What are project types?
Project types are labels that categorize projects by:- Service offering — Financial planning, tax prep, insurance review
- Engagement type — Onboarding, annual review, ad-hoc request
- Workflow category — Client service vs internal operations
Default project types
Slant includes common project types:| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Financial Plan | Comprehensive financial planning engagement |
| Annual Review | Yearly client review process |
| Onboarding | New client setup and paperwork |
| Tax Preparation | Tax return preparation |
| General | Uncategorized projects |
Create a project type
1
Go to settings
Navigate to Settings → Book → Project types.
2
Click Create
Click Create project type.
3
Enter details
Configure the project type:
- Name — Display name
- Description — What this type represents
- Color — Visual identifier
- Icon — Optional icon
4
Set defaults
Optionally set default values:
- Default milestones
- Default assignee rules
- Estimated duration
5
Save
Click Save to create the type.
Configure project type details
Basic information
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | How the type appears in lists and dropdowns |
| Description | Explanation of when to use this type |
| Color | Color coding for visual identification |
| Icon | Optional icon for quick recognition |
Default milestones
Pre-configure milestones for the project type:1
Open project type
Edit the project type.
2
Go to Milestones
Click the Milestones section.
3
Add milestones
Define default milestones:
- Milestone name
- Relative due date (e.g., “Day 7”)
- Description
4
Save
New projects of this type get these milestones automatically.
Default tasks
Set tasks that are created automatically:1
Edit project type
Open the project type settings.
2
Go to Tasks
Click the Default tasks section.
3
Add tasks
Define tasks with:
- Task name
- Description
- Relative due date
- Default assignee rule
Assign project types
When creating a project
1
Create new project
Start creating a project.
2
Select type
Choose the project type from the dropdown.
3
Type applied
Default milestones and tasks are added.
Change existing project type
1
Open project
Navigate to the project.
2
Click Edit
Click Edit or the pencil icon.
3
Change type
Select a different project type.
4
Save
Click Save to apply.
Changing a project’s type doesn’t add or remove milestones/tasks. It only changes the categorization.
Edit project types
1
Go to project types
Navigate to Settings → Book → Project types.
2
Find the type
Locate the project type to edit.
3
Click Edit
Click the edit icon.
4
Make changes
Update the configuration.
5
Save
Click Save to apply changes.
Editing a project type updates future projects but doesn’t change existing ones.
Archive project types
Remove unused types from the active list:1
Go to project types
Navigate to project type settings.
2
Find the type
Locate the type to archive.
3
Click Archive
Click the archive icon or menu option.
4
Confirm
The type moves to archived.
Archived types
- Don’t appear in dropdown menus
- Existing projects keep their type
- Can be restored if needed
Restore archived type
1
Show archived
Toggle Show archived in project types list.
2
Find the type
Locate the archived type.
3
Click Restore
Click Restore to reactivate.
Filter and report by type
Filter projects
1
Go to Projects
Navigate to Projects in the sidebar.
2
Open filters
Click Filter.
3
Select type
Choose Project type and select types to show.
4
Apply
List shows only matching projects.
Project type reporting
Use project types for analysis:- How many financial plans are in progress?
- Average time to complete each project type?
- Which types have the most overdue milestones?
Project types vs templates
Both help standardize projects:| Feature | Project types | Project templates |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Categorization | Full project setup |
| Contains | Default structure | Complete configuration |
| Usage | Selected when creating | Applied when creating |
| Flexibility | Sets category, defaults optional | Creates exact copy |
- You need to categorize projects
- Defaults are helpful but flexible
- Reporting by category matters
- You need identical project setups
- Every task must be included
- Consistency is critical
Best practices
Keep types meaningful
Create types that:- Represent distinct service offerings
- Are mutually exclusive
- Aid in reporting and analysis
Don’t over-categorize
Too many types cause confusion:- Aim for 5-10 types
- Combine similar types
- Use tags for additional detail
Review periodically
Assess your project types:- Which types are used most?
- Are any unused?
- Should types be consolidated?
Coordinate with team
Ensure everyone understands:- What each type means
- When to use each type
- How types affect reporting
Troubleshooting
Type not appearing
Check:- Type isn’t archived
- You have permission to create projects
- Filter isn’t hiding it
Wrong defaults applied
Verify:- Correct type is selected
- Default settings are configured correctly
- Existing projects aren’t affected by type changes