Learn guide
How to create a project
A project keeps billable work connected to the right client and billing model before that work moves into reviews and invoices.
Steps
Set up the project before logging work.
Projects
Set up client work with the right billing model before logging entries.
Projects keep work entries, reviews, and invoices connected to one client.
Project | Client | Billing | Rate | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Website redesign | Northstar Studio | Hourly | Development | Active | |
Launch package | Brightline Labs | Fixed fee | Project total | Active | |
Monthly support | Aster Creative | Hourly | Strategy | Active |
Step 1 of 7
Open Projects
Open Projects from the dashboard sidebar when you need to set up work under a specific client and billing model.
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Detailed guide
Create a project in Otterflow, step by step
This text version explains how projects connect clients, billing type, rates, work entries, reviews, and invoices.
Step 1
Open the Projects area
Open Projects from the dashboard sidebar. This page is where project records are listed, searched, created, opened, archived, and managed. A project should exist before you start logging work for a client.
Step 2
Start a new project
Choose New project to open the project form. A project belongs to one client, so the client must exist before the project can be saved. This connection is what keeps later work entries, reviews, and invoices tied to the correct company.
Step 3
Choose the client and currency context
Select the client that owns the project. The selected client's currency controls which rates can be used on the project. If the client is billed in EUR, for example, Otterflow only allows rates that use the same currency, so billing stays consistent across work entries, reviews, and invoices.
Step 4
Name the project
Give the project a clear name that will make sense when you select it from work logs, review builders, and reporting views. The project name is part of your operational structure, so use something specific enough to distinguish it from other work for the same client.
Step 5
Choose hourly or fixed-fee billing
Choose the billing type. Hourly projects use tracked hours and a matching hourly rate to calculate billable value. Fixed-fee projects use an agreed project amount instead of an hourly rate, so fixed-fee projects require a fixed-fee amount and do not use a default hourly rate.
Step 6
Set the default billing details
For hourly projects, select the default hourly rate that should be used when logging work. Only rates in the selected client's currency are available. For fixed-fee projects, enter the agreed fixed-fee amount and an optional label so the fixed-fee work can be recognized later.
Step 7
Add private project context
Add an internal note if you need private context about the scope, agreement, or billing rules. Internal notes help you remember project details, but they are not meant to be client-facing review or invoice copy.
Step 8
Save and manage the project
Save the form to create the project and return to the Projects area. A project can only be removed when it has no active work entries. If work has already been logged and you no longer want the project to appear as active, archive the project instead so the historical workflow stays intact.