Special Projects Module

Special Projects Module

Special Projects manages complex, one-off logistics projects that span multiple modes (air, sea, transport, warehousing, customs) and require scoping, resource planning, equipment, and milestone-based billing. It integrates with ERPNext Project for task management and links logistics jobs across the platform to a single 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 document. On save, 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-.#####.

2.2 Special Project Request

A Special Project Request captures internal requests for resources, products, or equipment within a project. Use it to track fulfillment of resource requests, product requests, and equipment requests with statuses: Draft → Submitted → Approved → Partially Fulfilled → Fulfilled.

2.3 Integration with Logistics Doctypes

Logistics documents (Air Shipment, Sea Shipment, Transport Job, Warehouse Job, Declaration, etc.) have a Project field. Link them to the Special Project’s ERPNext Project so all jobs appear under one project for billing and reporting.

3. Typical Workflow

3.1 Create and Scope a Project

1. Go to Special Projects > Project > New
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 Plan Activities and Resources

1. Activities tab – Define activities (Transport, Warehousing, Air Freight, Sea Freight, Customs, Special Handling, Documentation) with planned/actual dates and link to jobs
2. Resources tab – Add personnel, equipment, third-party resources with planned hours and costs
3. Products tab – Add items with quantities, special handling, temperature, hazmat
4. Equipment tab – Add equipment types with planned/actual usage windows and costs

3.3 Link Logistics Jobs

1. In Jobs tab – Add Transport Job, Warehouse Job, Air Shipment, Sea Shipment, or Declaration with planned/actual cost and revenue
2. Or set the Project field on the job document directly – jobs with the same project appear under the Special Project

3.4 Manage Requests and Create Orders

1. Create Special Project Request from the project
2. Add Resource Requests, Product Requests, Equipment Requests
3. For Product Requests, set Fulfillment Type (Inbound, Release, Transport, Air Freight, Sea Freight, Transfer, VAS)
4. Use Create Order actions to create Inbound Order, Release Order, Transfer Order, Transport Order, Air Booking, or Sea Booking from product requests – orders are linked to the project
5. Use Link Existing Order to attach an order created outside the request flow to the request and set its project

3.5 Track Deliveries and Billing

1. Deliveries tab – Track Full, Partial, Milestone, or Proof of Delivery with status (Pending, Scheduled, Completed, Delayed)
2. Billings tab – Define Milestone, Interim, Final, or Ad-hoc billings; 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
• Jobs – Count, planned/actual cost and revenue
• Billings – Items count, planned amount, pending vs invoiced/paid
• Deliveries – Total, pending, completed
• 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 ERPNext Project Integration

• Auto-creation – ERPNext Project is created on first save of Special Project
• Project Type – Set in Special Project Settings
• 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

4.3 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 are auto-marked as charged

4.4 Activity Planning

• Activity types – Transport, Warehousing, Air Freight, Sea Freight, Customs, Special Handling, Documentation, Other
• Job linking – Link activities to Transport Job, Warehouse Job, Air Shipment, Sea Shipment, or Declaration
• Planned vs actual – Track planned and actual start/end dates per activity

4.5 Resource Management

• Resource types – Personnel, Equipment, Third Party, Other
• In-house vs supplier – Mark in-house or link Supplier
• Planned/actual hours – Track hours and cost per unit

4.6 Product and Equipment

• Products – Item, quantity, UOM, weight, volume, special handling, temperature range, hazmat class
• Equipment – Link to Special Handling Equipment Type; track planned/actual usage and cost

4.7 Jobs Tab

• Link Transport Job, Warehouse Job, Air Shipment, Sea Shipment, Declaration
• Track planned cost, actual cost, planned revenue, actual revenue per job
• Cost & Revenue Summary – Collapsible section showing totals (planned/actual cost, revenue, margin) and breakdown by job type

4.8 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

4.9 Deliveries Tab

• Delivery types – Full, Partial, Milestone, Proof of Delivery
• Status – Pending, Scheduled, Completed, Delayed
• Items delivered – Free-text or structured description of delivered items

4.10 Billings Tab

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

4.11 More Info Tab

• Client Notes – Notes visible to customer
• Internal Notes – Internal-only notes
• Terms and Conditions – Link to Terms and Conditions master
• Service Level Agreement – Link to Logistics Service Level for project-level commitments

4.12 Create Order from Request

From a Special Project Request, create logistics orders from Product Requests based on Fulfillment Type:

Fulfillment Type	Creates
Inbound	Inbound Order
Release	Release Order
Transfer	Transfer Order
Transport	Transport Order
Air Freight	Air Booking
Sea Freight	Sea Booking

Orders are linked to the Special Project’s ERPNext Project. Use Link Existing Order to attach an order created outside the request flow.

5. Workspace Structure

5.1 Number Cards and Chart

• Active Projects – Projects in progress
• Total Projects – All projects
• Open Requests – Unfulfilled requests
• Chart – Special Projects by Status

5.2 Quick Access

• Project – Special Project list
• Request – Special Project Request list
• Active Projects – Filtered list (status: In Progress, Planning, Approved, Booked, Scoping)

5.3 Reports

Operational

• Projects Report – Project list with filters
• Request Fulfillment – Open requests, status, fulfillment %
• 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, Request – Main doctypes
• Operational – Projects Report, Request Fulfillment, Delivery Status, Billing Status
• Cost Analysis – Cost vs Revenue, Profitability
• Strategic Planning – By Customer, Pipeline
• Setup – Handling Type, Equipment Type
• Settings – Special Project Settings

6. Related Topics

• Getting Started
• Sales Quote
• Transport Job
• Warehouse Job
• Air Shipment
• Sea Shipment
• Declaration
• Document Management
• Document List Template
• Milestone Tracking