Global lists: Project status codes [in-depth guide]
Guide contents: System setup | Add a project status code | Update Blank Baseline Dates | Other Use Cases
System setup
Admin > System Setup > Global Lists > Project Status Codes
Project status codes are used to determine the production status of the project. While each project can have a unique schedule and set of tasks that need to be completed on the project, most projects move through a similar overall flow through the business.
Project status codes determine whether a project is considered active, allow time entries, and allow expense entries. Each project status code allows you to set 5 key parameters.
Status ID - Unique Identifier for the system. Typically Abbreviated. Must be unique.
Status Name - Full name of the status as seen by most users.
Active - Project is considered 'active' in the system. It will be visible on the My task widget & Active projects widget. This can also be used as a filter in the Reports & Project listing screen.
Allow Time Entries - This allows people to create time entries against the project. Security settings, task % complete, and staff assignments will determine the ability to enter time on the individual level.
Allow Expense Entries - This allows people to create purchase orders, media orders, vendor invoices, expense reports, and misc costs against the project. Security settings will determine the ability to enter these transactions on the individual level.
Lock Status - If selected, the status will not allow a change to a different status unless you have the security right: 'change project in a locked status'
On Hold - If selected, the status will prevent all allocated hours from being counted towards availability in the Traffic: Staff schedule screen. The hours will continue to be allocated and assigned via the Project: Task. This setting is typically used in conjunction with Active=unchecked, Allow time entries=unchecked, Lock status=checked.
Include In Forecast - If using the revenue forecast feature, please refer to the Setup for revenue forecasts [in-depth guide].
Update Blank Baseline Dates - Off by default. When checked, any project put into this status will then have its schedule updated with the Set Baseline feature typically used manually in the project schedule screen. See below Update Blank Baseline Dates for more detail on this features use.
Default - You can choose only one status as the default status whenever a new project is created.
Add a project status code
Although you can have as many status codes as you want, remember it takes a manual selection to move it from one status to another. We recommend that you try to keep this list down to 4-6 status codes, if possible.
- To add a new project status code, click the
icon.
- In the Status ID text box, enter a unique ID for this project status code.
- In the Name text box, enter a descriptive name for this project status code.
- In the Display order text box, enter a number to define where this project status should appear in the overall list of status codes. The display order may help you to create an overall timeline for the project as it progresses through the agency.
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Set key options:
- Select the Active checkbox for this project status code if you wish all projects tied to this code to be considered active.
- Select the Allow time entries checkbox if you want people to be able to enter time against the project when it is in this status.
- Select the Allow expense entries checkbox if you want people to be able to enter expenses against the project when it is in this status.
- Select the Lock status check box to control who can change the project status. When the status is 'locked', only people with the proper security rights can change the project from this status.
- Click the On hold checkbox to set the project in an on hold status.
- Click the Save button.
Update Blank Baseline Dates
The purpose of this feature is designed to streamline your PM process.
Regardless if you use the Set Baseline feature from the Project Schedule currently, this options helps take out the guesswork of who and when that gets clicked. When used properly, this opens a whole new level of use from the system. Can be seen visually in Gantt and Timeline Views, and adds a deeper level of reporting on schedule dates and slippage or creep.
Here is an example of the the intended use of this option:
1. Setup the Project Stus Codes.
Notice the option is checked on a status that would be used for when a project is make active for all users to see and interact. As that would be the dates on which the projects was first started with.
2. New Project and continued schedule updates before being made officially active.
You may have your Default Status set as an Active status. But you don't want to lock down the dates, since there may be more edits to the schedule while being worked on as an Opportunity or in Estimating, for example.
3. Make the Project Active and put into Production.
Once you change the Project Status to Production (in this example), notice how the Blank Baseline Dates populate to match the plan dates that are currently set on the Task(s). This also enables the Baseline Dates to appear as a thin yellow line in the Gantt view of the Timelines throughout the system.
4. How to update baseline dates going forward.
Once the Baseline Dates are set using this automated feature, you have two options to update newly added tasks or changed dates.
Option 1
Change the Project Status to another Status, such as Estimating, and then back to the Status that will update the (New Tasks) Blank Baseline Dates automatically.
Option 2
From the Project Schedule itself you can manually update each individual Baseline Date. Or use the Set Baseline option to update All or just the Blank Baseline Dates manually.
This is done from the schedule screens More > Set Baseline.
You can then choose Set All Tasks or Set Only Tasks with No Baseline.
Now with the updated result.
Other Use Cases
Some clients have found it beneficial to have specific statuses like 'traffic', or 'on deck', as this will be something they can use to filter workload in the Staff Schedule or Traffic Calendar reports.