1. Projects
  2. Project Management
  3. Using Project Management
  4. Creating a Project Record
  5. Setting Up Project Record Preferences

Setting Up Project Record Preferences

When you create a project record, you can select which preferences you want to apply to each project. Preferences control how resources are assigned, how time is tracked and classified, and how expenses are used with the project. You have to select preferences for every new project record. There are no global preferences available for project records.

To select preferences for a project record:

  1. Go to Lists > Relationships > Projects. Click Edit next to the project you want to edit.

  2. Click the Preferences subtab on your project record.

  3. Check the Allow Time Entry box to allow resources to enter time worked for this project on time transactions. This project is available in the Customer/Project dropdown on time transactions for resources assigned to this project.

    This preference is enabled by default. Clear this box to restrict the entry of time transactions against this project.

  4. Check the Display All Resources for Project Task Assignment box to allow any employee or vendor marked as a project resource to be assigned to tasks for this project. If you assign a resource that isn't specified the Resources subtab, NetSuite automatically adds the person to the Resource subtab for you. You can't delete resources from the Resources subtab after they are assigned to project tasks.

    Important:

    When you enable this preference, any resource who’s ever been assigned to a project appears in the list of available resources. This means someone who’s no longer marked as a project resource can still be assigned to a new task.

    Clear this box if you only want resources listed on the Resources subtab to be assigned to project tasks.

    Note:

    If you also use Resource Allocations, generic resources are available for project task assignments even if they’re not allocated to the project.

    For more information, see Assigning Project Resources.

  5. Check the Limit Time and Expenses to Resources box to only allow assigned resources to enter time and expenses against this project and its project tasks.

    This preference is enabled by default. Clear this box to allow any project resource to enter time and expenses against this project and its tasks.

  6. Check the Classify Time as Utilized box to classify time entered on this project as Utilized time by default.

    This preference is enabled by default.

  7. Check the Classify Time as Productive box to classify time entered on this project as Productive time by default.

    This preference is enabled by default.

  8. Check the Classify Time as Exempt box to classify time entered on this project as Exempt time by default.

    Any time that shouldn’t count toward utilization should be marked as exempt.

    For more information about classifying time, read Classifying Time for Projects.

  9. Check the Allow Expenses box to allow resources to enter expenses for this project on expense reports. This project is available in the Customer/Project drowpdown on expense reports for resources assigned to this project.

    This preference is enabled by default. Clear this box to restrict the entry of expense reports against this project.

  10. Check the Create Planned Time Entries box to include planned time on resource time reports. For information about planned time entry limits, see Creating Planned Time Entries.

    This preference is enabled by default. Clear this box to exclude planned time from reports.

  11. Check the Include CRM Tasks in Project Totals box to include CRM tasks in project costs, planned time and actual work for a project.

    Important:

    When you enable the Include CRM Tasks in Project Totals preference on a project, be aware that task hierarchies can be set up only within each distinct set of task types. A CRM task can be defined as a parent or a child task of a CRM task only. A project task can't have a CRM task set as a parent or child task. Likewise, a CRM task can't have a project task set as a parent or child task.

    For more details, read Including CRM Tasks in Project Totals.

  12. If you use Charge-Based Billing, check Forecast Charge Run on Demand to limit forecast updates to nightly charge runs or manual updates.

  13. If you also use Resource Allocations, check Allow Allocated Resources to Enter Time to All Tasks to allow any resource allocated to this project to enter time against project tasks without being assigned to the task individually. When you enable this preference, any time tracked by an allocated resources is added to the total estimated work for the project task.

    Note:

    When an allocated resource tracks time without being assigned to a specific task and includes a service item, that service item will automatically populate the Service Item field of subsequent time entries for the project. You can change the service item on each time entry.

  14. If you use Resource Allocations and Charge-Based Billing, check Use Allocated Time for Forecast to use allocated time for calculating project charges on the Project Charges Forecast report. For more information, see Project Charges Forecast Report.

    Note:

    This preference may not be available if you haven't selected a Service Item for Forecast Reports at Setup > Accounting Preferences > Time & Expenses.

  15. If you also use Weekly Timesheets, you can select who has permission to approve time tracked for this project. In the Time Approval field, select one of the following options:

    • Approve time automatically – Project time is approved automatically as soon as someone submits a weekly timesheet or enters time in the Employee Center.

    • Default Time Approver – Project time can be approved only by each employee’s supervisor or time approver defined on the employee record.

    • Project Time Approver – Project time can be approved only by project resources with project time approval permission defined on the project resource role.

    • Project Time Approver or Default Time Approver – Both project time approvers and default time approvers can approve project time. This option is selected by default.

    Project time approval is dependent on project resource roles. For more information, see Approving Time and Expenses for Projects.

    Important:

    This preference doesn't override roles with full time permissions. Any role that has full time permissions and unrestricted employee permissions will be able to approve and reject time entries for any employee regardless of the selection made in this field. For more information about permissions, see Customizing or Creating NetSuite Roles and Setting Employee Restrictions.

  16. You can now click Save to save your project record, or continue the steps below to enter additional information.

Related Topics:

General Notices