When you click on a project name from the project list screen, you will be taken to the project dashboard. At the top of the project dashboard, there is a header (Figure 1) that includes the project name, client name, and project status. This summary information will include some or all of the following, depending on the project setup and your security role settings.
Figure 1 - Project Name, Client Name, and Project Status are Shown in the Project Header
Changing Project Status from the Dashboard
If you have Edit project permissions, you can change the project's status from within the project header (Figure 1). This is done by hovering the mouse over the current status and selecting an alternate status from the dropdown (Figure 2) that appears.
NOTE: When changing the project's status to Completed on the dashboard, the project's Completed Date will be set to the current date.
Figure 2 - Change the Project's Status from Within the Project Header
To the right of the header information is an edit button (Figure 1). The edit button will only be visible if you have the Edit project permission. This button opens up the Edit Project drawer where you can edit the project information and configuration.
The project dashboard provides a comprehensive view of the project via several tabs of information:
Some of these tabs may not be shown depending on the project's settings and the user's assigned security role.
Overview Tab
At the top of the Overview tab (Figure 3) of the project dashboard is the Project Progress line graph. This graph defaults to show the history of the worked hours on the project. If the project has resource allocations, then the graph will also show a forecasted, or projected, view of hours. In this case, the graph will display the actual hours to date and the projected hours, as allocated to the project. Budgeted hours will also display, giving the member visibility into how the projects hours are tracking against the budget.
Figure 3 - Project Progress Information that will Display Budgeted/Actual/Projected for Project
In addition to the Progress view, each graph has a corresponding By Month view (Figure 4) that will display a month-by-month rendering of the selected metric that is currently in view. This view is available by toggling the view selector just above the graph to By Month.
Figure 4 - View Project Progress by Month
Below the Project Progress graph are the hours for the project broken down by total hours, billable hours, and non-billable hours. Non-billable projects will not show a billable hours total. If the project has budget hours defined, those will be shown for each category of hours, along with the number of total of projected hours (actual + allocated) and projected left (allocated).
Additionally, the graph can be switched to show additional metrics when the project is billable and if the member's security role has specific project-level permissions for the project. By selecting the metric from the dropdown (Figure 5) above the graph, the member can see actuals-to-date and projections, based on future resource allocations, for Labor Cost, Total Cost, Services Gross Profit, Total Gross Profit, Services Gross Margin, and Total Gross Margin.
NOTE: a Target Services Gross Margin must be specified on the Project Budget in order to view these metrics on the project progress graph.
Figure 5 - Select the Metric for the Project Progress Graph
On the right side of the overview tab, is an information bar (Figure 6) that will contain the primary information about the project and client. The project information shown in this bar can be edited using the Edit Project drawer.
Figure 6 - Project Information Bar Located on the Project Overview Tab
At the bottom of the Overview tab (Figure 7), there are some high-level key performance indicators (KPIs) related to the project performance. Depending on the project configuration and your permissions, some of these KPIs may not be displayed. At the top-right of this KPI area, you can select the timeframe for evaluation.
Figure 7 - Project KPIs on the Project Overview Tab
The following KPIs are included on the Project Overview tab:
- Realization Rate - The realization rate is the percentage of all hours worked on the project that are billable. For billable projects, this figure is ideally close to 100% throughout the project. The realization rate KPI is only visible if you have project-level View time and expense permissions. If you have a budget created for the project, the budget realization rate will be shown below the actual rate.
- Effective Rate - The effective bill rate is the sum of all earned revenue on the project divided by the hours (billable and non-billable) worked. The effective rate KPI is only visible if you have project-level View bill rates permissions. To learn more about earned revenue, see the earned versus invoiced revenue article. If you have a budget created for the project, the budget effective bill rate will be shown below the actual rate.
- Margin - The projects earned and invoiced margin. The project's earned margin is the services gross profit of the project divided by the earned revenue. The project's invoiced margin is the invoiced gross profit of the project divided by the invoiced revenue. The margin KPI is only visible if you have project-level View profit permissions for the project. Note that Ruddr can only calculate services cost on a project if each team member assigned to the project has a labor cost set on their member profile.
- Hours - The project's budgeted billable and non-billable hours compared to the actual billable and non-billable hours.
- Expenses - The project's budgeted billable and non-billable expenses compared to the actual billable and non-billable expenses.
- Revenue - The project's budgeted, earned, and invoiced revenue. The revenue KPI is only visible if you have project-level View revenue permissions for the project.
Team Tab
The Team tab (Figure 8) of the project dashboard shows all of the project team members. By default, this list shows active team members. Active team members can access the project and record time and expenses to the project. To see any inactive team members (who likely worked on the project previously), simply change the filter at the top of the member list to Inactive. Inactive members show with a semi-transparent display.
Figure 8 - View the Members of the Project Team
If you have project-level View time and expense permission, at the bottom of each team member's card, you will see the total hours worked on the project for that member.
For detailed information about managing project team members, see the Project Team help article.
Tasks Tab
The Tasks tab (Figure 9) of the project dashboard shows a list of the project tasks. Projects in Ruddr can optionally be broken down into individual tasks. Those tasks can be used to aggregate a budget for the project and can also be used for more granular time tracking.
Figure 9 - View Project Tasks and Their Budgeted Hours, Budgeted and Earned Revenue and Assignments
To create a new task, simply click on the Create a Task button at the top-right of the tasks tab. This will open the task drawer (Figure 10) where you can provide the new task information. To edit an existing task, simply click on the task in the list. In order to create or edit a project task, you must have the Edit project permission set on your security role.
Figure 10 - Create and Edit Tasks via the Task Drawer
For detailed information about tasks, see the Project Tasks help article.
Time Tab
The Time tab (Figure 11) allows you to see a summary of the project's time entries. If the project uses roles, you can set the Group by selector to either Role or Member.
Figure 11 - Time is Grouped by Roles and/or Members on the Project Time Tab
This tab will show a summary of all time entries to date on the project. If there is an hours budget, the progress toward that budget will be reflected via the meter in the Hours column. For billable projects, additional columns may be shown related to realization rate, revenue, and effective bill rate. Members will only see columns that they have permission to view.
Expenses Tab
The Expenses tab (Figure 12) works similarly to the Time tab. The Expenses tab allows you to see all expenses recorded to the project grouped by the expense category.
Figure 12 - View Project Expenses Grouped by Expense Category
Invoices Tab
The Invoices tab (Figure 13) allows you to see invoices associated with the project. In order to see published invoices, you must have the View published invoices permission set on your member profile. To see draft invoices, you must have the Create and edit draft invoices permission.
Figure 13 - View all Project Invoices on the Invoices Tab
To view any invoice in detail (Figure 14), simply click on the invoice in the list to view the invoice.
Figure 14 - Invoice Accessible from Project Invoices Tab
Client Approvals Tab
If client approvals are enabled on the Edit Project drawer, then the Client Approvals tab (Figure 15) will be shown. Client approvals are used to send a batch of time and expenses to a client for approval on a periodic basis. These approvals are often done before an invoice is created for the time and expenses. For detailed information about client approvals, see the Client Approvals help article.
Figure 15 - List of Client Approvals Created for a Project
Allocations Tab
The Allocations tab (Figure 16) displays a list of all resource allocations for the project. Use the date picker to view allocations for a given time period, and use the Month/Week/Day view picker to toggle between those views of allocations. Finally, project allocations can be exported in Excel or CSV format from this tab.
For more on Resourcing in Ruddr, please refer to this article in the Ruddr Help Center.
Figure 16 - View Current, Future, and Historical Resource Allocations for the Project
Files Tab
The Files tab is available to those workspaces that have turned on the Client and Project Files feature in workspace settings. On the Files tab (Figure 17), a member can upload files to the project record in Ruddr and, subsequently, access those files. (Note that there is a 20MB file upload limit). There are two types of files that can added to the project:
- Administrator Files: These files are only accessible (and able to be uploaded) by members that can edit the project.
- Team Files: These files can be accessed by any workspace member with access to the project. Only members that can edit the project can add Project Team files.
Figure 17 - Access Project-specific Files from the Project Files Tab - Grid View
To upload files, project administrators will need click on the Add Files button on the top right of the Files tab (Figure 17). This will open the Files drawer (Figure 18), where files can be dropped onto the drawer, or members can click on the screen to select one or more files for upload.
Figure 18 - Add a File by Dropping onto the Drawer or Select Multiple Files
Once a file(s) has been added to the screen, a member with the appropriate access can open the file for viewing, download a copy of the file, or delete the file. This can be accomplished by hovering the mouse over the file (Figure 19) and selecting the appropriate option from the list of buttons made available.
Figure 19 - Open, Download, or Delete a File from the File Management Drawer
List View
An additional view is available on the Files tab of the project dashboard and is the List view (Figure 21). You can toggle between the Grid view (Figure 17) and the List view by clicking the view button (Figure 20) at the top of the Files tab.
Figure 20 - Click the Left Icon to Access the List View of Files. The Icon on the Right will Display Files in Grid View
Figure 21 - View / Search Project Files in the List View
From the List view, you can search for files by Filename using the search box just above the list of files. To view, download, or delete an individual file, access the action menu (Figure 22) on the respective file's row.
Figure 22 - Take Action on a File in the List View by Accessing the Action Menu