Last Updated: June 5, 2026
Activity 15: Archive Project
In the Project MAP (Model, Activities & Phases) framework, Activity 15, Archive Project, focuses on preserving project information, lessons learned, and knowledge after the project is complete.
Projects create valuable information at every stage. Project objectives become clearer, limits are set, schedules are established, estimates are refined, risks are assessed, resources are assigned, performance is tracked, and lessons are learned. Sadly, much of this information is often lost after the project ends.
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Figure 15.1: Archive Project Activity in the Project MAP structured framework for building a Master Project in Microsoft Project.
Assess Performance < Archive Project > Master Class Completed
Archiving makes sure project knowledge is available for future use. Schedules, reports, assessments, lessons learned, assumptions, estimates, communications, risks, and other documents can all help future projects.
Organizations often use information from past projects to estimate costs, assess risks, plan schedules, assign resources, write proposals, conduct audits, or train new project managers. A good project archive can be one of the most valuable resources for project management.
Archiving also fits with the Professional Project Manager approach discussed in the MS Project Master Class. Professional project managers do more than just finish projects—they help build knowledge that improves future decisions and project results.
This MS Project Master Class does not cover this Activity in detail, but understanding why it matters underscores the importance of saving project information after the project is complete.
Why Archive Project Matters in Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project files often hold valuable information that can help with future projects. Schedules, baselines, actual performance data, resource details, costs, plan differences, and forecasts all provide useful reference points for planning. Project managers maintain archives of successful projects because historical schedules frequently provide better planning information than theoretical estimates alone.
As you work on your Master Project in the MS Project Master Class, remember that a finished project can still offer value long after the work is done.
Completing the Project MAP Framework
Activity 15 is the last step in the Project MAP framework. By now, the project has been started, planned, carried out, managed, reviewed, and archived.
The project might be finished, but the knowledge gained can still help with future planning, better project management, learning in the organization, and professional growth. In many ways, this knowledge is among the most valuable outputs of the project.
Next Step: Complete the MS Project Master Class
If you are in the Free MS Project Master Class, you have now finished your Mastery Journey in the Learning Portal. You explored the Project MAP framework, learned key Microsoft Project skills, and created a Master Project to show what you have learned.
If you are taking the Complete MS Project Master Class, there may be a few steps left. Please finish the posttest, check your score against your pretest, review your Master Project, and, if you want, earn a Certificate of Completion through a Certified Coach, Trainer, or an independent review.
Whether you have finished today or are still working on the final steps, take a moment to reflect on what you have achieved. Your Master Project shows how you have put your new knowledge and skills into practice during this Master Class.
The Master Project is what you created in this class, but the real goal is to become a Professional Project Manager.
Projects have a clear start and finish.
But your professional development keeps going.
Archive Project FAQs
What Does It Mean to Archive a Project?
Archiving a project is about keeping all the important information, documents, schedules, reports, lessons learned, and other materials once the project is finished.
The main goal is to ensure that valuable project knowledge is available for future planning, training, audits, forecasting, and project management improvement.
Why Is Project Archiving Important?
Many organizations put a lot of effort into creating project plans, schedules, estimates, reports, and lessons learned, but often lose this information once the project ends.
Archiving projects helps keep organizational knowledge safe and lets future teams learn from past experience.
What Information Should Be Archived?
You might archive the following project information:
The Project Charter.
Project schedules.
Baselines.
Actual performance data.
Cost information.
Resource information.
Risks and issues.
Performance assessments.
Lessons learned.
Communications and reports.
Supporting project documentation.
All these records together give a complete history of the project.
Why Should the Project Charter Be Archived?
The Project Charter records the project's goals, limits, assumptions, key people involved, and expectations.
By saving the Charter, future teams can see what the project aimed to do and compare those goals to what was actually achieved.
How Does Project Archiving Support Future Projects?
Past project information is often some of the most useful data for planning.
Old schedules, estimates, resource plans, risks, assumptions, and lessons learned can help improve future forecasting, estimating, scheduling, and project decisions.
How Does Archive Project Support the Master Project?
The Master Project is included in the project archive.
The finished Master Project holds important details about planning, resource assignments, schedule performance, costs, forecasts, progress, and results. Future teams can use this as a reference when starting new projects.
Why Doesn't the MS Project Master Class Cover This Activity in Detail?
This MS Project Master Class mainly covers Activities that need a lot of work inside Microsoft Project.
Although archiving is important in project management, there is not much to do directly in Microsoft Project. Most of the work involves managing documents, maintaining records, capturing knowledge, and documenting lessons learned.
Because of this, archiving is explained in general terms but not covered in as much detail as planning, scheduling, baselining, forecasting, and project control activities.
Why Is Archive Project the Final Activity in Project MAP?
Archiving is the final activity because it preserves the knowledge generated throughout the project.
After checking project performance, collecting lessons learned, and reviewing objectives, the final step is to organize and save the information to help future projects and managers.
How Long Should Project Information Be Retained?
How long you keep project records depends on your organization, industry rules, laws, and contracts.
Some project records only need to be kept for a few years, while others must be saved much longer. Organizations should always follow the rules and requirements that apply.
Why Is Organizational Knowledge Important in Project Management?
Each project builds knowledge in estimating, scheduling, forecasting, resource management, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and project execution.
When this knowledge is saved and shared, organizations can perform better on projects, reduce risks, make more accurate forecasts, and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
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