Configure project types, templates and settings
Maintain the registers behind Projects, write your own template and set the company defaults and accounts.
Before you begin
You need project.configure to save anything under Projects > Configuration. Anyone with project.view can read these pages. The system provides built-in records; you cannot delete them, you switch them off.
What each register is for
| Register | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Project Types | 24 built-in types plus your own. A type gives the default feature profile and billing method. |
| Project Templates | Eight built-in templates plus your own. |
| Feature Profiles | Which tabs and functions a project shows (Light, Enterprise, Construction / Engineering, or your own). |
| Cost Codes | The budget and cost rows, with a GL account prefix that maps ledger cost to a code. |
| Billing Methods, Project Statuses, Milestone Types, Resource Types, Document Types, Expense Types, Risk Categories, Commercial Tags | Simple code lists used on forms. |
| Approval Rules | Records naming which permission approves a subject from an amount. They are saved but do not yet drive approvals. |
| Resources | The planning pool with capacity and rates. |
| Estimation Library, Assemblies | Rates and assemblies used in estimates. |
Steps: add or change a record
- Open the register under Projects > Configuration.
- Press New, or open a row.
- Enter the Code and Name. Both are required, and the code must be unique.
- Fill the other fields and press Save.
To remove a record, press Delete. Built-in records are refused ('Built-in records are switched off, not deleted.'); your own records are switched off and kept for history. You cannot change the code of a built-in record: 'The code of a built-in record stays; rename it instead.'
Steps: write your own template
- Open Configuration > Project Templates and press New.
- Enter the code, name, project type, feature profile and billing method.
- In the Definition field, give a JSON object with
phases(code, name, days and tasks with name, days and hours),milestones(name, type, day, billing_pct),budget(cost_code, pct) anddocuments(names). - Save, then create a project from it to test.
Example definition:
{"phases": [{"code": "1", "name": "Survey", "days": 5, "tasks": [{"name": "Site survey", "days": 2, "hours": 8}]}]}
Invalid JSON is refused: 'That is not valid JSON.'
Steps: feature profile
- Open Feature Profiles, press New and tick at least one of the 29 features (WBS, Tasks, Milestones, Gantt, Resources, Timesheets, Expenses, Estimation, BOQ, Budget, Procurement, Subcontracts, Billing, Progress billing, Retention, Advance, Change orders, Forecast, Profitability, Risks, Issues, Documents, Daily progress, Site logs, RFI, Submittals, Deliverables, Earned value and Warranty / defects).
- Save, then pick it on a project type or template.
Steps: company settings
Open Configuration > Project Settings.
- Set the Project code prefix (up to 10 characters, stored in capitals). Codes read PREFIX-year-001.
- Choose the Default revenue recognition, Overhead allocation and Overhead rate (the rate is applied to direct cost in the P&L), the Default retention % and Working hours per day.
- Tick Post time and expenses when approved if approval should post at once.
- Choose the twelve project accounts or leave them Automatic. If a posting needs an account that does not exist, the system creates one beside a neighbour, for example Retention Receivable.
- Press Save.
Features and fields (administrators)
Under Administration > Applications > Project Management > Features, switch off Bill of quantities, Subcontracts and claims, Change orders, Project procurement, Baselines and earned value, or Project revenue recognition. Under Fields, set Customer PO and Contract number to Hidden, Optional, Read-only or Required, and Project location and Description to Hidden, Optional or Required.
Good to know
- Earned value reporting and Timesheets need approval are stored settings; time approval is always required.
- Changing a template does not change projects already created from it.