Special Projects Module

Special Projects Module

Special Projects manages complex, one-off logistics programs that span multiple modes (air, sea, transport, warehousing, customs) and require scoping, milestone-based delivery and billing, and a shared ERPNext Project for operational roll-up. It integrates with Internal Job Detail (same pattern as General Job), Project Order / Project Job for program-level tasks and charges, and links logistics jobs across the platform to one project.

To access the Special Projects workspace, go to:

Home > Special Projects

1. Prerequisites

Before using Special Projects, set up the following:

• Special Project Settings – Default Project Type for ERPNext integration
• Special Handling Type – Handling types for products (e.g. DG, temperature-controlled)
• Special Handling Equipment Type – Equipment types for project equipment
• ERPNext Project Type – At least one Project Type (e.g. External) for auto-created projects
• Customer, Item, and User masters in ERPNext

2. Key Concepts

2.1 Special Project

A Special Project is the main programme document. On first insert, an ERPNext Project is auto-created (or you can link an existing one). The Special Project ID uses the ERPNext Project ID (e.g. PROJ-0001) when auto-created, or the fallback series SP-.#####. That same ID is what you set on operational documents’ Project field (Special Project name = ERPNext Project name).

2.2 Project Order and Project Job

• Project Order – Programme-level order under a Special Project (series e.g. SPOR-.#####). Holds resources, charges, milestones, and documents; used to spawn Project Job records for execution.
• Project Job – Operational-style job document for special-project work, with charge lines and profitability tooling aligned with other logistics jobs. Links to Special Project and optionally to a Project Order.

Use these when work is scoped and billed as programme tasks rather than only as Air/Sea/Transport/Customs/Warehouse legs.

2.3 Integration with Logistics Doctypes

Logistics documents (Air Shipment, Sea Shipment, Transport Job, Warehouse Job, Declaration, etc.) have a Project field. Set it to the programme’s ERPNext Project (same name as the Special Project document) so milestones, costing, and reporting roll up to one portfolio.

Sales Quote can link to a Special Project on the Projects tab. When the quote is saved, empty fields on the linked programme are filled from the quote where appropriate (customer and back-link to the quote), similar in spirit to copying Project from the quote when creating a Declaration Order from a Sales Quote.

3. Typical Workflow

3.1 Create and Scope a Project

1. Go to Special Projects > Project > New (DocType list label Special Project)
2. Enter Project Name, Customer, Sales Quote (optional)
3. Set Status (Draft → Scoping → Booked → Planning → Approved → In Progress → Completed)
4. Add Scoping Activities (Ocular Inspection, Road Inspection, Technical Consultation) with dates, costs, and status
5. Save – an ERPNext Project is auto-created and linked

3.2 Jobs Tab – Internal Job Detail

The Jobs tab uses the shared Internal Job Detail child table (not legacy per-mode activity tabs on the Special Project form):

1. Linked operational legs – Rows with service type Air, Sea, Transport, Customs, or Warehousing reference the relevant order/booking (Job Type / Job No). Planned and actual cost and revenue can be tracked per row.
2. Special Project resource rows – Rows with service type Special Project capture site, manpower, equipment, handling, and notes for programme-only resources (these rows do not resolve to a shipment/declaration job for milestone maps).
3. Alternatively, set the Project field on operational documents directly; milestones from those jobs are aggregated on the Milestones tab when rows resolve to shipments/jobs.

3.3 Programme Tasks (Optional)

1. On the Lifecycle tab, add a Lifecycle Jobs row with Service Type = Special Project (leave Job No empty until created).
2. On the Special Project form, use Create > Booking / Order. In the dialog, open the card for that line and click Create, then enter Order Title. The system creates a Project Order (programme header and Special Project charge lines copied), links it on Job No, and opens the order.
3. Add milestones and documents on the order if needed, then use Create > Project Job on the Project Order to create the execution job (or create a Project Job standalone linked to the programme).

3.4 Track Billing

1. Charges tab – Programme charge lines (same pattern as Sea Shipment charges); link Sales Invoice when invoiced

4. Features

4.1 Dashboard Tab

The Dashboard tab provides a compact overview of project status, resources, jobs, billings, and costs:

• Status – Current status (Draft, Scoping, Booked, Planning, Approved, In Progress, On Hold, Completed, Cancelled) with color-coded badge
• Resources – Count, planned vs actual hours (where applicable)
• Jobs – Count, planned/actual cost and revenue
• Billings – Items count, planned amount, pending vs invoiced/paid
• Site materials – Requirement count, shortfall, on-site fill
• Summary – Budget (cost), actual cost, budget (revenue), actual revenue

Use the Dashboard to monitor project health, resource utilization, and cost vs budget at a glance.

4.2 Milestones Tab

Same pattern as Sea Shipment milestones: optional Milestone Template, editable Milestones child table (Special Project Milestone rows with planned/actual dates and automation metadata from the template), and a graphical timeline from Get Milestones / template population. The Dashboard tab still shows a read-only rollup of milestones from linked logistics jobs (via Internal Job Detail); programme-level milestones live on the Milestones tab.

4.3 ERPNext Project Integration

• Auto-creation – ERPNext Project is created on first insert of Special Project (unless an existing Project is linked)
• Project Type – Default from Special Project Settings when creating the Project
• Status sync – Special Project status maps to ERPNext Project (Draft/Scoping/Booked/etc. → Open; Completed → Completed; Cancelled → Cancelled)
• Task management – Use ERPNext Project for tasks, timesheets, and project billing

4.4 Scoping Activities

• Types – Ocular Inspection, Road Inspection, Technical Consultation
• Cost tracking – Record cost per activity; mark Charged to Project when booked
• Auto-charge – When status changes to Booked/Approved/Planning/In Progress, completed scoping activities can be auto-marked as charged

4.5 Jobs Tab and Cost & Revenue

• Internal Job Detail – One grid for multimodal legs and programme resource lines; aligns with General Job and other documents using the same child DocType
• Resolution – Standard service rows resolve to operational jobs for dashboard milestone rollup and maps; Special Project service rows are resource-only
• Cost & Revenue Summary – Collapsible HTML summary for totals and breakdown

4.6 Documents Tab

• Document Checklist – Project-level documents (permits, DG certs, customs docs, contracts)
• Document Template – Override default Document List Template; leave empty to use product default
• Uses Job Document child table; supports document status and attachments
• See Document Management for document types and templates

4.7 Site Materials Tab

Programme-level site inventory (one Site Materials grid covering tracked requirements and always-along packages, plus receipts and partial shipment picks from Create → Booking / Order). See the dedicated user guide: Special Project — Site Materials.

4.8 Billings Tab

• Bill types – Milestone, Interim, Final, Ad-hoc
• Status – Pending, Invoiced, Paid
• Sales Invoice – Link when invoiced; invoice date tracked

4.9 More Info Tab

• Client Notes – Notes visible to customer
• Internal Notes – Internal-only notes (also available on Details flow per form layout)
• Terms and Conditions – Link to Terms and Conditions master
• Service Level Agreement – Link to Logistics Service Level for project-level commitments

5. Workspace Structure

5.1 Number Cards and Chart

• Active Projects – Programmes in In Progress, Planning, Approved, Booked, or Scoping
• Total Projects – All Special Project records
• Early Stage Programs – Count in Draft or Scoping (early pipeline)
• Chart – Special Projects by Status

5.2 Quick Access

• Project – Special Project list
• Project Order / Project Job – Programme task order and job documents
• Active Projects – Filtered list (status: In Progress, Planning, Approved, Booked, Scoping)

5.3 Reports

Operational

• Projects Report – Project list with filters
• Delivery Status – Delivery status by project
• Billing Status – Billing status by project

Cost Analysis

• Cost vs Revenue – Planned vs actual cost and revenue
• Profitability – Group by Customer, Status, or none

Strategic Planning

• By Customer – Projects grouped by customer
• Pipeline – Projects by stage

5.4 Masters

• Handling Type – Special Handling Type (e.g. DG, temperature-controlled)
• Equipment Type – Special Handling Equipment Type

5.5 Sidebar

The sidebar is organized into sections:

• Home – Special Projects workspace
• Special Project – Programme list
• Project Order, Project Job – Task execution DocTypes
• Operational – Projects Report, Delivery Status, Billing Status
• Cost Analysis – Cost vs Revenue, Profitability
• Strategic Planning – By Customer, Pipeline
• Setup – Handling Type, Equipment Type
• Settings – Special Project Settings

Complete field reference

Special projects use General Job and the same Internal Job Detail child pattern as other multimodal jobs; open the relevant doc wiki page for the full field table.

6. Related Topics

• Getting Started
• Sales Quote
• Transport Job
• Warehouse Job
• Air Shipment
• Sea Shipment
• Declaration
• Document Management
• Document List Template
• Milestone Tracking
• Special Project — Site Materials