Setup projects

Changing project recurrence and generation options

Use the Recurrence dialog to specify recurrence rules and generation options based on a project instead of on the project template. This allows you to specify frequency, recurrence patterns, target and expiration dates, and generation options on a project-by-project basis instead of on the project template.
note
Your firm must be licensed for the Project Management module to access these features from the Manage Projects screen.
To specify a project’s recurrence and generation options, follow these steps.
  1. To access the Recurrence dialog, open the project from the Manage Projects screen and click the button.
  2. Recurrence: Click the
    Use Specified Rule
     option.
    note
    • If you select
      None
      , no due date options are available, and you must manually generate the next project when the current project is complete.
    • Click the
      Use Project Template
       option if you want to use the recurrence that was set up on the template instead of on the current project.
  3. Frequency: Select a recurrence from the
    Pattern
     drop-down list and then specify a due date using the options below the list.
    note
    The due date options below the
    Pattern
     field change depending on the recurrence you select.
    You can optionally mark the
    Must occur on weekdays
     checkbox to have a project’s due date that falls on a weekend adjusted to the following weekday. This checkbox is available only when the
    Due on day
     option is selected.
  4. Target dates:
    • Start:
       To specify the project’s target start date, complete the
      month(s)
       and/or
      day(s)
       fields, and then select
      Before due date
       or
      After received date
       from the drop-down list.
    • Complete:
      To specify the target completion date, complete the
      month(s)
       and/or
      day(s)
       fields, and then select
      After received date
       or
      Before due date
       from the drop-down list.
  5. Expiration:
    • Click the
      No end date
       option for ongoing projects.
    • Click the
      End after
       option and enter the number of occurrences to generate a limited number of projects.
    • Click the
      End by
       option and select a date from the drop-down calendar to end the recurrence by a specific date.
  6. Generation: Choose the options for generating future projects.
    Generate the next Schedule Item: Specify when to generate the next project.
    • When the current Schedule Item is complete
      : The default option.
    • month(s) / day(s) before due
      : Click this option and enter the number of months and/or days before the next project is due to generate the next project. Choosing this option allows you to postpone generating future projects until closer to their due date, which can help simplify project planning.
    • When I manually create it
      : Click this option to manually generate the next project.
    • Generate all
      : Click this option to generate all of the projects now and add them to the calendar.
      note
      This option is unavailable when
      No end date
       is selected for the expiration date.
  7. Project Generation Options: If you want to base the next generated project on a current project’s information instead of on the project template, mark any of the following checkboxes for the information that you want to use from the current project:
    Generate using the current Project’s:
    • Descriptions
      : Mark this checkbox to include both the project description and the invoice description in the generation. If you customize these fields and want the descriptions to recur, mark this checkbox.
    • Engagement
      : Mark this checkbox if you tend to change the engagement from the project template. Leave it unmarked if you want to use the engagement on the project template.
    • Grouping selections
      : Mark this checkbox to use the Responsible, Assigned, and/or Department of the current project.
    • Assigned selections
      : If you want the same staff member to work on a task for the next scheduled occurrence of the project, mark this checkbox.
    • Calendar Entries
      : Mark this checkbox if you want calendar entries for the project to roll over.
      note
      This checkbox is available only when you mark the
      Assigned selections
       checkbox.
    • Notes
      : If you use the notes section for generic information and want it to be carried forward, mark this checkbox. If you use the notes section for project-specific information, leave the checkbox unmarked.
    • Links
    • Custom Fields values
    • Task information
      : Mark this checkbox if you want task information to roll over. Mark both this checkbox and the
      Calendar Entries
       checkbox if you want calendar entries for both projects and tasks to roll over.
    • Budget information
      : Mark this checkbox and choose either
      Budget
       or
      Actual
       from the drop-down list.
    • Budget adjustment factors
      : If actual amounts differ from budgeted amounts, enter a number from 0 to 99 that represents the percentage increase or decrease. For example, if the hours on the next project will be increased by 10%, enter
      1.1
       in the
      Hours
       field. If the hours will be decreased by 10%, enter
      0.9
       in the
      Hours
       field.
  8. Task Generations Options: You can base the next generated project’s tasks on a current project’s tasks rather than on the project template. First, verify that you have selected
    Use Specified Rule
     at the top of the Recurrence dialog, which makes these options available. Then, mark checkboxes for the task information you want to use from the current project’s tasks.
    • Task Information
    • Descriptions
    • Assigned Selections
    • Calendar Entries
    • Notes
    • Links
    • Custom Fields Values

This article applies to:

  • Product: Digita Practice Advanced