How to Create a Project in Daylite
Start a Project anywhere in Daylite — even from an email, Task, or won Opportunity — and end up with one record holding the Tasks, Appointments, emails, and people involved.
Client work, internal initiatives, anything with a finish line — there are always more moving parts than a task list can hold. Creating a Project puts them in one place: the steps to complete, the people to keep in the loop, and the history of decisions you'll want six months from now. You see what's next without hunting for it, and your team sees where things stand without asking.
Key Facts:
You can create a Project from anywhere in Daylite, including directly from a Contact, email, Task, or Opportunity
Converting a Task replaces it with a Project while creating a Project from an Opportunity leaves the Opportunity in place
Every new Project starts with a status of New and is owned by whoever created it
Assigning a Pipeline puts the Project on the Projects Board and applying an Activity Set fills it with standardized Tasks and Appointments
Where to Create a Project in Daylite
There are several ways to start a new Project, depending on where you are in the app. New Projects are initially owned by the User creating the Project, which can be changed or delegated to another User on your team.
From the New Record Button
Click + New.
Click + New Project.
You can Follow the same steps on any record type by Clicking the Downward arrow next to New+ buttoi
Select My Projects or All Projects from your Tabs.
Tap the + button.
Tap My Projects or All Projects in the Daylite Sidebar.
Tap the + button.
From the Projects Board
A Project needs a Pipeline assigned to appear on the Projects Board, so starting one here is the quickest way to be sure it lands on the board.
Select the Pipeline you want to add the Project to.
Click New Project in the Project Board.
The Project appears in the Not Started column and stays there until you move it to a Stage.
Go to Projects in the All menu.
Tap the + New Item button and create a new Project.
Select set pipeline, then choose the Pipeline you want the Project to appear under.
Set the Stage you want the Project to start at, and add any Activities, Tasks, a Start Date, and Notes.
Go to Projects in the Sidebar.
Tap the + New Item button and select New Project.
Select set pipeline, then choose the Pipeline you want the Project to appear under.
Set the Stage you want the Project to start at, and add any Activities, Tasks, a Start Date, and Notes.
For more on working Pipeline Boards, see Project Boards.
From the Quick Action Bar
Create a Project linked to a record already in your database, such as a Contact, Appointment, or Task. This is the one to use when a client calls and the work starts on the spot. The new Project is linked to the selected record automatically.
Select the record you want to link to a new Project
Click the … icon in the Quick Action bar.
Select New Project.
Select the record you want to link to a new Project
Click + Add Link
Choose Project
Select the record you want to link to a new Project
Click + Add Link
Choose Project
From an Email
Email is one of the most common ways a Project starts. Creating one from a message keeps the conversation attached, so you can look it up later from the Project's Activity View.
On iPhone and iPad, tap Add to Daylite first if the sender is not in your database yet — the button changes to In Daylite once they are added.
Select the email in Mail in Daylite.
Click the New Project button in the Action bar.
Daylite creates a new Project linked to the email and the sender's Contact record.
Add the selected Email to Daylite
Tap + Add Link and select Project.
Add the selected Email to Daylite
Tap + Add Link and select Project.
Convert a Task to a Project
On the Mac, you can Convert a Task to a Project. That way when you realize the work is bigger than you thought and a single step will not cover it, you don't have to create a Project from Scratch
Select a Task you want to convert.
Choose Edit > Convert a Task to a Project.
Converting replaces the Task with a Project. The Task no longer exists, and the new Project arrives with its name, category, keywords, details, due date, and linked items and history already filled in.
New Project From Opportunity
On the Mac, you can create a Project from an Opportunity. This is how you go from a closed deal to delivering the work.
Select the Opportunity you want to start as a New Project.
Choose Edit > New Project From Opportunity or … button in the Quick Action bar.
Project Fields and Options
A Project needs only a name to save. Everything below is what turns that name into something your team can find, assign, and track.
Describe the Work
These fields identify the Project and set its timeframe.
Name — a descriptive name that identifies the client and the work at a glance
Details — a description of what the Project delivers
Start date — when the work begins
Due date — the target completion date
Make It Findable
Classification is what lets you sort and filter your Projects, and what Smart Lists are built on. Fill these in and you can pull up any slice of your work on demand.
Category — a top-level classification. A Project can have only one, so it answers "what type of work is this?" Choose one from the Category pop-up menu.
By product or service: Personal Coaching, Group Training, Speaking Event
By audience: Internal, External
By department: Marketing, Human Resources, Executive Team
Keywords — flexible tags, and a Project can have as many as you need. Click the + button next to Keywords and type the keyword.
By objective: Website Revamp, Customer Acquisition, Increasing Customer Satisfaction
By client type: Referral, Big Contract, Family/Friend
By options: Additional Photographer, 2-Week Coaching Session, 2 Bedroom
Priority — a 1–10 scale indicating the Project's importance relative to your others.
For more on creating and managing Categories and Keywords, see Categories and Keywords.
Say Who's Involved
Linking people gives the Project its contacts and tells your team who does what. The owner determines who is responsible for it.
Linked People and Companies — click Add Person or Add Company, then assign a Role to each one, such as project manager, designer, decision maker, or client.
Owner — the person responsible for the Project. New Projects are owned by you.
Delegate — hands the Project to another team member. They receive a notification, and the Project appears in their My Projects view.
Set It Up to Move
These options determine where the Project stands, how it progresses, and what work it carries.
Status — every new Project starts as New. Update it as the work moves along. Daylite gives you six statuses to choose from:
New
Default for every new Project. It hasn't started yet.
In Progress
Work is underway.
Done
Delivered and complete.
Cancelled
Called off before completion, and it isn't coming back.
Deferred
Paused deliberately, expected to resume.
Abandoned
Stopped without a decision to cancel — went quiet, no resolution.
Pipeline and Stage — a Pipeline is a defined sequence of Stages a Project moves through from start to finish. Assigning one puts the Project on the Projects Board, where you can track it visually and drag it between Stages. Select a Pipeline from the Pipeline field.
Status and Stage are not the same thing.
Status is the state of the record — whether the work is running, finished, or stopped. Stage is where the Project sits in your process. A Project can be In Progress at any Stage of its Pipeline.
For more on building and editing Pipelines, see Project Pipelines.
Activity Set — a reusable checklist of Tasks and Appointments that standardizes your process, so every Project of a given type follows the same steps.
Click the … button and select New Activity Set.
Choose the Activity Set you want to apply.
Click Create.
Daylite adds the predefined Tasks and Appointments, each with due dates set relative to the Project's start or end date.
Save time on every Project.
Set default values so new Projects arrive with a Pipeline, Category, and permissions already filled in, and add custom fields to capture information specific to your business
Frequently Asked Questions
What fields are required when creating a Project in Daylite?
A Project requires only a name and status. All other fields — start date, due date, category, keywords, priority, and Pipeline — are optional, but filling them in is what makes your Projects sortable, filterable, and trackable on the Board.
What happens to the Task when I convert it into a Project?
The Task is replaced. It no longer appears in your Tasks, and its name, category, keywords, details, due date, and linked items and history move to the new Project.
Does the Opportunity still exist after I create a Project from it?
Yes. Unlike converting a Task, creating a Project from an Opportunity leaves the Opportunity in place and links the two together, so you keep the sales record alongside the delivery work.
Can I create more than one Project from the same Opportunity?
Yes. Most Opportunities lead to a single Project, but you can create several from one Opportunity when you are delivering multiple services that need to be tracked independently.
Can I link a Project to another Project?
No. Projects cannot be linked to each other. To keep related Projects together, link them to the same Person or Company, or gather them into a Group.
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