Getting started with Plans

Plans are the schedules that generate your recurring compliance tasks, so that an annual policy review or a quarterly user check happens without anyone remembering to create it. This article covers reading the Plans overview, the frequencies available, and how to tell whether a plan is actually running.

Navigating the Plans overview page

The Plans page shows all automated compliance cycles in a tile-based overview. Each plan is displayed as a card with essential planning information.

What you see in the overview:

• Plan tiles - Individual cards per compliance cycle
• Status filters - Open vs Archived plans
• Search functionality - Quickly find specific plans
• Sort options - Organize plans as needed
• "Add plan" button - Create new automated cycle

Understanding plan tiles

Each tile shows the plan's name, its status, how often it runs, and how many controls or assets it covers.

Information per plan tile:

• Plan name and ID - For example "Plan phase (annually)" with #691
• Status indicator - Active (green) or Inactive (gray)
• Frequency - Annually, Semiannually, Quarterly, Monthly, Weekly, Daily
• Description - Brief explanation of plan purpose
• Controls / Assets count - Number of linked items in plan scope

Example plan information:

Plan phase (annually) #691
Status: Active
Frequency: Annually
Description: Set objectives, evaluate risks, and make adjustments for the upcoming year
🔧 9 Controls

Active vs inactive plans

A plan only turns active, and starts generating tasks, once its configuration is complete and it's inside its validity dates.

Status recognition:

• Active plans - Green status indicator, automatically generate tasks
• Inactive plans - Gray status indicator, don't create new tasks

When is a plan active?

• Configuration complete - Scope and workflow are set
• Validity period - Within Valid From and Valid To dates
• Controls / Assets linked - At least items assigned to plan scope
• Controls / Assets active - Tasks are only sent for Controls and Assets that are themselves valid.

Plan types and PDCA cycle

Plans in Tidal Control follow the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle by default for systematic compliance management.

Plan phase:

• Goal: Set objectives and evaluate risks
• Activities: Strategic planning, resource allocation
• Frequency: Usually annually

Do phase:

• Goal: Implement planned measures and/or review implemented measures
• Activities: Control implementations, process execution
• Frequency: Monthly to annually

Check phase:

• Goal: Monitoring and evaluation of effectiveness
• Activities: Audits, assessments, performance measurements
• Frequency: Quarterly to annually

Act phase:

• Goal: Corrective measures and improvements
• Activities: Control on operation issue handling, process optimisation
• Frequency: Quarterly to annually

Understanding frequency options

Frequency decides how often the plan generates its tasks, and it is the setting most worth getting right first.

Available planning frequencies

Five options are available, from daily operational checks to annual strategic reviews.

Daily:

• Use: Operational monitoring, log reviews
• Examples: Security event monitoring, backup verifications
• Considerations: High workload, only for critical processes

Weekly:

• Use: Regular checks, status updates
• Examples: Vulnerability scans, access reviews
• Considerations: Good balance between control and workload

Monthly:

• Use: Periodic assessments, standard reviews
• Examples: Access rights audit, vendor reviews
• Considerations: Popular choice for most compliance activities

Quarterly:

• Use: Strategic reviews, major assessments
• Examples: Risk assessments, control effectiveness reviews
• Considerations: Suitable for extensive evaluations

Annually:

• Use: Strategic planning, major updates
• Examples: Policy reviews, management assessments
• Considerations: For large, strategic compliance activities

Frequency selection strategy

Base the frequency on regulatory requirements and risk level, not on what feels easiest to schedule.

Determine frequency based on:

• Regulatory requirements - How often does regulation require control?
• Risk level - Higher risks require more frequent control
• Resource availability - Can team handle the workload?
• Business impact - What are consequences of missed controls?

Searching and organising plans

Search matches plan names, and the Open and Archived tabs separate plans still in use from retired ones.

Search functionality

1. Click in search bar at the top of the Plans page
2. Type plan name or part of it
3. Results filter automatically while typing
4. Clear search to show all plans

Using sort options

Sort plans by creation date, name, or ID, and combine that with the frequency filters.

Available sorting methods:

• Newest - Recently created plans first
• Oldest - Longest existing plans first
• Name (A-Z) - Alphabetical order
• Custom ID - Numeric or custom order

Frequency filters:

• Annually - Annual assessments and reviews
• Semiannually - Semi-annual assessments and reviews
• Quarterly - Quarterly compliance or executive activities
• Monthly - Monthly compliance or executive activities
• Weekly - Weekly executive activities
• Daily - Daily executive activities (least used)

Open vs Archived organisation

Open plans are part of your active compliance cycle; archive a plan once it should stop generating tasks.

Open plans:

• Actively used - Generate tasks and are executed
• Current compliance cycle - Part of ongoing compliance program
• Archive a Plan - to ensure it no longer creates tasks

Archived plans:

• No longer used - Don't create new tasks anymore
• Historical record - Preserved for audit trail
• For the future - Possible reuse for future cycles

Plan status indicators

A plan's colour tells you whether it is actually generating tasks, which is not the same as whether it has been configured.

Status interpretation

Gray covers several distinct causes: incomplete configuration, no scope, or dates outside the validity window. Check which one before assuming it's just unconfigured.

Green status (Active):

• Plan automatically generates tasks according to schedule
• All configuration is complete and valid
• Controls / assets are assigned
• Plan is within validity period (between 'Valid from' and 'Valid to')

Gray status (Inactive):

• Plan doesn't generate tasks
• Configuration possibly incomplete
• No scope items assigned or scope items are themselves not active
• Outside validity period (earlier than 'Valid from' or later than 'Valid to')

Plans versus manual tasks

Plans in Tidal Control automate your compliance work by generating periodically recurring tasks for controls and assets. Instead of manually creating tasks every month or quarter, a plan automatically sets up the right tasks with predefined deadlines and instructions.

Benefits of automated planning:

• Consistent execution - No forgotten compliance activities
• Predictable workload - Teams know when which tasks are coming
• Standardised processes - Same instructions and deadlines every cycle
• Compliance continuity - Automatic compliance with periodic requirements
• Resource planning - Look ahead to upcoming workload

Manual tasks are suitable for:

• Initial implementations
• Ad-hoc measures and controls
• Project specific activities

Plans are ideal for:

• Periodic recurring activities (e.g. user review)
• Annual policy reviews and updates
• Periodic system audits

Next steps

Now that you know the Plans interface:

• Identify repetitive compliance work in your organisation
• Plan your PDCA cycle for systematic compliance approach
• Start with one pilot plan to learn workflow creation
• Monitor task generation and adjust configuration for optimal results