Change status and close a project
Move a project along its statuses, complete the close checklist, close it and reopen it if you must.
Before you begin
Finish the work first: complete tasks and milestones, invoice every billing step, order or close purchase requests, complete subcontracts and deal with retention. The close checklist shows the facts so you can check them. Closing needs project.close, a sensitive permission.
Allowed status moves
| From | To |
|---|---|
| Draft | Planning, Cancelled |
| Planning | Approved, In Progress, On Hold, Cancelled |
| Approved | In Progress, On Hold, Cancelled |
| In Progress | On Hold, At Risk, Completed, Cancelled |
| On Hold | In Progress, Planning, Cancelled |
| At Risk | In Progress, On Hold, Completed, Cancelled |
| Completed | In Progress, Closed |
| Closed | Completed |
| Cancelled | Planning |
A new project starts in Planning. Other moves are refused, for example 'A planning project cannot become closed.'
Steps: change status
- Open the project in Project 360.
- Press Actions and choose the next status. Only allowed moves are offered.
Each move is written to the activity feed. Completed sets the actual finish to today.
Steps: close
- Move the project to Completed.
- Open Actions > Close checklist.
- Read the data beside each of the eleven items: Tasks complete, Milestones complete, Billing complete, Costs posted, POs closed, Subcontracts closed, Retention handled, Assets returned, Documents complete, Customer sign-off and Final P&L reviewed.
- Tick every item and press Save checklist. Saving needs project.close.
- Choose Actions > Closed.
If any item is unticked you see 'Finish the close checklist first:' followed by the items still open.
What happens next
A closed project is read-only. Time, expenses, tasks, invoices, claims, change orders, budgets and edits are all refused: 'A closed or cancelled project is read-only. Reopen it through an authorised correction first.' It stays visible in reports and totals.
Reopen
Choose Actions > Completed on a closed project. Edits work again, and the status moves are kept in the audit trail. Treat this as a correction: record why.
Good to know
- The facts beside each checklist item are information. Ticking is your confirmation that you checked them.
- Cancelling also needs project.close.
- Archiving a project (card menu) only hides it from lists. It does not close it.
- Two people saving at once: 'Somebody else changed this project. Reload it and try again.'