Project management
Introduction
At Axelor, a project and a business project are two distinct things and are managed differently. The purpose of a project is to be managed internally, whereas a business project is attached to a customer. As a result, certain functions are reserved for use on a business project form, and not on a project form.
Business project: a business project includes customer invoicing and supplier invoicing.
Organisation of the Project Management menu and form
Since version 8.2, the ergonomics of the views and menus in the Project app have been redesigned.
The menus and form views (project, business, tasks) have been reorganised to make them easier for users to understand and navigate.
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Show planning: at the top of the page, click on the ‘Show planning’ button for direct access to task planning.
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Show financial data: at the top of the page, click on the ‘Show financial data’ button to access financial data in a new view (tabs such as sales, purchases, expense reports, contracts, invoicing).
In the Project Management menu, you will find another new feature:
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The Business project and Project menus have been merged into a single ‘Project Management’ menu. First, open the Project Management. Then, select either ‘Business project’ or ‘Project’.
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Convert into business project: you can convert a project into a business project. The ‘Convert into business project’ button is available in the Configuration tab of a project.
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Find the tabs grouped together on the Project file: Overview / Reporting / Tasks / Wiki / Check list / Announcement / Roadmap / Invoicing / Configurations.
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Find a group of buttons in the same dashlet (Tasks tab): +New task / +New ticket / Remove lines / All tasks.
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Configuration tab: configurations are now divided into different panels, depending on whether it’s a Business project file or a Project file.
Business project:
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Business configuration ;
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Project structure (contains Members & Characteristics) ;
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General configuration ;
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Task configuration ;
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View configuration ;
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Custom fields.
Project:
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Project structure (contains Members & Characteristics) ;
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General configuration ;
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Task configuration ;
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View configuration ;
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Custom fields (contains Task fields).
My active project
Configurations
Access : Application config → Apps management → Project, configure → activate the ‘Activate the project change shortcut’ option.
- Activate the project change shortcut: this configuration allows you to quickly access your active project from a dedicated ‘My Project’ menu.
Active project: a list of projects can be accessed from the top menu bar, next to the favourites (at the very top of the page, next to the ‘Favourites’ icon). The projects that are displayed in this list, are those of which the user is a member. If the user is not a member of any project, the menu will remain hidden.
- Active project - user record: it is also possible to select a user's active project from the user record, in the ‘Active project’ field. When an active project is selected, the displayed elements and derived projects will be updated in these new menus.
Custom fields management
Configuration from the Project app
Access : Application config → Apps management → Project, configure
Custom fields: two new tables allow you to configure custom fields, either for tasks or projects.
Required: when you add a new custom field, there will be the ‘Required’ box. Tick the ‘Required’ box to specify whether the field will be required.
Configuration from the project category
Access: Project Management → Configuration → Category
Task fields: on a project category file, a table allows you to create custom fields for tasks.
Configuration on a project file
From the Project file, in the Configuration tab, create custom fields for tasks in a ‘Task fields’ table. It is also possible to filter the custom fields that will be used for this project, by selecting the configuration source(s) : Project app / Project / Category.
If the Project option is not selected, the table of custom fields below won’t be accessible.
Managing task statuses
On a project file, in the Configurations tab, find ‘Task configuration’ panel. There, several task status configurations are possible:
No status management: when this option is active, there will no longer be any notion of status associated with the tasks in this project.
Manage by category: when this option is active, task status is managed by category. A ‘Type of authorised categories’ field is then displayed to select the authorised categories for this project.
Manage via the project: when this option is active, task status management is carried out by the project itself. An ‘Authorised status type’ field is then displayed to select the categories authorised for this project, as well as a ‘Completed task status’ field to determine the status defining the end of a task. Once a task is linked to the project, it is no longer possible to modify this selection.
In order to manage statuses by category, it is necessary to configure the statuses of authorised tasks and the status of completed tasks beforehand, from within the category.
Automatic task progression
Configuring task progress by status
Access: Application config. → Apps management → Project, configure → enable the ‘Enable task progress by status’ option → save the changes and refresh the browser.
Enable task progress by status: the ‘Enable task progress by status’ option enables automatic assignment of progress to project tasks by status.
Default progress: when this option is ticked, the ‘Default progress’ field (access: Project Management → Configuration → Task status) is accessible from the task status and is used to define a default progress percentage per status. When a task changes status, the task progress is then automatically updated with the default status progress.
Configuring task progress by category
Access: Project management → Projects → Configuration tab, activate the ‘Enable automatic task progress by category’ option.
From the Configuration tab on the project sheet, in the Task Configuration panel, the ‘Enable automatic task progress by category’ option enables the automatic assignment of progress to project tasks by category. When this option is ticked, the automatic progress of tasks in this project is updated according to the status progress configuration in the category.
Configure the progress by status beforehand on a category file.
The ‘Progression by status’ table becomes accessible on the category file on a condition : the two options in the Project app must be activated first.
These features are :
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‘Enable status management by task category’ ;
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‘Enable task progress by status’.
Relation tasks
Project task relation types
Access: Project management → Configuration → Project task relation types
It is now possible to configure the types of relation between tasks, by configuring the relation type and the opposing relation (example: Blocked / Blocked by). On a project file, the ‘Project task relation types’ field is used to select a relation type that can be used on this project (by default all).
Manage relations
Access: Project management → Project / Business project → Project tasks / Business tasks → ‘Manage relation’ tab
Links are defined on a task file in the ‘Manage relations’ tab.
The selection of tasks to relate depends on the configuration of the associated projects: if the two projects have different configurations, the link cannot be generated and an error message will be displayed. Once the link has been generated, you will find the opposite link in the associated ticket.
Check list
Check list management
Access:
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Project management → Projects
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Project management → Project tasks
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Project management → Configuration → Check list templates
Check list tab: a ‘Check list’ tab is available on a project or task file. This view is used to create a check list for a task or project. It is also possible to configure check list templates beforehand and use them from within projects or tasks.
Automatic fixed-price calculations
Update financial data
Log times tab: from a task linked to a business project, you can enter an estimated time from the ‘Log times’ tab.
Financial data: in the ‘Financial data’ tab, the fixed-price financial data will be updated automatically according to the business project configuration.
Create a business project / a project
A business project is linked to a customer. It's managed with invoicing (purchase and/or sale that were made with an external "partner").
Access : Project → Project → +
Note, it's possible to convert a project into a business project.
Starting from v8.2, open the Configurations tab, and click on the button "Convert into business project" on the Project file.
Access : Project → Business project → +
Each business project has a workflow. The statuses are as follows: New → In progress → Done → Cancelled → Done paid
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On the new project file, enter a code.
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Then enter a name.
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Select a company that is specific to this project.
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Select a customer.
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Select a customer contact.
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Parent project: select a parent project in the dedicated field in the Characteristics section.
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Show sub-projects: open the Configurations tab. Activate this option to display current sub-projects.
Tasks tab
The tasks tab is used to manage all the tasks associated with the project.
You'll find :
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The plus icon: create a new child task.
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The caddy icon: generate a purchase (supplier order). Clicking on it opens the sale quotation form directly.
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The cross icon: delete a task.
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The square icon: opens a task in a new window.
You can also click on the buttons :
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New task: to create a new task.
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New Ticket: to create a new ticket.
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All tasks: this button opens a new window in list view with all the tasks.
Planning tab
Use this tab to schedule time for teams.
Reporting tab
This business project specific tab allows you to monitor business project performance indicators. Here you'll find time tracking (estimated/updated task/planned/past times) and consumption and progress percentages.
This tab allows you to monitor the business financially by looking at the sales figures, costs, margins and margin rates for the sold, forecast and actual budgets, in order to imagine clearly the financial management of a business project. This tab also contains the invoicing indicators and the project history. Compare what has been sold, or compare the forecast with the actual statistics.
Resource booking
From this tab, book physical resources.
Analytic Tab
The Analytic tab allows you to monitor your business analytically.
Wiki tab
The Wiki tab is used to list essential project information, such as useful links.
Roadmap tab
The Roadmap tab is used to track versioning. This tab is very useful for IT projects.
Announcement tab
In this tab, list important announcements.
Configuration tab: configure a project or a business project
In the Configuration tab, you will find different features in order to tab to configure a project or a business project.
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Type of authorized activities: in general configuration, select an activity. For example, if it is a consulting project, you can authorise access to activities for project leaders, managers and consultants.
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Project folders: on a Business project file, in the Configuration tab, Business configuration, select project folders. It allows you to organise your projects.
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Number of hours a day: in this field, select the number of hours per day. The number of hours per day is taken into account by default for a project / business project. In the example, the number of hours per day has been set to 7.
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Project time unit: select a project time unit. For exemple, a day or an hour.
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Type of authorized status: in the Configuration tab, Task configuration section, you can modify the statuses according to your needs. These statuses will then be added to the project workflow (New / In progress / Completed / Cancelled).
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Type of authorized priorities: modify the statuses associated with the tasks.
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Type of authorized categories: it is also possible to authorise certain types or categories of task.
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Time Spent / Enable Gantt View / Kanban View and other checkboxes: these functions allow you to control the time spent, display the different views, or enable views on the calendar. For example, activating the 'Topic' checkbox will allow you to discuss topics relating to the project.
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You can also make the project chargeable to HR timesheets (or not).
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Authorise access to task categories (low / normal / high / urgent).
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Custom fields : in the Configurations tab, you will find custom fields. Custom fields are used to list information specific to your trade. Custom fields can be configured in the application configuration in the Project module.
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Save the changes you have made.
Members features are as of now are corporated in the Configurations tab.
You can easily import project members from the Members tab.
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Select a team.
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Import all members: if you are importing members, click on the ‘Import all members’ button.
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Synchronise: you can also synchronise the team.
Show financial data button
Starting from v8.2., 'Show financial data' button was added. When you click on 'Show financial data' button, you will be able to access such tabs as : Sales, Purchases, Expenses, Contracts, Production, Invoicing.
Sales tab
From the Sales tab, manage all sale quotations and sale orders for your customer, as well as Order Lines and Customer Receipts. A button allows you to Generate quotation or Show sale order lines.
Purchases Tab
The Purchases tab is used to list all quotations and purchase orders required to complete the job. This business-specific tab allows you to find supplier quotations, supplier orders, order lines and supplier receipts. A button allows you to Generate a quotation or Show purchase order lines.
Expenses tab
This tab is used to group together pending and validated expenses and their details.
Contracts tab
This tab lists all customer and supplier contracts and associated invoices.
Production tab
Production tab corresponds to Manufacturing. There, you can do a follow-up of production order. In order to display it, click on the button 'Show production orders'.
Invoicing tab
The Invoicing tab is used to configure default invoicing.
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Invoicing Expenses: if this box is ticked, when you enter an expense, an expense associated with this case will be billed to the customer.
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Purchases/Tasks Invoicing: you can also activate these options to be able to invoice purchases and tasks.
Create a project from a template
You can create a project (or a business project) template from the menu entry: Project management → Template → Project template → +.
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Create project from this template: in a template, you can define default parameters to be applied to a project by clicking on the ‘Create project from this template’ button.
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There are following parameters :
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In the Task Templates tab, set up default tasks. These templates can be configured from the menu entry Project → Template → Task Template.
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Define default Members in the Members tab.
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Add default Invoicing configurations: define default expense report billing / default purchase billing.
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Default Wiki.
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Define default Configurations: Types of authorised activities / Types of authorised task categories / Project folder / Project allocation on HR timesheets.
If you wish to create a template for a business project, then activate the checkbox 'Business project'.
Project folders
A project folder is used to group projects and business projects together in a common folder.
Access : Project management → Configuration → Project folders → +
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Enter a name.
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Enter a description.
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Select a project by clicking on the magnifying glass icon. In addition, the project folder can be selected from a project or a business project file in the Configuration tab.