Project Management

Creating and Managing Projects

Projects represent the work you do for clients. Each project ties to a client record, carries a contract value in your chosen currency, and serves as the anchor for invoices, payments, purchases, team assignments, notes, and activity history. To see the projects belonging to a single client, open the client and switch to the Related tab.

Creating a new project

Click the New button at the top of the Projects page. A multi-step form opens on the right side of the screen, guiding you through the required information in logical stages.

1. Step 1 - Project Info - Enter the project name, select the client, add a description, and set the current status.
2. Step 2 - Timeline & Contract - Choose start and end dates, set the contract value and currency, select the project type, and configure recurring billing. If the project is recurring, set the recurring interval (monthly, quarterly, etc.) to define the billing frequency. The project start date becomes the first billing date. You can also record an hours estimate here. The field label tells you which basis it uses: a one-time project asks for the total hours from start to finish, while a recurring project asks for the hours you expect in each billing period.
3. Step 3 - Team & Documents - Apply tags for categorization, assign team members from your employee list, and attach any relevant documents. You can drag and drop files onto the drawer or click the upload area to browse.

Required and optional fields

• Project name: A descriptive name that will appear anywhere this project is shown, including linked invoices.
• Client: The client this project belongs to. Must be an existing client record.
• Contract value: The agreed amount for the project. For one-time projects, Belvak uses this value, plus any additional work recorded on the project, to warn you when the invoiced or paid total goes over what was agreed.
• Currency: The billing currency for this project (defaults to your system currency). Currencies available here are controlled in Settings > Preferences.
• Start / End dates: The planned timeline for the engagement.
• Description: Optional free-text notes about scope, deliverables, or special terms.
• Type: A classification for the project: One Time or Recurring. This helps you categorize, filter, and group projects by billing model.
• Estimated hours: Optional. The hours you expect the whole team to spend, used for the budget burn bar on the project's Financials tab. On a one-time project this is the total for the whole project. On a recurring project it is the hours for each billing period, and the label names the interval you picked: "Estimated hours per month" for a monthly project, "Estimated hours per quarter" for a quarterly one. If you switch a project between one time and recurring, the field is cleared so you can re-enter it against the new basis.
• Tags: Optional labels for filtering and grouping projects (e.g., "Web Development", "Retainer", "Priority").
• Recurring interval: Sets the billing frequency for recurring projects (monthly, quarterly, etc.). When configured, Belvak tracks billing periods and surfaces upcoming invoices for approval.
• Next invoice date: Shows when the next recurring invoice is due. Belvak sets it from the project start date and advances it each time you approve or skip a billing period.

The project drawer

Click any project row to open the project drawer. The drawer has a hero header showing the project name, client, and status badge at a glance. Below the header, information is organized into grouped sections for timeline, financial details, project details, configuration, tags, documents, team members, and notes. You can upload files directly from this view - drag a file onto the drawer or click the "click to browse" link in the documents section. The drawer also has an Archive tab for the project's larger files, with its own folders, storage meter, and SFTP upload connections.

Editing and deleting projects

Open the project drawer and click the Edit button to modify any field. The same multi-step form appears with the current values pre-filled. To delete a project, open the project drawer and use the Delete button. Deletion requires confirmation.

Changing a project's currency

If you change the currency on a project that already has linked invoices but no recorded payments, Belvak shows a confirmation dialog before updating the project and its linked invoices. This keeps the project and invoice currencies aligned.

If the project has no linked invoices or payments, the currency change applies immediately with no confirmation needed.

If payments have already been recorded for the project, the currency cannot be changed. Delete or reverse those payments first if the project currency needs to be corrected.

Linking projects to proposals

Projects and proposals have a bidirectional relationship. When you create a project, you can optionally link it to an existing proposal. The link appears in both the project drawer and the proposal drawer, so you can always trace a project back to the deal that originated it.

To convert a proposal into a project, open the proposal and use the "Convert to Project" action. This automatically approves the proposal and opens the project creation form with the client, contract value, and description pre-filled from the proposal.

Changing Recurring Project Billing Dates

A recurring project's start date records when the engagement began, while its next invoice date controls the next unbilled period. These dates begin together, but Belvak protects the billing schedule once invoicing has started.

Changing the start date

If the schedule is still untouched, changing the project start date also moves the next invoice date. A schedule is untouched when the project has no invoices and no billing period has been skipped. The updated date is also reflected in the client's Yet to Bill amount.

If an invoice already exists or a billing period was skipped, changing the start date corrects the project history only. Belvak keeps the current billing schedule and shows a confirmation before saving.

Rescheduling future billing

To change the next unbilled period, open the recurring project or its three-dot menu and select Reschedule Future Billing. Choose the new next billing date, then confirm the change. This updates the next invoice date and the periods that follow it.

The new date cannot be in the past, overlap a period that was already invoiced, or fall on or after the project's contract end date. Moving the date forward skips any unbilled periods before the new date, so review the Upcoming Invoices panel first if you still intend to invoice those periods.

What never changes

Correcting a project start date or rescheduling future billing never rewrites an existing invoice. Its billing dates, amount, and status remain exactly as they were saved.

Cloning Projects

When you need to set up a new project that mirrors an existing one, use Clone Project to duplicate it instead of starting from scratch. This is especially useful for recurring engagement types (e.g., "Website Redesign" or "Monthly Retainer") where the same team, tags, and contract terms apply each time.

How to clone a project

Open the three-dot menu on any project row (or right-click the row) and select Clone Project. The system opens the project creation form with the following fields pre-filled from the original:

• Project name - prefixed with "Copy of" so you can rename it.
• Client, description, contract value, and currency.
• Project type and recurring interval (if applicable).
• End date (if set on the original).
• Tags and team assignments - the same tags and employees are carried over.

What gets reset

The clone resets the status to Active, the start date to today, and leaves the next due date empty so you can set a fresh billing schedule. Documents and archive files are not copied - upload new contracts as needed.

Project Statuses and Workflows

Every project has a status that reflects where it stands in your delivery pipeline. Statuses help your team know what needs attention and drive automated behaviors like recurring invoice generation.

Available statuses

• Active: Work is currently in progress. This is the default status for new projects. Recurring invoices are only generated for active projects.
• On Hold: Work has been temporarily paused. The project remains visible but recurring invoice generation is suspended.
• Completed: All deliverables have been handed over. The project is finished but stays in your records for reporting and reference.

Changing a project's status

Open the project for editing and choose the new status. Status changes are recorded in the activity log so your team can see when a project moved between stages. If the reason for a status change is important, add a note in the project drawer.

Filtering by status

Use the filter controls at the top of the projects table to show only projects in a specific status. This is useful for daily standups (filter to Active), pipeline reviews (filter to On Hold), or end-of-quarter reporting (filter to Completed).

Impact on invoicing

Recurring invoices are tied to project status. Only projects with an Active status will generate upcoming invoices. If you place a project On Hold or mark it Completed, the recurring schedule pauses automatically. When you reactivate the project, invoicing resumes from where it left off.

Contract overrun alerts

Belvak monitors billing totals on one-time projects and alerts you when the total invoiced or paid amount goes over the contract value plus any additional work recorded on the project. When an overrun is detected, you will see three levels of notification:

• Row highlight: The affected project row is visually flagged with a red indicator on the left edge and a warning icon next to the contract value.
• Page-level alert: A banner appears at the top of the projects table listing all projects that have exceeded their contract value, so you can spot issues at a glance.
• Drawer warning: When you open the project drawer for an affected project, a warning alert is displayed prominently below the header, making it clear that this project has gone over budget.

Additional work and the contract ceiling

When a client agrees to extra work after the contract is signed, record it on the project rather than editing the contract value. Open the project drawer, click Additional work, and add an item with a title, an optional description, and the agreed amount net of tax. Every item raises the project's effective contract value, which is the figure the overrun alerts measure against. The drawer keeps the agreed contract value as the headline and adds a faint sub-line beneath it, showing the additional work total and the effective value it adds up to.

To bill an item, use Create invoice on its row. Belvak raises a new invoice for that item alone and asks you for the due date and the taxes to apply, so invoices you have already issued are left untouched. The item then shows a Billed chip with a link to its invoice. Its title and description stay editable, but its amount is locked and the item cannot be deleted or billed twice. Cancelling or fully crediting that invoice unlocks the amount and makes the item deletable and billable again. Additional work is available on one-time projects that are not yet completed.

Overrun alerts watch billing against the effective contract value, the contract value plus any additional work. To see the other side of profitability, the labor cost and margin behind a project once your team's hours are counted, see project profitability and labor cost.

Assigning Team Members

Knowing who is working on what helps your team stay coordinated. Belvak lets you assign employees to projects so everyone can see team composition at a glance.

Adding employees to a project

When creating or editing a project, use the team members field to select employees from your organization. You can assign multiple employees to a single project, and a single employee can be assigned to multiple projects simultaneously.

1. Open the project for editing (or create a new one).
2. Navigate to the team assignment step in the form.
3. Search for and select the employees you want to assign.
4. Save the project. The assignments are stored immediately.

Viewing team members

Open the project drawer to see the full list of assigned team members in the team section, making it easy to identify who is connected to the work.

Keeping assignments current

Team assignments give you a practical view of who is attached to each active project. Review assignments regularly when work changes hands, new employees join, or a project moves into a different phase.

Tracking Project Progress

Belvak gives you several ways to monitor how a project is progressing, from billing status to day-to-day notes. Here is how to use each one.

Paid vs invoiced progress

The projects table includes a progress bar that compares the total paid amount against the total invoiced amount for each project. This gives you a quick view of how much invoiced work has been collected.

• Invoiced: The total amount invoiced for the project.
• Paid: The sum of payments recorded against those invoices.
• Contract value: The agreed project amount, shown separately and used, together with any additional work on the project, for one-time project overrun warnings.

Invoice tracking

To review invoices for a project, open the row's three-dot menu or right-click the row and select View Invoices. Belvak opens the Invoices page filtered to that project, where you can review invoice status, amounts, due dates, and payments.

Activity log

Every change to a project is automatically recorded in the activity log. This includes creation, edits to any field, status changes, team member updates, tag updates, deletion, and archive file operations. Each log entry captures who made the change, when it happened, and the updated record details. You can review the activity log in the Settings page to see a chronological history across all records.

Notes

Use the notes section in the project drawer to add project-level comments. Notes are visible to all team members with access to the project and are useful for documenting decisions, meeting summaries, scope changes, or anything that does not fit into a structured field.

Tags and organization

Tags let you categorize projects beyond the standard fields. Common tagging strategies include tagging by service type (e.g., "Web Dev", "Consulting", "Design"), priority level, or department. Tags are filterable in the projects table, so you can quickly pull up all projects of a certain type.

Row actions

Each project row offers quick actions accessible from the three-dot menu or by right-clicking the row. These let you take common actions without opening the project drawer:

• Clone Project - duplicates the project with its tags and team assignments pre-filled into a new creation form.
• View Invoices - opens the Invoices page filtered to show only invoices linked to that project.
• Add Invoice - opens the invoice creation form with the project already pre-linked.
• Add Maintenance - opens the maintenance contract form with the project already pre-linked.
• Activate / Complete / Mark on Hold - quick status changes directly from the table, without needing to open the edit form.

Column visibility and context menu

Use the column visibility toggle (the eye icon in the action column header) to show or hide table columns, tailoring the view to the information you need for your current task. The same popover also contains the Group By option described below. All row actions described above are also available via a right-click context menu on any row, giving you a faster alternative to the three-dot dropdown.

Searching and filtering

The projects table supports full-text search and column-level filtering. Use the search bar to find projects by name, or apply filters on status, client, tags, and available table columns. Filters can be combined to narrow results.

Grouping Projects

When you have many projects, it can be helpful to visually cluster them by a shared attribute instead of scrolling through a flat list. The Group By feature organizes your project table into collapsible sections, each with a header showing the group name and how many projects it contains.

How to group projects

1. Click the eye icon in the action column header to open the column visibility popover.
2. Scroll to the Group By section at the bottom.
3. Select a grouping option. Currently available options are:
   • Client - groups projects by the client they belong to.
   • Type - groups projects by their type (One-time or Recurring).
4. Select None to return to the default flat list view.

Working with grouped rows

When grouping is active, the table displays section headers that span the full table width. Each header shows the group name and a count badge indicating how many projects are in that group.

• Collapse and expand: Click any group header to collapse or expand it. This lets you focus on the groups you care about and hide the rest.
• Works with filters: Grouping applies on top of your current status tab and search filters. Only projects that match your active filters appear in the groups.
• Persisted preference: Your grouping choice is saved and will be remembered the next time you visit the projects page.

Project Archive Files

Every project has an Archive tab - a file storage area for the engagement's larger files: deliverables, site photos, exports, and backups. It is separate from the documents section of the project drawer, which is meant for contracts and paperwork. The Archive gives each project its own folder tree, a storage meter, and a way for outside tools and devices to upload directly. It also has a Credentials sub-tab for the client logins tied to the project, encrypted and masked by default.

Opening the archive

Open any project and switch to the Archive tab. The Files view lists each file's name, size, when it was uploaded, and who uploaded it. The Method column shows how each file arrived: Manual for browser uploads, SFTP or FTP for files sent over a connection (with the connection's name), and System for files Belvak's own housekeeping recorded. Click folder names to move into them and use the breadcrumb trail, starting at All files, to move back up.

Uploading files

Drag and drop files anywhere onto the file list, or click Upload to browse. You can select multiple files at once, and each file can be up to 3 GB. Large files upload in parts with a progress bar, so a dropped connection does not restart the transfer from zero: if an upload is interrupted, the next time you open the Archive tab it shows an interrupted-upload notice and asks you to reselect the same file, then resumes from where it stopped.

Uploading a file with a name that already exists in the folder asks you to confirm before overwriting, so nothing is replaced silently from the browser. Uploads sent over an SFTP or FTP connection follow that client's own behavior and usually overwrite without asking.

Organizing files and folders

• New folder - creates a folder in the location you are viewing.
• Rename - the pencil icon on any row renames a file or folder in place.
• Move - enter a destination folder path to move a file or folder somewhere else in the archive.

Downloading files and folders

Use the download icon on any row. Downloading a folder packages its entire contents as a single zip file, which is the fastest way to hand over a full set of deliverables at the end of an engagement.

Recently deleted files

Deleting a file does not remove it immediately. It moves to the Recently deleted area of the archive, where it can be restored for up to 14 days - a Days left column shows how long each file has. Use Restore to bring a file back, or Delete forever to remove it permanently right away. This safety net also applies to files deleted over an SFTP or FTP connection.

Storage limits and the usage meter

The meter at the top of the Archive tab shows how much of your workspace's archive storage is used. The limit is shared across all projects in the workspace: the Free plan includes 200 MB of archive storage and the Professional plan includes 50 GB, separate from your document storage. The meter turns amber as you approach the limit, and workspace admins are notified when usage passes 80%.

When the limit is reached, the archive becomes read-only: you can still download and delete files, but uploads and changes pause until space is freed or the plan is upgraded.

If a workspace moves to the Free plan while its archive holds more than the Free limit, the archive stays read-only for 60 days, with email reminders along the way, so there is time to download or trim files before the archive contents are removed.

Who can do what

Archive access follows your workspace's roles and permissions. Viewing the tab and downloading need view access; uploading and creating folders need add access; renaming, moving, and restoring need edit access; deleting needs delete access. By default, Admins and Managers can do everything, while Team Members can upload and organize files but not delete them from the browser. These role checks apply to the browser: anyone holding a connection's credentials can also delete files over SFTP or FTP, with Recently deleted as the safety net. Every archive action - uploads, renames, moves, and deletions - is recorded in the activity log.

Archive SFTP and FTP Connections

Files do not have to come in through the browser. Each project's archive can accept uploads directly from outside tools and devices - a website backup plugin, an office scanner, a site camera, or a server script - over SFTP. Each connection is scoped to a single project's archive, so a device can only ever see and touch the project it was created for. This is separate from the 5 MB document uploads covered in Getting Started.

Creating a connection

In the Archive tab, switch from Files to SFTP connections and click New connection (this needs archive edit permission). Give the connection a name that identifies the tool or device using it, like "Site camera uploads" or "WordPress backups", and choose its FTP access mode.

Belvak then shows the connection details: the host, port, a unique username, the remote path /archive, and a generated password.

Connecting from an SFTP or FTP app

Enter the host, port, username, and password into any app or device that speaks SFTP - FileZilla, WinSCP, Cyberduck, backup plugins, and most network-capable hardware. After logging in you land in the /archive folder, which maps to the same files you see in the Files view. Anything uploaded over the connection appears there with the connection's name in the Method column. Each project can have up to 10 connections, and a workspace up to 25 in total, so every device can get its own credentials.

FTPS and plain FTP access

Every connection supports SFTP. For tools that only speak FTP, each connection has its own access mode:

• SFTP only - the default and recommended mode. Transfers are encrypted.
• SFTP + FTPS - also allows FTP clients that support TLS encryption. Plain unencrypted FTP stays blocked.
• SFTP + FTP (legacy) - also allows plain unencrypted FTP for older apps and devices that support nothing newer. The password and file contents travel unencrypted, so use this only when nothing else works, and consider rotating the password after the device is done.

FTPS and plain FTP clients use the same host as SFTP but a different port. Once a connection allows FTP access, the connections panel shows both endpoints, so you can copy the right host and port into the client you are setting up.

You can change a connection's mode at any time from the FTP action on its row. Tightening the mode disconnects the connection's active sessions so the new restriction applies immediately.

Rotating and revoking credentials

• Rotate - issues a new password (shown once, like the first one). The old password stops working immediately and active sessions are disconnected. Use this when a credential may have leaked or after using plain FTP.
• Revoke - permanently disables the connection. The username and password stop working immediately, active sessions are disconnected, and this cannot be undone. Revoked connections stay listed for reference.

Tracking connection activity

The Last used column shows when each connection last transferred files or logged in, or "Never" if it has not been used yet. Files uploaded over a connection show who created that connection in the Uploaded by column, and files deleted over a connection go to Recently deleted like any other deletion. Creating, rotating, and revoking connections is recorded in the activity log.

Storing Client Credentials on a Project

Service work often comes with logins to keep track of: the client's hosting account, their domain registrar, an FTP or SSH server, a CMS admin, a shared mailbox, or an API key. Belvak gives every project a Credentials sub-tab so those logins live with the engagement they belong to, encrypted and hidden by default, instead of in a spreadsheet or a chat thread. It sits inside the Archive tab, next to Files and SFTP connections.

Opening the Credentials sub-tab

Open any project, switch to the Archive tab, and choose Credentials. The list shows each credential's label and type, along with when it was last updated. Every value stays masked until you deliberately reveal it, so opening the list never puts a password on screen. To see who revealed a value and when, open that credential's History.

Adding a credential

Click New credential and fill in the details for the login you are storing:

• Label: A name you will recognize, like "Production hosting" or "WordPress admin".
• Type: What kind of login it is, such as hosting, domain registrar, FTP or SFTP, SSH, CMS admin, email, or API key. The type helps you scan the list at a glance.
• Username and password: The login itself. Both are stored encrypted and shown masked in the list.
• URL: Where the login is used, so a teammate can jump straight to the sign-in page.
• Notes: Optional context like which environment it is for, or a reminder to rotate it.

Save the credential and it appears in the list, masked. You can edit its details or delete it later from the same row.

Copying without revealing

Most of the time you do not need to see a value, only to use it. Each credential has a Copy action for the username and one for the password that place the value straight on your clipboard, ready to paste into the login page, without ever showing it on screen. This is the safest way to hand a password to the tool that needs it.

Revealing a value

When you do need to read a value, use the Reveal action on the field. Revealing is a deliberate step, and it needs the reveal permission described below. Once you are done, the value hides itself again on its own, so a revealed password never lingers on screen for the next person who walks past.

Reveal history

Every reveal is recorded. Open a credential's History to see who revealed a value and when, so there is always an honest record of who has looked at a client's login. This is separate from the general activity log and is kept per credential.

Who can see and reveal credentials

Access follows your workspace's roles and permissions, with two separate controls: one for who can see the credentials list at all, and one for who can reveal or copy a value. A teammate can be allowed to see that a credential exists without being able to uncover it. Admins and Managers have both by default, so you can hand reveal access to only the people who genuinely need it.

Professional plan and downgrades

Adding credentials is a Professional plan feature. If a workspace moves back to the Free plan, the credentials it already holds stay readable: you can view the list, reveal and copy values, rename a credential's label, change its type, and delete credentials you no longer need. What pauses, until the workspace is on Professional again, is adding a new credential and changing any stored value, so editing a username, password, URL, or notes (including clearing one) prompts you to upgrade first.

How credentials are protected

Credentials are handled carefully, and it is worth being precise about what that means:

• Encrypted before storage: Usernames, passwords, and the other values are encrypted before they are stored, and are never saved as plain text.
• Hidden by default: Values stay masked until someone with permission chooses to reveal them, and you can copy a value without ever displaying it.
• Revealing is deliberate and recorded: Each time a value is revealed, it is recorded in the credential's history with who did it and when.
• Access follows your permissions: Who can see the list, and who can reveal or copy a value, is decided by your workspace's roles and permissions.