diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management.md b/features/work-management/project-management.md deleted file mode 100644 index 79f0f20c..00000000 --- a/features/work-management/project-management.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,316 +0,0 @@ -# When Projects Drive the Business - -## Overview - -In modern companies, ideas create movement. New products, improvements, client initiatives, internal processes — each of them requires coordination, clear steps, and visibility over progress. - -Yet projects often scatter across emails, meetings, spreadsheets, and a dozen communication channels. -And sometimes something else happens — initiatives that “swim below the radar.” - -Someone starts solving a problem, two or three colleagues join in, then another one... -Work is being done, time is being invested, people put in effort — but there is no official project, no record, no visibility. - -These are the so-called *submarine projects* — the “hidden” projects of an organization. -They happen. -They consume resources. -But they are often neither seen, nor tracked, nor managed well. -And most importantly — leadership struggles to evaluate their impact or the workload they create. - -Regardless of the industry — manufacturing, services, distribution, commerce, technology — the question remains the same: - -**“Where do we stand right now, and what comes next?”** - -It would be wonderful if there were a place that gathers all of this — official projects, informal initiatives, ideas, tasks, progress, and resources. - -Fortunately, there is. - ---- - -## There Is an Easier Way to Manage Your Projects - -Imagine all company initiatives — big or small — gathered in one place. -A place where every idea receives structure, every task has its place, and every step is part of a logical sequence. - -A place where: - -- every step is clear — no time wasted in clarifications -- every task has an owner — responsibilities are visible -- every action has history — you know what happened and why -- progress is visible without asking anyone -- documents, files, and communication are organized and available when needed - -This is not merely convenience. -It’s a way of working that gives: - -- peace of mind to teams -- confidence to managers -- consistency to processes -- predictability to results - -When everything lives in one place, projects start to move more naturally. -People work in sync. -Resources are used more wisely. -Initiatives don’t sink into “submarine” efforts — they become visible and traceable. - -This clarity and order is exactly what **Project Management in @@name** delivers — helping organizations turn ideas into real outcomes without complicating their processes. - ---- - -## What Project Management in @@name is - -Project Management in @@name is the core that connects people, ideas, and actions into a structured, traceable, and understandable flow of work. -Whether it’s client service, an internal initiative, product development, or coordination between teams — the module turns work into sequence, and sequence into results. - -At its foundation stand several key components that naturally work together: - -### **Projects — the framework of every initiative** - -Each project in @@name acts as a “container” that gathers everything related to an initiative: - -- goals -- participants -- expected outcomes -- stages -- relevant information -- documents -- communication - -This is the central point that provides an overview of the work — whether it’s a major corporate project or a small internal effort with just a few steps. - -### **Project Areas — organizing work into meaningful sections** - -A large project becomes far more comprehensible when divided into zones. -With **Project Areas**, you can structure the work by: - -- phases -- activity types -- business functions -- teams -- work streams - -Examples include *Planning*, *Execution*, *Marketing*, *Communications*, *Finalization*. -This helps both large and small teams visualize the big picture without losing the details. - -### **Tasks (Cases) — the concrete steps that move the project forward** - -Real work happens in the details. - -Each task is a clearly defined action: - -- what needs to be done -- who is responsible -- the deadline -- current status -- related documents or comments - -@@name allows you to organize, filter, group, and track all tasks so that no important step is ever lost — even in large projects with many contributors. - -### **Documents and Files — everything in the right place** - -No more searching for attachments in emails, old messages, or folders named *“Final version v5”*. -Documents, contracts, specifications, protocols, images, comments — everything lives inside the project. - -This increases productivity and keeps context clear, even when the team grows or someone joins later. - -### **History and Communication — every action has context** - -Every action — a new task, a status change, an uploaded file, a comment, or an update — is logged automatically. -This provides: - -- transparency -- traceability -- confidence that nothing gets lost - -History becomes a guide — especially for long or multi-stage projects. - -### **Real-time Progress — a clear picture without meetings** - -@@name visualizes what is completed, what’s upcoming, and where blockers exist. -Managers see movement across the project without status meetings, while contributors receive a natural rhythm and clear priorities. - ---- - -## One Logic, Many Industries - -Because it is structured yet lightweight, Project Management works naturally in different business environments: - -- consulting — *client implementation* -- manufacturing — *new product launch* -- logistics — *warehouse process optimization* -- marketing — *campaign* -- administration — *certification* or *internal initiative* - -The principle is always the same: -**Step by step, tasks lead to results.** -@@name makes each step lighter, clearer, and more visible. - ---- - -## How It Works — Told as a Real Process - -Managing a project often seems daunting: many people, many tasks, many unknowns. -But in practice — and especially in @@name — the process is far more natural than it sounds. - -Imagine you’re starting a new initiative. It might be something big like preparing for a trade show, or something small like improving an internal process. What’s the first thing you do? - -### **1. You give it a name — and the project finally has a “home”** - -Every initiative starts as an idea: - -- “Let’s update the website.” -- “Let’s prepare a presentation for the client.” -- “Let’s develop a new product.” -- “Let’s organize a company event.” - -In @@name this idea becomes a **Project** — a protected space that gathers everything that will follow: - -- description -- participants -- goals -- deadlines -- expected outcomes - -This is the moment the project is “born” — no longer just a conversation or an email. -It has a name, a beginning, a purpose. - -### **2. You structure it — using Project Areas** - -Once the project has its home, the natural question is: -**“How do we organize it so everyone understands it?”** - -This is where **Project Areas** shine. - -You can divide the work into: - -- Planning -- Execution -- Marketing -- Communications -- Delivery -- Technical Preparation -- Finalization - -Or anything that fits your workflow. - -With Project Areas: - -- the big becomes understandable -- the complex becomes organized -- teams see their part of the puzzle -- management sees the full picture - -### **3. You add the tasks — and the project begins to “breathe”** - -Projects move through small, concrete actions. -In @@name these actions are **Tasks (Cases)** — clearly defined steps leading to progress. - -Examples: - -- Prepare schedule -- Draft presentation -- Confirm specifications -- Send samples -- Review offer -- Test component -- Upload final document - -Each task has: - -- an owner -- a deadline -- a description -- a status -- attached files and comments -- a link to its Project Area - -The work is no longer scattered — everything becomes logical and traceable. - -This is when the project begins to “breathe” — moving, evolving, living alongside the team. - -### **4. You track progress — without constant status meetings** - -Progress is visible throughout the module: - -- what is completed -- what is upcoming -- where blockers exist -- who is actively involved -- what affects milestones and deadlines - -@@name updates this in real time as people work. -No more *“What’s happening here?”* emails or emergency sync meetings. - -Instead of gathering information — -you simply **see** it. - ---- - -## The Result? Work Flows Smoothly - -Projects are not chaos — they are sequence. -@@name helps you see that sequence, organize it, and follow it with ease. - -And regardless of scale — from a small initiative to a major transformation — -the module keeps the process natural, transparent, and calm. - ---- - -## Why Companies Choose This Way of Working - -Projects exist everywhere. The difference lies in how we manage them. - -Project Management in @@name gives you: - -- **Peace of mind** — you know what’s happening without extra meetings. -- **Transparency** — everyone sees progress and knows what to do. -- **Less chaos** — documents, comments, tasks — everything is organized. -- **Better control** — you understand not only what is done, but *why*. -- **Universality** — no strict methodology required; works across industries. - ---- - -## How Businesses Use Project Management - -Examples common to almost every company: - -### **Preparing for a trade show** -Marketing + logistics + production. - -### **Implementing a product for a client** -Steps: requirements → configuration → testing → training → support. - -### **Launching a new product** -Design → development → testing → marketing → sales enablement. - -### **Internal initiatives** -Warehouse optimization, process improvements, certifications, ISO projects. - -### **Corporate goals and planning** -Annual plans, structural changes, strategic programs. - -### **Any work requiring coordination across many people** -@@name turns complexity into sequence. - ---- - -## Business Benefits — Real, Measurable, Tangible - -- Better organization — everything has its place -- Clearer focus — teams work with confidence -- Shorter timelines — less clarifying, more doing -- Better communication — history, comments, documents -- Better accountability — see the impact, not just the tasks - ---- - -## Try Project Management in @@name Now - -You can explore and experience the powerful Project Management module in @@name yourself — see how projects become clearer, tasks more organized, and teamwork naturally aligned. - -It’s simple. - -Just follow this guide to log into our publicly available test instance of @@name — **no registration required**: - -**Project Management in @@name — Try now without registration** - -**Access credentials** — Use these to log in. diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/areas-project-groups-milestones.md b/features/work-management/project-management/areas-project-groups-milestones.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..42586f87 --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/areas-project-groups-milestones.md @@ -0,0 +1,135 @@ +# Areas, Project Groups, and Milestones + +## When projects start to “think bigger” + +In this article, we continue exploring the building blocks of Project Management in @@name. +We focus on the tools that help teams and managers understand where work fits, how projects relate to each other, and how progress is measured over time. + +Project Groups, Project Areas, and Milestones make this possible. +They add structure above and within projects, and they add clear reference points for progress. +The goal is to help projects scale without turning everyday work into administration. + +At the beginning, tasks are often enough. +The team knows what needs to be done, who owns it, and how the work is progressing. + +Over time, projects begin to grow. +More initiatives appear, more people are involved, and more parallel activities take place. +Work is no longer just a list of tasks. +It becomes a system of connected efforts that need structure, coordination, and a clear sense of scale. + +This is where Project Management in @@name benefits from additional building blocks. +They let teams stay operational in their daily work, while management gains a stable way to view progress and priorities across initiatives. + +--- + +## The structure that makes scale manageable + +When projects begin to operate on more than one level, structure stops being a formality. +It becomes the way teams navigate work without losing context, and the way management sees the full picture without diving into operational detail. + +In @@name, this structure is built through three complementary elements. +Project Groups add a level above projects. +Project Areas add logic inside a project. +Milestones add shared reference points in time. + +--- + +## Project Groups – managing programs of projects + +Project Groups allow projects to be combined into logical groupings that match how the business manages them. +A Project Group can represent a strategic initiative, a client program, an internal transformation, a product line, or any grouping that matters to the organization. + +At this level, the focus shifts from individual Cases to how projects relate and progress together. +Management can review the overall direction of the program, see where attention is needed, and compare progress across projects that belong to the same initiative. + +**Micro-scenario (Project Groups).** +A company runs a client program that includes several implementation projects for different sites. +Each site is a separate project, but all of them belong to one Project Group. +Management can follow progress at program level while teams continue working inside their own projects. + +--- + +## Managing budget at program level + +Project Groups in @@name can also support financial visibility and control at a higher level. +This makes it possible to review planned and actual budgets for the program, track costs across related projects, and adjust allocations when priorities change. + +This is especially valuable when organizations manage strategic initiatives, long-term investments, or multi-project client programs. +Instead of reviewing budgets project by project, management can review the initiative as a whole. + +--- + +## Project Areas – logic inside the project + +While Project Groups operate above projects, Project Areas introduce structure within them. +Project Areas organize Cases by meaning. +They can represent phases, work streams, responsibility domains, or any internal logic that helps the team keep execution clear. + +Project Areas are particularly useful when a project passes through defined stages, when there are parallel streams of work, and when different teams contribute to the same outcomes. +They keep the project readable as complexity grows, because the team does not work in one undifferentiated list. + +--- + +## Phases, streams, and reusable structures + +Project Areas can represent phases such as Planning, Execution, Testing, or Go‑Live. +They can also reflect functional domains such as Marketing, Communications, Technical Preparation, or Delivery. +The exact structure depends on how the organization works. + +A key advantage is consistency across projects. +When projects share a similar internal structure, teams orient faster and management can compare how similar phases evolve across different initiatives. +The value is not “copying a template”. +The value is having a repeatable structure that supports cross-project understanding. + +--- + +## Milestones – when progress has clear reference points + +Milestones introduce clear reference points in the life of a project. +They mark important outcomes, decisions, or delivery moments and answer a simple question. +Where are we right now. + +Milestones support communication and coordination because they create shared checkpoints. +Teams can plan around them, stakeholders can align expectations, and progress can be discussed without listing every operational task. + +**Micro-scenario (Areas and Milestones).** +An implementation project uses Areas such as Analysis, Configuration, Testing, and Go‑Live. +Milestones mark key moments like Requirements approved, UAT passed, and Go‑Live completed. +The structure stays clear for the team, and progress is easy to communicate outside the team. + +--- + +## Business benefits – what the business truly gains + +The combination of Project Groups, Project Areas, and Milestones turns project execution into something that scales. +It helps organizations keep clarity when more projects, more people, and more parallel work are involved. + +Management becomes easier as scale increases because related projects can be reviewed together without losing detail where it matters. +Work becomes clearer because Cases are structured by phase and responsibility, not only by date or owner. +Visibility improves because different roles can see the right level of information, from execution detail to program overview. +Operational noise decreases because progress and expectations are anchored in shared structure and milestones, not constant clarification meetings. + +--- + +## Applicability in real-world work + +These tools are particularly valuable for organizations that manage multiple parallel projects and need a stable way to compare and coordinate them. +They fit well for client implementations with defined phases and deliverables. +They support internal programs and transformations that run over longer periods and involve many stakeholders. +They help teams and management balance flexibility with shared structure and control. + +Whether the work is a short initiative or a long-term program, the principle remains the same. +Clear structure, shared context, and visible progress. + +--- + +## Continue exploring Project Management + +**Back to the previous topic:** +[Cases — where tasks turn into real work](cases.md) + +**Read next:** +[Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits — managing workflow and flow control](types-case-categories-wip-limits.md) + +**Back to the main topic:** +[Project Management in @@name](index.md) diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/assignment-rules-user-states.md b/features/work-management/project-management/assignment-rules-user-states.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..71f8073e --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/assignment-rules-user-states.md @@ -0,0 +1,132 @@ +# Assignment Rules & User States +## When project management becomes a process + +In @@name, Assignment Rules and User States turn work management from “we organize and assign tasks” into a repeatable process. +Cases reach the right people through explicit routing rules. +Statuses stop being interpretive and become a shared language for teams, managers, and reporting. + +### Why this matters + +Even when projects are well structured and Cases are clearly described, everyday work raises the same operational questions. +Who takes ownership of this Case now. +When is a Case actually ready, and when is it waiting. +What does a status mean in practice, not just in words. +How do we avoid manual assignment and constant clarifications. + +This is the moment where project management moves from a plan to a predictable flow of work. +The goal is not to add bureaucracy. +The goal is to reduce “hidden decisions” and make routing and progress explicit. + +--- + +### Key capabilities + +#### 1) Assignment Rules — automated work distribution + +Assignment Rules define how and to whom new or updated Cases are assigned without manual intervention every time. +Instead of relying on a manager’s memory or constant “who takes this” messages, @@name applies rules that the organization has defined upfront. + +Rules can be evaluated based on a practical set of Case attributes. +This includes project context (such as project, area, milestone, type, or category) and also progress context (System State and User State). +Rules can also use business context such as the Stakeholder Party, so routing can follow “for whom is this work” and not only “what kind of work is it”. + +When multiple rules match, @@name resolves the conflict deterministically. +Rules have priority, and when priorities are equal, rule ordering acts as a tie-breaker. +This makes routing stable and explainable, which matters when teams grow and when processes are audited or reviewed later. + +Assignment itself can reflect how the organization operates. +A Case can be routed to a specific person. +It can also be routed to a responsible role or team logic, such as the responsible person for the project or for the project area. +This does not replace management decisions. +It removes repetitive coordination and keeps responsibility visible at the point where work enters the system. + +**Micro-scenario (Assignment Rules).** +A new Case is created in a client implementation project with category “Testing”. +The Case enters a “Ready” System State with a User State like “For review”. +An Assignment Rule routes it to the reviewer role or a specific QA user. +When the User State changes to “Ready for execution”, another rule routes the same Case to the executor role or the delivery team. +The handover is explicit and recorded as part of the Case, rather than happening in chat. + +Where this delivers the most value is predictable. +It helps larger teams with multiple roles. +It helps repetitive work where routing patterns repeat every day. +It helps request intake and operational flows where new Cases arrive continuously. +It helps service and support models where response time depends on fast routing to the right owner. + +#### 2) User States — a shared language for real progress + +Status words often sound clear until they mean different things to different people. +“In progress” may mean active execution for one person, “we will start soon” for another, and “we are blocked” for a third. +User States solve this by letting the organization define business-meaningful sub-stages that fit the way teams actually work. + +In @@name, it helps to separate two concepts. +**System States** are the default, predefined lifecycle phases a Case moves through. +They describe the main flow from intake and preparation to execution and completion. +**User States** are custom sub-stages that add granularity inside a System State. +They let teams express what is really happening without inventing new parallel workflows or relying on free-text explanations. + +User States are linked to a specific System State. +They can also be made applicable only for specific Case Categories. +This prevents a “one-size-fits-all” status list and keeps the language relevant to the kind of work being done. +The outcome is simple and practical. +A Case can be in the same System State across the organization, while still carrying the precise business sub-stage that tells the real story. + +**Micro-scenario (User States).** +Two Cases are both in the “Waiting” System State. +One has a User State “Waiting for customer information”. +The other has a User State “Waiting for internal approval”. +Both are “waiting”, but the next action, the expected owner, and the management interpretation are different. +Because the distinction is explicit, reporting and daily coordination stop treating both as the same kind of delay. + +--- + +### How it works (high level) + +#### Assignment Rules (high level) + +When a Case is created, or when key attributes change, @@name evaluates the active Assignment Rules that match the Case context. +Rules can match on project-related attributes and on progress-related attributes, including System State and User State. +If more than one rule matches, @@name selects the rule deterministically using priority and rule ordering. +The result is predictable routing that does not depend on who happened to notice the Case first. + +#### System States vs User States (high level) + +System States provide the main, shared lifecycle of a Case. +User States refine what “work stage” means inside that lifecycle, using the organization’s own language. +Because User States are linked to System States and can be constrained by Case Category, teams can achieve clarity without turning the process into a heavy methodology. + +--- + +### Use cases + +Assignment Rules and User States are especially valuable for service and support teams, where intake is continuous and fast routing matters. +They help organizations with a steady flow of new Cases, where manual assignment becomes a bottleneck. +They support teams with clearly separated roles, where handovers should be explicit and repeatable. +They help companies that want process without micromanagement, because control comes from shared rules and shared meaning, not from constant manual interventions. + +Whether for projects, services, or internal coordination, rules and states reduce dependency on individual people. +They make the process understandable even when priorities shift, teams expand, or new colleagues join. + +--- + +### Business benefits + +By using Assignment Rules and User States, businesses reduce manual coordination and routine task routing. +They shorten the time from “Case created” to “Case owned”, which improves responsiveness in operational work. +They make accountability clearer because responsibility and real work stage are visible on the Case itself. +They reduce operational noise and “bouncing” because handovers are driven by rules and shared status meaning. +They keep the working model predictable as teams grow and change, because the process is defined explicitly, not carried only in people’s habits. + +--- + +### Continue exploring Project Management + +**Back to the main topic:** +[Project Management in @@name](index.md) + +**Read more about:** +[Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits — managing flow and capacity](types-case-categories-wip-limits.md) + +**Start from the foundation:** +[Cases — where tasks turn into real work](cases.md) + diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/cases.md b/features/work-management/project-management/cases.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a2196e35 --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/cases.md @@ -0,0 +1,189 @@ +# Cases + +## Where tasks turn into real work + +At the core of every project are concrete tasks. +They define what needs to be done, by whom, within what timeframe, and in what context. +When tasks are defined and managed consistently, teams spend less time clarifying ownership and current status. +Management can evaluate workload and progress based on what is actually recorded, rather than on ad‑hoc updates. + +Many organizations feel this challenge intuitively. +Work gets done, but context, decisions, and progress end up distributed across multiple tools. +Later, it becomes surprisingly hard to answer simple questions like why a decision was made, what changed, and who agreed on what. + +--- + +## The core instrument: Cases in Project Management in @@name + +In Project Management in @@name, work execution is organized through **Cases**. +A Case is where a task is planned, taken on, executed, and tracked, while keeping the relevant context attached to the work. + +A Case brings together what a team typically needs to execute responsibly. +It keeps ownership, priority, current state, discussion, related documents and files, and the history of changes over time in one place. +This turns a Case into a practical unit of work that the team can coordinate around and the organization can review later with clarity. + +Cases are usable from day one. +A team can start with only what is necessary, such as a title and an owner. +As requirements grow, the Case can grow with them by adding deadlines, user states, estimates, links to related work, or additional detail when the process actually needs it. +This keeps Cases comfortable for everyday operational tasks, while still supporting complex project environments where traceability and accountability matter. + +--- + +## What a Case represents in @@name + +A Case in @@name is not just a checkbox in a list. +It is the point where an intention becomes execution, with a defined owner and a visible state. + +A Case can be lightweight when the work is simple. +It can start with just a name and an owner, exactly as much as is needed to begin. +As the work evolves, priority, deadlines, statuses, notes, dependencies, and related work can be added when the business process requires them. + +Most importantly, a Case is never bare. +Ownership and deadlines sit next to the current state and the full history. +Discussions, decisions, and clarifications remain attached to the work, instead of being lost in email threads or chat logs. +Files and documents used during execution stay easy to find later, in the same place where the task lives. + +--- + +## A workspace, not just a record + +A Case in @@name is designed as a workspace for execution, not a static object stored somewhere for reference. + +Within a Case, users can track time while working. +They can define estimated time when planning is required. +They can use Story Points when the team prefers that approach. +When work is iterative, a Case can also be associated with a Sprint. + +Cases can be linked to the relevant business and organizational context as well. +A Case can be connected to a specific project. +It can be associated with a Social Group when the work concerns a particular team. +It can be linked to a Party, such as a customer, partner, or counterparty, independently of who the Case is assigned to. +This helps teams see work not only as who does what, but also for whom and in what business context. + +project-management-case1 + +*A Case in @@name keeps execution, context, files, communication, and time in one place — so the work remains explainable later.* + +--- + +## Control over time and state — when it is needed + +Cases support time-related markers such as readiness, waiting, or completion moments. +These markers make flow visible. +They help teams and managers see where work moves smoothly, where it waits, and where delays accumulate, without turning daily execution into a heavy reporting exercise. + +By default, Cases move through standard states such as Backlog, In Progress, Waiting, or Closed. +When a business follows a more specific workflow, states can be extended and adapted through custom **User States**. +The goal is not to impose a methodology. +The goal is to make the team’s real process explicit and shared, so it remains understandable even as more people join the work. + +--- + +## Simplicity on the surface, depth underneath + +Cases do not require heavy setup to be useful. +Teams can work with the minimum they need today, and add structure only when the process demands it tomorrow. +This keeps the same Case model usable for quick operational execution and for larger-scale coordination with reviewable history. + +--- + +## Context and communication — part of the task itself + +Cases keep communication where it matters: inside the task. +When a Case is revisited weeks or months later, the discussion and decisions are still there, next to the files and the state history. +That continuity reduces rework, because the team does not need to reconstruct context from memory. + +--- + +## Hierarchy and focus in execution + +Cases support hierarchical execution through subcases. +This allows teams to break down larger activities into logical steps. +It also helps distribute responsibilities clearly while preserving the relationship between an overall goal and the concrete actions required to achieve it. + +For cross-team projects, hierarchy protects focus. +Teams can coordinate on smaller, owned parts of the work without losing their connection to the bigger outcome. + +--- + +## When work has a clear entry point and a clear flow — Backlog and Kanban + +In real organizations, tasks do not arrive neatly ordered. +Requests, incidents, improvements, and commitments appear continuously from customers, teams, and management. +That is why in Project Management in @@name, Cases typically begin in the **Backlog**. +The Backlog is where upcoming work is collected, organized, and prioritized. +It answers the practical question “What’s next?” without forcing immediate execution or creating artificial urgency. + +Planning remains a team responsibility. +Teams decide which Cases from the Backlog are ready to be taken on, when, and with what priority. +From there, **Kanban** visualization helps turn planning into execution by making flow visible across states, from idea and preparation, through work in progress, to completion. + +This visibility helps teams and managers see what is in progress, what is waiting for input or decisions, what is planned next, and what is completed. +In this sense, Kanban in @@name is not only a visual view. +It is a way to keep work-in-progress and waiting time observable, so priorities and capacity can be managed with fewer assumptions. + +The Backlog secures the intake of work. +Kanban helps manage its flow. +Cases are where execution, context, and history stay together in a clear business context. + +--- + +## Why ERP.net + +Cases in @@name are built on a platform that emphasizes explicit models, enforceable rules, and traceable processes. + +This translates into practical, checkable outcomes. +Work remains **explainable** because a Case keeps state, history, discussion, and files together, so the current situation can be understood from what is recorded. +Processes remain **predictable** because teams can make workflow explicit through states and rules, rather than relying on informal habits. +Because @@name uses **consistent concepts across the platform**, Cases can stay connected to projects, teams, and business parties without losing meaning as the organization grows. + +--- + +## Business benefits: what the business gains from Cases + +When tasks are managed through Cases in @@name, the business gains more than an organized list. +It gains a work record that remains readable over time. + +**Clear responsibility and traceability.** +Ownership is explicit, state is visible, and changes remain reviewable through the Case history. + +**Better coordination between teams.** +Communication, files, and progress stay attached to the same work item, reducing misunderstandings and duplicate effort. + +**Less operational friction.** +Time tracking, documents, and discussions happen where the work happens, minimizing tool-switching and context loss. + +**Predictable and controllable execution.** +Progress and waiting states are visible, delays can be detected earlier, and decisions can be based on recorded reality rather than informal status summaries. + +--- + +## Applicability: where Cases work best + +Cases are especially valuable where work evolves over time and involves people, decisions, and context, not just a one-off action. + +**Client and project work.** +Requests, agreements, delivery files, and decisions remain attached to the Case, making the full path from request to outcome traceable. + +**Internal initiatives and improvements.** +Ideas do not get lost. +They become Cases with ownership and visible state, so progress can be reviewed without reconstructing history from meetings and messages. + +**Operational coordination across teams.** +When several roles or departments are involved, the Case becomes the shared point of work. +Everyone sees the same state, participates in the same discussion, and works with the same context. + +**Services and time-accountable activities.** +When it matters how much time was spent, on which task, and for what outcome, time tracking directly from the Case keeps effort and results connected and reviewable. + +--- + +## What’s next + +**Back to the main topic:** +[Project Management in @@name](index.md) + +**Read more about:** +[Areas, Project Groups, and Milestones — managing project structure and scale](areas-project-groups-milestones.md) + + diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/index.md b/features/work-management/project-management/index.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..815130d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,233 @@ +# When Projects Drive the Business + +## Overview + +In modern companies, ideas create movement. New products, improvements, client initiatives, and internal process changes all require coordination, clear steps, and visibility over progress. + +Yet projects often end up scattered across emails, meetings, spreadsheets, and a dozen communication channels. And sometimes something else happens—initiatives “swim below the radar”. + +Someone starts solving a problem, two or three colleagues join in, then another one. Work is being done, time is being invested, people put in real effort—yet there is no official project, no record, and no shared visibility. + +These are the so-called submarine projects—the “hidden” projects of an organization. They happen, they consume resources, and they move forward in fragments, but they are rarely seen, tracked, or managed well. Most importantly, leadership struggles to evaluate their impact, understand the workload they create, or even know where they truly stand. + +Regardless of the industry—manufacturing, services, distribution, commerce, technology—the question remains the same: “Where do we stand right now, and what comes next?” + +It would be wonderful if there were a single place that gathers everything—official projects, informal initiatives, ideas, tasks, progress, and resources—and turns it into a clear, shared picture. Fortunately, there is. + +project-management-home + +*The Project Management workspace in @@name brings projects, tasks, time, structure, and process into one unified view.* + +--- + +## There Is an Easier Way to Manage Your Projects + +Imagine all company initiatives—big or small—gathered in one place. A place where every idea receives structure, every task has its place, and every step is part of a logical sequence. + +In practice, that means fewer clarifications because steps are clear; visible responsibility because every task has an owner; real context because every action has history; and progress that can be understood without constantly asking for updates. It also means documents, files, and communication are organized and available when needed, not buried in email threads or “final version” folders. + +This is not merely convenience. It’s a way of working that gives teams peace of mind, managers confidence, processes consistency, and results greater predictability. + +When everything lives in one place, projects start to move more naturally: people work in sync, resources are used more wisely, and initiatives don’t sink into “submarine” efforts—they become visible and traceable. + +This clarity and order is exactly what Project Management in @@name delivers—helping organizations turn ideas into real outcomes without complicating their processes. + +--- + +## What Project Management in @@name is + +Project Management in @@name is the core that connects people, ideas, and actions into a structured, traceable, and understandable flow of work. Whether it’s client service, an internal initiative, product development, or coordination between teams, the module turns work into a sequence—and that sequence into results. + +At its foundation are several components that work together naturally. + +### **Projects — the framework of every initiative** + +Each project in @@name acts as a “container” that gathers everything related to an initiative: goals, participants, expected outcomes, stages, relevant information, documents, and communication. This creates a single point of reference that makes the work easier to understand and manage—whether it’s a major corporate effort or a small internal improvement with just a few steps. + +### **Project Areas — organizing work into meaningful sections** + +Even a well-defined project becomes harder to follow when everything lives in one long list. +Project Areas help you divide the work into clear, meaningful sections, so the big picture stays visible and the details remain easy to find. +You can structure Areas by phases, activity types, business functions, teams, or work streams—depending on how your organization thinks and works. + +In practice, this could mean Areas such as Planning, Execution, Marketing, Communications, and Finalization. +The specific names are less important than the result: a shared structure that helps both large and small teams coordinate without confusion. + +### **Tasks (Cases) — the concrete steps that move the project forward** + +Real work happens in the details. In @@name, those details take shape as Tasks (Cases): clearly defined actions with an owner, a deadline, a current status, and the necessary context—description, related documents, and comments. + +As work grows, Tasks remain manageable because you can organize, filter, group, and track them in ways that match how teams actually operate. +The goal is simple: no important step gets lost, even when many people contribute and many things happen in parallel. + + +### **Documents and Files — everything in the right place** + +Projects generate content: specifications, contracts, protocols, images, notes, and all the small pieces that teams rely on to move forward. When these files live in mail threads or scattered folders, progress slows down and context disappears. + +In @@name, documents and files live inside the project, where they belong. +This keeps information close to the work, improves productivity, and makes onboarding easier when the team grows or someone joins later. + +### **History and Communication — every action has context** + +Project work is not just a series of tasks—it’s a sequence of decisions. +In @@name, the key actions within a project are logged automatically: new tasks, status changes, uploaded files, comments, and updates. +This gives the team transparency and traceability, and it reduces the risk of losing important context over time. + +History becomes especially valuable in long-running or multi-stage projects, where understanding “what happened and why” is just as important as knowing “what happens next”. + +### **Real-time Progress — a clear picture without meetings** + +@@name visualizes what is completed, what’s upcoming, and where blockers exist. +Managers can see movement across the project without constant status meetings, while contributors get a natural rhythm and clearer priorities—because progress is visible as part of the work, not something that has to be repeatedly reported + +--- + +## One Logic, Many Industries + +Project Management in @@name is designed around a simple idea: project work is a sequence of decisions and actions, and the system should make that sequence explicit and trackable. +This logic stays the same across very different environments—consulting (client implementations), manufacturing (new product launches), logistics (warehouse process optimization), marketing (campaigns), and administration (certifications and internal initiatives). + +The principle is always the same: **step by step, tasks lead to results**. @@name supports this by keeping the steps clear, the responsibility explicit, and the progress visible in a way that can be checked—without relying on “who remembers what”. + +--- + +## How It Works — Told as a Real Process + +Project management can look daunting from the outside: many people, many tasks, many unknowns. +In practice, the work becomes manageable when it has a clear place to live, a shared structure, and a single way to track what is happening and why. +That’s the logic behind Project Management in @@name. + +### **1. You give it a name — and the project finally has a “home”** + +Every initiative starts as an idea: “Let’s update the website.” “Let’s prepare a presentation for the client.” “Let’s develop a new product.” “Let’s organize a company event.” + +In @@name, this idea becomes a **Project**—a defined workspace where the initiative is described and owned. +Instead of being spread across conversations and messages, the work gets a single reference point with participants, goals, deadlines, and expected outcomes. +From that moment on, the initiative is no longer “some work we’re doing”; it is something the organization can track, manage, and learn from. + +### **2. You structure it — using Project Areas** + +Once a project exists, the next question is straightforward: **how do we organize it so everyone understands it the same way?** + +This is what **Project Areas** provide: a shared structure that helps people locate their work without losing the big picture. +Depending on the initiative, Areas can follow phases (Planning, Execution, Finalization), functions (Marketing, Communications), teams, work streams, or any structure that matches how the organization actually operates. + +The important part is not the naming—it’s the outcome: work is grouped meaningfully, responsibility is easier to coordinate, and progress can be reviewed per Area rather than through one long, mixed list. + +To see how Areas, Project Groups, and Milestones work together to scale projects without losing focus, +continue with **[Areas, Project Groups & Milestones](./areas-project-groups-milestones.md)**. + +### **3. You add the tasks — and the project begins to “breathe”** + +Projects advance through small, concrete actions. In @@name, these actions are **Tasks (Cases)**—work items with an owner, a deadline, a status, and the necessary context (description, files, and comments), linked to the relevant Project Area. + +Instead of work living in personal notes or scattered messages, tasks become explicit and traceable. +A team can see what is being done, what is waiting, and what is blocked—not as an opinion, but as the current documented state of the work. + +If you want to explore how Cases are designed to stay simple in daily work and powerful at scale, +read more in **[Cases — where tasks turn into real work](./cases.md)**. + +project-management-case + +--- + +### **4. You track progress — without constant status meetings** + +As the team works, @@name keeps the project status readable: what is completed, what comes next, where blockers exist, who is actively involved, and what affects milestones and deadlines. +This reduces the need to “collect information” through constant check-ins, because the state of the work is visible as a result of the work itself. + +--- + +## The Result? Work Flows Smoothly + +Projects are not chaos—they are sequence. @@name helps you keep that sequence visible and consistent: what was planned, what is being executed, what changed, and what happens next. +This remains true whether you are coordinating a small internal improvement or running a major cross-team initiative. + +As work grows, structure alone is not enough. Teams also need a way to decide what enters the system, how work is classified, and how much work-in-progress is acceptable at any given moment. +This is where Project Types, Case Categories, and WIP limits help organizations balance focus and capacity. + +Learn more in **[Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits](./types-case-categories-wip-limits.md)**. + +--- + +## Why ERP.net + +Project Management in @@name is not an isolated “PM tool” added on top of the organization. +It is part of a platform designed around explicit models, enforceable rules, and traceable processes. + +In practice, that means the system is built to be **explainable**: you can follow what happened, when it happened, and why the current state is what it is. It also means the platform relies on **rules and constraints** to keep work consistent—so the process is not “whatever each team member happens to do”, but a shared, predictable way of moving tasks forward. + +Because ERP.net uses **consistent models and shared concepts** across the platform, work management can stay aligned with the rest of the organization’s logic. +The goal is simple and verifiable: fewer contradictions, less ambiguity, and a process that remains understandable even as teams grow and projects multiply. + +--- + +## Why Companies Choose This Way of Working + +Projects exist everywhere. The difference lies in whether an organization can see its work as a coherent system, or only as fragments scattered across tools and conversations. + +Project Management in @@name helps teams reduce the effort of coordination by making responsibility explicit (who owns what), progress observable (what is done and what is blocked), and context durable (files, discussions, and changes stay attached to the work). It also helps management evaluate workload and impact based on what the system records—not on ad-hoc summaries prepared for meetings. + +As teams grow, consistency becomes just as important as clarity. Who takes ownership, when work is truly ready, and what each status means—these answers must be shared and predictable. Assignment Rules and User States support that by turning a “we should do it this way” intention into a repeatable working process. + +Explore how this works in **[Assignment Rules & User States](./assignment-rules-user-states.md)**. + +--- + +## How Businesses Use Project Management + +**Preparing for a trade show.** Marketing, logistics, and production work in parallel; tasks, files, and decisions stay in one project, structured by Areas. + +**Implementing a product for a client.** Requirements → configuration → testing → training → support become a visible sequence, not a chain of disconnected handovers. + +**Launching a new product.** Design, development, testing, marketing, and sales enablement can be coordinated with clear ownership and status. + +**Internal initiatives.** Warehouse optimization, process improvements, certifications, and ISO projects benefit from traceability—especially when they stretch across months and multiple stakeholders. + +**Corporate goals and planning.** Annual plans, structural changes, and strategic programs become easier to track when the work is broken down into projects with explicit milestones and responsibilities. + +**Any work requiring coordination across many people.** @@name turns complexity into a sequence that can be followed and managed. + +--- + +## Business Benefits — Real, Measurable, Tangible + +Better organization comes from keeping tasks, documents, and communication in context instead of scattered. +Clearer focus comes from shared structure and visible ownership. +Shorter timelines come from reducing clarifications and rework, because current status and blockers are visible. +Better communication comes from having history and decisions attached to the work itself. +Better accountability comes from being able to evaluate outcomes and workload based on what the system records, not only on what is reported. + +--- + +## Continue Exploring Project Management in @@name + +To fully understand how Project Management works in practice, explore its key building blocks: + +- **[Cases](./cases.md)** + Where tasks turn into real work, with ownership, history, and progress. + +- **[Areas, Project Groups & Milestones](./areas-project-groups-milestones.md)** + Structuring projects so teams and management share the same clear picture. + +- **[Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits](./types-case-categories-wip-limits.md)** + Managing flow, priorities, and capacity as work scales. + +- **[Assignment Rules & User States](./assignment-rules-user-states.md)** + Automating task ownership and creating a shared language for real progress. + +--- + +## Try Project Management in @@name Now + +You can explore and experience the Project Management module in @@name yourself — see how projects become clearer, tasks more organized, and teamwork naturally aligned. + +It’s simple. + +Just follow this guide to log into our publicly available test instance of @@name — no registration required: + +[Project Management in @@name — Try now without registration](https://express-demo.my.erp.net/cl/tiles) + +[Access credentials — Use these to log in](~/information/try-out-erp-net-express-crm.md) + diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/toc.yml b/features/work-management/project-management/toc.yml new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f1953df8 --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/toc.yml @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ +- name: Overview + href: index.md +- name: Cases + href: cases.md +- name: Areas, Project Groups & Milestones + href: areas-project-groups-milestones.md +- name: Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits + href: types-case-categories-wip-limits.md +- name: Assignment Rules & User States + href: assignment-rules-user-states.md diff --git a/features/work-management/project-management/types-case-categories-wip-limits.md b/features/work-management/project-management/types-case-categories-wip-limits.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cf03a24a --- /dev/null +++ b/features/work-management/project-management/types-case-categories-wip-limits.md @@ -0,0 +1,222 @@ +# Project Types, Case Categories & WIP Limits + +## When work needs focus and flow + +As teams and projects grow, work naturally expands. +More requests appear, more parallel activities start, and priorities change more often. +At that stage, Cases remain the place where work happens, but teams also need a way to shape *what enters the system*, *how work is classified*, and *how much can run in parallel without overload*. + +That is where project management shifts from tracking execution to managing flow, capacity, and focus. +In @@name, this is supported through Project Types, Case Categories, and WIP limits. +Together, they help work stay structured, understandable, and realistically planned before execution even begins. + +--- + +## Project Types – when projects have different natures + +Not all projects are the same, and organizations feel that difference daily. +Some projects are client implementations, others are internal improvements, and others involve product development, operational support, advisory work, or research. + +These differences are not only about subject matter. +They change what information matters, which stages exist, what “done” means, and what controls make sense along the way. +If every project follows the same template, familiar problems appear: irrelevant fields, unclear priorities, and workflows that slow work down instead of supporting it. + +That is why Project Management in @@name does not treat projects as generic objects. +Projects are defined through **Project Types**, so each type can follow a logic that matches the way the work is actually done. + +--- + +## Project Types – how the system understands what kind of project you are creating + +Before a project is created, the system asks a simple but important question. +“What type of project is this?” + +In @@name, this choice is not a formality. +It determines how the project is structured and how it is used in real work. +A Project Type describes the nature of the project, such as client implementation, internal initiative, product development, operational work, or something specific to your business. + +Based on the selected Project Type, @@name can treat the project differently in practical ways. +It can focus the project on the information that is relevant for that type of work. +It can control which Case Categories are allowed in this kind of project. +It can support a working logic that fits the project, instead of forcing people to adapt to a universal template. + +--- + +## Project Type vs. Project Group – similar concepts, different roles + +This is where confusion often arises, so the distinction matters. + +Project Type answers the question: +“What kind of project is this?” +It defines the identity of the project and the logic that applies to it. + +Project Group answers the question: +“Which projects should share the same structure?” +It is used when multiple projects need the same Areas and Milestones, without making them global for everyone. + +In short, Project Type defines what the project *is*. +Project Group defines shared structure across multiple projects. + +A simple way to choose correctly is this. +If you want to define the nature of a project, use Project Type. +If you want multiple projects to share the same Areas and Milestones, use Project Group. + +--- + +## Case Categories – how project type defines the way work is done + +Once a project has its type, the next question follows naturally. +“What kind of work happens inside this project?” + +This is where **Case Categories** come into play in @@name. +Case Categories define the types of work that can exist within a project, and the working logic those tasks carry. +If Project Type defines what the project is, Case Categories define what kind of work is performed inside it. + +--- + +## From structure to real work + +In real life, different projects involve different types of activities. +A team may do analysis, development, coordination, approvals, client communication, support, or internal improvements. +When all of these appear as one undifferentiated list of Cases, it becomes harder to understand what the team is actually doing and what capacity is being consumed by which kind of work. + +Case Categories allow these activities to be distinguished in a meaningful way. +Each category can carry its own logic, such as relevant fields, applicable statuses, tracking approach, or working rules. +As a result, tasks are no longer “just another Case”. +They become part of a working model that matches the project type and the team’s real process. + +--- + +## How Project Types and Case Categories work together + +This is where the connection to Project Types becomes critical. +Each Project Type can define which Case Categories are allowed and which types of work make sense in that project. + +For example, a client implementation project may allow categories such as Analysis, Configuration, and Testing. +An internal operations project may focus on Requests, Improvements, and Incidents. +A legal or advisory project may include Consultation, Drafting, and Review. + +The outcome is practical and reviewable. +Teams work with familiar categories that match their reality. +Projects become easier to understand because work is grouped by meaning, not only by person or date. +Management gains comparability, because projects of the same type follow a consistent classification of work. + +--- + +## Better project management, stronger focus + +Case Categories do not complicate work. +They focus it. + +Instead of all tasks looking the same across all projects, teams can see what kind of work they are doing. +Managers can see which categories consume capacity and where bottlenecks form. +Projects become easier to manage and analyze because work is structured before it becomes overload. + +Once work is classified clearly, the next question becomes unavoidable. +“How much work can we realistically handle at the same time?” +This is where WIP limits create real boundaries that protect flow. + +--- + +## WIP limits – when work flow has real boundaries + +In many organizations, “work in progress” grows without control. +Too many tasks are started, context switching increases, and progress slows down even when people feel busy. + +WIP limits address that problem directly in Project Management in @@name. +They help teams and managers treat work as flow, not as accumulation. + +--- + +## What WIP limits are + +WIP (Work In Progress) limits define the maximum number of Cases that can be in a given status or category at the same time. +This is not a restriction on people. +It is a restriction on the system, so it reflects real capacity rather than optimistic assumptions. + +In practical terms, when a limit is reached, @@name provides a clear signal. +New work should not flow in automatically. +The best next action is to finish, unblock, or move existing work forward first. + +--- + +## Why this matters for management + +WIP limits protect teams and management from one of the most common traps in project work: assigning more work than can realistically be completed. + +With WIP limits, planning becomes more grounded because capacity constraints are explicit. +Workload becomes visible because “in progress” has a measurable boundary. +Decisions can be based on capacity signals, not only on urgency or pressure. + +Instead of pushing more work into the system, managers can see when the system is already saturated. +That makes prioritization more honest and coordination more predictable. + +--- + +## Flow, not a task list + +WIP limits change how work is perceived. +The focus shifts from how many tasks exist to how tasks move. + +When teams reduce parallel work, flow tends to improve. +Waiting becomes easier to spot, blocked work becomes harder to ignore, and completion becomes a more consistent outcome. +The goal is not to “do less”. +The goal is to start fewer things at once and finish more reliably. + +--- + +## WIP limits as part of the bigger picture + +In @@name, WIP limits do not exist in isolation. +They work together with Project Types, which define context, and Case Categories, which define the types of work. +They also work together with User States, which show movement and progress in a way that matches the team’s process. + +The result is not just stored information. +It is a working system where structure, classification, and capacity constraints support better day-to-day decisions. + +--- + +## Why ERP.net + +Project Types, Case Categories, and WIP limits in @@name are not “team habits written down”. +They are explicit configuration elements that make the working model visible and shareable. + +This improves explainability because the project context, the type of work, and the flow boundaries are recorded in a consistent way. +It improves predictability because workflow and capacity constraints are defined through states, categories, and limits, rather than relying on informal expectations. +And because @@name relies on consistent concepts across the platform, the same classification and flow logic can remain stable as teams grow and projects multiply. + +--- + +## The real value + +Project Types, Case Categories, and WIP limits are not a methodology. +They are practical tools for decision-making. +They help teams focus on fewer things at a time and finish more consistently. +They help managers plan without overloading people and without turning status updates into a separate job. + +Work does not slow down. +It simply starts flowing better because the system makes priorities, categories, and capacity constraints visible. + +--- + +## Conclusion + +Project Types, Case Categories, and WIP limits work together as a management filter between intention and execution. +They help define what kind of work is being done, keep work streams clear and comparable, and plan based on real capacity instead of urgency. + +Teams understand what they are working on and why. +Management can see where capacity goes and how work moves. +This turns Project Management in @@name from a tracking tool into a system that supports better decisions. + +--- + +## Continue exploring Project Management + +**Back to the main topic:** +[Project Management in @@name](index.md) + +**Read more about:** +[Cases — where tasks turn into real work](cases.md) + +**Continue with:** +[Assignment Rules & User States — managing process and responsibility](assignment-rules-user-states.md) diff --git a/features/work-management/toc.yml b/features/work-management/toc.yml index 21a041fb..6a35a6c0 100644 --- a/features/work-management/toc.yml +++ b/features/work-management/toc.yml @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@ - name: Overview href: index.md -- name: Project Management (PM) - href: project-management.md +- name: Project Management + href: project-management/toc.yml + topicHref: project-management/index.md