> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.timetracker.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Projects overview

> How projects work in TimeTracker: the project list, its columns, the four project tabs, and how projects connect clients, tasks, time and money.

A project is one engagement for one client. It is where tasks live, where time is tracked, and where the budget is measured.

## What is a project?

A project sits between a client and the work:

```
Client → Project → Section → Task → Time entry
```

Every project carries:

* A name, an icon and a **project key** that prefixes its task numbers
* A client, or **No client** for internal work
* A billing method
* A project manager and a member list
* Optional start and due dates, a status and tags
* **Sections** – the columns tasks move through
* Optionally a budget, and the profitability that follows from it

## The project list

Click **Projects** in the sidebar.

| Column           | What it shows                                                                                                                                                                   |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Project Name** | The project icon, the name, and the client name underneath. Under a non-active view, a chip marks it Archived or in the Trash.                                                  |
| **Status**       | A coloured badge – Draft, Planned, Active, On hold, Waiting on client, Completed, Cancelled.                                                                                    |
| **Budget**       | Two lines. The amounts on top (`$7,410 / $12,000` or `188h / 200h`), the ratio underneath (`62% of budget`, or `118% over budget`). Reads **No budget set** when there is none. |
| **Tasks**        | `40% done`, or **All done**, or **No tasks yet**.                                                                                                                               |
| **Group**        | Avatars of the people staffed on the project.                                                                                                                                   |

Click a row to open the project.

### Controls

<Steps>
  <Step title="Search">
    Filters on what you can read – project name, client, status and member names.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sort">
    Click a heading. Projects with no budget or no tasks sort to the bottom rather than pretending to be at 0%.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Active / Archived / Trash / All">
    The dropdown beside **New project**. Defaults to **Active**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Rows per page">
    The footer shows the filtered row count and lets you page through 25, 50 or 100 rows.
  </Step>

  <Step title="New project">
    Opens the create form.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Empty states

* Nothing yet: **"No projects yet – create your first project to get started."**
* An empty Archived or Trash view: **"No projects in this view."**

### The Budget column and cost visibility

A **money** budget is measured against actual cost, so the column only shows figures to someone who may see cost (`time.viewCost` or `rate.viewCost`). Without that, the cell reads **No budget set** because no figures were sent at all.

An **hours** budget takes no rate or cost input, so it is visible to everyone.

## Inside a project

Opening a project gives you four tabs. The tab lives in the URL, so a link to a specific tab keeps working.

| Tab          | What it is                                                                        |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Overview** | A read-only financial dashboard – budget bar, forecast, margin, health and alerts |
| **List**     | Tasks grouped by section, as a table per section                                  |
| **Board**    | The same sections as kanban columns                                               |
| **Settings** | General, Group and Finance                                                        |

Above the tabs sit the project name and an **Actions** dropdown for Archive, Restore, Delete and Delete permanently.

<Note>
  Overview **reports**. Settings **configures**. Both budget buttons on Overview take you to Settings, because there is exactly one place a budget is written.
</Note>

## What you can see

Project reach follows your role's **supervision scope**:

* A role scoped to **Everything in the workspace** sees every project.
* Any narrower scope sees only the projects it **manages** or is **staffed on**.

This one rule also decides which clients and which tasks you see. Read [/projects/project-visibility](/projects/project-visibility).

## Example

Northwind Studio's project list:

| Project          | Client           | Status    | Budget                              | Tasks    |
| ---------------- | ---------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------- | -------- |
| Website Redesign | Bluebird Coffee  | Active    | `$24,600 / $40,000` – 62% of budget | 48% done |
| Monthly Retainer | Bluebird Coffee  | Active    | `31h / 40h` – 78% of budget         | 60% done |
| Mobile App       | Harbor Logistics | Active    | `412h / 600h` – 69% of budget       | 35% done |
| Brand Refresh    | Fenwick Legal    | Completed | No budget set                       | All done |

Sarah Lin is staffed on Website Redesign only, and her role is scoped to her own projects. Her list shows one row.

## Permissions

| Action                                    | Capability                              |
| ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Open a project you can reach              | Workspace membership plus project reach |
| Create, edit, archive or delete a project | `project.manage`                        |
| Set or change a budget                    | `budget.manage`                         |
| See billing rates on the roster           | `rate.viewBilling`                      |
| See cost rates and money budget figures   | `rate.viewCost` or `time.viewCost`      |

See [/projects/project-permissions](/projects/project-permissions).

## App and plan gating

Projects live inside the **Projects & tasks** app. Switch it off in **Settings → Apps** and **Projects** disappears, along with **Clients** and **Tasks**. Nothing is deleted.

| Feature                          | Plan |
| -------------------------------- | ---- |
| Projects, tasks and sections     | Free |
| Time tracking against a project  | Free |
| Budgets and profitability        | Pro  |
| Client portal sharing            | Pro  |
| Advanced and scheduled reporting | Pro  |

See [/concepts/plans-and-features](/concepts/plans-and-features).

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can a project exist without a client?">
    Yes. Choose **No client**. You can track time and set a budget, but you cannot invoice it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the project key for?">
    It prefixes every task number in the project – `CL-1`, `CL-2`. See [/tasks/task-numbers](/tasks/task-numbers).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is the Budget column empty for me?">
    Either no budget is set, or it is a money budget and your role cannot see cost. An hours budget would still show.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does the Group column say Group and not Members?">
    It shows who is staffed on the project. A **group** in the wider product is a standing team – see [/team/groups](/team/groups). Project membership is per project.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where did my project go?">
    It was probably archived or deleted. Switch the list to **All**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

See [/projects/troubleshooting](/projects/troubleshooting) for the full list.

| Problem                                     | Fix                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Projects** is missing from the sidebar    | Turn on the Projects & tasks app in **Settings → Apps**                                  |
| The list is empty but projects exist        | Your scope reaches none of them – get staffed on one, or ask an admin to widen your role |
| Budget reads "No budget set" but one is set | You cannot see cost, and it is a money budget                                            |
| A project shows no client                   | It was created with **No client**                                                        |

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a project" icon="folder-plus" href="/projects/create-a-project">
    Every field on the create form.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Project settings" icon="sliders" href="/projects/project-settings">
    General, Group and Finance.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Project sections" icon="columns" href="/projects/project-sections">
    The stages tasks move through.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Project visibility" icon="eye" href="/projects/project-visibility">
    Who sees which projects, and why.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Project overview page" icon="chart-line" href="/projects/project-overview-page">
    The financial dashboard.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Clients overview" icon="building" href="/clients/overview">
    The layer above projects.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>