In this article, we will review the main functionality of the Process Management feature in PPM Express.
Each Project in PPM Express has an associated process. When a new project is created, a process is selected and applied immediately. If no process is manually chosen, the system will automatically apply the default process.
Different projects can utilize different processes, meaning each project may have a unique set of phases and stages, providing greater customization and flexibility.
Managing Processes in PPM Express
Each PPM Express tenant includes at least one project process. Administrators can review and edit this list by clicking the gear icon and selecting Process Management.
On the Process Management page, the following default processes are available depending on your subscription plan:
Projects Plans (Projects Monthly/Annually, Projects Unlimited):
- Only one process, "Project Process (PMI)," is created when the tenant is set up.
- Users cannot clone or create new processes.
- If demo data is deployed, an additional process will also be created.
- Total: 2 out-of-the-box (OOB) processes.
Enterprise & Enterprise Ultra Plans:
- By default, only "Project Process (PMI)" is created when the tenant is set up.
- Users can clone and create new processes.
- If demo data is deployed, "Stage-Gate Process" and "PMI Demonstration Process" will also be created.
- Total: 1–3 out-of-the-box (OOB) processes.
"Project Process (PMI)" is set as the default process for all new tenants.
To add a new process to the tenant, click "New". Use filters to refine the process list for easier navigation.
The following actions can be performed on a process:
- Deactivate
- View Related Projects
- Set as Default
- Edit
- Delete
- Clone
Process Dashboard (Details and Stages)
When a process is opened, the Process Page is displayed. This page consists of two sections:
- Details
- Stages
In the Details section, you can:
- Rename the process
- Change its status(Active, Inactive, Draft)
- Add a description
The status determines whether a process is available for selection in projects:
- Draft → Not visible in the Project Process selection field and cannot be assigned to projects.
- Active → Visible in the Project Process selection field and can be assigned to projects.
- Inactive → Not visible in the Project Process selection field and cannot be assigned to projects.
From the ellipsis menu on the right, you can perform the following:
- Set the process as default (only active process can be set as default)
- Clone the process
- Delete the process (Note: A process that is already assigned to projects cannot be deleted (except for the process assigned to the Archived projects).)
Stages & Phases
Each Project Process consists of phases, and each phase includes multiple stages.
Click "Configure Process Phases" to edit phase names and colors. However, you cannot delete or add new phases or change the order of phases.
Each phase must contain at least one stage in the system Canceled and Suspended phases, and at least one stage in any other active non-system phase. New stages can be created and moved between phases using drag and drop functionality.
You can perform the following actions with stages:
- Rename stages.
- Change their color.
- Select a phase for the opened stage.
- Add a description.
- Choose a layout (determines how project sections appear on the project dashboard when this process and stage are used).
- Configure Approval for Transition (By default, "No Approval" is set. If an API feature is enabled for the tenant, API-based approvals can be configured. This determines whether approval is required to transition from this stage to the next one. For API-based approvals, an external approval workflow must be created.)
- Select Project State (This is a read-only project field connected to the project stage. It is automatically filled when the project stage is selected.)
Stages always follow a sequential order.
Clicking the ellipsis button next to each stage provides the following actions:
- Edit
- Move Up/Down
- Clone
- Delete
A Flow Chart view is available for the Stages section. From this view, you can add new stages and configure phases.
Once the process and stages configuration are done, change the process Status to Active to be able to use it in projects.