1. Implementing Project Execution Management
  2. Manage Project Statuses

Manage Project Statuses

Project statuses indicate a project-related business object's current stage within its lifecycle. They can influence what actions you can perform on a business object, and provide a way to analyze an object's progress.

Project statuses provide the following benefits to you. Note that not all status features are available for every status object.

  • Lifecycle Tracking: Monitor the progress of objects through a predefined status lifecycle. For example, track a project through an initial idea (Draft), to completion (Closed).
  • Action Controls: Allow or restrict specific actions depending on an object's status. For example, if a project is closed, new transactions should not be created.
  • Transition Approvals: Control whether approval is required when an object transitions from one status to another. For example, whether a project requires approval before becoming active.

Project Status Components

Here are the components of project statuses:

  • Status Object: A business object for which statuses can be managed in Oracle PPM Cloud. Predefined settings for each status object control the status-related functionality available, such as which status attributes can be updated.
  • Status Classification:A grouping of statuses for each status object, predefined by Oracle PPM Cloud. Status classifications control default application behavior, such as which actions are permitted on an object.
  • Status: The statuses of a business object. For each status object, Oracle PPM Cloud provides statuses out of the box. Some objects allow additional statuses to be defined (typically where direct changes to an object's status are permitted).

Status Attributes

You can configure status attributes for some statuses, depending on the status object and status classification. Here are the attributes available for configuration:

  • Initial status
  • Next Allowable Status Type and Status Lifecycle
  • Enable Workflow
  • Status Action Controls
  • Status Lifecycle

Initial Status

If you enable initial status, you can select a status as the initial status for an instance of a status object—for example, the starting status of a new project.

Next Allowable Status Type and Status Lifecycle

The next allowable status type determines which status(es) an instance of a status object can transition to. For example, if a project is in a draft status, it may only be transitioned to a submitted status, not directly to active.

  • All: Can transition to any status.
  • None:Can't transition to any status; it's in a terminal state.
  • Status: Can transition to any of the configured next allowed statuses.
  • Status Classification: Can transition to any status belonging to the configured next allowed status classifications.

In status lifecycle, you can define the next allowable statuses. Defining the next allowable statuses determines the status object process flow. For example, you can specify that a project with a Requested status can have the status changed to either Active or Rejected. This example shows two possible process flows for the project: Requested to Active status or Requested to Rejected status.

Enable Workflow

You can enable workflow for statuses. A workflow automates status changes and approvals. Let’s look at an example of a workflow for a project:

  • The project manager completes the project setup and changes the project status to "Submitted".
  • The system automatically triggers the workflow, sending a notification to the designated approver (often the primary project manager).
  • The approver reviews the project details and approves the status change.
  • The workflow updates the project status to "Active" signifying the project's official kick-off.

After you enable workflow for a status, you can specify the following status attributes:

  • Status After Change Accepted: The status assigned after approving a status change.
  • Status After Change Rejected: The status assigned after rejecting a status change.

Status Action Controls

Status Action Controls determine the actions allowed for an instance of a status object in a given status. For example, when a project status is closed, you can’t create new transactions. Whereas, by default, a project in an active status allows all actions.

Status Object-Specific Settings

Project Status

A project status indicates where a project is in its lifecycle and limits the actions that you can perform on the project at that stage.

Project status offers predefined system statuses. Here are the project statuses available by default:

  • Draft
  • Submitted
  • Active
  • Rejected
  • Pending Close
  • Closed

You can create your own project statuses for each status classification.

When you create your own project statuses, you can specify the following attributes for each status:

  • Initial Status
  • Next Allowable Status
  • Enable Workflow
  • Status Action Controls
  • Status Lifecycle

Project statuses have the following Status Action Controls available:

  • Adjust transactions
  • Capitalize assets
  • Capitalized interest
  • Create burden transactions
  • Create new transactions
  • Summarize project data
  • Progress reporting by team members

For more information on status attributes, see the Status Attributes section.

Progress Status

The progress status specifies the overall progress of a project, task, or resource. Progress statuses are used for reporting and don't control what you can do with a project. Here are the progress statuses available by default:

  • On track
  • At risk
  • In trouble

You can't modify the predefined progress statuses, but you can create custom statuses to suit your specific needs.

Bill Transaction Status

A bill transaction status indicates where each transaction is within the billing lifecycle. Here are the bill transaction statuses available by default:

  • Action pending
  • Billed
  • Error
  • In progress
  • Insufficient funds
  • Nonbillable
  • On hold
  • Ready

Milestone Status

A milestone status indicates where a project milestone is within its lifecycle toward completion. Here are the milestone statuses available by default:

  • Complete
  • Completion approval requested
  • In progress
  • Not started
  • Rejected

You can’t create new milestone statuses or delete the predefined ones. You can update the Enable Workflow setting on the Completion approval requested milestone status. This is the only update allowed on the predefined milestone statuses.