Overview
Custom Groups in ChangePlan allow you to manage stakeholder groups that don’t fit neatly within your org chart, such as:
- Cross-functional project teams
- Steering committees
- Vendor/partner teams
- External regulatory or compliance bodies
They are flexible, reusable, and available across all initiatives for better targeting, reporting, and workload analysis.
How to Create a Custom Group
From All Initiatives View:
- Go to
All Initiatives View > Audience > Custom Groups tab.
- Click “New” to create a group.
- Add:
- Group Name
- Number of individuals (optional – see admin note below)
- Optional details: Location, Manager, Additional Info
- Add individuals by:
- Selecting them manually from the system
- Uploading an Excel file (email addresses must already exist in ChangePlan)
From Single Initiative View:
- Inside your initiative, go to
Audience > Custom Group tab > New.
- Either:
- Select an existing group, or
- Create a new one by following the steps above.
Important Notes on Group Management
Field | Editable by | Notes |
Name | All Full Access Users | Group name for easy reference |
Individuals in group | Admin Only | Needed for accurate reporting |
Number of People | Admin Only | Overrides actual count (e.g., when estimating for external groups) |
Location / Manager / Notes | Admin Only | Use for context, segmentation, or reporting |
🛠 Tip: To ensure upload works, make sure individuals are pre-added to ChangePlan and use lowercase emails for matching.
How Custom Groups Work in Reporting
Custom Groups can be selected just like org chart groups and appear across:
- Audience reports
- Change Impact Heatmap
- Activity Burden Report
- Team Utilization and Adoption reports (if linked to people or activities)
Workload + Time Away from BAU: When a custom group is added to an activity, ChangePlan calculates the total time away using the number of individuals in the group.
Custom Group Audience Dashboard
To see how your custom group is being targeted:
- Go to
All Initiatives > Audience View.
- Select the Custom Groups tab.
- Click on a group to view:
- Active initiatives targeting the group (or any of its members).
- Activity, impact, and stakeholder breakdowns.
- Timeline of go-lives and scheduling.
🧠 Note: Even if a group hasn’t been explicitly added to an initiative, it may still show active initiatives — if any individuals within the group were added directly.
Use Case: Custom Groups vs. Org Charts
Scenario | Use Custom Group | Use Org Chart |
Tracking external stakeholders (e.g., regulators, vendors) | ✅ Best suited | ❌ Not recommended |
Cross-functional teams | ✅ Great for projects | ❌ Org charts are hierarchical |
Permanent team structure | ❌ Not ideal | ✅ Use the org chart |
Stakeholder analysis | ✅ Flexible for temporary groups | ✅ Useful for structured roles |
Pro Tips for Using Custom Groups
- Start with the Org Chart First:
If stakeholders fit within the organizational structure, use the org chart for accuracy and scalability.
- Use Custom Groups for Unique Scenarios:
Leverage custom groups for unique project needs, such as temporary teams or vendor collaborations.
- Ensure Individuals are in the System First:
When creating or uploading a custom group, ensure all individuals are already added to ChangePlan with matching email addresses to avoid upload errors.
- Add Notes for Context:
Use the notes feature to document specific details about the custom group, such as their role or level of involvement in the initiative.
Custom Groups offer a powerful and flexible way to manage stakeholders beyond the org chart. Whether for external stakeholders or project-specific groups, they ensure clear visibility, accurate tracking, and better decision-making.