Projects, Phases, and Tasks

When you create a project record, you can divide the project into phases and tasks.

Phases and tasks allow you to identify and track individual segments of a project by type or duration, by independently managed components of the project, or by any other discrete project elements that exist within the larger project. Typically, firms use phases and tasks to accommodate internal reporting practices — for example, when different departments are responsible for different parts of a project.

• Project — A project is one of your firm's individual jobs.
• Phase — A phase is an explicitly defined sub-project or independently managed component of a project. Phases group labor and expense activity within a project. A phase is usually an element of work performed during the course of a project with an expected duration, an expected cost, and expected resource requirements. Typically each project has its own set of phases. Phases can be further divided into tasks.
• Task — A task is an explicitly defined sub-phase or independently managed component of a phase. Tasks group labor and expense activity within a phase. A task is usually an element of work performed during the course of a phase with an expected duration, an expected cost, and expected resource requirements. Typically each phase has its own set of tasks. You must have a phase to set up a task.

You can decide on a project-by-project basis whether to use phases and tasks.

If you decide to use phases and tasks, you must supply a phase and task number with every labor and expense transaction that you post to the project.

If you use Vision Billing, you can also establish separate billing terms for each phase and task, and show phases and tasks separately on invoices.