Overview
The Projects page is the central hub for all project management in Dash360. Administrators create and configure projects here, control which projects are visible to users, and access the full suite of per-project settings.
Every piece of cost estimating, earned value, scheduling, and risk data in Dash360 belongs to a project. Setting up a project correctly (with the right code files, rate files, registry settings, and configuration) determines what users can do and see.
Permissions
Administrator role required for all operations on this page.
Project List
Projects are organized into two collapsible groups: Active Projects and Inactive Projects. Each row shows the project name and a set of status indicators on the right side.
Row Indicators
| Indicator | Description |
|---|
| Locked icon | The project is locked: editing is prevented across all modules |
| Default icon | This project loads automatically when users first open Dash360 |
| Favorite icon | Favorited projects appear at the top of all project selectors |
| Needs Recalculating | A yellow indicator that appears when project data has changed and EV metrics need to be recalculated. Click Recalculate from the process menu to resolve it. |
| Sharing indicators | Icons showing which code files (WBS, WP, Resource, Rate, Registry, etc.) are shared with other projects. See Shared Files. |
Expanded Project Panel
Click a project name to expand its panel. The panel shows the files and notebook fields currently configured for the project; a quick reference without opening the full settings form.
Configured Files (each with a link to browse the file and an edit button):
| File | Links Available |
|---|
| Registry | Registry Items, Edit |
| WBS Code File | Tree view, Edit |
| Work Package Code File | Tree view, Edit |
| Resource File | Resource Results, Resource Codes, Edit |
| Rate File | Rate Sets, Edit |
| Contingency Source File | Modify Items, Edit |
| Activity Code File | Tree view, Edit |
| Basis Code File | Tree view, Edit |
- Work Package Notebook Fields
- WBS Notebook Fields
- Resource Assignment Notebook Fields
- Risk Register Notebook Fields
Creating a Project
Click Add Project to open the project configuration form. The form requires at minimum a project name and the assignment of supporting files (WBS code file, resource file, rate file, registry set).
See Edit a Project for a full description of every configuration tab; Properties, General, Cost Classes, Code Files, Thresholds, Signatures, Calendar, Notebooks, and more.
After saving, the project appears in the Inactive Projects list. Activate it when it is ready for users.
Activating and Deactivating Projects
Use the Active toggle on a project row to control whether that project is visible to non-admin users. Inactive projects do not appear in project selectors in any module.
Activating a project triggers a rebuild of its reporting tables. This runs in the background and may take a few minutes for large projects. Deactivating a project archives its reporting data.
Manage Visibility (Batch)
Click Manage Visibility to open the visibility modal, which shows all projects in two drag-and-drop lists: Active and Inactive. Drag projects between lists to change their visibility, and drag within the Active list to set the display order in project selectors.
- The Default Project cannot be moved to Inactive (a validation error prevents it).
- When a project is moved to Inactive, its Favorite flag is cleared.
- Active project order is saved and reflected in all project dropdowns across Dash360.
- Single-project changes apply immediately. Moving multiple projects or mixed operations is queued to a background service.
Setting the Default Project
Mark one project as the Default to have it pre-selected when users open Dash360. Only one project can be the default at a time.
Use the Set as Default Project option in the process menu (⋯) on any active, unlocked project row.
Marking Favorites
Favorited projects appear at the top of project selection dropdowns across all modules. Use Set as Favorite or Remove as Favorite from the process menu to toggle.
Editing a Project
Click the Edit button (pencil icon) on any project row to open the full configuration form. See Edit a Project for a complete field-by-field reference.
Each project row has a process menu (⋯ icon) that exposes all available operations for that project. The actions available depend on whether the project is active and unlocked.
Always Available
| Action | Description |
|---|
| Copy Project | Duplicate the project and its settings into a new project |
| Backup Project | Download a full project backup as an Excel file |
| Backup Project to Another Server | Backup with an option to include user data, for server-to-server migration |
Active Projects Only
| Action | Description |
|---|
| Set as Default Project | Make this the default project that loads when users open Dash360 |
| Set as Favorite / Remove as Favorite | Toggle favorite status |
| Calculate Earned Value | Trigger an EV calculation for the project |
| Recalculate Project | Recalculate all project metrics, optionally filtered by WBS/WP/cost class/resource code |
| Recalculate Contingency | Recalculate contingency at the resource assignment level. Shown only when RA-level contingency is enabled in the registry. |
| Download IPMDAR Files | Generate and download IPMDAR submission files |
| Copy Cost Class | Copy resource assignment data from one cost class to another |
| Respread Resources Linearly by Activity Dates | Redistribute resource assignment time-phased units evenly across each activity’s date range |
| Copy Budget RA Notebook Entries to Earned Resource Assignments | Propagate notebook field values from Budget cost class RAs to their Earned counterparts |
| Assign All Activity Subtotals as Weights | Set the work package weight of every activity equal to its cost subtotal |
| Assign All Activities and Resource Assignments that Overlap | Link resource assignments to activities where the date ranges overlap |
| Shift Project Dates | Shift all resource assignment dates forward or backward. Only available on projects with no earned value data. |
Operation Details
Shift Project Dates
Use Shift Project Dates to move resource assignment dates when a project’s start has been rescheduled.
This operation is only available on projects that have no earned value data. Once EV data exists, dates cannot be bulk-shifted.
- Number of Months: enter a positive or negative number of months; the new project start date is calculated and displayed before you commit
- Calendar Date: pick an exact new project start date using a date picker
Optional filters: restrict the shift to a subset of data:
| Filter | Description |
|---|
| WBS | Limit to specific WBS elements (multi-select) |
| Work Package | Limit to specific work packages within the selected WBS (multi-select) |
| Cost Class | Limit to specific cost classes (multi-select) |
| Resource Type | Limit to Labor, Non-Labor, or Travel (multi-select) |
Recalculate Project
Opens a modal with two modes:
- Recalculate All: recalculates the entire project (default)
- Recalculate by Custom Filters: limits recalculation to a specific WBS, Work Package, Cost Class, and/or Resource Code
Use custom filters for large projects when you only need to refresh a specific section.
Copy Project
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|
| New Project Name | Name for the copied project | Yes |
| Copy Project Code Files | When checked, creates new copies of the associated code files instead of sharing the originals | No |
Backup and Restore
Backup Project: downloads the full project as an Excel (.xlsx) backup file immediately.
Backup Project to Another Server: same as Backup, with an additional Include Users checkbox to embed user account data in the backup for server migration.
Restore Project: upload a previously downloaded backup file to recreate a project.
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|
| Project Name | Name for the restored project | Yes |
| File to Restore | Backup file (.xlsx format) | Yes |
Delete a Project
Click the Delete button (trash icon) on a project row. A confirmation modal offers two options:
Option 1: Delete Project Snapshot Only
Removes the project record but preserves all associated code files (WBS, WP, Resource, Rate, Registry, etc.) for use by other projects.
Option 2: Delete Project Snapshot and Its Associated Files
Removes the project and the code files assigned to it. Individual checkboxes let you control which associated files are deleted; each is pre-checked by default:
- WBS Code File
- WP Code File
- Activity Code File
- Basis Code File
- Resource Code File
- Contingency Source File
- Registry Set
- Rate File
- All assigned Notebook Fields (Work Package, WBS, Resource Assignment, Control Account, Risk Register)
Deleting associated files is permanent and affects any other project that shares those files. If a code file is shared, uncheck it in the delete modal to preserve it for the other projects using it.
Shared Files
A project’s code files, resource files, rate files, and registry sets can be shared with other projects. When a file is shared, any change to that file affects all projects using it. The project list shows which files are shared using indicator icons on each project row.
Shared files are powerful for maintaining consistency across related projects; for example, a program with multiple projects that all use the same WBS structure. Be aware that editing a shared file will affect every project that references it. Use Option 1 (Snapshot Only) when deleting projects that share files.
