Creating Your First Project

Projects are the core organizational unit in YAPL. Each project contains plans, tasks, resources, and team assignments. This guide walks you through creating and configuring your first project.

Before You Begin

Before creating a project, ensure you have:

1. At least one team created - Projects are assigned to teams, not individuals
2. Workspace configured - Basic workspace settings in place
3. Understanding of project scope - Basic timeline and requirements

Creating a New Project

Step 1: Navigate to Projects

1. Click Projects in the sidebar navigation
2. Click the Create Project button
3. The project creation wizard opens with 4 steps

Step 2: Team Assignment

Select which teams will have access to this project:

Teams control who can view and edit the project. You can assign multiple teams for cross-functional collaboration.

Step 3: Basic Information

Enter the core project details:

The project code is automatically generated based on your workspace's project numbering configuration, but you can customize it if needed.

Step 4: Timeline & Budget

Set the project schedule and financial parameters:

Step 5: Client & Location (Optional)

Add client and site information:

Project Statuses Explained

Projects follow a defined lifecycle:

PLANNING → ACTIVE → ON_HOLD (optional) → COMPLETED
    ↘ CANCELLED (terminal)

After Project Creation

Once your project is created, you can:

View Project Dashboard

The project detail page shows:

• Overview Tab: Key metrics, status, timeline
• Plans Tab: Associated planning documents
• Team Tab: Assigned teams and access
• Activity Tab: Recent changes and updates

Create Your First Plan

Plans are schedules that contain tasks, timelines, and resource assignments:

1. Open your project
2. Click the Plans tab (or navigate to Plans in sidebar)
3. Click Create Plan
4. Enter plan name and initial version name
5. Start adding tasks

Assign Additional Teams

To modify team assignments:

1. Open project settings
2. Navigate to team assignment section
3. Add or remove teams as needed

Project Metrics

The project dashboard displays key information:

• Budget Status: Spent vs. remaining budget
• Timeline Progress: Days elapsed and remaining
• Task Completion: Progress across all plans
• Team Activity: Recent changes by team members

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

• Use clear, descriptive project names
• Include client or location identifiers if helpful
• Avoid special characters that might cause issues

Team Assignment

• Assign only teams that need access
• Consider creating project-specific teams for large projects
• Use the Workspace Owners team sparingly

Budget Planning

• Set realistic budget estimates early
• Use your workspace's default currency for consistency
• Update budget as project scope changes

Status Management

• Start projects in Planning status
• Move to Active when work begins
• Use On Hold for temporary pauses with clear resume dates
• Mark Completed only when all work is finished
• Use Cancelled if project won't proceed
• Archive completed projects for long-term storage

Troubleshooting

Cannot Create Project

• No teams available: Create at least one team first
• Permission denied: Contact workspace owner for access
• Validation errors: Check all required fields are filled correctly

Cannot Change Status

• Can't put on hold: Only Active projects can be put on hold
• Can't activate: Check if project is in Planning status

Team Assignment Issues

• Team limit reached: Maximum 10 teams per project
• Team not visible: Ensure you're a member of the team

Next Steps

With your first project created:

1. Create a Plan - Set up project schedules
2. Add Tasks - Define work items
3. Invite Team Members - Collaborate with your team
4. Set Up Gantt Charts - Visualize timelines