Target completion date explained
How to set a security programme target completion date
Your target completion date is a planning goal for the programme. Use it to organise roadmap work; it does not change contractual or official assessment deadlines.
Choose a workable target
Start with the business milestone, identify dependencies and leave time to collect evidence and review completed work. Assign individual owners and dates rather than placing every task on the last day.
Use the roadmap
Compare task dates with the programme target and review missing, overdue or later dates. A suggested schedule is a starting point: confirm it with the people doing the work.
Keep other dates distinct
An estimated completion date belongs to a work item. An assessment date defines a review. A contractual or conditional-status deadline comes from a separate obligation. Record and review each for its actual purpose.
A practical example
Example: choose a programme target, then review the suggested dates against staff availability and dependencies. If a provider needs six weeks to make a change, adjust the task dates and ownership before accepting the schedule.