Appendix E: The PRINCE2® Filing Structure

(If you skipped down the table of contents links and arrived here 1st because it is the last link then you have missed all the careful preparation and slow immersion that make sub-process IDs like IP5 or appendix references like B.9 understandable - so go back to the beginning - otherwise the abbreviations will make this section hard if not impossible to absorb).

The filing structure is created by the (B.9) Configuration Librarian - with regard to corporate and programme standards - during IP5.

It is also reviewed and if necessary revised in SB  to add subsequent E.2 Stage Files. The Red Book doesn't says explicitly where in SB but SB5 is a sensible place to consider it, else perhaps within SB1 & 6's replanning activities.

The description of the filing system is included in the (A.6) Configuration Management Plan started in IP1 but finished in IP5.

The filing system comprises 3 major divisions (previous versions of PRINCE2® still said 3 but one of them was "Specialist files" which has now been deleted from the PRINCE2® definition - what does PRINCE2® know of anything 'specialist'? - nothing!)

E.1 Project File

bulletOriginal approved Project Initiation Document
bulletProject organisation chart & signed job descriptions
bulletAll versions of (A.30) Project Plans created at stage ends or when changes dictate together with the audit trail (content, dates & reasons, changes to assumptions & resourcing)
bulletAll parts of Project Plans (Eg Product Breakdown Structures, Product Flow Diagrams etc)
bulletAll versions of the Business Case from each stage and exception
bulletAudit trail of all risks, all analysis & management countermeasures (taken or not)
bulletAll versions of all project oriented Appendix A documents
from (Project Mandate to End Project Report)
bullet(A.4) Communication Plan as amended from time-to-time to reflect changing needs and changing stakeholders

E.2 Stage Files: One per stage

bulletDetails of all work assignments, including whom assigned plus their performance assessment
bulletAll versions of Stage plans as updated, including, if used, Team and Exception Plans
bulletAll versions of all stage oriented Appendix A documents
bulletFrom Work Package to Checkpoint, Highlight or Exception Reports, to End Stage or Exception Assessments
bulletProject Manager’s Daily Log of actions, discussions and events
bulletAll other (significant) stage oriented records

E.3 Quality File: [conceptually] a single project wide audit trail of all quality oriented activities that supports assessment of how well quality standards are being applied

bulletAll versions of
bulletCustomer’s quality expectations,
bulletAcceptance Criteria,
bulletSupporting (A.31) Project Quality Plan and
bulletConfiguration Management Plan
bulletAll versions of the set of Configuration Item Records and Product Descriptions
bulletCovers every (significant) product of the project
bulletCross-references any Project Issues that caused changes to the product
bulletQuality Log, followed by all quality records
bulletAudit trail of quality inspections planned or held with their results
bulletItemised entry for each check,
bulletIts type (eg quality review),
bulletDate planned or held,
bulletAffected product,
bulletReferences to where complete test documentation is stored, details of participants, actions raised and (eventually) notes of corrections and proof of a positive result (or Concession)
bulletIssue Log which indexes, summarising every Project Issue record of any type
bulletAudit trail of all RFCs, Off-specifications, general queries with results