Stabilize the Schedule Before Control Starts

Before project control starts, the schedule must be reliable enough to serve as a baseline.

Stabilization is the last planning pass before the plan becomes a target for progress tracking, target/actual comparison, and reporting.

Workflow

  1. Check project information for missing dates, overloads, and warnings.

  2. Review structure, durations, dependencies, and calendars.

  3. Resolve overloads or record accepted capacity risks.

  4. Agree which plan version is the target.

  5. Create a baseline after approval.

Use project information

Open Start > Properties > Info to check project information before approval. The panel helps you find late tasks, failed resources, overallocations, missing assignments, external links, and other issues that can affect control.

Project information command

You can also show the information panel from a free area in the Gantt chart and switch between its tabs.

Project information panel in the project window Tabs in the project information panel

Create the baseline

After approval, use Project > Baseline > Add to save the agreed target state.

Add baseline command

Enter a clear baseline name or accept the suggested name, then confirm with OK.

Add baseline dialog

Check the result

  • The approved plan can be explained.

  • Open risks are known.

  • The baseline represents a deliberate target state.