CAOP study plan

Map the full project lifecycle from opportunity creation through project closeout, listing the key objects and status transitions at each stage

Define the core project operations terminology (project, task, assignment, contract, rate card) and write one-sentence definitions in your own words

Trace how a won opportunity converts into a project and identify which fields carry over versus which are set at project creation

Sketch a one-page diagram linking domains 1 through 5 so later study sessions have a reference map

Sequence the quote-to-contract workflow step by step, from opportunity qualification to signed contract and project handoff

Compare rate structures (role-based, person-based, blended, fixed fee) and explain when each is appropriate

Identify the approval gates and data validations that should exist before a quote becomes a contract

Practice calculating a multi-line quote total including discounts, margin, and tax treatment

Distinguish effort-based, duration-based, and fixed-work scheduling models and state which project types suit each

Build a dependency-linked task schedule with at least 15 tasks, including milestones and a critical path

Assign resources to tasks using availability, skills, and allocation percentage, and identify at least two overallocation conflicts

Resolve those conflicts using at least two different techniques (leveling, substitution, scope change) and document the trade-offs

Configure the time-entry-to-approval flow, including timesheet periods, submission rules, and rejection handling

Design an expense policy structure covering categories, receipt thresholds, and approval routing by amount

Explain how approved time and expenses feed billable versus non-billable treatment and how that flows into invoicing

Calculate a sample invoice from approved time and expenses, handling write-ups, write-downs, and caps

Compare revenue recognition approaches (time and materials, fixed fee with percentage-of-completion, milestone-based) and match each to project types

Work through at least three recognition calculations including a period-end accrual and a deferred revenue adjustment

Explain how project cost, WIP, and billed revenue reconcile on a project profitability statement

Identify common causes of revenue leakage and describe the controls that catch them

Compute utilization, billable utilization, and capacity for a sample team across a four-week window

Interpret a utilization shortfall and propose at least three corrective actions with their downstream effects on revenue

Analyze a project profitability report and separate margin erosion caused by rate, hours, or expense factors

Explain how resource allocation decisions in planning affect revenue recognition timing

Identify the core data objects and their relationships (project, contract, assignment, time entry, invoice, revenue schedule) and draw the model

Specify at least six operational reports by audience, grain, and refresh frequency

Define three data governance controls covering field ownership, change audit, and master data deduplication

Diagnose a data quality problem scenario and trace its downstream effect on billing or revenue reporting

Describe the integration touchpoints between project operations and finance, HR, and CRM systems, and the data that must stay synchronized

List configuration decisions (rate cards, calendars, approval hierarchies, revenue rules) and their operational consequences

Complete a timed 60-question cumulative practice set and score it by domain

Re-review every domain scoring below 70 percent and rewrite your weak-area notes into a one-page summary