractor,
- purchase of licences or programming services,
- system configuration and integration,
- data migration,
- functional testing,
- user training,
- production launch of the system.
Sample tasks in an energy project
- preparing an audit or technical documentation,
- selecting a contractor,
- purchasing equipment or installations,
- carrying out installation works,
- connecting and commissioning the installation,
- measurements or technical acceptance,
- confirmation of the energy effect,
- final settlement of the project.
It is important that task names are understandable. The schedule should not consist solely of general items such as “project implementation” or “purchase of equipment” if the project comprises several separate stages.
How to set realistic task deadlines?
The deadlines in the schedule should follow from the real conditions of project implementation. An overly short schedule may look attractive, but it increases the risk of delays. An overly long schedule, on the other hand, may make it difficult to assess the efficiency of the project or may not fit within the deadlines permitted by the call rules.
When setting deadlines, the following should be taken into account:
- time to prepare documentation,
- time to carry out the procurement procedure,
- time to analyse offers,
- time to sign the contract with the contractor,
- delivery time for equipment or the system,
- time for installation and configuration,
- time for tests and acceptance,
- time for training,
- time to remedy any defects,
- time to achieve the indicators,
- time to prepare the payment claim,
- time to gather settlement documents.
In investment projects, equipment deliveries, construction works, permits and the availability of contractors are of particular importance. In IT projects, requirements analysis, integration, testing and implementation must be taken into account. In R&D projects, the schedule should take into account the stages of research, validation, prototyping and any corrections.
The schedule and procurement procedures
One of the more common mistakes is failure to take into account the time needed to select a supplier. In projects financed from public funds, the beneficiary must comply with the procurement rules arising from the programme, the agreement and the guidelines.
When planning the schedule, you should check:
- whether the purchase will require the competitiveness principle,
- whether the request must be published in the Baza Konkurencyjności (Competitiveness Database),
- how long it will take to prepare the description of the subject of the contract,
- how much time must be allowed for the submission of offers,
- how long the evaluation of offers will take,
- whether questions from contractors are possible,
- whether appeals or the need to repeat the procedure may occur,
- when it will realistically be possible to sign the contract with the supplier,
- whether the supplier has a specified lead time for the order,
- whether the schedule takes into account acceptance and documents confirming completion.
If the procurement procedure is omitted from the schedule, the deadlines may prove unrealistic. As a result, the beneficiary may have problems implementing the project on time or settling the costs.
The schedule and the project budget
The project implementation schedule should be consistent with the budget. Each task should have costs assigned to it, and each significant cost should have its place in the schedule. If the budget provides for the purchase of equipment, the schedule should show the stages of supplier selection, delivery, installation and commissioning.
You should check:
- whether all costs have an implementation stage assigned to them,
- whether expenditure is realistically spread over time,
- whether payments correspond to the actual progress of work,
- whether tasks do not generate costs before the formal start of the project,
- whether tasks do not go beyond the final eligibility date,
- whether the schedule allows payment claims to be prepared,
- whether the project takes bridge financing into account,
- whether the accumulation of expenditure will not worsen the company's financial liquidity,
- whether time has been planned for acceptance and final payments,
- whether the budget and the schedule show the same project logic.
If the budget shows significant expenditure in the first month and the schedule does not show any preparatory activities, the assessor may have doubts about how realistic the project is. If, on the other hand, most of the expenditure falls at the end of the project, you need to check whether there will be enough time for acceptance, payment, documents and settlement.
The schedule and payment claims
The schedule should take into account the way the project is financed. In reimbursement-based projects, the beneficiary first incurs the expenditure and then submits a payment claim. In projects with advance payments, you need to plan when the funds will be needed and when they will be settled.
A payment claim can be used, among other things, to receive an advance payment, obtain reimbursement of costs incurred, settle an advance payment or settle expenditure. Such a claim is submitted via the Central ICT System. (the European Funds Portal)
The schedule should take into account:
- when expenditure will arise,
- when invoices will be paid,
- when it will be possible to submit a payment claim,
- when the advance payment will need to be settled,
- when deliveries or services will be accepted,
- when accounting documents will be available,
- when the output indicators will be achieved,
- when final settlement will be possible,
- whether the project will maintain financial liquidity,
- whether payment dates do not clash with task completion dates.
In practice, the schedule should not end on the day the equipment is delivered or the service is performed. Time must also be allowed for acceptance, documents, payment, the payment claim and any clarifications.
The schedule and project indicators
Output and result indicators should be achieved at a logical point in the project. An output indicator usually appears after a specific activity has been carried out, e.g. a purchase, implementation, construction or training. A result indicator may require additional time, as it concerns a change that arises after the activities have been completed.
You should check:
- whether the output indicators are assigned to the correct tasks,
- whether the result indicators are not planned too early,
- whether the schedule makes it possible to measure the indicators,
- whether documents confirming the indicators will be available on time,
- whether the achievement of the indicators follows from the budget,
- whether the indicators are consistent with the project end date,
- whether results have been planned before the activities are completed.
Example: if the project involves implementing an IT system, the output indicator may be the number of systems implemented. Such an indicator can be confirmed after the system has been accepted and launched. If the result is to be a reduction in order processing time, you need to allow for a period during which the system is already operating and the effect can be measured.
The schedule and project risks
A good schedule should take implementation risks into account. This does not mean artificially extending the project, but planning deadlines rationally. In grant projects, delays may make it necessary to amend the agreement, shift expenditure or change the schedule, or may cause difficulties with settlement.
The most common schedule risks are:
- too little time for procurement procedures,
- failure to take delivery time into account,
- no time for installation and commissioning,
- no time for tests and acceptance,
- dependence on a single supplier,
- seasonality of construction or installation work,
- the need to obtain administrative decisions,
- unavailability of project staff,
- an accumulation of tasks in a single month,
- no time buffer for corrections,
- underestimating the time needed for settlement documentation.
It is worth keeping a moderate time buffer in the schedule. Overly optimistic deadlines may increase the risk of problems at the implementation stage.
The most common mistakes in the project implementation schedule
Errors in the schedule often result from treating it as a formal annex rather than a real action plan. Yet the schedule should be one of the main tools for assessing the feasibility of the project.
The most common mistakes are:
- an overly general description of tasks,
- no logical sequence of activities,
- failure to take procurement procedures into account,
- too little time for deliveries,
- no time for installation and commissioning,
- no time for tests,
- no time for acceptance,
- no link between the schedule and the budget,
- no link between the schedule and the indicators,
- planning results before the activities have been completed,
- an accumulation of many tasks in a single period,
- failure to take the risk of delays into account,
- ending the project with no time left for settlement documentation,
- inconsistent dates in different parts of the application.
For example, if the schedule plans the purchase, delivery, installation, tests, training and acceptance in a single month, you need to check whether this is realistic. In many projects, such an arrangement will be too optimistic.
How to describe the schedule convincingly?
The description of the schedule should be factual and based on the real course of the project. It is not about an extensive description of every day of implementation, but about showing that the applicant understands the sequence of activities and is able to plan the investment.
A good description should include:
- a brief explanation of the sequence of activities,
- a justification for the division into tasks,
- an indication of the most important stages,
- the link with the budget,
- the link with indicators,
- consideration of procurement procedures,
- an indication of how completion of the tasks will be confirmed,
- information on how realistic the deadlines are.
Sample description:
The project will be implemented in three stages. In the first stage, preparatory activities and the supplier selection procedure will be carried out. In the second stage, the equipment will be purchased, delivered, installed and commissioned. The third stage provides for tests, staff training, final acceptance and confirmation that the output and result indicators have been achieved. This arrangement makes it possible to maintain a logical sequence of activities and reduces the risk of incurring expenditure before the necessary preparatory activities have been completed.
Such a description is more useful than a general statement that the project will be implemented in accordance with the schedule.
How can the DOTACJE ONLINE team of experts help prepare the schedule?
Preparing a project implementation schedule requires combining knowledge of the programme, the budget, eligible costs, procurement procedures, indicators and subsequent settlement. An error in the schedule may hinder the assessment of the application and, once the agreement has been signed, may cause problems with project implementation.
If the project requires an individual analysis, it is worth considering grant advisory services or direct contact with an expert. This makes it possible to assess not only the schedule, but also its links with the budget, indicators, procurement procedures and settlement risks.
If you are planning to apply for funding, it is worth verifying in advance the eligibility of the investment, call deadlines, the level of support and the correctness of the project implementation schedule.Contact an expert
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Author: Dariusz Kozakiewicz
EU funding expert