There are three ways to remove a project from your project list:
- Delete it,
- Deactivate it, or
- Merge it with another project.
This overview article will describe all three options and provide scenarios for using them. We’ll also direct you to specific articles that explain each option step-by-step.
Takeaways
- Deleting a project is a permanent action. The project and data—such as time and billing history—associated with the project are removed from BigTime forever.
- Deactivating a project removes the project from your Project List in BigTime, but the data are saved. A deactivated project can be reactivated—an option that’s available to Premier users.
- Merging one project with another is an option when you’ve got duplicate projects in BigTime. As it sounds, this option involves merging two projects together.
Delete a Project
It’s rare to delete a project. It’s a permanent action that removes the project and the project’s data from BigTime. But there are situations when you may want to.
For example, you think you’ll land a contract with Company A. You prematurely enter details about the project, but the contract falls through. You may decide to delete the project. Alternatively, you could deactivate the project, if it may work out in the future. We explain that option next.
Note: BigTime will not allow you to delete a project that has transactions associated with it. If you try to delete it, BigTime will ask if you are sure you want to delete. When you click “yes,” it’ll give you an error that lists the number of transactions you have on the project. For example, “5 time entries, 2 expenses, 1 invoice.”
Deactivate a Project
It’s common for BigTime users to deactivate projects, like when a project is complete or on hold. It’s an easy way to keep the Project List clear and filled only with active projects.
Here’s an example: your website design project for XYZ Media is on hold for the next two months, so you decide to deactivate it since you’ll resume work again in a few months.
Deactivating a project removes the project from your Project List and prevents users from entering and editing allocations. If the project is still on the timesheet, then time can continue to be added—unless a due date is established for that project. However, you can reactivate the project at any time with your project data intact. In short, deactivating a project gives you flexibility in the future.
Merge One Project With Another
Say you accidentally created two projects for the same client. Or you started Project A and Project B is very similar. Merging one project with another is an option when these situations occur. Refer to this article to learn how to merge projects.