Projects

User Guide

BriefSpec

1. Introduction

Projects are the central organizing unit in BriefSpec. Every deliverable, requirement, defect, test case, test cycle, service request, and action item lives inside a project. A project defines the client engagement, assigns a module configuration template that controls which features are active, sets the software pillars and epics in scope, and brings together the team members who will do the work.

This guide explains how to create and configure projects, how to manage them from the Manage Projects screen, how to navigate the project workspace, how execution status flows, and which users can view or change project settings.

2. Overview of Projects

What a project controls

  • Module access – the assigned template determines which workspace tabs (Backlog, Phases, Defects, Test Cases, Test Cycles, and others) are visible inside the project.
  • Scope – software pillars and epics define the functional areas covered by the engagement.
  • Team – internal members and client users assigned with specific roles and permissions.
  • Timelines – start and end dates, duration, and timezone drive scheduling and reporting.
  • Artifact time budgets – per-artifact manual time estimates for create and update actions used for effort reporting.
  • Execution status – a project-level lifecycle state (Draft, In Progress, On Hold, Archived) that governs which actions are available.

Project lifecycle at a glance

  • Draft – project created but execution has not begun. Template and scope changes are still allowed.
  • In Progress – active delivery. Most configuration locks in place to protect data integrity.
  • On Hold – paused engagement. Work suspended; records remain intact.
  • Archived – closed engagement. Project and its data are retained for reference but removed from active lists.

Project List View

Project Grid View

3. Accessing Projects

From the sidebar

  • Open the sidebar and click the Projects menu item.
  • You arrive at the Projects screen, which lists all projects your role can view.
  • Breadcrumb trail: Home > Projects.
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Filtering the list

  • Use the Active / Inactive toggle to switch between active and retired projects.
  • Filter by Execution status to narrow the list.
  • Search by project name or client using the search bar.

Prerequisites

  • Your role must include project view permission (see Section 9).
  • Projects visible to you depend on your assigned role and the projects assigned to you.

4. Creating a Project

Click the Add Project button on the Projects screen. The project creation wizard opens with four steps: Project Details, Scope & Timeline, Team Members, and Settings.

Step 1 – Project Details (Core information)

Complete the following fields:

  • Project Name – required. A unique human-readable name for the engagement (for example ACME ERP Phase 2).
  • Client – required. Select the client this project belongs to from the dropdown.
  • Project Type – select the engagement category (for example AMS, Testing, Implementation     ).
  • Project Template – required. Choose System or Custom as the source type, then select a specific template. Only Published and Active templates appear for Custom source. On AMS plans the template may be locked.
  • Description – optional rich-text field for project overview, objectives, or notes.

Step 2 – Scope & Timeline (Duration settings)

Define the engagement dates and functional scope:

  • Start Date – the date the project work begins.
  • End Date – the planned completion date. Must be after the start date.
  • Software – Select the Application Software from the drop down
  • Pillars & Epics – add the software pillars (top-level product areas) and epics (functional modules) in scope. At least one pillar with at least one epic is required for many downstream features such as Backlog and Service Requests.
  • Project BP depth – optional. Default is ‘Off’. Select one of L1 , L1 + L2 or L1 + L2 + L3.
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Step 3 – Team Members (Assign resources)

Add the people who will work on the project in which role

  • Select the Role from the drop down
  • Click Add Member to search for users by name or email.
  • Add client users or client approvers when client-facing collaboration is required.
  • Members can be added or removed after project creation from the Users tab inside the project workspace.
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Step 4 – Settings (Final check)

The Settings step contains two configuration areas accessed via tabs:

  • Template – User can view the Template details by clicking on the Template name.
  • Once a project is created for the first time, the Artifact Management and Solution Types are added to the Project.
  • Resource Rate – This can be used to configure the Project level resource rates.
  • Artifact Management is used configure the manual time budget (in minutes) for Create and Update actions for each artifact type (User Story, Test Case, Short Instruction, Requirement, Job Aid, Article). These values are used for effort and time reporting.
  • Solution Types are used in requirements generation, initially derived from the Tenant level setting. User can later modify them
  • Personas – By default during project creation, the Personas setup at the Tenant level are inherited.
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Saving the project

  • Click Save (or Finish) after completing all steps.
  • On save, BriefSpec creates a project-scoped Draft copy of the selected template linked to this project.
  • The project appears in the Projects list in Draft execution status.
  • If your plan limit for active projects has been reached, creation is blocked.

5. Editing a Project

Opening the edit form

  • From Manage Projects, click the row action menu on the project and select Edit Project.
  • The same four-step wizard opens, pre-populated with existing values.
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What can be changed

  • Project Name, Description – editable at any execution status.
  • Pillars & Epics, Solution Types – editable until execution status locks these fields.
  • Team Members – members can be added or removed at any time from the Users tab in the project workspace.
  • Artifact time budgets – always editable.
  • Project Template (source and selection) – editable only while the project execution status is Draft.

What cannot be changed after Draft

  • Project Template source type (System vs Custom) and the template selection are locked once execution begins.
  • Use Change Project Template from the Manage Projects row action if the action is available for your role and project state.
  • Client selection cannot be changed

Promoting the project template to global

  • On the Settings step of Edit Project, click Promote to Global next to the linked template name.
  • Enter a new unique global template name.
  • This creates a new global Draft Custom Template in Settings > Project Templates for reuse on future projects.
  • The project-scoped copy remains unchanged.

6. Project Workspace

Once a project is created, click its name from the Projects list to open the project workspace.. The tabs on the left side depend on the modules enabled in the project template.

Core workspace tabs

  • Dashboard / Analytics – project health scorecard, widgets, and charts. Widget visibility is controlled by template Dashboard settings.
  • Backlog – requirements management. Supports both RTM and User Story formats depending on the template Backlog requirement_form setting.
  • Phases (Milestones) – delivery phases with start/end dates, status, predecessor links, and phase requirements.
  • Sprint – sprint board for agile project types. Manage sprints and backlog requirements in board or list view.
  • Defects – defect logging, tracking, and resolution. Supports custom fields and workflow statuses.
  • Test Cases – test case catalog for the project. Create, manage, and link test cases to requirements.
  • Test Cycles – test execution cycles grouping test cases into sections, assigning testers, and tracking results.
  • Service Requests – capture and track support, incident, and change requests from clients or internal teams.
  • Action Items – task tracking for follow-ups, resolutions, and sign-offs with status and assignment.
  • Traceability – end-to-end traceability view linking requirements, test cases, defects, and phases.
  • Documents – file attachments and document management for the project.
  • Scribe 360 – session recording and transcription for meetings, workshops, and demos.
  • Key Decisions – log and track key project decisions with approvals.
  • RAID Logs – risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies log.
  • Activity – audit trail of all Project config changes.
  • Users – project team management, role assignments, and privilege configuration.

Tab availability

  • Only modules enabled in the project template appear as tabs.
  • If a tab is missing, check the project template module settings under Settings > Project Templates.

7. Project Execution Status

Execution status is a project-level state separate from any individual record status. It controls which project-level actions and configuration changes are permitted.

Status values

  • Draft – initial state after project creation. Template and scope configuration is fully editable. The project does not yet appear in active delivery views.
  • In Progress – active delivery state. Template source changes are locked. Backlog, Test Cases, and other module data can be created and managed freely.
  • On Hold – project is paused. Records are preserved. Work can resume by returning to In Progress.
  • Archived – project is closed. All data is retained for reporting and reference. Archived projects appear only in the Inactive project list.

Changing execution status

  • From edit Projects, use the Status column inline edit or the row action menu to update execution status.
  • Status transitions may require confirmation depending on the downstream impact.
  • Archiving a project removes its project-scoped template from active use but does not delete the template or its records.

8. Managing Projects

Row actions on Manage Projects

Each project row in the list exposes the following actions (subject to your role permissions):

  • Edit Project – open the four-step wizard to update project details, scope, team, or settings.
  • Change Template – reassign the project to a different System or Custom template. Available only when the project execution status is Draft.
  • Delete Project – permanently delete the project and its project-scoped template. Deletion is available only for Draft projects with no critical linked data. This action cannot be undone.
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Active and inactive projects

  • Active projects appear in the default Manage Projects view.
  • Inactive (Archived or Inactive-flagged) projects are accessible by switching the toggle to Inactive.
  • Client details and team assignments remain visible on inactive projects for historical reference.

Exporting project data

  • Use the export options within individual modules (Defects, Backlog, Service Requests, Test Cases) to export records.
  • Project-level summary data is available from the Analytics Dashboard within the project workspace.

9. Role-Based Access

Project access is governed by two layers: tenant-level role privileges (configured under Settings > Role Privileges) and project-level role assignments (configured on the project Users tab or during project creation).

Tenant-level privilege keys

  • manage-projects – controls visibility of the Manage Projects item in the sidebar and listing page.
  • project-add – controls the Add Project button and project creation wizard.
  • project-update – controls the Edit Project wizard, inline status edits, and template changes.
  • project-delete – controls the Delete Project action on Draft projects.

Privilege levels

  • Hidden – feature not visible to the user.
  • Read – controls and buttons may appear but create, edit, and delete actions are disabled.
  • Read and Edit – full action enabled for that privilege.

Project-level roles

  • Each user added to a project is assigned a project role (for example Author, Tester, Project Manager, Application Admin, Client User, Client Approver).
  • Project roles govern which workspace tabs, actions, and records the user can interact with inside that specific project.
  • Role privileges within a project can be reviewed and adjusted from the Project Users tab inside the project workspace.
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Typical access patterns

  • Tenant administrators and application admins – full project creation, editing, template management, and deletion.
  • Project managers and test managers – create and edit projects; manage team and execution status; may change templates on Draft projects.
  • Authors and testers – assigned to projects by admins; access workspace tabs per project role; cannot create or delete projects.
  • Client users and client approvers – limited access to specific workspace areas as defined by project role; no Manage Projects access.

10. Pillars and Epics

Pillars and Epics define the functional scope of a project and are used throughout all project modules.

What are Pillars and Epics

  • Pillar – the top-level software product or functional domain (for example Oracle HCM, SAP Finance, Custom Portal).
  • Epic (Module) – a functional area within a pillar (for example Payroll, General Ledger, User Management).
  • Every Backlog item, Service Request, Defect, and Test Case is associated with a pillar and epic.

Adding Pillars and Epics

  • On the Scope & Timeline step of the project wizard, click Add Pillar.
  • Select a pillar from the tenant software catalog (Pillars are configured at the tenant level).
  • Click Add Pillar & Epics and select one or more epics within that pillar.
  • Multiple pillars with their own sets of epics can be added to a single project.
  • Pillars and epics can be edited after project creation while the project scope allows changes.

Impact of Pillars and Epics

  • Transcript and AI features (AI-generated user stories, scripts, and parent-child linkage) require at least one active pillar and epic.
  • Filtering in Backlog, Defects, Service Requests, and Test Cases is scoped to the project pillars and epics.
  • Removing a pillar or epic that has existing records may be blocked to protect data integrity.

11. Artifact Management

Artifact Management allows you to configure the estimated manual time required for Create and Update actions on each artifact type in the project. These values feed into effort tracking and time reporting.

Configuring artifact time

  • Open the Settings step of Create Project or Edit Project.
  • Select the Artifact tab.
  • For each artifact type, enter the estimated time in the Create column and the Update column.
  • Time is specified in minutes.
  • Artifact types include: User Story, Test Case, Short Instruction, Requirement (RTM Style or User Story), Job Aid, and Article.
  • Input value can only be greater than the default value setup.
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12. Common Messages and Troubleshooting

  • You have reached your limit for No Of Active Projects – your subscription plan caps the number of active projects; contact your BriefSpec representative to increase the limit.
  • You do not have permission to view this screen – your role lacks the manage-projects privilege; ask an administrator to update Role Privileges.
  • Template selection disabled on edit project – the project execution status is no longer Draft; use Change Project Template from Manage Projects if available for your role.
  • End date must be after start date – correct the date range on the Scope & Timeline step.
  • No pillars available – pillars must be configured in the tenant software catalog before they can be added to a project.
  • Failed to save project – check that all required fields (Project Name, Client, Project Template) are filled in and that you have an active network connection.
  • Cannot delete project – only Draft projects with no critical linked data can be deleted; archive the project instead to remove it from active views.
  • Missing authentication details – your session may have expired; refresh the page and log in again.
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13. Recommended Practices

  • Define pillars and epics carefully before creating the project, as they drive all downstream scoping, filtering, and AI features.
  • Choose the project Template before saving; changing it after execution begins requires the Change Template action and is restricted to Draft status.
  • Keep project names descriptive – include client name, engagement type, and phase where relevant (for example ACME – ERP Rollout – Phase 1).
  • Assign team members during project creation or immediately after, so role-based access is in place before work begins.
  • Set artifact time estimates on the Settings step to enable accurate effort reporting from day one.
  • Move the project to In Progress only when the team is ready to begin delivery; this locks template and scope configuration.
  • Use On Hold rather than Archived for temporary pauses; archived projects are harder to reactivate.
  • Use the Promote to Global action when a project-scoped template proves successful and should become a standard for future projects.
  • Coordinate execution status changes with your project team, as status transitions can affect which actions and modules are available.
  • Review plan limits for active projects before large-scale rollouts to avoid creation being blocked mid-engagement.

Appendix

The following appendices provide detailed reference material. Each section identifies its target audience so you can find content relevant to your role.

Appendix A: Quick-Reference Tables

A.1 Project Wizard Steps Summary

Target audience: All users creating or editing projects.

  • Step 1 – Project Details: Project Name (required), Client (required), Project Type, Project Template (required), Description, Visibility.
  • Step 2 – Scope & Timeline: Start Date, End Date, Timezone, Pillars & Epics, Solution Types.
  • Step 3 – Team Members: Internal members with roles, Client Users, Client Approvers.
  • Step 4 – Settings: General toggles, Artifact Management time budgets.

A.2 Execution Status Transition Matrix

Target audience: Project managers managing the project lifecycle.

  • Draft –> In Progress: begins delivery; locks template selection.
  • In Progress –> On Hold: pauses delivery; data intact.
  • On Hold –> In Progress: resumes delivery.
  • In Progress / On Hold –> Archived: closes engagement; project moves to Inactive list.
  • Template change is only available in Draft status.

A.3 Privilege Matrix

Target audience: Tenant administrators configuring Role Privileges.

  • manage-projects: Shows Manage Projects in sidebar. Hidden = not visible.
  • project-add: Add Project button and wizard. Read = button visible but disabled.
  • project-update: Edit wizard, inline status, Change Template. Read = controls visible but disabled.
  • project-delete: Delete action on Draft projects. Read = icon visible but disabled.

A.4 Workspace Tab Availability by Module

Target audience: Project managers and template owners verifying workspace configuration.

  • Dashboard – requires Dashboard/Analytics module active in template.
  • Backlog, Sprint – requires Backlog module active.
  • Phases (Milestones) – requires Phases module active; Backlog must also be active.
  • Test Cases – requires Test Cases module active.
  • Test Cycles – requires Test Cycles module active.
  • Defects – requires Defects module active.
  • Service Requests – requires Service Requests module active (plan entitlement may also apply).
  • Action Items – requires Action Items module active.
  • Traceability – requires Backlog and Phases both active.
  • Documents, DocuGen, Scribe 360 – plan entitlement required.
  • RAID Logs, Key Decisions – available when plan includes these modules.


Appendix B: Glossary and Term Mapping

Target audience: All users learning BriefSpec terminology.

  • Project – the top-level container for all engagement deliverables, linking a client, template, team, and scope.
  • Pillar – a top-level functional domain within a Software application in scope for the project.
  • Epic (Module) – a functional area within a pillar.
  • Execution Status – project lifecycle state (Draft, In Progress, On Hold, Archived).
  • Project Template (Module Configuration Template) – the template that drives which workspace tabs and modules are active.
  • Project-scoped Template – a Draft copy of the selected template automatically created and linked to a project on save.
  • Artifact Management – configuration of manual time budgets for create/update actions on each artifact type.
  • Promote to Global – the action that converts a project-scoped template into a reusable global Custom Template.
  • Solution Types – Used in requirements generation, applied to a requirement for categorization.


Appendix C: Scenario Playbooks

Target audience: Tenant administrators and project managers executing common project setup tasks.

Playbook 1: Create a standard delivery project

  • 1. Confirm the correct Project Template exists as Published and Active in Settings > Project Templates.
  • 2. Click Add Project on Manage Projects.
  • 3. Fill in Project Name, Client, Project Type, and select the template.
  • 4. Add pillars and epics in Scope & Timeline.
  • 5. Add team members in Team Members step.
  • 6. Set artifact time estimates in Settings > Artifact Management.
  • 7. Save the project.
  • 8. Update execution status to In Progress when the team is ready to begin delivery.

Playbook 2: Change project template on a Draft project

  • 1. Confirm the project execution status is Draft.
  • 2. Go to Manage Projects, open the row action menu, and click Change Template.
  • 3. Select the new System or Custom template source and template name.
  • 4. Save; a new project-scoped Draft template copy is created.

Playbook 3: Promote a project template to a global standard

  • 1. Open Edit Project on the relevant project.
  • 2. Go to the Settings step and click Promote to Global next to the template name.
  • 3. Enter a descriptive global template name.
  • 4. Save; the new global Draft Custom Template appears in Settings > Project Templates.
  • 5. Publish the global template when ready for wider use.


Appendix D: Related Settings Cross-Reference

Target audience: Tenant administrators navigating adjacent configuration areas.

  • Settings > Role Privileges – Assign project-* privilege levels per role (Appendix A.3).
  • Settings > Project Templates – Manage System and Custom templates that can be assigned to projects.
  • Settings > Manage Plan – View active project count limits and other plan entitlements.
  • Settings > Software Management – Configure the software pillars available for project scope.
  • Manage Projects > Create / Edit Project – Primary workflow described in this guide.
  • Manage Projects > Change Template – Reassign template on Draft projects.