- A
Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if necessary
The PM should first assess and take corrective action within tolerances.
- B
Authorize overtime to compensate for the lost time
Why wrong: Overtime may be one option after assessment, but not the first action.
- C
Update the project plan to reflect the delay
Why wrong: The project plan is updated at stage boundaries, not during a stage.
- D
Escalate immediately to the Project Board as a potential exception
Why wrong: Escalation is only needed if tolerances are forecast to be exceeded.
Question 561 of 1,731
What to Do When a Checkpoint Report Shows Delay — PRINCE2 Foundation Explained
This PRINCE2F practice question tests your understanding of prince2 processes. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
During the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report indicating a team member will be unavailable for two weeks. What should the Project Manager do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if necessary
In the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager's first responsibility upon receiving a Checkpoint Report is to assess the impact of any reported issue on the current Stage Plan. This aligns with the PRINCE2 principle of 'Manage by Exception' and the 'Manage by Stages' theme, where the Project Manager must evaluate whether the team member's two-week absence threatens the stage tolerances before deciding on corrective action or escalation. Option A is correct because the immediate step is to analyze the variance and determine if corrective action within the stage's tolerance is possible.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if necessary
Why this is correct
The PM should first assess and take corrective action within tolerances.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Authorize overtime to compensate for the lost time
Why it's wrong here
Overtime may be one option after assessment, but not the first action.
- ✗
Update the project plan to reflect the delay
Why it's wrong here
The project plan is updated at stage boundaries, not during a stage.
- ✗
Escalate immediately to the Project Board as a potential exception
Why it's wrong here
Escalation is only needed if tolerances are forecast to be exceeded.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to escalation (Option D) because they mistake any team member absence for an exception, failing to recognize that the Project Manager must first assess whether the issue can be managed within the stage's tolerances before escalating.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the PRINCE2 framework, the Controlling a Stage process involves continuous monitoring of the Stage Plan via Checkpoint Reports, which provide actual progress data. The Project Manager uses this data to compare against the Stage Plan's tolerances (time, cost, quality, scope, risk, and benefit) and, if a deviation is within tolerance, takes corrective action without escalating. A real-world scenario might involve a developer's absence causing a two-week slip in a critical path task; the Project Manager would first calculate the impact on the stage's end date and, if it remains within the tolerance (e.g., ±5 days), could approve overtime or reallocation without involving the Project Board.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PRINCE2F exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PRINCE2F question test?
PRINCE2 Processes — This question tests PRINCE2 Processes — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if necessary — In the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager's first responsibility upon receiving a Checkpoint Report is to assess the impact of any reported issue on the current Stage Plan. This aligns with the PRINCE2 principle of 'Manage by Exception' and the 'Manage by Stages' theme, where the Project Manager must evaluate whether the team member's two-week absence threatens the stage tolerances before deciding on corrective action or escalation. Option A is correct because the immediate step is to analyze the variance and determine if corrective action within the stage's tolerance is possible.
What should I do if I get this PRINCE2F question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
4 more ways this is tested on PRINCE2F
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report showing that a Work Package is behind schedule. What should the Project Manager do first?
medium- A.Raise an Exception Report immediately
- ✓ B.Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if within tolerance
- C.Inform the Project Board in the next Highlight Report
- D.Request a new Work Package from the Team Manager
Why B: The Project Manager should assess the impact of the delay on the stage plan. If the deviation can be managed within stage tolerances, the PM will take corrective action. If tolerances are forecast to be exceeded, escalation is needed.
Variation 2. During the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report showing that a Work Package is behind schedule. What should the Project Manager do first?
medium- A.Instruct the Team Manager to stop work on the Work Package
- ✓ B.Review the situation and take corrective action if within stage tolerance
- C.Raise an Exception Report to the Project Board immediately
- D.Update the Project Plan to reflect the delay
Why B: The PM should assess the impact on the stage and take corrective action within the stage tolerance. If tolerance is threatened, then escalate.
Variation 3. During the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report indicating that a product will be delivered late. What should the Project Manager do first?
hard- ✓ A.Assess the impact on stage tolerances and take corrective action if within tolerance
- B.Revise the Stage Plan and inform the Project Board
- C.Request a new Work Package from the Team Manager
- D.Raise an Exception Report immediately
Why A: If a Checkpoint Report indicates a deviation within stage tolerances, the PM can take corrective action themselves. If it threatens stage tolerance, they must escalate.
Variation 4. In the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report indicating that a work package is behind schedule. What should the Project Manager do first?
hard- A.Immediately escalate to the Project Board via an Exception Report
- B.Issue a new Work Package to replace the current one
- C.Close the Work Package and report the failure in the Highlight Report
- ✓ D.Review the impact on the stage plan and determine if corrective action can bring it back within tolerance
Why D: Option D is correct because the PRINCE2 Controlling a Stage process requires the Project Manager to first assess any deviation from the stage plan to see if corrective action can bring performance back within tolerance. The Checkpoint Report is a control mechanism that triggers an exception assessment, not an immediate escalation. Only if the deviation exceeds tolerance should the Project Manager escalate via an Exception Report.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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