Create a Project from a Project

If you want to create a new project that will be similar to an existing project in work breakdown structure (WBS), billing terms, or other properties, you can specify the existing project, and Vantagepoint will default much of the information for the new project record based on the existing project record.

To create a new project from an existing project:

1. In the Navigation pane, select Hubs > Projects > Project.
2. Do either of the following:
   • Click + New Project in the upper-right corner of the form to display the New Project form.
   • Select the existing project that you want to use to create the new project, and click Other Actions > Copy Project on the Actions bar to display the Copy Project form.

   These two options accomplish the same thing. Which you choose is a matter of your preference. One difference is that + New Project is available on all forms in the Projects hub, while Copy Project is only available on the Projects form.

3. In Charge Type, select Regular, Overhead, or Promotional.

   Note that once you click Continue to leave this form, you cannot change the charge type for the new project. If you do click Continue but you have not yet saved the project, you can cancel the add process and start over. If you save a project with the wrong charge type, delete the project and add it again.

4. If the Stage field is available, select the pipeline stage that the new project is at (for example, Proposal Submitted or Won).
5. If you used + New Project in step 2, do the following:
   1. In How to Create Project, select From Project.
   2. In Select a Project, select the project that you want to copy.

   If you used Copy Project in step 2, the project you selected in that step displays in Select a Project.

6. To copy the existing project's plan as a starting point, select the Copy Plan check box and select the plan's starting date in Plan Start. If you change the plan's starting date for the new project, Vantagepoint shifts the plan and all assignments. If you do not select Copy Plan, Vantagepoint creates a new plan for the project using default settings, so you can immediately begin entering planned labor hours and planned expense and consultant amounts.
7. To copy the billing terms from the existing project to the new project, select the Copy Billing Terms check box.
8. In Project Number, enter a unique number for the project that conforms to your standard project numbering system. (Vantagepoint may automatically generate a number for you if auto numbering is enabled.)
9. Enter a short name for the project in Name.
10. To include a longer, more descriptive name for the project (for use in proposals, for example), enter it in Long Name.
11. If you selected Regular in Charge Type and assigned the project to a stage that is designated as "in pursuit," do the following if you want to create a linked promotional project to track the time and expenses involved in pursuing the contract:
    1. Select Create Linked Promotional Project to Track Pursuit Costs.
    2. If you want to create a promotional project by copying an existing project, select the project that you want to copy in Copy Promotional Project From.
    3. To copy the existing project's plan as a starting point for the promotional project's plan, select the Copy Plan check box and select the plan's starting date in Plan Start.
    4. To copy the billing terms from the existing project to the new promotional project, select the Copy Billing Terms check box.
    5. Enter a unique project number in Promotional Project Number. (Vantagepoint can automatically generate a number for you if you have enabled auto numbering.)
    6. Enter a name for the promotional project in Promotional Project Name.
12. Click Continue.
    • If the project you are copying does not have phases or tasks and you are not creating a linked promotional project, Vantagepoint displays the new project in Edit mode. Continue with step 17.
    • If the project you are copying does not have phases or tasks and neither does the project you are copying for a linked promotional project, Vantagepoint displays both new projects in the Edit Project Structure form. To add structure below the project level for either project, click at the end of a row to add WBS elements at the next lower level. Repeat this step as necessary to build the WBS for each project. Click Save when you are finished. Continue with step 17.
    • If the project you are copying for either the new project or its linked promotional project has phases or tasks, Vantagepoint displays the Choose Project Structure form. Continue with the next step.
13. In the Choose Project Structure form, by default the check boxes for all phases and tasks are selected. Deselect the check boxes for any phases and tasks that you do not want to copy from the existing project to the new project or to the linked promotional project. Deselecting a phase also deselects that phase's associated tasks.

    If you are copying billing terms from the existing project and you choose not to copy some phases or tasks, some billing terms settings that are related to, or dependent on, those phases or tasks may be a changed as a result. Review the billing terms carefully after you create the new project to make sure that they are set correctly.

14. Click Continue.

    Result: The new project and, if you selected Create Linked Promotional Project to Track Pursuit Costs, the promotional project display on the Edit Project Structure form.

15. Make any desired changes on the Edit Project Structure form:
    • You can change any of the default values for any of the WBS elements in the grid. For example, you might want to change the status from Dormant to Active.
    • You can also make changes to the project structure. To copy, delete, or add a new WBS element under a row, hover over the row, click , and select the option you want from the drop-down list.
16. Click Save.
    Vantagepoint displays the new project in Detail View.
17. Review the project information on all hub forms and tabs and at all levels of the WBS, and make any corrections or additions.
18. If you also created a linked promotional project, review the information on all hub forms and tabs and at all levels of the WBS for that project, and make any corrections or additions.

When you create a new project, Vantagepoint also creates a plan for the project, either based on a copied plan or using default settings, so you can immediately begin entering planned labor hours and planned expense and consultant amounts.