Project Template properties and options

Projects in Time offer an extensive list of attributes to help define and manage your projects. Each project is manageable through project templates where you can pre-define properties, issues, and assignments for any type of project. For each project template you can define subprojects to further organize the areas in your project.

To use projects you must activate projects in the Firms tab of the Company Profile. For more information, see Activating Projects.

The following descriptions outline the Project Management dialog accessible from the menu Setup | Project Management. Use this dialog to set up your Project Templates.

Issue
Staff
Clients
Roll Forward

General Information

Project Template Property	Description
Project Template No.	Use the drop-down menu to select an existing project template to edit. You can use the scroll buttons (\|<, <, >, >\|) to navigate between the first, previous, next, or last project in the available templates. New Use this button to create a new project template. First, specify the project template identifier in the text box and click New to start creating a new project template. Delete Use this button to delete an existing project template. First, select an existing project template from the drop-down menu and then click Delete to delete the template.
Type	Type of project template.
Description	Enter a description for the template in use. Click the Memo button to add additional notes.
Status	Status of the template. Click the Status button to enter customized status types.
In Charge / Team Leader	Default person responsible for the project and default person responsible for management of the project. Note: When you change the staff members in these fields a prompt appears with the option to "Remove staff xx from the selected staff for the Project Template. Y/N?". If you select yes, the previous staff member is unassigned from these fields and unassigned from the project template. If you select no, the previous staff member is unassigned from these fields but remains assigned to the project template. Staff members who are assigned to the project template appear in the Staff tab under "Selected Staff".
Year	Relevant year for the project. If your template is for generic use then leave this field blank.
Dates	Specify the relevant period for the project in the template or in the specific project. Dates follow the format DAY/MONTH/YEAR (DD/MM/YYYY). See the notes section below if you are editing dates for project templates with existing subproject templates or client projects. Start Date Default start date of the project. This field is automatically set to the day the template is created. This field cannot be empty. Due Date Default due date. Completion Date Actual completion date of the template.
Software Solution	Applicable software in use for the project template.
Budget Hours	Default budget hours for the project template.
Budget Amount	Default budget amount for the project template.
Contract Amount	Default contract amount for the project template.
SubProj Template	If you are using subprojects, click this button to set up subproject templates for the current project template. A new dialog opens, similar to the project management dialog, to create subproject templates. For more information, see Subproject Management - Templates. If subprojects are not activated, then this button appears grayed out. Note: When editing project template dates you have the option to modify dates for subproject templates, client projects and client subprojects as well. Ensure dates are valid with respect to these other project areas: Start date: Project template start dates must occur earlier than due dates, completion dates and WIP/RC transaction dates for all other project areas. The start date must occur on or earlier than other project areas. Due date: Project template due dates must occur later than start dates and must occur on or earlier than due dates for all other project areas. Completion date: Project template completion dates must occur later than start dates and WIP/RC transaction dates for all other project areas. The completion date must occur on or later than other project areas.

Issue

Issue

Issues are defined tasks for a given project. When you create a Project Template, issues are generic items that apply for the specific project type. You can apply default issues for each project type and assign the issue to staff as necessary once the project starts.

You have the option to apply the issue to all project templates or specific client projects only. Use the project management area to define generic template issues, and use the client project area to define client specific issues.

Note: If you create an issue for a project template (with existing client projects) a prompt appears with the option to "Assign to all Client Project Y/N?". If you select yes, all existing client projects for that template are updated with the issue. If you select no, the issue is added to the template and added for only new client projects created using the template.

Property	Description
Subject (Issue)	Enter a subject for the issue.
Description	Enter a description of the issue. Click the ellipsis button () to launch the memo description dialog to enter a detailed description.
Type	Click in the Type column and select an issue type from the drop-down menu. To customize types, right-click anywhere in the Issues pane and select Settings \| Customize Types. For more details see here.
Start On / Due On	Use the drop-down calendar input to specify the start date and due date of the issue.
Roll Forward	Select this checkbox if you want to include the current issue during Roll Forward of select issues. Only issues (with this checkbox selected) are included if you specified the option 'Issues with Roll Forward option selected' under Client Project Options of project template roll forward setup. See the Issues option under the section Client Project Options here. Tip: You can email details related to an issue by right-clicking an issue and selecting the option Send as Email. For details see here.

Staff

Staff

You can assign staff to project templates and to client projects. Assigning staff to project templates offers you a default set of staff members that are assigned to the client projects you create based on this project template. Once you have set these staff members as default, they automatically appear as "Selected Staff" in the client project area. From the client project area you can assign additional staff members and assign the selected staff to issues.

Property	Description
All Staff	A list of staff members in the firm.
Selected Staff	A list of staff members assigned to the project template. Assign Select the appropriate staff members from "All Staff" and click to assign the selected staff to the project template. Un-Assign Select the appropriate staff members from "Selected Staff" and click to un-assign the selected staff from the project template. Select All / Deselect All Use these buttons to select or deselect all entries in the "All Staff" window. Note: Keyboard controls (shift and ctrl) are available to select staff members as well. To select multiple staff members in sequence select the first staff member, hold down the Shift key, and select the last staff member in sequence. To select multiple staff members not in sequence select each staff member while holding down the Ctrl key.
Client Project Options	Use the drop-down menu for "Filter Client Project staff list by" to specify the type of filter you want to apply to the staff list that appears in the client project area. All staff Select this option to display all firm staff members in the staff list of the client project area. Staff assigned to Project template Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to the project template in the staff list of the client project area. Staff assigned to client Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to the client in the staff list of the client project area. Staff assigned to client and Project template Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to either the project template or assigned to the client in the staff list of the client project area. If you assign or un-assign a staff member to a project template (with existing client projects) a prompt appears with the option to "Assign/Un-assign staff to all Client Project Y/N?". If you select yes, that staff member is, assigned to, or un-assigned from, all client projects under the project template. If you select no and are assigning, that staff member is assigned to only new client projects created from the project template, but does not get assigned to any existing client projects. If you select no and are un-assigning, that staff member remains assigned to all client projects but is not assigned to any new client projects created from the project template.

Property

Description

All Staff

A list of staff members in the firm.

Selected Staff

A list of staff members assigned to the project template.

Assign

Select the appropriate staff members from "All Staff" and click to assign the selected staff to the project template.
Un-Assign

Select the appropriate staff members from "Selected Staff" and click to un-assign the selected staff from the project template.
Select All / Deselect All

Use these buttons to select or deselect all entries in the "All Staff" window.

Note: Keyboard controls (shift and ctrl) are available to select staff members as well. To select multiple staff members in sequence select the first staff member, hold down the Shift key, and select the last staff member in sequence. To select multiple staff members not in sequence select each staff member while holding down the Ctrl key.

Client Project Options

Use the drop-down menu for "Filter Client Project staff list by" to specify the type of filter you want to apply to the staff list that appears in the client project area.

All staff

Select this option to display all firm staff members in the staff list of the client project area.
Staff assigned to Project template

Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to the project template in the staff list of the client project area.
Staff assigned to client

Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to the client in the staff list of the client project area.
Staff assigned to client and Project template

Select this option to display only the firm staff members assigned to either the project template or assigned to the client in the staff list of the client project area.

If you assign or un-assign a staff member to a project template (with existing client projects) a prompt appears with the option to "Assign/Un-assign staff to all Client Project Y/N?".

If you select yes, that staff member is, assigned to, or un-assigned from, all client projects under the project template.
If you select no and are assigning, that staff member is assigned to only new client projects created from the project template, but does not get assigned to any existing client projects.
If you select no and are un-assigning, that staff member remains assigned to all client projects but is not assigned to any new client projects created from the project template.

Clients

Clients

You can assign multiple clients to use a project template. Assigning a client to a project template creates a custom project for that specified client. When you assign a client, all defaults from the project template are inherited by the client project automatically.

Property	Description
Client Project No.	Client project numbers are unique identifiers for each client project. Each client project uses the same numbering convention as the project template it inherits from. Specify either system generated number or use a user-defined project number mask. Note: You can specify different project numbering conventions for each project template by selecting the option "Change Project numbering option per Project Template" in the Company Profile \| Project tab. The client project numbering area cannot be modified unless you enable the "Change Project No option per Project Template". System generated number This option generates unique client project numbers sequentially based on the next available number. When you create a client project (that is, assign a client to a project template), the next available number among the existing client project numbers gets assigned to the new client project. Project No. mask The project number mask supports up to three unique identifiers with the option to specify separators (delimiters) between each identifier. To ensure each client project number is unique you must, at minimum, specify the following identifiers: Client No. AND Project Template No., OR Project Template No. AND Generated number For more information on supported identifiers and separators (delimiters) see their corresponding sections in the topic Company Profile - Project tab. Note: If you are using a Year as an identifier ensure that there is either a year associated with the project template, a default year in the Company Profile or a default mask year. Update If you decide to switch between client project numbering options while you have existing client projects, use the Update button to apply the new numbering convention to all client projects. Note: If you are changing the project numbering defaults per template while you have existing client projects, be aware of the system changes that may have to be made. For more information, see Automatic Project Numbering Behavior.
All Clients	A list of clients in the firm. Filter (button) Click the Filter button to refine your list of clients. You can filter your list based on various client properties. See Client Filter for more information.
Selected Clients	A list of clients assigned to selected project templates. A project number is generated for the assigned client. Assign Select the appropriate contacts from "All Clients" and click to assign the selected client to the project template. Un-Assign Select the appropriate contacts from "Selected Clients" and click to un-assign the selected client from the project template. Select All / Deselect All Use these buttons to select or deselect all entries in the "All Clients" window.
Customize	Select the client project you wish to update and click Customize; the client project dialog opens. This dialog is also accessible from the Project button in the client setup dialog.

Roll Forward

Roll Forward

Roll Forward enables you to expedite the process of creating projects and setting their default attributes for subsequent project cycles. Use this feature to automatically create project templates or client projects for the next project cycle based on existing project templates or client projects.

Property

Description

Process

Select one of the following options to specify when project roll forward occurs. Additional options are available under Template Options, Client Project Options and Budget Amounts Options. These additional option areas are available based on your selections for Process and Process For.

No Roll Forward

Do not roll forward client projects or project templates at any time. If selected, all options are grayed out.
At Year End

During year end close, you can verify which client projects and project templates to roll forward. All project options require your confirmation in the Year End Close wizard prior to processing. From the year end close wizard, you can select to roll forward based on the options specified here (under project management setup) or alter project roll forward options from the wizard.

A full list of year end project options are available here. To access the Year End Close wizard select File | Year End Close.
Change status to Completed

Each time you mark the status of a client project and/or project template as complete, you are presented with the Project Roll Forward wizard dialog. At this time, your client project or project template begins the roll forward process. Each wizard dialog verifies the details you specified in the relevant Options areas.

You can change the roll forward options as needed (changing options in the wizard does not affect your defaults in the Roll Forward tab).
Manually Processed

Roll forward client projects and/or project templates manually at any time. If selected, you can click the Roll Forward button to access the Project Roll Forward wizard dialog.
You can change the roll forward options as needed (changing options in the wizard does not affect your defaults in the Roll Forward tab).

Process For

Select to roll forward project templates only, client projects only, or both. Depending on your selection, the areas for Template Options, Client Project Options, and Budget Amounts Options become available.

Note: The Process For option "Client Project Only" is not available if the project template defines a year in the Year field.

Template Options

Template roll forward options apply to dates and issues. These options are only relevant when you are processing for "Template and Client Project" or "Template Only".

Increase dates

Select the checkboxes for Start Date and Due Date as appropriate. Each of the selected date types increment to the next year when templates are roll forward.

The Year is automatically checked or unchecked based on whether a year is assigned for project template, client project or neither. You cannot modify this option when manually processing or processing when status of template changes to completed:

Project Template Year	Client Project Year	Roll Forward behavior for Year
Yes	No	Automatically checked
No	No	Automatically checked
No	Yes	Automatically checked

Issue

Select to roll forward All issues or Issues with Roll Forward option selected. You can select the roll forward option for a specific issue from the Issues dialog (for more information, see Description section under Roll Forward here).

Client Project Options

Client project roll forward options apply to specific client projects, dates, issues, notes and budgets. These options are only relevant when you are processing for "Template and Client Project" or "Client Project Only".

Client Project to roll forward

Select to roll forward either All or only Selected client projects.

If you choose Selected, a Client Project button appears. Click this button to access the "Project to Roll Forward" dialog and select the individual client projects you want to include in the roll forward.
Increase dates

Select the checkboxes for Year, Start Date and Due Date as appropriate. Each of the selected date types increment to the next year when client projects are roll forward.
Issue

Select to roll forward All issues or Issues with Roll Forward option selected. You can select the roll forward option for a specific issue from the Issues dialog (for more information, see Roll Forward under Description section here).
Notes

Select the Roll Forward checkbox to include any notes in the roll forward.
Budgets

Select client project roll forward behavior for budget details. Delete budget detail in the Roll Forward Project resets all budget details after the client project has roll forward. Leave budget detail in the Roll Forward Project copies all budget details to the client project on roll forward.

Budget Amounts Options

Budget Amounts roll forward options enable you to increase budget amounts. This option is relevant for all processing types.

Add a percentage increase to the budget amounts

When selected, the "Budget amounts without detail" option becomes active. At this point, you can add a percentage increase to the budget for projects on roll forward. As staff and work code rates increase from year to year, your budget amounts will reflect this increase.
Budget amounts without detail

Enter a percentage for budget amounts to be increased after roll forward.