What is the difference between project controls and project management?

The project manager owns the scope, the people, the client and delivery. They decide what happens next.

Project controls keeps the programme, the cost report, the change register and the forecast. It finds a problem early and puts a number on it.

On a big job they are separate roles. On a small job one person often does both. The controls work slips first because it never feels urgent.

A daily file check can do the controls work for a small team. The project manager gets the register and the weekly report, and keeps the decisions.