---
title: "Steering Group Pack Template (IDK-06)"
date: 2026-09-21
description: "Ready-to-use template IDK-06: Steering Group Pack for IFS Cloud implementation projects, aligned with the IFS implementation methodology."
author: "Dariusz Mysliwiec"
categories:
  - name: "Implementation docs kit"
    url: "https://www.ifs-erp.com/implementation-docs-kit.md"
---

# Steering Group Pack Template (IDK-06)

Template IDK-06, version 1.0. Phase: All phases.

 ## How to use this template

 
- Part A (terms of reference) is written once, during Initiate Project, and approved at the first steering group meeting.
- Parts B to E are reused for every meeting: standing agenda, status report, key design decision paper (one per decision), minutes.
- The two project managers prepare the pack together and send it [agree in project] before the meeting. A steering group that reads papers at the table decides badly or not at all.
- Replace every `[bracketed field]`. Delete rows marked `Example:` once you have your own.
- A pack is done when each decision requested is stated as a question the steering group can answer with yes, no, or a choice between named options.

 | Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Template ID | IDK-06 |
| Phase | All phases |
| Owner | Customer project manager and supplier project manager (joint) |
| Approver | Steering group chair (executive sponsor) |
| Qualification gate | Project Initiated (terms of reference approved); used at every gate for the status report and gate decision |
| Version | 1.0 |

 ## Contents

 
- [Document control](#document-control)
- [A1. Purpose](#a1-purpose)
- [A2. Responsibilities](#a2-responsibilities)
- [A3. Members](#a3-members)
- [A4. Working rules](#a4-working-rules)
- [C1. Summary](#c1-summary)
- [C2. Progress against plan](#c2-progress-against-plan)
- [C3. Milestones](#c3-milestones)
- [C4. Budget](#c4-budget)
- [C5. Top risks and issues](#c5-top-risks-and-issues)
- [C6. Decisions needed today](#c6-decisions-needed-today)
- [C7. Gate readiness](#c7-gate-readiness)
- [C8. Benefits and business readiness](#c8-benefits-and-business-readiness)
- [D1. Context](#d1-context)
- [D2. Options](#d2-options)
- [D3. Recommendation](#d3-recommendation)
- [D4. Impact of the recommendation](#d4-impact-of-the-recommendation)
- [D5. Decision](#d5-decision)
- [E1. Decisions](#e1-decisions)
- [E2. Actions](#e2-actions)
- [E3. Notes](#e3-notes)
- [Approval](#approval)

 ## Document control

 | Version | Date | Author | Change | Approved by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0.1 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [name, role] | Terms of reference drafted |   |
| 1.0 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [name, role] | Terms of reference approved | [steering group chair] |
| [meeting no.] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [names] | Pack for steering group meeting [no.] |   |

 ## A1. Purpose

 The steering group is accountable for the money spent and for the work as a whole. It connects the project to the business and is the only body that can change scope, plan or budget.

 ## A2. Responsibilities

 
1. Monitor the project against its objectives and benefits.
2. Approve the project strategies (testing, training, communication, data, infrastructure, business change, legacy decommissioning).
3. Decide key design decisions brought by the project managers.
4. Authorise or reject changes to scope, plan and budget, including every modification and integration.
5. Set priority against competing initiatives and resolve resource conflicts.
6. Approve each qualification gate and release the next phase.
7. Act as visible champions of the project in their own business areas.

 The steering group does not manage the project day to day. That is the project managers' job.

 ## A3. Members

 | Name | Role in the company | Role in the steering group | Deputy allowed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [name] | [title] | Chair, executive sponsor | No |
| [name] | [title, supplier] | Supplier sponsor | [yes/no] |
| [name] | [head of business area] | Member, represents [area] | [yes/no] |
| [name] | Customer project manager | Reports, no vote | No |
| [name] | Supplier project manager | Reports, no vote | No |

 Members are senior representatives of the business areas most affected. Membership is a commitment of time: [agree in project] per meeting, plus reading the pack.

 ## A4. Working rules

 | Rule | Agreement |
| --- | --- |
| Meeting frequency | [agree in project], plus one meeting per gate. All dates booked at project start. |
| Quorum | [agree in project]. The chair must be present for a gate decision. |
| Pack distribution | Sent [agree in project] before the meeting |
| Decision method | [consensus, chair decides if none] |
| Decisions between meetings | [written procedure, for example by email with chair confirmation, recorded in the next minutes] |
| Minutes | Issued within [agree in project], with owned and dated actions |
| Extraordinary meeting | Called by the chair on request of either PM when a decision cannot wait |

 | # | Item | Lead | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Minutes and open actions from last meeting | Chair | Confirm, close actions |
| 2 | Status report (Part C) | Both PMs | Inform; questions |
| 3 | Top risks and issues, escalations | Customer PM | Decide on escalations |
| 4 | Key design decision papers (Part D) | Paper author | Decide |
| 5 | Change requests for authorisation ([IDK-07](https://www.ifs-erp.com/en/marketplace/implementation-docs-kit/07-change-request-and-change-control-procedure)) | Both PMs | Authorise or reject |
| 6 | Benefits and business readiness | Executive sponsor, change lead | Review |
| 7 | Gate readiness, or gate decision when due ([IDK-08](https://www.ifs-erp.com/en/marketplace/implementation-docs-kit/08-qualification-gate-checklists)) | Both PMs | Decide at gate meetings |
| 8 | Summary of decisions and actions; next meeting | Chair | Confirm |

 **Meeting:** [no.] **Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD] **Reporting period:** [from] to [to] **Current phase:** [phase] **Next gate:** [gate], planned [YYYY-MM-DD]

 ## C1. Summary

 | Dimension | Status | Trend since last report | One-line explanation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Schedule | [green/amber/red] | [better/same/worse] | [explanation] |
| Budget | [green/amber/red] | [trend] | [explanation] |
| Scope | [green/amber/red] | [trend] | [explanation] |
| Resources | [green/amber/red] | [trend] | [explanation] |
| Solution quality | [green/amber/red] | [trend] | [explanation] |
| Business readiness | [green/amber/red] | [trend] | [explanation] |

 Green: on baseline. Amber: off baseline, recovery plan owned by the PMs. Red: off baseline, steering group decision needed.

 ## C2. Progress against plan

 | Workstream | Planned for this period | Achieved | Not achieved, and why | Planned for next period |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Example: Procurement and inventory | Solution workshops for requisition approval and receipt with putaway; draft guides | Both workshops held; requisition approval rules decided and recorded in the Book of Rules | Receipt guide not drafted: functional lead absent, no deputy | Draft receipt guide; first scenario test run with end-user permission sets |
| Example: Data migration | Second load of suppliers and parts | Load completed in Data Migration Manager; rejected records listed by cause | Duplicate suppliers still present in source | Cleansing of duplicates by procurement; third load |
| [workstream] | [planned] | [achieved] | [gap and reason] | [next] |

 ## C3. Milestones

 | Milestone | Baseline date | Forecast date | Status | Comment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [milestone] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [done / on track / at risk / late] | [comment] |

 ## C4. Budget

 | Cost element | Baseline | Approved changes | Actual to date | Forecast to complete | Variance | Comment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Supplier services | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [comment] |
| CRIM allowance | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [comment] |
| Contingency | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [amount] | [comment] |
| [element] |   |   |   |   |   |   |

 ## C5. Top risks and issues

 | ID | Risk or issue | Rating or priority | Owner | Response and progress | Help needed from the steering group |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Example: R-102 | Warehouse roles defined late; acceptance test may run with broad permission sets | Major | Technical analyst, security | Draft roles ready for review; process owner review outstanding | Warehouse manager to release a reviewer this period |
| [ID] | [description] | [rating] | [name] | [progress] | [request or none] |

 ## C6. Decisions needed today

 | # | Decision requested | Paper or change request | Recommended by PMs | Consequence of no decision |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Example: 1 | Approve option B in decision paper KDD-03 (one requisition authorisation rule set for both companies) | KDD-03 | Option B | Prototype approval moves; gate Solution Confirmed at risk |
| [n] | [decision as a yes/no or choice question] | [reference] | [recommendation] | [consequence] |

 ## C7. Gate readiness

 Gate: [gate name]. Planned decision date: [YYYY-MM-DD]. Detail in the gate checklist ([IDK-08](https://www.ifs-erp.com/en/marketplace/implementation-docs-kit/08-qualification-gate-checklists)).

 | Checklist items | Complete | In progress | At risk | Not started |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Count | [n] | [n] | [n] | [n] |

 Items at risk:

 | Item | Reason | Owner | Recovery action | Forecast |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [item] | [reason] | [name] | [action] | [YYYY-MM-DD] |

 ## C8. Benefits and business readiness

 | Benefit ([IDK-02](https://www.ifs-erp.com/en/marketplace/implementation-docs-kit/02-project-scope-statement)) | Owner | Still achievable as planned | Comment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [ID, benefit] | [name] | [yes / at risk / no] | [comment] |

 Change management check, reported by the change lead: change plan with owners [yes/no], organisation design adjusted to new capabilities [yes/no/in progress], policies and procedures being updated [yes/no/in progress], user advocacy activities running [yes/no].

 One paper per decision. Keep it short enough to be read before the meeting; detail goes in an appendix.

 **Paper ID:** KDD-[nn] **Title:** [decision in one line] **Author:** [name, role] **Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD] **Decision needed by:** [YYYY-MM-DD]

 ## D1. Context

 | Item | Content |
| --- | --- |
| Process area and process | [for example: procurement, purchase requisition approval] |
| What needs deciding, as a question | [question] |
| Why it cannot be decided inside the functional team | [for example: affects more than one business area, needs a modification, changes policy] |
| What the functional team, the solution architect and the PMs concluded | [summary of steps already taken on the change control ladder] |
| Constraints | [legal, audit, contractual, timing] |

 ## D2. Options

 |   | Option A: [name] | Option B: [name] | Option C: [name] |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Description | Example: Keep two authorisation rule sets, one per company, using standard configuration | Example: One rule set for both companies; company B changes its approval policy | Example: Modification to route approvals by a custom rule |
| Uses standard functionality | Yes | Yes | No |
| Advantages | [pros] | [pros] | [pros] |
| Disadvantages | [cons] | [cons] | [cons] |
| Impact on scope, schedule, cost | [impact] | [impact] | [impact] |
| Impact on CRIM and on future service and release updates | [impact] | [impact] | [impact] |
| Impact on data, training, testing | [impact] | [impact] | [impact] |
| Business change required | [impact] | [impact] | [impact] |

 Doing nothing is always listed as an option when it is possible.

 ## D3. Recommendation

 | Item | Content |
| --- | --- |
| Recommended option | [option] |
| Reasoning | [why, in business terms] |
| Who supports it | [functional team lead, process owner, solution architect, PMs] |
| Dissenting view, if any | [who and why; stated fairly] |

 ## D4. Impact of the recommendation

 | Area | Impact | Owner of follow-up |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Baselines (scope, schedule, cost) | [impact; change request reference if any] | [name] |
| Book of Rules and process model | [sections to update] | [name] |
| Policies and procedures | [documents to update] | [name] |
| Communication | [who must be told, by whom] | [name] |

 ## D5. Decision

 | Decision | Date | Decided by | Conditions |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [option approved / rejected / returned for more work] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | Steering group, meeting [no.] | [conditions] |

 **Meeting:** [no.] **Date, time, place:** [details] **Chair:** [name] **Minutes by:** [name]

 | Present | Apologies | Deputies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [names] | [names] | [name for name] |

 ## E1. Decisions

 | # | Decision | Reference | Conditions |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Example: D-07 | Option B of KDD-03 approved: one requisition authorisation rule set for both companies | KDD-03 | Head of procurement updates the approval policy for company B before acceptance test |
| [ID] | [decision] | [paper, change request, gate] | [conditions] |

 ## E2. Actions

 Every action has one owner, present in the meeting or informed the same day, and a date.

 | # | Action | Owner | Due | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Example: A-21 | Release a warehouse reviewer for the permission set review | Warehouse manager | [YYYY-MM-DD] | Open |
| [ID] | [action] | [name] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [open / done / overdue] |

 ## E3. Notes

 | Agenda item | Key points discussed |
| --- | --- |
| [item] | [points, short] |

 **Next meeting:** [date, time, place]. **Pack due:** [YYYY-MM-DD].

 ## Approval

 Terms of reference (Part A):

 | Name | Role | Date | Signature |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [name] | Chair, executive sponsor (customer) | [YYYY-MM-DD] | ______________________ |
| [name] | Sponsor (supplier) | [YYYY-MM-DD] | ______________________ |
| [name] | Steering group member, [area] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | ______________________ |

 Minutes of meeting [no.] (Part E):

 | Name | Role | Date | Signature |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [name] | Chair | [YYYY-MM-DD] | ______________________ |

 Independent template aligned with the IFS implementation methodology. Not an official IFS document. IFS is a registered trademark of IFS AB.

 Independent template aligned with the IFS implementation methodology. Not an official IFS document. IFS is a registered trademark of IFS AB.