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Standard

Programme and project data standard (HTML)

From:

Government Project Delivery
Published: 11 December 2025
Last modified: 11 December 2025
This page is under consultation

Overview

Functional standards are the primary reference documents for implementing consistent ways of working in government.

The suite of functional standards and associated guidance can be found on GOV.UK government functional standards.

This subject-specific standard is part of the suite of requirements and guidance which form the management framework that supports ‘Government Functional Standard GovS 002: Project delivery’.

Together with the functional standard for project delivery, it sets expectations for programme and project data management across government.

Functional standards contain both mandatory and advisory elements, described in consistent language (as shown in Table 1).

Table 1: Explanation of terms
Term Definition
shall denotes a requirement: a mandatory element
should denotes a recommendation: an advisory element
may denotes approval
might denotes a possibility
can denotes both capability and possibility
is/are denotes a description

 

The meaning of words is as defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, except where defined in the ‘Project delivery glossary’.

It is assumed that legal and regulatory requirements are always met.

1 About this standard

1.1 Purpose

This programme and project data describes how programme and project delivery data shall be created and maintained across government programmes and projects.

It sets expectations for organisations when defining, formatting and updating programme and project data.

These expectations help organisations create consistent and high-quality data, meeting the information and data management requirements set by ‘Government Functional Standard GovS 002: Project delivery’ and ‘Government Functional Standard GovS005: Digital’ (GOV.UK).

1.2 Scope

Where organisations create programme and project data relating to data entities and data attributes within this standard, the requirements and definitions set out in this document shall be followed.

This standard applies to all programmes and projects undertaken within or across government departments and their arm’s length bodies.

It covers work at all levels and all delivery methods, from:

  • programmes and projects listed in the government major project portfolio (GMPP) through to smaller initiatives
  • digital, infrastructure, transformation, service delivery, military capability, property, regulatory compliance or other purposes

Other public sector organisations may find this standard useful.

1.2.1 Programme and project delivery data

This standard sets requirements for fundamental programme and project data. This is the data that teams use to plan, manage and control programme and project work.

Programme and project delivery data is made up of data entities.

A data entity a main category of information about the work of a programme or project.

Each data entity has several data attributes that help identify, describe or measure it in detail.

This version of the standard covers the data entities most used by project delivery professionals across government.

The in-scope data entities are:

  • project features
  • risk
  • issue
  • milestone
  • benefit
  • cost
  • people

1.2.2 What is not included in this standard

This standard does not:

  • describe the specific data to be generated during the life cycle of a programme or project
  • include data entities or data attributes relating to portfolios, assumptions, change control, dependencies, stakeholder engagement, or quality in programme and project environments
  • create new reporting obligations for organisations
  • require organisations to create unnecessary programme or project data
  • require organisations to use a specific or single project management software or IT solution
  • require organisations to hold and manage compliant data in a single location

1.2.3 Updates and changes in scope

The quality and scope of this standard will be assessed on an on-going basis. New versions are published following consultation.

Any assessment and revision of this standard will consider:

  • whether the data being standardised supports the delivery of publicly funded programmes and projects
  • whether the standard improves the quality of data across government and supports better insights
  • whether the standard continues to meet the needs and capabilities of the UK project delivery profession

Each version will replace the previous version, while keeping the same purpose and intent. Versions include a clear version number, release date, and a summary of key changes and with the reasons behind them.

Updates are shared via existing Government Project Delivery and National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) communication channels. Previous versions will be archived for reference and audit purposes.

1.3 Related standards and guidance

This standard complements and references other government functional standards and guidance.

1.3.1 Government functional standard for project delivery

‘Government Functional Standard GovS 002: Project delivery’ sets expectations for the direction and management of portfolios, programmes and projects ensuring value for money and the successful and timely delivery of government policy and business objectives. It applies to portfolios, programme and projects undertaken within or across government departments and their arm’s length bodies.

1.3.2 The Teal Book

‘The Teal Book’ serves as the core and definitive reference on how project delivery should be done in government. It supports the functional standard for project delivery and provides descriptions of the activities and techniques involved in planning and controlling the work.

The following chapters and sections of The Teal Book are relevant to the requirements set out by this standard:

Benefits management

The benefits management collection brings together guidance, templates and case studies to support benefits management in government.

1.3.2 Government functional standard for people

‘Government Functional Standard GovS 003: People’ (GOV.UK) requires that prevailing human resource process flows, data standards and data definitions shall be adhered to, to ensure understanding of the workforce, data convergence, interoperability and streamlined reporting and decision making across organisations.

The programme and project data standard helps organisations’ programmes and projects meet the requirements of the functional standard for people by defining fundamental attributes for the people in programme and project environments.

1.3.2 Government functional standard for digital

‘Government functional standard GovS 005: Digital’ (GOV.UK) requires that data quality be assessed against 6 dimensions. These 6 dimensions are listed below along with an indication of how the Government subject-specific standard: programme and project data supports them.

6 dimensions
  1. Completeness – ensuring that all required records and essential values are present. This standard provides guidance on the fundamental attributes of each data entity.
  2. Uniqueness – reducing duplication of records. This standard requires organisations to use of unique identifiers for data entities.
  3. Consistency – avoiding contradictions between related data points. Attribute definitions and validation rules in this standard help maintain logical relationships between data points.
  4. Timeliness – keeping data current and relevant. This standard sets minimum update frequencies for each attribute to support up-to-date data.
  5. Validity – ensuring data is in the correct format and within expected ranges. This standard provides formats and category lists to guide data entry.
  6. Accuracy – aligning data with reality. This standard helps reduce ambiguity and supports verification by promoting common definitions and formatting requirements.

1.3.5 Other resources

‘Government Functional Standard GovS 006: Finance’ (GOV.UK) sets expectations for the effective management and use of public funds.

‘Government Functional Standard GovS 007: Security’ (GOV.UK) sets expectations for data and information security.

‘The Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) establishes the concept of risk management.

‘The Green Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out how to appraise and evaluate policies, projects and programmes.

The ‘Government Data Quality Framework’ (GOV.UK) provides principles and practices to assess, communicate and improve the quality of data in government.

The ‘NOVA Functional Reference Model’ (GOV.UK) is a digital repository of leading practice to support the optimal design of back office operations for finance, human resources (HR), grants management and commercial functions.

1.4 Requirements set by this standard

1.4.1 Complying with this standard

Government Project Delivery considers an organisation to be fully compliant with the standard when its in-scope programme and project data is entirely defined, formatted and updated according to the attribute requirements set out in the standard.

The path to full compliance will vary depending on each organisation’s unique programme and project data environment, which is made up of IT systems, data management practices and data maturity. In some cases, limitations of organisations’ programme and project data environments may mean immediate compliance is impossible. When such limitations exist, organisations shall develop implementation plans to overcome them and to work towards full compliance.

1.4.2 Planning for compliance

Implementation plans describe the changes and activities needed in the organisation to enable programmes and projects to create and manage data in line with the standard.

For some programmes and projects, the nature or scale of the project work may mean that not all in-scope data entities and attributes are necessary to plan, control or report on the work. Such programmes and projects are not expected to meet the requirements of this standard.

2 Governance

Clause 7.9 of the functional standard for project delivery sets out expectations for managing information and data for project delivery in government so that it is accurate, secure, and available for decision-making.

This subject-specific standard complements the functional standard for project delivery. It sets the minimum data requirements that shall be met by programmes and projects when defining, formatting and updating programme and project delivery data.

Accounting officers are accountable for how information and data are managed in their organisation. Chief data officers are responsible for ensuring that there are clear expectations for managing data and ensure compliance with data and security requirements, including those set by this standard. The senior officer accountable for project delivery in an organisation is responsible for ensuring that the organisation’s programme and project data complies with the requirements of this standard.

For each portfolio, the portfolio director, and for each programme or project, the senior responsible owner ensures that programme and project delivery data is created and managed according to this standard.

In programmes and projects, the senior responsible owner acts as the data owner, with ultimate accountability for the data created by their programme or project team.

Data stewards manage the quality of specific data entities within their programme or project. Anyone in a programme or project team can act as a data steward.

3 Attribute requirements

Each data attribute includes the following elements:

  1. Attribute ID – a unique alphanumeric reference used to identify the attribute. This helps users track versions and refer to specific attributes
  2. Attribute name – the name given to the field.
  3. Definition – a short description of the data that would be captured by the relevant attribute.
  4. Format – how the data shall be recorded and appear. For example, the data may be text or numeric.
  5. Update Frequency – how often the data shall be reviewed and updated. Actual update frequency for project delivery data should be determined by the relevant data steward in consultation with their data owner.
  6. Example – a sample entry of what data recorded against the given attribute may look like. The examples provided reflect accurate applications of this Standard.
  7. Related standard ID – existing data standards from other functions across government that relate to the attribute. The IDs provided here are stored in ‘NOVA Data Dictionary v3.2’ (GOV.UK).

Consistent use of these entities and attributes will help project and programme teams track progress more easily, compare how programmes and projects are performing, and make better decisions using high-quality data.

Data attributes are arranged by data entity.

Where an attribute uses the ‘plain text, category’ format, its list options are provided immediately following the table.

3.1 Project features

The project features entity helps to identify and describe government programmes and projects.

‘Project / Programme ID’, ‘Lead organisation’, and ‘GMPP status’ help facilitate departmental and cross-government comparisons and insights of project and programme performance. ‘Project / Programme ID’ also links project delivery data to a given programme or project and ensures that every entity of project delivery data can be connected in a clear and consistent way.

Table 2 sets out the data attributes that make up the project features entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 2: Data attributes for the project features entity
Attribute ID Attribute name Definition Format Update Frequency Example Related NOVA functional data standards IDs
GPD_1002_S_001 Project / Programme ID Unique alphanumeric code used to identify the programme or project. Text Once HMTPROJ0001 HMG_S_68
GPD_1002_S_002 Project / Programme name A unique, brief title used to refer to the programme or project. Text Once Project Gigabit HMG_S_69
GPD_1002_S_003 Parent ID The Project / Programme ID of the Parent Project or Parent Programme, if applicable. Text Once HMTPROJ0001 HMG_S_204
HMG_S_205
GPD_1002_S_004 Child ID The Project / Programme ID of the Child Project or Child Programme, if applicable. Text Once HMTPROJ0001 HMG_S_202
HMG_S_203
GPD_1002_S_005 Lead organisation The name of the primary government organisation delivering the project. Plain text, Category Once Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
GPD_1002_S_006 Project category A categorical indication of the primary domain of the programme or project. Plain text, Category Once Infrastructure and construction HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_007 GMPP status A categorical indication of whether the programme or project belongs to the Government Major Project Portfolio. Text On change Yes
GPD_1002_S_008 Project start date The date the project begins. This date should be the beginning of the Feasibility Stage of the project and should follow the conclusion of the Policy Stage. Date Once YYYY-MM-DD HMG_S_28
GPD_1002_S_009 Project end date The date on which the project will end. This date should be the end of the Operation Stage and precede Operations. Date Quarterly YYYY-MM-DD HMG_S_28
GPD_1002_S_010 Programme director name The name of the Programme Director. Text On change Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_011 Senior responsible owner name The name of the Senior Responsible Owner. Text On change Ben Salisbury

3.1.1 List options

Project category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_006, choose from:

  • ‘Infrastructure and construction’
  • ‘Military capability’
  • ‘Digital and data’
  • ‘Transformation and service delivery’
  • ‘International’

The Teal Book (10.3) sets out the categories programmes and projects fall under.

GMPP status

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_007, choose from:

  • ‘Yes’
  • ‘No’

Lead organisation

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_005, choose from the list of departments, agencies and public bodies (GOV.UK).

3.2 Risk

The risk entity contains attributes that support the identification, assessment, ownership, response planning, and monitoring of risks.

‘Risk ID’, ‘Risk title’, ‘Risk type’, ‘Risk cause description’ and ‘Risk event description’ attributes help define and categorise risks clearly.

‘Inherent risk likelihood score’, ‘Inherent risk impact score’, ‘Inherent risk rating’ and their current and residual counterparts support quantitative assessment and tracking over time.

‘Risk proximity’ helps understand when a risk might occur and how quickly it could affect objectives.

‘Risk response category’, ‘Risk response description’, ‘Risk response owner’ and ‘Risk response due date’ support planning and accountability for mitigation actions. ‘Risk owner’ and ‘Raised by’ ensure governance and traceability.

Table 3 sets out the data attributes that make up the risk entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 3: Data attributes for the risk entity
Attribute ID Attribute Name Definition Format Update Frequency Example
GPD_1002_S_012 Risk ID Unique alphanumeric code used to identify the risk and its associated data. Text Once PRJ1_RISK001
GPD_1002_S_013 Risk title A brief summary to identify the risk. Text Once Inclement weather
GPD_1002_S_014 Risk type Indication of whether the risk is a threat or opportunity. Plain text, Category Once Opportunity
GPD_1002_S_015 Risk cause description A description of the events or situations that are not risks in themselves but act as sources and drivers for potential risks and can be internal or external to the portfolio, programme or project. Text On change Caused by <event or situation>
GPD_1002_S_016 Risk cause category A categorical indication of the area in which the risk cause may arise. Plain text, Category On change Strategy
GPD_1002_S_017 Risk event description A description of an occurrence or change of circumstances. This can be something that is expected that does not happen, or something unexpected that does happen. Events can have multiple causes and impacts and can affect multiple objectives Text Once X may occur
GPD_1002_S_018 Risk event category A categorical indication of the area in which the risk event could occur. Plain text, Category Once Governance
GPD_1002_S_019 Risk impact description A description of the effects of the risk on the objectives of the portfolio, programme, project or work package should the event occur. Text On change …resulting in <impact on the objectives>
GPD_1002_S_020 Risk impact category A categorical indication of the area that would be impacted by the risk event. Plain text, Category On change Security
GPD_1002_S_021 Risk proximity A categorical indication of how soon the risk is expected to occur from the date of assessment. Plain text, Category On change Imminent
GPD_1002_S_022 Inherent risk rating The result of the Inherent risk likelihood score multiplied by the Inherent risk impact score. Numeric Once 20
GPD_1002_S_023 Inherent risk likelihood score An indication of the likelihood of this risk occurring (on a scale of 1-5, 5 being certain) Numeric Once 4
GPD_1002_S_024 Inherent risk impact score An indication of the impact should this risk occur. Numeric Once 4
GPD_1002_S_025 Current risk rating The result of the Inherent/ Current risk likelihood score multiplied by the Inherent/ Current risk impact score. Numeric Monthly 20
GPD_1002_S_026 Current risk likelihood score A numerical indication of the likelihood of this risk occurring (on a scale of 1-5, 5 being certain). Numeric Monthly 4
GPD_1002_S_027 Current risk impact score A numerical indication of the impact should this risk occur. Numeric Monthly 4
GPD_1002_S_028 Residual risk likelihood score A numerical indication of the likelihood of the risk occurring after the risk response has been applied. Numeric On change 5
GPD_1002_S_029 Residual risk impact score A numerical indication of the impact, should the risk occur after the risk response has been applied. Numeric On change 3
GPD_1002_S_030 Residual risk rating The residual risk likelihood score multiplied by the estimated residual risk impact score following successful and complete implementation of selected risk response(s). Numeric On change 15
GPD_1002_S_031 Risk response category Whether to avoid, treat, transfer, accept, share, exploit (etc) the risk. Plain text, Category On change Exploit
GPD_1002_S_032 Risk response description A description of the action required to manage the risk in line with the risk appetite. Text On change To <risk response category> this risk, we will <description of actions>
GPD_1002_S_033 Risk response owner Name of the individual responsible for implementing the selected risk response. Text On change Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_034 Risk response due date The date by which the risk response should be carried out. Date On change YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_035 Risk owner Name of the individual with the accountability and authority to manage the risk. Text Once Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_036 Raised by Name of the person or body who identified the risk Text Once Ben Salisbury

3.2.1 List options

Risk type

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_014, choose from:

  • ‘Opportunity’
  • ‘Threat’

Risk cause category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_016, choose from:

  • ‘Strategy’
  • ‘Governance’
  • ‘Operations’
  • ‘Legal’
  • ‘Property’
  • ‘Financial’
  • ‘Commercial’
  • ‘People’
  • ‘Technology’
  • ‘Information’
  • ‘Security’
  • ‘Project/Programme’
  • ‘Reputational’

Annex 4 of the ‘Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out the definitions for these risk categories.

Risk event category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_018, choose from:

  • ‘Strategy’
  • ‘Governance’
  • ‘Operations’
  • ‘Legal’
  • ‘Property’
  • ‘Financial’
  • ‘Commercial’
  • ‘People’
  • ‘Technology’
  • ‘Information’
  • ‘Security’
  • ‘Project/Programme’
  • ‘Reputational’

Annex 4 of the ‘Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out the definitions for these risk categories.

Risk impact category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_020, choose from:

  • ‘Strategy’
  • ‘Governance’
  • ‘Operations’
  • ‘Legal’
  • ‘Property’
  • ‘Financial’
  • ‘Commercial’
  • ‘People’
  • ‘Technology’
  • ‘Information’
  • ‘Security’
  • ‘Project/Programme’
  • ‘Reputational’

Annex 4 of the ‘Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out the definitions for these risk categories.

Risk proximity

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_021, choose from:

  • ‘Imminent’ – if the risk is expected to occur within 3 months from the date of the assessment
  • ‘Short term’ – if the risk is expected to occur within 3 to 6 months from the date of the assessment
  • ‘Medium term’ – if the risk is expected to occur within 6 to 12 months from the date of the assessment
  • ‘Long term’ – if the risk is expected to occur more than 12 months from the date of the assessment

Risk response category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_031, choose from:

  • ‘Avoid’
  • ‘Treat’
  • ‘Transfer’
  • ‘Accept’
  • ‘Share’
  • ‘Exploit’
  • ‘Enhance’
  • ‘Reject’

Table 20.1 in ‘The Teal Book’ sets out the definitions for risk response categories.

3.3 Issue

This issue entity contains attributes that support the identification, assessment, escalation and resolution of issues.

‘Issue description’, ‘Issue cause category’ and ‘Issue status’ attributes help assess and prioritise issues.

‘Issue owner’, ‘Issue response description’ and closure reason support accountability and resolution tracking.

Table 4 sets out the data attributes that make up the issue entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 4: Data attributes for the issue entity
Attribute ID Attribute Name Definition Format Update Frequency Example
GPD_1002_S_037 Issue ID Unique alphanumeric code used to identify the issue and its associated data. Text Once PRJ1_ISS001
GPD_1002_S_038 Issue event description Description of the issue at a level of detail where it can be managed effectively (such as at work package or project level). Text Once X has occurred
GPD_1002_S_039 Issue cause A description of the specific factors that caused the event to occur or the query/ concern/ change to be identified. Text Once Caused by <event>
GPD_1002_S_040 Issue cause category A categorical indication of the area in which the issue cause lies. For issues that are escalated from risks, the Issue cause category could relate to the risk cause category. Plain text, Category Once Governance
GPD_1002_S_041 Issue effect A description of the effects of the issue on the objectives of the portfolio, programme, project, or work package. Text Once resulting in <effect>
GPD_1002_S_042 Issue impact category A categorical indication of the type of impact the issue is having. Plain text, Category Once Governance
GPD_1002_S_043 Issue identifier The name of the person or body who has raised the issue. Text Once Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_044 Issue owner Assignment of person/persons to management of event. Text On change Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_045 Issue response description A description of the corrective action/response required to address the issue. Text Once This issue will be addressed through <response>
GPD_1002_S_046 Issue status A categorical indication of the status of the issue. Plain text, Category On change Open
GPD_1002_S_047 Issue closure reason Reason the issue was closed. Text Once PRJ1_ISS001 was closed because <reason>

3.3.1 List options

Issue cause category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_040, choose from:

  • ‘Strategy’
  • ‘Governance’
  • ‘Operations’
  • ‘Legal’
  • ‘Property’
  • ‘Financial’
  • ‘Commercial’
  • ‘People’
  • ‘Technology’
  • ‘Information’
  • ‘Security’
  • ‘Project/Programme’
  • ‘Reputational’

Annex 4 of the ‘Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out the definitions for these risk categories.

Issue impact category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_042, choose from:

  • ‘Strategy’
  • ‘Governance’
  • ‘Operations’
  • ‘Legal’
  • ‘Property’
  • ‘Financial’
  • ‘Commercial’
  • ‘People’
  • ‘Technology’
  • ‘Information’
  • ‘Security’
  • ‘Project/Programme’
  • ‘Reputational’

Annex 4 of the ‘Orange Book’ (GOV.UK) sets out the definitions for these risk categories.

Issue status

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_046, choose from:

  • ‘Open’
  • ‘Paused’
  • ‘Closed’

3.4 Benefit

The benefit entity defines the attributes relating to a programme or project’s benefits data. These attributes support the consistent definition, monitoring and reporting of benefits across the life cycle.

‘Benefit ID’, ‘Benefit title’, ‘Green Book benefit category’, ‘Green Book benefit class’ and ‘Beneficiary group’ support clear benefit definition and classification.

‘Performance measure’, ‘Realisation start date’, ‘Realisation end date’ and ‘Full-year value’ attributes support tracking and reporting over time.

Table 5 sets out the data attributes that make up the benefit entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 5: Data attributes for the benefit entity
Attribute ID Attribute Name Definition Format Update Frequency Example
GPD_1002_S_048 Benefits ID Unique alphanumeric code used to identify the benefit and its associated data. Text Once PRJ1_BEN001
GPD_1002_S_049 Benefit title A brief summary to identify the benefit. Text Once Reduced Waiting Times for Public Services
GPD_1002_S_050 Benefit description A brief summary of the benefit including enabling programme, project or activity. Text Once A digital booking system will reduce waiting times for council services by allowing citizens to schedule appointments online, improving access and efficiency.
GPD_1002_S_051 Green Book benefit category A categorical indication of the Green Book Benefit Category to which the benefit belongs. Benefit Categories indicate where the benefit is realised. Plain text, Category Once Direct public sector
GPD_1002_S_052 Green Book benefit class A categorical indication of the Green Book Benefit Classification to which the benefit belongs. Benefit Classes indicate how the benefit is measured. Plain text, Category Once Monetisable
GPD_1002_S_053 Benefit owner Name of the person responsible for the benefit. Text Once Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_S_054 Related business case objective The title of the related objective outlined in the relevant business case. Text On change Improve citizen access to council services through digital transformation.
GPD_1002_S_055 Related strategic objective The title of the strategic objective to which the benefit relates. Text On change PRJ1_BEN001 aligns with <objective>.
GPD_1002_S_056 Full-year value of the benefit (forecast) The forecast monetary figure of the full-year value of the benefit in £m. Numeric On change 1000
GPD_1002_S_057 Full-year value of the benefit (actual) The actual monetary figure of the full-year value of the benefit in £m. Numeric On change 1000
GPD_1002_S_058 Realisation start date The date on which the benefit will begin to be realised. Date On change YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_059 Realisation end date The date on which benefit realisation is complete. Date On change YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_060 Benefit realisation time frame The number of years over which the benefit will be realised. This is the difference between the Realisation start date and Realisation end date. Numeric On change 3.5
GPD_1002_S_061 Beneficiary group A categorical indication of the stakeholder group to whom the benefit will be of value. Plain text, Category On change Government Department
GPD_1002_S_062 Beneficiary Stakeholder to whom the benefit will be of value. Text On change HM Treasury

3.5.1 List options

Green Book benefit category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_051, choose from:

  • ‘Direct public sector’
  • ‘Indirect public sector’
  • ‘Wider benefits to UK society’

Green Book benefit class

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_052, choose from:

  • ‘Cash releasing’
  • ‘Monetisable non-cash releasing benefits’
  • ‘Quantifiable but not monetisable’
  • ‘Qualitative unquantifiable benefits’

Section 5.1 of ‘The Green Book’ (GOV.UK) supports the classification of benefits.

Beneficiary group

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_061, choose from:

  • ‘Public’
  • ‘Government department’
  • ‘Local government’
  • ‘Overseas’
  • ‘Other’

3.5 Milestone

The milestone entity defines the attributes relating to a programme or project’s milestones. These attributes support consistent planning and monitoring by capturing both planned and actual milestone dates, and milestone types.

‘Milestone ID’, ‘Milestone planned date’, ‘Milestone forecast date’ and ‘Milestone actual date’ support progress monitoring, slippage identification, assurance and reporting.

These attributes support a structured and reliable view of delivery progress and enable effective tracking against baselined schedules.

Table 6 sets out the data attributes that make up the milestone entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 6: Data attributes for the milestone entity
Attribute ID Attribute Name Definition Format Update Frequency Example
GPD_1002_S_063 Milestone ID Unique alphanumeric code used to identify the milestone. Text Once HMT_PROJ0001_M001
GPD_1002_S_064 Milestone title A brief summary to identify the milestone. Text Once Service Go Live
GPD_1002_S_065 Milestone planned date (baseline) Initial date on which the milestone is planned to complete. This is the baseline date and should not change. Date Once YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_066 Milestone forecast date The date on which the milestone is currently expected to complete. This should be the date currently in use internally within the project. Date On change YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_067 Milestone actual date The date on which the milestone was completed. Date Once YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_S_068 Milestone category Categorical indication of which area the milestone belongs to. Plain text, Category Once Assurance
GPD_1002_S_069 Milestone status Categorisation of the delivery status of the milestone. Plain text, Category On change On track
GPD_1002_S_070 Milestone description A description of the milestone that adds detail beyond the Milestone Title. Text Once The service becomes live for all registered users.
GPD_1002_S_071 Milestone critical status Yes/No indication of whether the milestone is on the project’s critical path. Plain text, Category On change Yes
GPD_1002_S_072 Milestone restricted status Yes/No indication of whether the milestone should be treated as Official-Sensitive. Plain text, Category On change Yes
GPD_1002_S_073 Milestone protected status Yes/No indication of whether the information provided for this Milestone should be prioritised for protection during centralised reporting. Plain text, Category On change Yes
GPD_1002_S_074 Milestone comment Text to support understanding of the milestone. Text On change This milestone superseded two archived milestones: <milestone IDs>.

3.4.1 List options

Milestone status

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_069, choose from:

  • ‘On track’
  • ‘Off track’
  • ‘Completed’
  • ‘Superseded’

Milestone category

For data attribute GPD_1002_S_068, choose from:

  • ‘Assurance’
  • ‘Delivery’
  • ‘Business case’
Milestone category list definitions
If your milestone relates to a NISTA Gate

Choose: Assurance

Examples:

  • NISTA Gate 0 (Programme level)
  • NISTA Gates 1 to 5 (Project level)
If your milestone is about project delivery dates or critical path

Choose: Delivery

Examples:

  • project start date (must match project features)
  • project end date (must match project features)
  • business case end date (if applicable)
  • operational end date (if applicable)
  • any critical path milestones
If your milestone is about a business case

Choose: Business case

Examples:

  • any HM Treasury business case from strategic outline case to final business case (including revisions)
  • any HM Treasury programme business case (including revisions)
If your milestone is for GMPP GRIP reporting

Choose: Assurance

Action:

  • Refer to GMPP Reporting Guidance for GRIP users for details.

3.6 Cost

The cost entity is made up of attributes that help teams monitor costs at different levels — monthly, annually (by the financial year) and over a whole-life period.

Using these attributes enables consistent collection, updating and reporting of cost data. To help report on financial status over time, the data for the cost attributes below should be created with reference to existing finance data standards.

Table 7 sets out the data attributes that make up the cost entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 7: Data attributes for the cost entity
Attribute ID Attribute Name Definition Format Update Frequency Example Related CCoA and Finance Data Standard IDs
GPD_1002_S_076 Departmental baseline The cost/benefit profile approved by the department nearest to the current reporting period. Report in nominal terms. If not available, return nil. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_077 HMT approved estimate The most recent cost/benefit profile approved by HMT nearest to the current reporting period. Report in nominal terms. If not available, return nil. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_078 Actual cost to date (Whole Life) The incurred costs charged to the project account and paid or accrued over the project to date. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_079 Forecast outturn (Whole Life) The cost of actual expenditure, accruals and estimated costs to complete the work to the end of the project. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_080 Variance (Whole Life) Cost comparison between what has been funded and what has been spent over the course of the project so far. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_081 Actual cost to date (Financial Year) The incurred costs charged to the project account and paid or accrued over the Financial Year. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_082 Forecast outturn (Financial Year) The cost of actual expenditure, accruals and estimated costs to complete the work to the end of the Financial Year. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_083 Current budget (Financial Year) The agreed cost of the project or resources needed for the Financial Year to achieve an activity by a set time. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_084 Variance (Financial Year) Cost comparison between what has been funded and what has been spent in the Financial Year. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_085 Actual cost (Month) The incurred costs charged to the project account and paid or accrued over the given month. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_086 Agreed funding for current stage The monetary figure (funding) agreed for the current stage of the project. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_087 Agreed funding for next stage The monetary figure (funding) agreed for the next stage of the project. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_088 One-off new costs (RDEL) Monetary figure representing the investment in change – the “one off” project resource costs incurred by undertaking the project until its closure. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_089 One-off new costs (CDEL) Monetary figure representing the investment in change – the “one off” project capital costs incurred by undertaking the project until its closure. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 CCoA: HMG_S_202, HMG_S_203, HMG_S_204, HMG_S_205
Finance: HMG_S_68, HMG_S_69, HMG_S_71
GPD_1002_S_090 Recurring new costs (RDEL) Monetary figure representing ongoing resource expenditure needed to maintain/service the asset implemented during the project. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_091 Recurring new costs (CDEL) Monetary figure representing ongoing capital expenditure needed to maintain/service the asset implemented during the project. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_092 Recurring old costs (RDEL) Monetary figure representing resource expenditure ongoing prior to commencement of the project, recorded only if included in the Business Case. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_093 Recurring old costs (CDEL) Monetary figure representing capital expenditure ongoing prior to commencement of the project, recorded only if included in the Business Case. Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_094 Non-govt spend (RDEL) Monetary figure representing resource expenditure met other than from HMT (public finances). Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_095 Non-govt spend (CDEL) Monetary figure representing capital expenditure met other than from HMT (public finances). Input values in £m. Numeric On change 10000 –
GPD_1002_S_096 Departmental baseline year The financial year of the departmental baseline (Year zero – Y0). Dates should begin with 01/04. Date On change YYYY-MM-DD HMG_S_28

3.7 People

The people entity is made up of attributes that describe a programme or project’s people data. These attributes support workforce planning, role clarity, capability mapping and governance in programmes and projects.

Attributes such as ‘Current headcount’, ‘Total approved FTE’ and ‘Total public sector employees funded to work in project team (FTE)’ help teams understand the scale and structure of their workforce.

‘Total current vacant post carried (FTE)’ and ‘Total vacant posts carried (12 months) (FTE)’ support forward planning and recruitment tracking.

Data on external contractors and project delivery roles enables visibility of delivery capacity, supports assurance, and informs decisions on resourcing models.

Table 8 sets out the data attributes that make up the people entity.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 8: Data attributes for the people entity
Attribute ID Attribute name Definition Format Update frequency Example Related HR Data Standard ID
GPD_1002_S_097 Current headcount The total number of employees employed by the project. Numeric On change 25 HMG_S_229
HMG_S_583
GPD_1002_S_098 Total approved FTE The total number of approved positions for the project, as determined by organisational headcount controls. Numeric On change 27 HMG_S_229
GPD_1002_S_099 Total funded public sector employees (FTE) The total number of full-time equivalent civil servants/crown personnel approved for the project team (as agreed in the most recent, relevant business case). Numeric On change 100.5 HMG_S_40
HMG_S_583
HMG_S_12
HMG_S_219
GPD_1002_S_100 Total public sector employees in post (FTE) The total number of full-time equivalent civil servants/crown personnel currently in-post in the project. Numeric On change 100.5 HMG_S_40
HMG_S_583
HMG_S_12
HMG_S_219
GPD_1002_S_101 Total current vacant posts carried (FTE) The total number of approved full-time equivalent positions that are yet to be filled, including civil servants, crown personnel, contracted, and contingent employees. Numeric On change 2 HMG_S_40
HMG_S_12
GPD_1002_S_102 Total vacant posts carried (next 12 months) (FTE) The total number of approved full-time equivalent positions that are unfilled but are planned to be filled within the next 12 months, including civil servants, crown personnel, contracted, and contingent employees. Numeric On change 4 HMG_S_40
HMG_S_12
GPD_1002_S_103 Total project delivery posts (FTE) The total number of full-time equivalent posts in the project team which align with the project delivery profession, either named within the Project Delivery Capability Framework or other project delivery-specific roles. Numeric On change 15 HMG_S_229
HMG_S_583
HMG_S_12
HMG_S_219
GPD_1002_S_104 Current contracted and contingent employees (FTE) The total number of full-time equivalent contracted and contingent employees currently in-post in the project team. Numeric On change 5 HMG_S_40
HMG_S_219

4 Metadata

Metadata provides information about other data. For project delivery data, metadata would explain, for example, when a Milestone comment was last updated and who modified it. Metadata is often created automatically by project management software and tools and does not require data creation by users. Metadata can exist for all project delivery data and plays a critical role in supporting data quality.

Table 9 defines a set of common metadata attributes that should apply across all data entities.

Use the scroll bar below the table to view all of the fields. You can also download a spreadsheet of all data attributes in the programme and project data standard (ODS, 12KB).

Table 9: Metadata data attributes
Attribute ID Attribute name Definition Format Update frequency Example
GPD_1002_M_001 Date created The date on which the data was created. Date Once YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_M_002 Last modified The most recent date on which the data was updated. Datetime On change YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss
GPD_1002_M_003 Closure date The date on which the entry was closed. Date Once YYYY-MM-DD
GPD_1002_M_004 Created by The name of the person who created the data. Text Once Ben Salisbury
GPD_1002_M_005 Modified by The name of the person who modified the data. Text On change Ben Salisbury

5 Data validation rules

Data validation rules are checks that make sure data is accurate, consistent, and follows the requirements set out in this standard. They help confirm that information is entered in the right format, uses the correct categories, and meets logical requirements.

These rules work alongside the attribute requirements and metadata guidance in the previous sections. While attributes define what data to capture and metadata explains how to track changes, validation rules ensure that both are applied correctly and reliably.

Table 10: Data validation rules
Validation rule Description
ID ‘Project / Programme ID’, ‘Risk ID’, ‘Issue ID’, ‘Milestone ID’, ‘Benefit ID’ shall be unique across the organisation.

ID data should be of consistent length and format. So, in the ‘Project / Programme ID’ attribute, if data is entered for a project ID, all project IDs in the organisation must follow the same format and character length.
Numeric format All numeric fields (for example, ‘Inherent risk rating’) shall be positive numbers unless specified otherwise.
Category validity Fields with predefined categories (for example. ‘Risk type’, ‘Milestone status’) shall match the list options provided.
Risk rating calculation ‘Inherent risk rating’, ‘Current risk rating’ and ‘Residual risk rating’ shall be equal to their respective likelihood multiplied by the impact scores.
Risk to issue transition If ‘Current risk likelihood score’ is equal to 5, the risk shall be reclassified as an issue.
Milestone date logic Milestone actual date shall be on or before today’s date.
Project date logic ‘Project end date’ shall be later than ‘Project start date’.
Benefit realisation logic ‘Realisation end date’ shall be on or after ‘Realisation start date’.
Metadata consistency ‘Last modified’ shall update when any attribute changes; ‘Created by’ and ‘Modified by’ shall be valid user identifiers.
Foreign key integrity ‘Project ID’ shall exist in all related entities (for example, ‘Risk’, ‘Issue’, ‘Milestone’, ‘Benefit’, ‘Cost’, ‘People’).
Date Shall be stored as per the ISO 8601 standard (iso.org) but may be stored in the system or database proprietary format.

Shall be transmitted as per the ISO 8601 standard ‘YYYY-MM-DD’.

Should be displayed as ‘DDMMYYYY’, but can be displayed as ‘DD/MM/YYYY’ or ‘DD-MM-YYYY’.

See cross-functional data standard HMG_S_28.
Datetime Shall be stored as per the ISO 8601 standard but may be stored in the system or database proprietary format.

Shall be transmitted as per the ISO 8601 standard ‘YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss’ for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time zone or ‘YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss+HH:mm’ for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time zone offset.

Should be displayed as ‘DDMMYYYY HH:mm:ss’, but can be displayed as “DD/MM/YYYY HH:mm:ss” or “DD-MM-YYYY HH:mm:ss”.

Time zone shall default to GMT/BST, but can be amended to a local time zone if required.

See cross-functional data standard HMG_S_28.

6 Glossary

Some terms in this data standard have specific meanings. New terms introduced in this document are defined below. 

These terms have also been added to the project delivery glossary, which includes definitions for other project delivery terms. 

data attribute

A specific piece of information about a data entity. For example, in a milestone entity, attributes include ‘Planned date’, ‘Forecast date’ and ‘Actual date’.

data entity

A main category of information about a programme or project. Examples include ‘Risk’, ‘Issue’, ‘Milestone’, ‘Benefit’, ‘Cost’, ‘People’ and ‘Project features’.

data owner

The person accountable for the overall quality and correct use of project data. For programmes and projects, this is usually the senior responsible owner (SRO). They may delegate tasks to a programme or project manager.

data quality

A measure of how well data meets six dimensions: completeness, uniqueness, consistency, timeliness, validity, and accuracy.

data steward

The person responsible for creating, maintaining, and using project data in line with the standard. They ensure data is accurate, complete, and consistent. Any team member can act as a steward for specific data entities.

metadata

Information about other data, such as when it was created, last modified, and by whom. Metadata supports auditability and version control.

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