Capability template for project and delivery
Scope change impact review
When new work turns up in a project plan, the project manager gets one review: every deliverable compared with the agreed baseline, each addition marked approved or not, its estimated effect on effort, cost and the end date, and the decision the sponsor has to make. The sponsor accepts or declines each one.
Listed under
Add it to a workflow in the Fully Powered Planner, beside the teams and roles that will run it. Book a fit call
The outcome
Extra work stops slipping into a project unseen. The project manager holds one page that shows what the plan contains today against what the sponsor agreed: which additions were approved, which arrived through a meeting, an email or a quiet edit to a deliverable, and which are already being worked on.
Each change that has not been decided comes with its price beside it: the days of effort, the cost at your day rate, and where the end date lands if that change alone is accepted. The sponsor sees a clear question for each one, "accept or decline?", with who asked for it and what it would take. A request agreed in a corridor is shown as a request, never as an approval, and two changes that each move the date are never added into one comfortable total.
The project manager checks the review and decides what the sponsor sees. The sponsor decides every change. The AI assistant edits no plan, estimates nothing itself and sends nothing.
Who starts the work, and when
The project manager, or a project coordinator on their behalf, runs it whenever a deliverable appears in the working plan that the baseline did not have, when an agreed deliverable grows, and before each meeting where the sponsor rules on changes. It runs again after the sponsor's decisions are entered, to confirm the plan and the change log agree. It suits any project with an agreed scope and a sponsor: a client portal, an office move, a new system, a product launch.
What they supply
- The baseline: the agreed deliverables with their due dates and effort, the end date, the budget, and the list of what was excluded from scope.
- The working list as it stands today, exported from the project tracker, with each deliverable's status.
- The change log: every decision on a change, who made it, when, and what it did to effort, cost and the end date.
- The request notes: the meeting notes, emails and messages where work was asked for.
- The delivery lead's estimates for each change not yet decided.
- The settings: who sponsors the project, who may approve a change, the day rate, working days and closed days.
The template names the column headings it expects and stops to ask when one does not match.
What comes out
One review in a fixed order. At the top, the position: the baseline, the approved changes so far, and what is pending, in days, money and end date. Then the work already under way without approval, then the decisions for the sponsor, one per pending change, each with who asked, the effect and any match with something the baseline excluded. Then the full comparison with the baseline: unchanged, approved, not approved, declined but still in the plan, dates moved, and requests that never reached the plan. Empty sections say "none", so the reader knows nothing was skipped.
Beneath it, a short part for the project manager only, removed before sharing: the questions to settle first, such as who asked for an addition nobody can trace, or whether work started without approval carries on.
An invented example
Illustrative example with invented data. The firm, its people, the project and every date and figure below are invented. The firm is an invented 70-person accounting and advisory firm building a client portal, where clients upload documents, see where their work stands and book time with an adviser. The project manager runs the project, the operations director sponsors it and the portal lead estimates the work; people are named by role only. On Tuesday 10 November 2026 the project manager supplied the seven inputs below, in full, and got back the review that follows.
The inputs
1. Settings
Project: Client portal
Sponsor: Operations director
Project manager: Project manager
Approvers of changes: Operations director
Delivery lead (gives estimates): Portal lead
Day rate: $650 a day, blended
Working days: Monday to Friday
Closed days: Thursday 24 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027
Review date: Tuesday 10 November 2026
2. Baseline facts
Approved: Monday 14 September 2026, by the Operations director
End date: Friday 4 December 2026
Effort: 55 days
Budget: $39,750 (55 days at $650 = $35,750, plus $4,000 for the
portal licence)
Excluded from scope:
- Online payment of invoices by card
- Pages in languages other than English
- A mobile app
3. Baseline deliverables
Ref,Deliverable,Due,Effort days
D1,Portal design and page templates agreed,2026-10-02,6
D2,Client document upload and download,2026-10-23,12
D3,Client sign-in and account set-up,2026-11-13,18
D4,Engagement status page,2026-11-06,5
D5,Migration of 40 help articles,2026-11-20,8
D6,Launch and client invitation emails,2026-12-04,6
4. Working list (exported from the project tracker on 10 November)
Ref,Deliverable,Due,Status
D1,Portal design and page templates agreed,2026-10-02,Done
D2,Client document upload and download,2026-10-23,Done
D3,Client sign-in and account set-up,2026-11-13,In progress
D4,Engagement status page,2026-11-06,Done
D5,Migration of 55 help articles,2026-11-20,In progress
D6,Launch and client invitation emails,2026-12-11,Not started
A1,Appointment booking with advisers,2026-11-27,Not started
A2,Document request checklist for each client,2026-11-25,In progress
A3,Card payment of invoices,2026-11-30,Not started
A4,Pages in Spanish,2026-12-02,Not started
A5,Saved favourite documents,2026-11-27,Not started
5. Change log
Change,Ref,Description,Decision,Decided by,Decided on,Effort days,Other cost,End date after
CR-01,A1,Appointment booking with advisers,Approved,Operations director,2026-10-16,7,1200,2026-12-11
CR-02,A4,Pages in Spanish,Declined,Operations director,2026-10-30,,,
6. Request notes
Weekly portal meeting, Thursday 22 October 2026 (notes by the project
manager)
- The tax manager asked for a checklist on each client's page showing
which documents we still need from them. Portal lead: "Should be
fine, we'll fit it in." Added to the plan as A2.
- The audit partner asked whether the portal could print a summary of
each client's open requests. Not discussed further.
Email, Monday 2 November 2026, from the finance director to the
project manager
"Clients keep asking to pay our invoices by card. Can the portal take
card payments before launch?"
Email, Wednesday 4 November 2026, from the content lead to the portal
team
"The tax and advisory teams sent 15 more help articles they want moved
across, so I've changed the migration to 55 articles."
7. Estimates (from the portal lead, Monday 9 November)
Ref,Effort days,Other cost,End date effect,Estimated by,Assumptions
D5,3,0,0,Portal lead,15 more articles at the same pace as the first 40; fits before launch
A2,9,2400,5,Portal lead,"Needs the portal's reminder add-on, $2,400 for a year"
A3,11,1800,10,Portal lead,"Card payment provider's set-up fee, $1,800; finance opens the provider account"
The output
SCOPE CHANGE IMPACT REVIEW: Client portal, as of Tuesday 10 November 2026
DRAFT for the Project manager. The Operations director accepts or declines each change.
For: Operations director. Baseline approved Monday 14 September 2026 by the Operations director. Approvers of changes: Operations director.
Compared: 6 baseline deliverables; 11 rows in the working list; 2 change-log rows; request notes: the weekly portal meeting notes of 22 October and two emails; estimates for 3 of 4 pending changes.
POSITION
Baseline: 6 deliverables, 55 days, $39,750, end date Friday 4 December 2026.
Approved changes: 1 (CR-01): +7 days, +$5,750. Now 62 days, $45,500, end date Friday 11 December 2026.
Pending changes: 4: +23 days, +$19,150 for those estimated; not estimated: A5. If all were accepted: 85 days, $64,650, plus A5, not estimated. End dates are shown for each change alone and are not added together.
WORK STARTED WITHOUT APPROVAL: 2
D5 Migration of 55 help articles. Status: In progress. Due in the working plan 20 November.
A2 Document request checklist for each client. Status: In progress. Due in the working plan 25 November.
DECISIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: 4
1. Accept or decline D5 Migration of 55 help articles, changed from the baseline "Migration of 40 help articles"?
Asked for by: the content lead, for the tax and advisory teams, 4 November (email to the portal team).
Status: In progress, work started without approval.
Effect: 3 days; $1,950 (3 days at $650, no other cost); end date Friday 11 December 2026 if accepted alone (no change), per the Portal lead.
Assumptions: 15 more articles at the same pace as the first 40; fits before launch.
In the working plan for: 20 November.
2. Accept or decline A2 Document request checklist for each client?
Asked for by: the tax manager, 22 October (weekly portal meeting notes). Agreed in the notes by the Portal lead, who is not an approver; that is not an approval.
Status: In progress, work started without approval.
Effect: 9 days; $8,250 (9 days at $650, plus $2,400 other); end date Friday 18 December 2026 if accepted alone (+5 working days), per the Portal lead.
Assumptions: Needs the portal's reminder add-on, $2,400 for a year.
In the working plan for: 25 November.
3. Accept or decline A5 Saved favourite documents?
Asked for by: not found.
Status: Not started.
Effect: not estimated.
Assumptions: none given.
In the working plan for: 27 November.
4. Accept or decline A3 Card payment of invoices?
Asked for by: the finance director, 2 November (email to the project manager).
Status: Not started.
Effect: 11 days; $8,950 (11 days at $650, plus $1,800 other); end date Tuesday 5 January 2027 if accepted alone (+10 working days, skipping closed days), per the Portal lead.
Assumptions: Card payment provider's set-up fee, $1,800; finance opens the provider account.
Appears to match the baseline exclusion "Online payment of invoices by card".
In the working plan for: 30 November.
COMPARISON WITH THE BASELINE
Unchanged: 4 of 6 baseline deliverables (D1, D2, D3, D4).
Approved additions and changes: A1 Appointment booking with advisers, CR-01, Operations director, 16 October.
Not approved: D5 (changed wording), no change-log entry; A2, no change-log entry; A3, no change-log entry; A5, no change-log entry.
Declined but still in the working plan: A4 Pages in Spanish, CR-02, Operations director, 30 October.
Dates moved: D6 Launch and client invitation emails, from 4 December to 11 December; not later than the current end date.
Baseline deliverables not in the working list: none.
Approved changes not in the working list: none.
Requests in the notes not in the working list: a printable summary of each client's open requests, the audit partner, 22 October (weekly portal meeting notes).
FOR THE PROJECT MANAGER ONLY. Remove before sharing.
Questions: 6
1. D5 Migration of 55 help articles is in progress without an approved change. Does the extra work carry on while the Operations director decides?
2. A2 Document request checklist for each client is in progress without an approved change. Does the work carry on while the Operations director decides?
3. A4 Pages in Spanish was declined by the Operations director on 30 October (CR-02) and is still in the working plan. Does it come out of the plan, or go back to the Operations director?
4. A5 Saved favourite documents has no request in the notes and no estimate. Who asked for it, and will the Portal lead estimate it before the Operations director decides?
5. A3 Card payment of invoices appears to match the baseline exclusion "Online payment of invoices by card". Is it the same work?
6. The audit partner asked on 22 October for a printable summary of each client's open requests. It is not in the working list or the change log. Does it go to the Operations director as a change?
Prepared for the Project manager. Nothing has been accepted, declined, added to or removed from the plan, estimated, or sent.
How the figures were reached
- Baseline: 6 + 12 + 18 + 5 + 8 + 6 = 55 days, matching the stated total, so the review went ahead.
- Approved change CR-01: 7 days at $650 = $4,550, plus $1,200 other = $5,750. Now 55 + 7 = 62 days and $39,750 + $5,750 = $45,500. The end date is CR-01's agreed date, Friday 11 December 2026.
- D5: 3 × $650 = $1,950. A2: 9 × $650 = $5,850, plus $2,400 = $8,250; five working days after Friday 11 December is Friday 18 December. A3: 11 × $650 = $7,150, plus $1,800 = $8,950; ten working days after Friday 11 December, with the office closed from 24 December to 1 January, run 14 to 18 December, 21 to 23 December, then 4 and 5 January, so Tuesday 5 January 2027.
- Pending totals: 3 + 9 + 11 = 23 days and $1,950 + $8,250 + $8,950 = $19,150. If all were accepted, 62 + 23 = 85 days and $45,500 + $19,150 = $64,650, before A5.
- Order of decisions: D5 (in progress, due 20 November) and A2 (in progress, due 25 November) come first; then A5 (27 November) and A3 (30 November).
- D6 moved to 11 December, the same day as the current end date, so it is listed but raises no question. A4 was declined, so it gets a question for the project manager rather than a decision. A1 is approved and in the plan, so it raises nothing.
The project manager answers the six questions, removes the last part and takes the decisions to the operations director. The review changed nothing in the plan or the change log and sent nothing.
Where it fits
- Project and delivery, which holds the baseline and answers to the sponsor for every change to it.
- Professional services, where internal projects and client work compete for the same people's days.
- Engineering firms, where a deliverable that quietly grows can take a team's slack before anyone notices.
- Construction, for the office-side projects: a new estimating system, a new yard, a new reporting pack.
- Marketing and advertising, where requests arrive in every meeting and the plan absorbs them one at a time.
- Growth & scaling, when more projects run at once and nobody has time to police each plan by hand.
- Established businesses, where projects run beside a full working week and the sponsor needs the decision, not the history.
What has to change for your company
Name who sponsors each project and which roles may approve a change; some companies let the project manager accept small changes under a set limit, and that limit should be written down. Set your day rate, or a rate per role if your estimates are split that way. Map your tracker's export and your change log to the headings the template expects, once. Agree how far ahead of the sponsor's meeting the delivery lead estimates each change, and whether work already done without approval goes to the sponsor or stays with the project manager. It runs in ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini from files and notes you supply; it needs no connection to your project software.
What has been checked
Fully Powered AI wrote this capability template from its own published map of project and delivery work. It was editorially reviewed on 10 November 2026. It was tried once on its invented example on 10 November 2026 in Claude, and the run matched the example in every figure, date, order and count. It left a few points for judgement, which the published record lists: what the money figure in the position is, whether a moved date needs its own approval, and how to treat a change the requester made themselves. Small clarifications made afterward have not been run again. It has not yet been tested in a client environment, and not yet tested as a packaged version in ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini.
Testing in your environment means running it on two or three past changes your project manager remembers, plus hard cases written in advance: an addition agreed only in a meeting, a deliverable that grew from 40 items to 55, a declined change still in the plan, a change with no estimate, and two changes that each move the end date. The project manager checks every figure against the estimates and the change log before anyone relies on it. Pilot acceptance-test preparation sets those cases up, and Decision log keeps the sponsor's answers once they are given.
The full capability template
Everything above is the outline. The complete capability template is the working version: the roles, the inputs, the procedure, the exceptions and stop conditions, the output format, the reviewer checklist, the acceptance tests, the instructions for an AI assistant and what to customize for your company. It comes with a download and the link to its folder in Fully Powered’s public repository.
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Next step
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