# Create a new project

This guide walks through creating a Project in NexWave, including the common case of starting from a **Project Template** so the standard task list is scaffolded automatically rather than entered by hand each time.

A Project is the unit of work for tracking time, budget, billing, and progress on customer engagements, internal initiatives, or anything else you want to scope discretely. Tasks live underneath a Project, and timesheets, expenses, and invoices can all link back to it.

## Where to find it

**Projects > Project > New** (or click *+ New Project* from the Projects workspace).

## Before you start

You will need:

* A **Project Type** master record (e.g. *Internal*, *Customer Implementation*, *Maintenance*) for reporting buckets. Set up under **Projects > Project Type**.
* A **Project Template** (optional but strongly recommended for repeat work) with the standard task list, durations, and dependencies pre-defined. See **Projects > Project Template**.
* For customer-billable projects: an active **Customer** record and (optionally) a linked **Sales Order** to drive billable amount.
* Permission as Projects User, Projects Manager, or System Manager.

## Key fields

### Header

| Field | What it does |
|-------|--------------|
| **Project Name** | The user-facing label. Mandatory. |
| **Status** | *Open* by default. Set to *Completed* when work is done; *Cancelled* if abandoned. |
| **Project Type** | Master record link for reporting buckets. |
| **Is Active** | Controls whether the project shows in default active lists. |
| **% Complete Method** | *Manual* (you set it), *Task Completion* (binary tasks), *Task Progress* (% per task), or *Task Weight* (weighted by per-task weighting). For automated rollup, pick *Task Completion* or *Task Weight*. |
| **From Template** | Pick a Project Template here and NexWave will create one Task per template row when you save. **Set Expected Start Date first**: template task dates are calculated as offsets from the project's start date. |
| **Expected Start Date / Expected End Date** | Target schedule for the project. |
| **Customer / Sales Order** | Link to a billable customer engagement. The customer carries through to invoices; the sales order drives the billable amount. |
| **Department / Company / Default Cost Center** | Drive accounting and HR scoping. |
| **Estimated Cost / Total Costing Amount (via Timesheet) / Total Billable Amount (via Timesheet)** | Budgeting and rollup fields. Total Costing and Total Billable are auto-recalculated from linked Timesheets. |

 ![New Project form with key fields visible](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC9jN2U2ZTE5ZS00OWZkLTQ0NTgtYmI5Yi00NjBjMWUxZDY4NjIvMDEtbmV3LXByb2plY3QtZm9ybS5wbmciLCJ0eXBlIjoiYXR0YWNobWVudCIsImlhdCI6MTc5MjYyMDkwMCwiZXhwIjoxNzkyNzA3MzAwfQ.6iIAyN9idQFmGQGyeJ8vAbk81-ABlzCtp1d5ebH4P7Q)

### Users tab

The **Users** child table lists project team members and their per-hour billing rates. Each row has the user, their welcome email status, and a *View Attributed Time and Expense* link for quick drill-in.

### Settings tab

Notification preferences, daily-status-update controls, and *Copy Tasks From* settings live here. The defaults are usually fine.

## What gets created on save

* The **Project** record itself.
* One **Task** per row in the chosen **Project Template**. Each task's *Expected Start Date* and *Expected End Date* are calculated as offsets from the project's *Expected Start Date*, using the duration set in the template.
* Tasks are linked back to the project so timesheets, expenses, and progress rollup can find them.

After save, open the project and switch to the **Tasks** tab to see the auto-created task list.

 ![Saved Project showing the auto-created task list](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC9iN2MxZmIyOS0wMGYxLTRhZDAtYTZmNi0zZDI1YzFmYjA5MDEvMDItcHJvamVjdC10YXNrcy5wbmciLCJ0eXBlIjoiYXR0YWNobWVudCIsImlhdCI6MTc5MjYyMDkwMCwiZXhwIjoxNzkyNzA3MzAwfQ.4Gw6tVHzFnfssC3LXHk9opI3zHNKQZCNp6V3Ngyrbxo)

## Common pitfalls

* **Picking *From Template* without setting Expected Start Date first.** Template task dates are calculated from the project start date; with no start date set, tasks get bad dates or none. Set the date, then pick the template.
* **Currency mismatch on customer-billable projects.** Project costing uses the company's default currency. Multi-currency engagements need the Sales Order's currency configuration verified before timesheets are billed.
* **% Complete Method = Manual hides progress drift.** With manual, the percentage doesn't auto-update from task completion. Use *Task Completion* or *Task Weight* for objective rollup.
* **Costing amounts on the project header don't update immediately.** The rollup runs as a daily scheduled job. For an immediate view, open one of the linked Timesheets and force a save, which triggers the rollup for that project.
* **Removing a task from a Project Template** doesn't retro-remove the task from existing projects. Templates feed creation, they don't manage life-cycle.
* **Changing *From Template* on a saved Project** does not regenerate tasks. The template field is consumed at first save.

## Related documentation

* [Projects](/doc/472c971c-de90-4f01-bff8-b5f5acaf4be1): module overview covering Project, Task, Timesheet, and Project Template.