--- title: 15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks [Checklist] description: Master 15 key quality checks for SAP project plans. Optimize your planning process and achieve better outcomes. Click for expert insights and success tips! image: https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-279869810-png/images/three_intersecting_arrow_circles_standout_11882.png --- ![SAP Project Plan Quality Checks](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-279869810-png/images/three_intersecting_arrow_circles_standout_11882.png) # 15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks [Checklist] Table of Contents ## SAP Project Quality Management When I was growing up, I was surrounded by men who had been in one or another war, from WWII to Vietnam or even just in the [military](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/how-sap-certification-ought-to-work).  Some had suffered grievous injuries, others had escaped unharmed, sadly, many were spoken of in the past tense; they didn’t make it.  Today, more are. At the time, I can’t say I really considered how their experiences would [influence](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/are-you-ready-to-think-grow-rich-mindmap) my life as a [project manager](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/charge-out-rate-calculator), nor my choice when it came to joining the Air Force as an Aircraft Mechanic.  But, looking back, I can say that at a deep level, I had decided that should I find myself in their situation, I would want to have as much control as possible of the situation.    Ultimately, this must, at least partially, explain my role as [a Project Manager](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/5-things-to-know-about-your-sap-project-manager), both within the [SAP](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/12-sap-crm-content-management-system-requirements) world, as well as the military world.  My experiences may not make for very exciting war stories (but that doesn't mean I don't have a lot of them, some of which might even be true:), but I think I have learned some [valuable lessons](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/3-marketing-routes-to-reach-your-crm-goals) that are worth passing along.   ![Project Managers Time Scope Cost Goal](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-279869810-png/images/three_intersecting_arrow_circles_standout_11882.png?width=385&height=568&name=three_intersecting_arrow_circles_standout_11882.png) **Your Project Plan Coupled with Skill Will Determine How Well You Control Your Project**   ### Today, I would like to delineate 15 of those [lessons learned](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/five-forces-model), with regards to [Project Plans](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-sap-bw-project-estimation-best-practices-to-roll-out-today).  ![Project Management Lessons Learned](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Top%2010%20SAP%20Proj%20Mgt%20Tips/Project%20Management%20Lessons%20Learned.jpg?width=2602&height=4624&name=Project%20Management%20Lessons%20Learned.jpg)   I have previously produced a [series of videos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxH1b3uOKx0&feature=share&list=TL14RUk3-J794) on the subject of [SAP Project Managemen](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/5-things-to-know-about-your-sap-project-manager)t, but none focused exclusively on what I look for in a [project plan](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/enterprise-services/sap-industry-solutions/sap-project-management).  A [project plan](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/fully-loaded-cost-calculator) in this context is really just MS Project, versus the PMI [Project Management Plan](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/sap-bw-3.x-to-7.x-upgrade-service-productized-approach-proprietary-methodolgy), another beast entirely..   1. **Tasks** should be **short**, usually a day or less, even less if you have the bandwidth to monitor them.  As a [project manager](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/attract-convert-close-delight-inbound-marketing-strategy), ensuring these start as scheduled and finish as schedule is the first performance metric I look at.   Taken together, they yield a [Key Performance Metric](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/5-kpi-design-best-practice-guidelines), is the [project](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/value-stream-mapping) on-schedule, behind-schedule or worse, status unknown. 2. Conversely, a **task should never be 17** days [long or any](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/12-risk-management-considerations-to-measure-wricef-a) other ridiculous number.  Tasks that are too long have a well known habit of suddenly being 'about to be late', but known by the PM only the 17th day. 3. Tasks **without [deliverables](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/how-to-use-a-project-charter-to-start-a-project)** are time sucks. Far too many [project plans](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/enterprise-services/sap-industry-solutions/sap-project-management) have many tasks that, though they are indeed tasks, don't have an actual deliverable defined.  Yes, this can be hard to do.  And common sense should be used when coming up with [a defined deliverable](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/learn-what-makes-sap-dfps-solution-different).  But it can be done. 4. Tasks **without [resources](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/field-report-from-a-marketing-project-manager)** assigned, generally won’t get done on time, if at all. Remember, resources can be both human resources and equipment or [external services](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/11-super-secret-service-level-agreement-techniques).  [Project Management tools](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/how-to-determine-your-fully-loaded-cost-rate) like MS Project allow you to create a resource sheet, assign them to tasks and track both usage and [cost](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/free-website-seo-grade-audit-serp-sem-amp). 5. Tasks should have a **lead resource**, the person responsible to get it done.  2 or more chefs spoil the dish.  It's fine to have multiple team members on a task, but always make sure someone is in charge of delivering the results. 6. Yes, you can use [**resource leveling**](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/estimate-your-sap-bw-consulting-resource-needs-calculator-timer) to figure out when you will complete. Don't ignore it when it tells you your Critical Path has suddenly shot off the chart, it is just math.  Something is wrong.  Diagnose it, fix it. 7. You can also resource level just a **portion of the project**, and protect your end time. This works well when a client, [an attempt](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/3-multi-channel-marketing-lessons-learned-catching-the-big-one) to drive project delivery cost lower, has divided up the implementation team between the blueprint and realization phases (or any of the phases, depending on your methodology). It does not actually work well from a project cost reduction standpoint nor from project delivery standpoint.  But you can expect everybody to keep going down that road. 8. Not a bad idea to make **different versions of a [project](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/9-reasons-sap-bw-projects-fail-maybe)** when doing forward or backward scheduling-just in case. Make sure you remember to baseline a project and rebaseline it when you have approved [change request](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/how-to-evaluate-a-change-request-template). 9. **Hero efforts**, though admirable, are not how you want to live. When [a project starts](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/develop-a-data-governance-framework) to fall into this category, which many do, it's time to slow down and replan.  Your initial assumptions were wrong and have not gotten any better. 10. Distance x physical nodes x unclear requirements x [communications channels](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/enterprise-services/sap-industry-solutions/sap-project-management-archived-2) equals an “**interesting project**”. Your very best project team configuration is everybody in one place, preferably in one big room. 11. Getting the **level of detail** right in a plan is critical and you’ll almost always miss it on the first past. This is why you need a [large-format printer](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/8-value-based-questions-for-real-estate-management-software-solutions) onsite.  You're going to want to print out the project multiple times, often, especially early on. 12. If you have multiple related plans, you can create a **Master Plan** with Slave or Children plans.  However, I recommend you have at least the [Enterprise](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/22-critical-lessons-learned-for-conducting-pre-sales-demos) version of MS Project up and some sort of sharepoint type environment.   Inevitably, 3rd party projects, which you will not have as much control over, will be the ones you spend the most amount of time trying to chase status on. 13. You need to **print** a project plan out on **wide format paper**.  It needs to be big enough for vision challenged stakeholders to glance at and quickly get a feel for where a project is.   Don’t go for the “we will have it printed by an outside firm” routine.  You won’t print it but once that way; it will quickly lose credibility, and ultimately, you will miss what the plan is trying to communicate to you.  Wide format printers can be had for between 2000 and 3000 USD, and it is money well spent. 14. Don’t be afraid to run **MS Project reports**.   Most people only scratch the surface of what you can pull out of the plan. 15. Learn to **trust the plan**.  It is your instrument panel.  When you hit the cloud bank of uncertainty, run afoul of stormy politics, or will miss your approach to Go-Live, always look to the plan and what it is trying to tell you.   ## SAP Lean Project Management   Finally, when it comes to [lean project management techniques](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-sap-s-hrms), I will have to address my approach to that slightly different way of looking at things in a future blog article, as it is very different doing a lean [SAP implementation](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-key-infrastructure-tips-for-sap-implementation-projects) and say, doing a lean aircraft depot overhaul.    ## SAP Project Planning Phase Checklist   In the meantime, if you would like some additional tips about my personal "[Best Practices](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/data-quality-best-practices-for-effective-sap-bw-reporting)" broken down by each phase of the SAP ASAP Project, you can read my checklist style guides on the subject.  These make excellent project [quality](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/free-website-seo-audit-grader-serp-sem-amp) checklist documents.  You can access the first one by pressing the button below.   [![Download Our Top Ten SAP Project Management Tips](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118735/9203c3f1-ce06-4cbf-b0de-5b4201575e92.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118735/9203c3f1-ce06-4cbf-b0de-5b4201575e92)   **People Who Read This Also Read:** - **[5 Keys to Successful Strategy Execution](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/5-keys-to-successful-strategy-execution)** - **[10 Critical Chain Project Manager Techniques](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-critical-chain-project-manager-tips)** - **[Get a SAP ASAP Project Review](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/sap-asap-project-review)** - **[10 Reasons You Need a SAP Project Review](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-reasons-you-need-a-sap-project-review)** - **[Take Your Project Live with Our Go-Live Phase Checklist](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/bring-your-project-to-life-with-our-top-tips-for-go-live-phase)** - 10 Advanced SAP BW [Project Estimation](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/10-advanced-sap-bw-project-estimation-techniques) Techniques [Online Tool] - Understanding [Embedded Systems](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/understanding-embedded-systems-vs-sap-hana) vs SAP HANA - 8 Secrets to SAP Enabled [Spend Performance](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/8-secrets-to-sap-enabled-spend-performance-management) Management   Got some tips you want to share, leave us a comment!     ## **About SAP BW Consulting, Inc.**     SAP BW Consulting, Inc. helps businesses unlock shareholder value through data-driven decision-making. We specialize in [SAP Business Intelligence](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/understanding-the-most-common-sap-data-warehousing-concepts) (BI) solutions, including SAP Business Warehouse (BW) implementation, [SAP BPC](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/request-sap-business-planning-and-consolidation-sap-bpc-consulting-support), SAP ABAP development, and project management. Our expertise also extends to Salesforce and HubSpot integrations, helping businesses manage complex environments. Additionally, we offer Balanced Scorecard consulting to optimize strategic planning.   Unlock the full potential of your data and drive value. [Book a meeting with us](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/request-sap-implementation-consulting-support-meeting-request) today. Topics from this blog: [Project Plan](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/project-plan) [Project Management](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/project-management) [ASAP Project Review](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/asap-project-review) ### Download SAP BW Mindmap Learn what SAP Business Warehouse is and what it does in under five minutes [![Get this Mindmap](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118735/8db2ad37-8211-47a3-86ae-09b6b2bb297b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118735/8db2ad37-8211-47a3-86ae-09b6b2bb297b) [mailto:someone@yoursite.com](mailto:someone@yoursite.com) ### Lonnie D. Ayers, PMP About the Author: Lonnie Ayers is a Hubspot Certified Inbound Marketing consultant, with additional certifications in Hubspot Content Optimization, Hubspot Contextual Marketing, and is a Hubspot Certified Partner. Specialized in demand generation and sales execution, especially in the SAP, Oracle and Microsoft Partner space, he has unique insight into the tough challenges Service Providers face with generating leads and closing sales using the latest digital tools. With 15 years of SAP Program Management experience, and dozens of complex sales engagements under his belt, he helps partners develop and communicate their unique sales proposition. Frequently sought as a public speaker in various events, he is available for both inhouse engagements and ** remote coaching. ** ![Balanced Scorecard Consultant](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hubfs/social-suggested-images/Balanced%20Scorecard%20Certified%20Graduate.jpg) He also recently released a book **"How to Dominate Any Market - Turbocharging Your Digital Marketing and Sales Results",** which is available on [ Amazon.](https://www.amazon.com/Dominate-Turbocharging-Digital-Marketing-Results/dp/1728357950/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1589182458&refinements=p_27%3ALonnie+D.+Ayers&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lonnie+D.+Ayers)**** [View All Articles by Lonnie D. Ayers, PMP](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/author/lonnie-d-ayers-pmp) ## The SAP Blog Subscribe to our blog and receive SAP BW Updates, demand generation, inbound marketing, sales enablement, technology and revenue generation insights and ideas delivered right to your email. [mailto:someone@yoursite.com](mailto:someone@yoursite.com) ![SAP](https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/960101754/?value=0&guid=ON&script=0) ![](https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=199270410761059&ev=PageView&noscript=1) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#blogposting", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "about" : [ { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Project management", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Quality control", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_control" }, { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "SAP", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP_SE" } ], "audience" : { "@type" : "Audience", "audienceType" : "SAP professionals, Project Managers, Quality Assurance Teams", "description" : "Intended for SAP professionals, project managers, and QA teams implementing quality checks within SAP project plans." }, "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/about-lonnie-ayers#person" }, "dateModified" : "2025-02-16T10:00:00", "datePublished" : "2025-02-16T10:00:00", "description" : "Discover the essential quality checks for your SAP project plan to ensure success and avoid common pitfalls.", "headline" : "15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks", "inLanguage" : "en", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#webpage" }, "mentions" : [ { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Quality assurance", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_assurance" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Project plan", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_plan" } ], "name" : "15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "ApplyAction", "name" : "Download Our Top Ten SAP Project Management Tips", "target" : { "@type" : "EntryPoint", "actionPlatform" : [ "http://schema.org/DesktopWebPlatform", "http://schema.org/MobileWebPlatform" ], "inLanguage" : "en", "urlTemplate" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/top-10-tips-for-effective-sap-project-management" } }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#organization" }, "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "inLanguage" : "en", "name" : "SAP BW Consulting, Inc.", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#organization" }, "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#logo" }, "name" : "SAP BW Consulting, Inc.", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/sapbwconsulting", "https://www.youtube.com/user/SAPBWConsulting/", "https://twitter.com/Lonniea39", "https://www.facebook.com/SAPBWConsulting" ], "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#logo", "@type" : "ImageObject", "caption" : "SAP BW Consulting, Inc. logo", "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/logo.png" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/about-lonnie-ayers#person", "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Lonnie D. Ayers, PMP", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonnieayers" ], "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/about-us/lonnie-ayers", "worksFor" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#organization" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#webpage", "@type" : "WebPage", "breadcrumb" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#breadcrumbs" }, "description" : "Discover the essential quality checks for your SAP project plan to ensure success and avoid common pitfalls.", "headline" : "15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks", "inLanguage" : "en", "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com#website" }, "mainEntity" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#blogposting" }, "name" : "15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks", "url" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks#breadcrumbs", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com", "name" : "Home", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog", "name" : "Blog", "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/15-key-sap-project-plan-quality-checks", "name" : "15 Key SAP Project Plan Quality Checks", "position" : 3 } ] } ```