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Integrated Master Schedule

Integrated Master Schedule (IMS)

Scheduling Terms Reviewed by forProject Technology - updated Sep 2026
Quick definition: The Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) is a detailed, networked schedule containing all the Work Packages, Planning Packages, and lower-level tasks needed to support a project's events, accomplishments, and criteria.

The IMS ties every detailed task and milestone into a single logical network schedule, tracing directly back to the events, accomplishments, and criteria defined in the Integrated Master Plan (IMP) when one exists. It's meant to cover the full scope of a project's development, production or modification, and delivery activities. Because everything is networked together, the IMS can show how a delay in one area ripples through the rest of the project.

What this means for you

A well-built IMS is what makes schedule analysis — like finding the Critical Path or running a schedule risk assessment — possible in the first place. Without full network logic and traceability back to the IMP, a schedule can look complete on paper while hiding gaps that only surface once work is underway.

Also known as
N/A
Used in
Critical Path Analysis; Schedule Risk Assessment; Horizontal Schedule Integration; Vertical Schedule Integration

FAQ

Does every project need an IMS?
It's a common contractual requirement on larger government programs with Earned Value Management (EVM) requirements, though the required level of detail can vary by contract.
What's the difference between the IMS and a regular project schedule?
The IMS is specifically built to be fully networked and traceable to the IMP's events and criteria, which a simpler project schedule may not be.
Definition maintained by forProject Technology.
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