The deliverable generally marks the end of a project phase and allows for the approval of the project's key elements. The deliverable can have a material existence (file) or not (meeting), but it is a mandatory checkpoint which requires an approval in order to carry out the subsequent phases and tasks. It is the equivalent of a milestone. The deliverable can be converted into a record of any type as defined in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document, still being identified as a deliverable.

Why are there various types of deliverables? Simply because when you deliver or produce different products for your project, they are almost always of a different nature or kind, for example, specifications, a test plan, or a study. The unique ability of Geniusproject to manage several types of deliverables optimizes processes by manipulating objects and their channels for approval or revisions.

1. Create a deliverable

A deliverable is typically created as part of a Gantt chart (Genius Planner), but it also possible to manually create a deliverable, independent of a Gantt, and to promote it to the project’s Gantt chart at a later time.

To create a new deliverable:

Navigate to the [Projects] tab

Click [Create] and select "Deliverable" from the drop down list

A dialog box will open where you need to specify the project and phase the new deliverable belongs to

Click OK to confirm

2. Deliverable header

3. Scheduling a deliverable. [Description] tab

The description of a deliverable varies depending on whether it is a standard deliverable or one converted into a generic document. However in all cases, excluding costs, the planning section is present.

4. Attaching files to a deliverable. [Attachment] tab

This section allows users to attach of external files to the deliverable form. See "Manage file attachments" for more details.

Users can attach files to the deliverable form to store any additional information that applies to it. It is however recommended to store each significant file attachment as single document in Geniusproject. This will allow users to distribute, publish, or manage access rights for any particular attached file independently.

5. [Other deliverable] tab

The [Other] tabs in the deliverable form are determined by the type of the deliverable. The standard deliverable form includes a [Contents] tab with a rich text field for the description of the deliverable.

6. Assign Deliverables

The assignment that we see in the Gantt is always the author of the deliverable. The AssignedTo field is always driven only by the workflow.

So in our case, in the project "Copie 1 de Test RT 22", the deliverables are to be approved, so they are assigned to the project leader (CLBR). But the assignment in the Gantt is still AGCH, the user

that was responsible for the delivery. In my multi-projects Gantt, it was wrongly replaced with CLBR.

7. Send by E-Mail

To send a Deliverable as E-Mail click "Action" on the menu bar and select "Forward".

The Editor opens.

Enter Recipient "To" and write a comment "Contents".

8. Approve, review and Manage deliverables

The basic life cycle of deliverables could be described as follow:

The project leader must plan the deliverables; possibly link them together, and then follow- up on them.

Each individual responsible for a deliverable must ensure that it is completed by the planned date. A deliverable can be converted into any type of Generic document, and will still be identified as a deliverable.

The deliverable approvers must confirm that the deliverables correspond to what was expected. The project leader and deliverable approver can be one and the same.

This corresponds to the standard deliverable default workflow. This basic deliverable life cycle can be modified as needed through the workflow definition. If the deliverable has been converted to any of the "Generic documents", then it will inherit the workflow applied to the specific document type. The deliverable revision and approval process is managed using Geniusproject’s the standard workflow engine.

There are three ways to change the status of a deliverable:

Within Genius Live!. See the chapter on Genius Live! for more information

From a grid view. The status can be changed directly in the view if the deliverable is listed there and the status is displayed in one of the columns. If the active user has the authority to change the deliverable status according to its workflow, a drop down arrow will appear next to the status. When clicking on the arrow a drop down list of choices will appear to change the status directly from the view.

From the deliverable itself. If the active user has the authority to change the deliverable status according to its workflow, there will be a button in the deliverable header corresponding to the next status within the deliverable workflow. The user can take action directly from there.

2. Managing Multiple Types of Deliverables

As mentioned several times above, Geniusproject allows users to convert a deliverable into any type of generic document, cost document or billing milestone. As a result, project deliverables can all be modeled differently. For example, if in one phase there is a "market study" deliverable, and in another phase there is a "pre-engineering study" deliverable, they will not have the same format, and certainly not the same revision and approval cycle. In the context of Stage Gate, Geniusproject deliverables "Gate" (Gate review), will have a specific format (score card), and a specific workflow.

Within the Gantt (Genius Planner), deliverables can only be created as the standard deliverable type. However, it is possible to define other types for deliverables that are created manually outside of the Gantt. (See "Creating a deliverable")

It is also possible to transform any deliverable in its standard deliverable format into any other

supported type. This operation is called "Converting a deliverable"

To convert a deliverable:

Open the deliverable in edit mode.

Click "Actions" on the menu action bar and select "Convert into".

A dialog box will open.

Select the desired target document type.

If the desired type is not a cost document, you can also specify which document template to use.

If the document type is "Cost", you will be able to choose a cost type but not a template. If the document type is not a cost, you will be able to select a template and will not need or be able to select a cost type.

Click "OK" to validate.

The deliverable will automatically be converted into the selected document type. However the section on delivery dates and validations for the standard deliverable are automatically maintained.

1. Deleting a deliverable

There are three possible ways to delete a deliverable:

From the Genius Planner if it exists in the Gantt.

Directly from the deliverable. Click "Delete" on the menu action bar.

From a view. Select the deliverable(s) to be deleted from the view and lick "Delete" on the menu action bar for the view.