As the work progresses and activities are completed, it becomes necessary to update the schedule. The reason is simple: not all activities are completed according to the schedule. If schedules were followed exactly from start to finish, updates would not be necessary. Scheduling must be a daily activity. The schedule must be updated every shift. So, if you have two shifts a day, this means you must update the schedule twice daily. If the schedule is not updated at the end of every shift, it becomes obsolete very quickly, and therefore, useless.

Updating the schedule involves posting progress and remaining time to complete for activities in progress. ATC Professional’s Lap Books are a key tool in this process.

As soon as the schedule is updated, a new set of schedule and progress reports must be printed and analyzed. It is necessary to check the end date for any slippages or improvements, and to determine if critical mass has developed.

The success of the turnaround depends on reliable, up-to-date schedules. Failure to update every shift can allow critical mass to develop undetected - with the prospect of delaying start-up (even if progress on the critical path is satisfactory).