Completing the Project Description (v10.xx)

Completing the Project Description (v10.xx)


The project description serves as an identity card for the project, where the project leader defines the project name, objectives, start and end dates, participants, budget, and categorization criteria. As described earlier, there are multiple ways to initiate the creation of a project description.
Beyond its initial setup, the project description remains a dynamic document, continuously updated throughout the project lifecycle.

Project description form header




Project Name

In the example above – "Development of a new battery concept".

Refer to "Rename a project" to modify the project name.




Project code

In the example above - "CQ5CXZ".

Refer to "Rename a project" to change the project code.

The project code uniquely identifies the project. This field is mandatory and must be unique. The project code can either be manually editable or automatically computed. If automatic, the code follows the format set in the General setup document. If editable, the format initializes the default value, but the user can modify it.

Project leader

Displays the name of the project leader, who by default is always the creator of the project.


Status


The current project status, with the following default options:


- "Stand-by": The project is in the setup phase but has not yet started. Participants can view documents but cannot see assignments or log time.

- "In progress": The project has commenced. Participants can create documents, process tasks and log time.

- "Completed": The project has been finalized. The project leader can mark it as "Completed" manually or through "Actions > Complete". No further work can be done, except by the project leader.

- "Cancelled": The project has been stopped before completion. No further work is permitted, except by the project leader.

- "Template": This project serves as a template for future projects.

When modifying the project status, data updates must be pushed to all documents. The update mode depends on the "Update of the project documents" setting found in the [Categorization] tab. Refer to this option for more information.

The options in the status list can be modified in the Keywords & Labels setup document.

Only projects marked as "Stand-by" or "In progress" contribute to availability calculations. They can be removed from the calculation scope using the "Take it into account for the availability calculation" option in the [Details] tab.


Health

Users can modify the "Health" field by selecting a status from the drop-down list.


Deadline

Indicates whether the planned deadline will be met. The indicator will be green (On track), yellow (At risk) or red (In danger) based on predefined parameters. The value will be calculated automatically.

Progress

Displays the project’s percentage of progress.

Modified on

Shows the date and time of the latest modification. Clicking on this date provides a full history of modifications.


Comments section

Displays the most recent comments on the project. Users can respond directly by clicking "Reply" or start a new discussion by clicking "New discussion". Refer to "Collaborate with Project Live!" for more information.


Defining timeline and objectives in the Project Description’s [General] tab


The [General] tab contains 6 sections capturing general project information : Description, Plan, Progress, Cost & Budget, Workload, and Phases.

Defining project objectives

A text field is provided to enter project objectives.



Defining project start and end dates.

The Plan section contains scheduling and date-related information.




Understanding project dates
  1. Initial date: The first iteration of the planned schedule (baseline).
  2. Planned start date: Manually set and used for tasks constrained by "Start as soon as possible".
  3. Planned end date: Retrieved from the project plan, as defined by the project leader.
  4. Actual dates: Represent the real project start and end. If the padlock icon is open, dates can be edited manually. If closed, Cerri Project automatically computes the values, with the exception of the planned start date, which can never be computed. When computed, the date is obtained by going through all of the project’s deliverables and tasks, and retrieving the first planned start date and last planned end date.

Clicking "Display the gantt" opens the Project Gantt chart.

Clicking the refresh icon recalculates planned and actual dates.


Selecting the "twisty" icon lets users choose the time unit for project duration display.







Initial

Start date

First planned start date (entered manually).


End date

First planned date (entered manually). The refresh button automatically fills in the initial dates with the values currently in the planned date fields.


Days

The time span between the initial start date and the initial end date, inclusive.






Start date

Defined start date of the project. If the project has been created using the wizard, the planned start date will be the date entered in the wizard. The planned start date can never be edited, as it defines the project start date in Cerri Planner (green vertical line). It is used for all tasks that have the constraint "Start as soon as possible". If the project is created using a project template, the planned start/end dates depends on the start or end date defined in the wizard.


Planned


Note: When computed, the date is obtained by going through all of the projects deliverables and tasks, and retrieving the first planned start date.





End date

Defined end date of the project. By default, this field is empty and editable unless the padlock is locked. For more details refer to: Project deadline calculation



Note: When computed, the date is obtained by going through all of the project’s deliverables and tasks, and recovering the last planned end date.




Days

Planned duration of the project. This is the elapsed time between the planned start date and the planned end date, including the start/end date days. If both planned start/end dates are entered, the planned duration is computed, though the field remains editable. If at least one planned date is empty, the input value is not computed and can be modified. This field is computed when the project description is saved.









Actual



Start date

The actual project start date. By default, this field is empty and not editable. The same rules for the planned start date also apply to the actual start date.

Note: When computed, the date is obtained by going through all deliverables and tasks of the project, and retrieving the first actual start date.




End date

The actual project end date. By default, this field is empty and not editable. The same rules for the planned end date also apply to the actual end date.

Note: When computed, the date is obtained by going through all of the project’s deliverables and tasks, and retrieving the last actual end date. However, the actual end date is not displayed in the document if the status of the project is not completed, cancelled or postponed.


Days

Time span between actual start and end dates, including the start/end date, and including weekends and public holidays.


The Progress section

Graphical representation of the project’s progress:





Labor

The project’s percentage of progress is calculated based on the progress of all tasks within the project. This data is updated when the agent "Update the project dates" runs.


Physical

Physical progress tracking is only visible if tasks in the project are configured to track physical progress. The project’s percentage of physical progress is computed using the cost of all tasks in the project (as physical progress may not be in the same unit for all tasks). This data is updated when the agent "Update the project dates" runs.



Costs & Budgets

The cost section summarizes project budget and cost information. All data is either retrieved from the project budget form or computed by the system.




  1. Clicking on "Costs" opens the view displaying all project costs.
  2. Clicking on "Budget" opens the budget form.
  3. Clicking on the refresh icon updates and refreshes all budget and cost-related information.

Budget

Displays the planned costs for the project according to the budget. This value is retrieved from the Project Budget form.

Planned

Displays the total planned cost of the project on the "Tasks" and "Costs" documents. This value is taken from the most recent Project overview.


Actual

Represents the portion of the budget already spent, based on the actual cost of tasks and cost documents. This value comes from the most recent "Project overview" document.

Remaining

Shows the remaining project costs, based on the "Tasks" and "Costs" documents. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview".

EAC

Estimated At Completion. Represents the estimated total project budget upon completion. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview".

Difference

The difference between the estimated completion budget and the initial budget (EAC - Budget).

Budget not used

Reflects the remaining portion of the budget that has not yet been utilized. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview".



Project workload - The Workload section

The workload section provides a summary of the project workload details. All data is either retrieved from the project budget form or computed by the system.




Budget

Displays the budgeted workload for the project as specified in the Project Budget form.

Planned

Displays the total planned workload of the project, based on the "Tasks" documents. This value is retrieved from the most recent Project overview.

Actual

Represents the actual workload recorded for the projects, based on actual task workload. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview" document.

Remaining

Displays the remaining workload for the project, based on the 'Tasks' documents. This value is retrieved from the most recent 'Project overview' document.

EAC

Estimated at completion. Represents the total estimated workload required for the project's completion. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview" document.

Difference

The difference between the estimated completion completion workload and the initial budgeted workload (EAC - Budget).

Budget not used

Displays the portion of the budgeted workload that has not yet been utilized. This value is retrieved from the most recent "Project overview" document.





The Phases section

For users who do not utilize a Gantt chart for project planning, this section enables the structuring of a project into phases and sub-phases.


If a Gantt chart is used, this section simply reflects the project phases as outlined within the Gantt chart.



Defining the project team




The project description’s [Participants] tab

This section identifies the project participants and their roles. Cerri Project provides a predefined team structure with standard groups and roles.


The size of project teams can vary greatly, from just a few members to several hundred participants. The project team consists of individuals with whom the project manager directly communicates, assigns tasks, and grants access to project-specific information.


Additionally, the project team may include client representatives, partners, or subcontractors. It is crucial that all members understand their roles, responsibilities, and the significance of their contribution to the project's success. Moreover, a project oversight body, commonly referred to as the steering committee, plays a role in approving key project decisions.


Note:  The default project team structure can be modified through the Setup.


How team definition impacts access rights

By default, only project team members have access to read project information.

By default, only the project leader and project leader substitutes can modify any project-related documents, including the project description, budget, plan, etc.





Project leader

The project leader is the default creator of the project but can be changed. This field is mandatory.


Project leader substitute(s)

The substitutes have the same rights as the actual project leader. They can create and modify project documents. They serve as a backup for the project leader, particularly in cases of absence.

Customer Representative

Represents either as internal resource managing the customer relationship or an external client representative. This field can also be used for custom purposes as needed.

Project Steering

Committee

The key decision-making body that oversees project progress and ensures business alignment. Owns the business case and approves key project choices.

Internal project team

Lists all internal employees involved in the project. These are resources that belong to the organization and do not require external procurement.


External project team

Lists all external resources involved in the project. These include contractors, consultants, or third-party vendors whose services are procured externally.


Stakeholders

A group of individulas not directly assigned to the project but who need to be kept informed of its progress. Stakeholders must be defined as "Resources" in the system to access project information.

Third party

Not supported in the SaaS version.


Team leader

This field is populated automatically. Lists all resource managers/ team leaders associated with the project. If the project includes resources from multiple departments, the respective team leads or department heads are added to the list. Essential for matrix planning (team planning).








Security update

Since access to project data is based on project membership, modifying the project team directly impacts access rights. This field determines how security updates are handled. The "Update of the security and the inherited project fields" agent ensures that all project documents reflect any changes made to the project team.

The available options are:

- "No": No updates are performed.

- While saving: Updates occur upon saving the document. This process can take time depending on the number of related documents. Updates are performed directly on the server.

- As a background task: A scheduled agent (usually running overnight) updates documents. Changes will not be reflected immediately but will appear once the scheduled agent executes.


Replace Project Resource

You can replace a normal resource across an entire project.



If replacing a generic resource, you will be prompted to select the type of resource to replace it with.



Classifying the project


Most organizations execute different types of projects and categorize them based on busines needs. The "Categorization" section in Cerri Project enables organizations to define project types, categories, and groups. All project-related information, including tasks, deliverables, and documents, inherits these classification properties, making them useful for reporting purposes.


Most fields in this tab are predefined during the initial configuration, where labels and possible values are set.



Sub-project of

If the current project is a sub-project or an extension of an existing project, the parent project can be specified here. There is no limit on the number of levels in a project/sub-project. Refer to Project Hierarchy Definition for further details.


Type

Defines the project type (e.g., Marketing, IT). The available project types are configurable in the Keywords & Labels setup document. The field can be mandatory if specified in the setup document.

Help desk

Used only for projects within the [Helpdesk] module. Can be ignored for all other project types.




Customer

Specifies the customer for whom the project is being executed. The selection list is populated from Company documents in the [Resources] module, but free-text input is also allowed. To enter the customer name:

- Open the Project Description in edit mode.

- Select the company name from the list OR click "Other" to manually input a name.

The field can also be mandatory if defined in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document.


Priority

Defines the priority level of the project (e.g., urgent, medium). These priorities are also configured in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document. The field can be mandatory if it has been specified in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document.

Sponsor

Identifies the project sponsor(s). This is a free-text field and can be mandatory if specified in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document.


…….

All other fields, such as Services and Business units, are customizable and defined during the initial setup according to organizational requirements. These fields may be single- or multi-value dropdown lists with a predefined selections. Refer to Define Project Categorization for more information.






Update of the project documents

This field defines how project documents are updated when modifications occur. The "Update of the security and the inherited project fields" agent automatically updates all documents associated with a project whenever inherited fields change (e.g., status, type, priority, program). Available options are:

- "No": No document updates are performed.

- While saving: Documents are updated when the project description is saved. This process may take time, depending on the number of related documents, and runs on the server.

- As background task: A scheduled agent updates the documents, typically overnight. Changes made will not be reflected until the scheduled agent has executed.


Project evaluation. The project description’s [Critical Success factors] tab


It is important to assess and review project costs, risks, and benefits several times throughout the project lifecycle to prioritize effectively. The Critical Success Factors section helps define how well a project aligns with business objectives and its associated risks.


Cerri Project allows tracking of project success probability, ROI, budget, workload, strategic alignment, and other configurable dimensions such as competitiveness. Some values, like Budget, Workload, and ROI, are real values, while others are ranking values between 0-10. Budget and Workload remain null unless come a budget is defined.


These dimensions help optimize portfolios and review priorities at a portfolio level.


This section is divided into 2 parts. The first section is not configurable and contains essential metrics that exist across all projects: budget, ROI (return on investment), forecasted workload and risk factor.


The second section is configurable and can capture up to 10 distinct criteria used to qualify the importance of the project to the organization. The combination of the values will calculate the project score and reflect its importance.





Budget & ROI


Budget

The total budget for the project, displayed identically in the "Cost & Budget" section.




ROI

ROI

The project’s return on investment, entered manually.

Workload

The planned workload for the project, identical to the "Workload" section.


Risk factor

The estimated risk level of the project; a higher value indicates greater risk.





Project ranking



Project ranking

A computed field derived from the weighted values of critical success factors. See "Define Critical Success Factors and Project Ranking Calculation" in the setup section. A higher the value indicates a higher project importance.

Critical success factors

Up to 10 customizable criteria (e.g., Risk, funding, duration, complexity). Values should be
assigned per the administrator's configuration. See "Define critical success factors and project ranking calculation" in the Admin Manual for further details.


Defining project options


This tab is used to set the project’s more advanced options. Navigate to the [Options] tab labeled with the icon, to configure project settings.






Currency

Defines the project’s currency. All amounts are displayed in this currency and the reference currency. The list of available currencies comes from the field "Other currencies" in the General setup document.

Important note: Once saved, the currency cannot be changed.


Billing mode

Determines if the project is billable. And if yes, whether fixed price or time & material (real cost). Refer to "Billing a project" for more details.

Billing status

Tracks whether the project has been billed.


Calculate availability

- "Yes": Task assignments impact availability calculations for the [Resources] module.

- "No": Task assignments are excluded from availability calculations.

Default value is "Yes".






Physical progress

Defines how physical progress is tracked.

Options are:

- Not managed: No physical progress tracking.

- Used for earned value calculation: Physical progress is tracked and used for the earned value calculation in the Project overview documents.

- Entered but not used: Physical progress can be entered on tasks, but only displayed in views.

Note: "Physical progress" can be defined individually per task. The option selected here is the default value for all new tasks that are created in the project.

To be archived

Select to include the project in the archiving agent.



Adding all of the necessary details to the project definition


This section captures any additional project information to share or store. This is a full text field with a proposed default layout.





The project description [Project Live!] tab


This tab tracks the project’s collaboration, revisions, and approvals history. For more information refer to Project Live! Social collaboration.



The Project Description [Attachment] tab


This section is used to attach external files. Refer to Manage attached files in the document management section for more details.


Users can attach documents to a project description form to store any additional information pertaining to the project. However, it is recommended to store each significant document attachment as a single document in Cerri Project. This allows users to distribute, publish, or manage access rights for any particular attached file independently.





This tab is used to store links between the project description document and any other project documents. For more information, see the section titled Managing Links between Documents.



Links to

List of documents that have been linked to the project description document.

External links

List of documents attached to the project description document.

Incoming links

List of documents automatically attached to the project description document by the system, such as project phases or rates documents.


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