Project
A project is a defined scope of work used to organize time entries and group effort so it can be reported on. Projects group related activities so teams can see where time went and bill for it.
Key Characteristics
- Container for work: Projects group the time entries reported against them.
- Rule-carrying: A project sets the billable default its entries inherit.
- People-scoped: A project has members, and membership decides who can see the time on it.
Project Components
Required Elements
- Project name
- Status: active or archived
Optional Elements
- A picture and notes
- A billable default
- Members, each with a role on the project
- A revenue rate per member
What a Project Is Not
A project is not a time record. It holds no hours of its own, so every figure reported against it is a sum of activities. It is also not a requirement for tracking: in Sandtime.io a time entry with no project is a normal state, shown as unassigned. See projects vs activities for the full comparison.
Project Types
Client Projects
Billable work for external clients.
Internal Projects
Non-billable work like training, meetings, or administrative tasks.
Impact on Workforce Planning
For businesses using time tracking software like Sandtime.io:
- Grouped reporting: See time totals per project rather than per entry.
- Resource allocation: Understand who is working on what.
- Profitability analysis: Compare time spent against revenue.
- Historical data: Reference past projects for estimates.
Best Practices
- Use consistent naming conventions across projects.
- Archive completed projects rather than deleting them.
- Keep the project broad and let the activity name carry the detail.
- Assign clear project ownership for accountability.
- Review project membership when people join or leave the work.
Project Lifecycle
- Creation: Name the project and decide whether it is billable.
- Staffing: Assign members and their roles, and set their rates.
- Active: The team logs activities against the project.
- Review: Report on the time and approve it.
- Archive: Close the project and preserve its records.
Common Challenges
Inconsistent Categorization
Team members log time to the wrong project. Use clear project names and train on conventions.
Too Many Projects
A project per task fragments reports and leaves a long drop-down to scroll. Keep projects broad.
Deleting Instead of Archiving
Archiving hides a project's time from reports and keeps it. Deleting does not, so archive whenever the record might matter later.
Free Project Setup Resources
Use the client onboarding and project setup checklist before work begins, then use the project staffing and capacity planner to review planned work, leave, remaining capacity, and over-allocation.
Related Terms
Projects contain activities, appear on timesheets, and may include billable hours. Project time feeds into time tracking reports.