Projects are the top-level workspace in Deskfactor, and every sprint, epic, task, bug, and test case lives inside one. A project’s status, manager, and billing details also drive reporting across the platform.
This guide explains how to create a new project, how to update an existing one, and what to do if something goes wrong along the way.
Who can create or update a project?
Creating, editing, and archiving projects is controlled by role and permission. In most organizations this is available to Organization Administrators and Project Managers — the person creating the project does not automatically become its Project Manager, since that is set explicitly during creation.
Before you begin
Make sure you have:
- Permission to create or edit projects in your organization
- The project name and, if applicable, a project code
- The name of the person who will be the Project Manager
- The project’s start date
- Basic billing details, if known (billing model, contract value, or budget estimate)
Some fields can be left blank and completed later, once the project has been created.
Step 1: Open the project creation form
Select New Project from the sidebar, or go to the Projects page and select Add New Project.
You will see the project creation form, grouped into a few short sections.
Step 2: Enter the project basics
Enter the core project details, including:
- Project Name
- Project Code
- Client
- Project Type (Internal, Client, Research, or Maintenance)
Step 3: Set ownership and timing
Enter:
- Project Manager
- Start Date
- Project Status (Draft, Active, On Hold, Completed, or Cancelled)
Step 4: Add billing and financial details
These fields are optional and can be completed later:
- Billing Model
- Contract Value
- Budget Estimate
Step 5: Select Create Project
Review the details you entered, then select Create Project.
After creation, your project will appear in the Projects list and in the sidebar right away.
What happens after creating a project?
Creating a project sets up the essentials only. Once it exists, you can continue setting it up from the Project Details page by:
- Adding team members
- Configuring the budget, milestones, and timeline
- Adding a description, tags, and documents
- Creating sprints, epics, tasks, bugs, and test cases
Adding team members to a project
Team members are added after the project is created, not during the creation form.
Open the project’s Project Details page and select Add Member. Choose the user, their role on the project, engagement type (Full Time, Part Time, or Ad Hoc), and start date. End date and hourly rate are optional.
The Project Manager can be reassigned separately from the same page if ownership changes.
Updating a Project
From the Projects list or the Project Details page, select Edit Project.
The form opens pre-filled with the project’s current information. Update any field covered during creation, then select Update Project to save your changes.
Updates are reflected immediately in the Projects list and on the Project Details page.
Archiving a project
Instead of permanently deleting a project, use Archive Project from the project’s actions menu.
Archived projects are removed from active views but remain available in historical records.
Common Issues
I don’t see “New Project” or “Add New Project”
Project creation is restricted by role and permission.
Contact your Organization Administrator to request access.
The Client list is empty
If no clients appear in the Client dropdown, confirm with your Organization Administrator that clients have been added for your organization.
End date won’t save
The end date must fall after the start date.
Adjust one of the two dates and try again.
I have edit permission but still can’t edit a project
Some project screens restrict editing to Organization Administrators specifically, even when your role otherwise has project edit permission.
Contact your Organization Administrator if you believe you should have access.
I can’t find where to add team members
Team members aren’t added from the project creation form.
Open the project’s Project Details page and use Add Member instead.
A newly created project doesn’t appear yet
Refresh the Projects page or sidebar.
If it still doesn’t appear, confirm the project was submitted successfully and that you have permission to view it.
An archived project is missing from the list
This is expected. Archiving removes a project from active views while keeping its history.
Contact your Organization Administrator if you need it restored.
Expected Result
After completing these steps:
- The project is created and visible in the Projects list and sidebar
- The project has the status, type, and manager you assigned
- You can add team members and continue project setup from Project Details
- Any updates you make are reflected immediately across the Projects list and Project Details page