Project Operations
A structured project management system with visual boards, task tracking, templates, and time logging for teams of any size.
Overview
Datar's Project Operations module provides a structured environment for planning, executing, and tracking work across your organisation. From simple task lists to multi-phase initiatives, the module gives teams the tools to stay aligned, meet deadlines, and deliver results.
Visual boards
Kanban-style boards give your team an at-a-glance view of work across every stage. Drag tasks between columns to update status instantly.
Templates
Start projects quickly using pre-built templates for common scenarios like incident management, feature development, or operational workflows.
Time tracking
Log hours directly against tasks and projects. Integrated timesheets capture billable and non-billable time for accurate reporting and project costing.
How to create a project
Get started by setting up a new project for your team
Step 1: Open the Projects page
Navigate to Projects from the main menu. You will see a list of all your existing projects, or a prompt to create your first one.
Step 2: Choose a template or start from scratch
Click "Create Project" and choose how you want to start:
Use a template
Templates come with pre-built task lists and workflows tailored to common scenarios like incident management, feature development, or operations. Choose a template to get up and running quickly.
Start from scratch
Create an empty project and set it up exactly the way you want. Add your own tasks, define the workflow, and invite your team as you go.
Step 3: Name your project and add details
Give your project a clear name and description so your team knows what it is about. You can also set start and end dates if you have a timeline in mind.
Step 4: Invite your team
Add team members to the project so they can see the board, create tasks, and collaborate. You can always add or remove people later.
Working with the board
The board gives you a visual overview of your project's progress
The project board is organised into columns, and each column represents a stage of your workflow. Tasks move from left to right as they progress through these stages.
Columns are stages
Each column on the board represents a status like "To Do," "In Progress," or "Done." Tasks sit in the column that matches their current status.
Drag to update
To change a task's status, simply drag it from one column to another. For example, when you start working on a task, drag it from "To Do" to "In Progress."
See the big picture
The board gives you a quick snapshot of where everything stands. At a glance, you can see what is waiting, what is in progress, and what is complete.
Managing tasks
Tasks are the individual pieces of work within your project
Tasks are the building blocks of every project. Each task represents a specific piece of work that needs to be done.
To create a task, click the "Add task" button on your project board or task list. Give your task a clear, specific title that describes what needs to be done.
You can add a description with more details, set a due date, and choose a priority level so your team knows what to focus on first.
Assign a task to a team member so they know it is their responsibility. The assigned person will receive a notification and the task will appear in their personal task list.
You can reassign tasks at any time if priorities change or someone else needs to take over.
As you work on a task, update its status to keep your team informed. You can change the status by dragging the task on the board, or by opening the task and selecting a new status from the dropdown.
Keeping statuses up to date helps everyone see the real state of the project at any time.
Each task can be assigned a priority level to help your team focus on what matters most:
Urgent
Needs immediate attention. Drop other work and handle this first.
High
Important and should be done soon. Prioritise this over normal tasks.
Medium
Normal priority. Complete in the regular flow of work.
Low
Not urgent. Handle when higher priority work is done.
Task lifecycle
Understand how tasks move through the workflow from creation to completion
Every task follows a defined lifecycle as it moves through your project workflow. Understanding the lifecycle helps your team coordinate handoffs and keep work flowing smoothly.
Forward progression
Tasks typically move from left to right: Backlog to To Do when planned, To Do to In Progress when started, through Review, and finally to Done. Each transition updates the board and notifies relevant team members.
Blocked tasks
If a task cannot proceed due to a dependency, missing information, or an external blocker, mark it as Blocked. This signals to your team that attention is needed and prevents the task from being overlooked.
Task status explained
Tasks move through these stages as work progresses
Every task has a status that shows where it is in the workflow. Here is what each status means:
Status | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
Backlog | backlog | The task has been noted but is not planned for immediate work. It will be picked up in a future cycle or when priorities allow. |
To Do | todo | The task is planned and ready to be worked on. It has been assigned and is waiting for someone to start. |
In Progress | in_progress | Someone is actively working on this task right now. |
Review | review | The work is done and is being reviewed by a team member or manager before it can be marked as complete. |
Done | done | The task has been completed and approved. No further action is needed. |
Closed | closed | The task has been closed. It may have been completed, cancelled, or deemed no longer necessary. |
Blocked | blocked | Something is preventing this task from moving forward. It could be waiting on another task, a decision, or an external dependency. |
Timesheets
Log time against projects and tasks for accurate reporting and costing
The Projects module integrates directly with timesheets so your team can log hours against specific tasks. This provides accurate project costing, resource utilisation data, and supports invoicing for client-facing work.
Per-task time entry
Select the project and task from your timesheet and enter your hours for each day. The system supports partial hours (e.g., 3.5 hours) and lets you allocate time across multiple projects.
Billable vs non-billable
Categorise each time entry as billable or non-billable and assign a work type (e.g., development, meetings, admin). This data feeds into project reports and financial summaries.
When you log time in a timesheet, you select a project and task from dropdown lists that are automatically populated from your active projects. Time entries are linked to the task, so project managers can see total hours spent per task and per team member.
Submitted timesheets go through the same approval workflow as other requests. Your manager reviews and approves the hours before they are finalised.
Collaborating with your team
Work together effectively using comments, mentions, and sharing
Projects are a team effort, and the platform provides several ways to communicate and work together without leaving the project.
Comments
Add comments to any task to share updates, ask questions, or provide feedback. All comments are visible to everyone on the project, creating a clear record of discussions.
Mentions
Type @ followed by a person's name in a comment to send them a notification. This is a great way to get someone's attention or ask for their input on a specific task.
Sharing
Share projects and individual tasks with people outside your immediate team. Control whether they can just view, comment, or make changes.
Business Outcomes
Measurable improvements to how your team plans and delivers work
Clear accountability
Every task has an assigned owner, due date, and priority. Team members know exactly what they are responsible for and when it is due.
Project visibility
Visual boards and status tracking give managers and stakeholders a real-time view of project health without requiring manual status reports.
Accurate time data
Integrated timesheets capture actual hours spent per task, enabling accurate project costing, resource planning, and client invoicing.
Repeatable processes
Project templates codify your best practices into reusable workflows. New projects start with proven structures rather than from scratch.
Team coordination
Built-in comments, mentions, and notifications keep communication contextual and visible to the entire project team.
Delivery predictability
Tracking task completion rates and blocked items helps teams identify bottlenecks early and forecast delivery dates more accurately.
Tips for getting the most out of Projects
Instead of creating one large task, break it into smaller steps that can be completed independently. This makes it easier to track progress, assign work to different people, and see how the project is moving along.
The board is only useful if it reflects reality. Make a habit of updating your task statuses as you work. When you start a task, move it to "In Progress." When you finish, move it to "Done." This helps your whole team stay informed.
If your team regularly runs similar projects (like monthly reports or product releases), use a template to set one up quickly. Templates include pre-defined tasks and workflows, so you do not have to start from scratch every time.
Use the project board during team meetings to review what is done, what is in progress, and what is coming up. The visual layout makes it easy for everyone to understand the current state of the project at a glance.
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