What Are Projects in FreshBooks?
FreshBooks has developed comprehensive project management capabilities that go far beyond basic invoicing functions. These tools enable seamless collaboration with team members and clients throughout the project lifecycle. Using the projects feature, you can efficiently track billable hours, document expenses, and monitor overall profitability in real-time.
Each project serves as a centralized workspace where you and your team can create and assign tasks, log time spent on various activities, and attach relevant documents for easy access. This organization makes managing complex projects much more straightforward and ensures everyone stays on the same page.
When completing work in FreshBooks, you have multiple options depending on your specific needs and future reference requirements. You might choose to archive projects you'll need to reference later or delete those that serve no future purpose. Understanding these different approaches helps you make informed decisions about how to properly conclude your work.
Why Should You End Projects?
Properly closing projects in FreshBooks serves several important purposes that benefit your workflow and business operations. Maintaining an organized project list helps you focus on current work without the distraction of completed assignments cluttering your dashboard.
Archiving finished projects creates valuable historical records containing time logs, expenses, invoices, and client communications. This documentation proves invaluable when you need to reference past work for similar projects or when questions arise about previously completed assignments.
Formally ending projects prevents resource waste by ensuring team members don't continue spending time updating or working on completed tasks. This clear delineation helps everyone move forward to new priorities without confusion about project status.
Proper project closure also contributes to accurate financial reporting by ensuring all billable time and expenses transfer correctly to invoices. This precision maintains the integrity of your accounting records and provides reliable data for business analysis.
Project Closure Options Explained
FreshBooks provides flexible methods for ending projects based on your specific needs. Understanding the differences between these options helps you make the right choice for each situation.
When to Archive vs Delete
Archiving represents the safest approach for most completed projects. This method preserves all project data while removing it from your active project list. Choose archiving when you've completed the work but might need to reference details later, when clients might request historical information, or when you want to maintain complete records of time logs and financial details.
The archiving process moves projects to a separate archived section without deleting any information. This approach keeps your active project list clean while ensuring you can access complete historical data whenever needed.
Deleting projects, by contrast, permanently removes all associated information from your account. This option makes sense for test projects, duplicates, or work that never progressed beyond initial stages. Exercise caution with deletion since it eliminates all time entries, invoices, and other data linked to the project.
How to Archive Projects Properly
Archiving projects in FreshBooks follows a straightforward process that preserves your valuable project history. Begin by logging into your FreshBooks account and navigating to the Projects section where all your active work appears.
Select the specific project you wish to archive by clicking on its name to access the detailed project view. Look for the archive button (typically represented by a box icon) within the project options menu and click it to initiate the archiving process.
FreshBooks will ask you to confirm that you want to archive the project. After confirmation, the system moves your project to the archived list while maintaining all historical data including time entries, expenses, invoices, and communications. You can access this information later through the Archived Projects view if needed.
Deleting Projects Permanently
Deleting projects requires careful consideration since this action permanently removes all associated data. Start by opening your FreshBooks dashboard and selecting the Projects tab to view your current work.
Locate and select the project you wish to delete from your list of active projects. Within the project details screen, find the delete option (usually shown as a trash can icon) and click it to begin the deletion process.
FreshBooks will display a confirmation message asking you to verify your decision to delete the project. Once confirmed, the system permanently removes the project and all its associated data from your account. Some FreshBooks plans may temporarily store deleted projects in a recovery folder, but you should always assume deletion is permanent.
Project Closure Best Practices
Implementing consistent practices for ending projects helps ensure nothing important gets overlooked during the closure process. These best practices apply whether you choose to archive or delete your projects.
Data Verification Checklist
Before ending any project, conduct a thorough review of all project components to ensure completeness and accuracy. Check that all team members have submitted their time entries and that these records accurately reflect the work performed on the project.
Review all project expenses to confirm they've been properly documented and allocated. Verify that all billable hours and expenses have been invoiced to the client and that any outstanding invoices have been addressed appropriately.
Examine all file attachments, client communications, and internal notes to ensure important information has been properly documented. Consider exporting critical records for your own files before archiving or deleting the project in FreshBooks.
Team and Client Communication
Effective communication marks the difference between a smooth project closure and one that leaves loose ends. Notify your internal team members that the project is officially closing and discuss any pending items that need resolution before finalizing the closure.
Send clients a comprehensive final report summarizing project achievements, time logged, expenses incurred, and any other relevant details. This communication provides closure for the client and confirms that the project has reached its conclusion.
Consider scheduling a brief closure meeting with key stakeholders to review project outcomes and gather feedback for future improvements. This step helps build stronger client relationships and identifies opportunities to enhance your processes going forward.
Data Backup Strategies
Creating backups provides an additional layer of security for your project data. Use FreshBooks' reporting features to export detailed time tracking logs, expense breakdowns, and invoice records before ending the project.
Store these exported files in your own secure cloud storage or on protected devices to ensure you maintain access to critical information even if something unexpected happens to your FreshBooks account.
Consider creating a standardized folder structure for storing project backups so you can easily locate specific information when needed. This organization saves time and frustration if you need to reference project details months or years later.
Step-by-Step Project Closure Guide
Ending projects in FreshBooks follows a systematic process that ensures nothing important gets overlooked. Following these steps helps maintain data integrity while properly concluding your work.
The project closure process begins with a comprehensive review of all project components to ensure everything has been properly documented and addressed. This preparation ensures a smooth transition from active work to completed status without losing valuable information.
Review Project Details
Start your project closure process by opening your FreshBooks account and navigating to the Projects section. Select the specific project you're ready to close to access its detailed information.
Carefully examine all time entries to ensure they accurately reflect the work performed and that all team members have submitted their hours. Review expense records to confirm all project-related costs have been properly documented and allocated.
Check that all invoices related to the project have been created, sent to clients, and properly tracked in the system. This verification helps prevent billing oversights that could impact your revenue.
Choose Closure Method
Determine whether archiving or deleting best suits your needs for this particular project. Consider how likely you are to need this information in the future when making your decision.
Archiving preserves all project data while removing the project from your active list. This option works best for completed client work that you might need to reference later or that contains valuable historical information.
Deleting permanently removes the project and all associated data from your system. This option makes sense primarily for test projects, duplicates, or work that never progressed beyond initial stages.
Complete Final Documentation
Generate comprehensive reports documenting all aspects of the project before proceeding with closure. These reports provide valuable reference materials and contribute to your business intelligence.
Ensure all client communications have been properly documented and that any outstanding questions or issues have been resolved. This thoroughness prevents confusion or disputes after project closure.
Verify that all team members have been notified about the project's conclusion and have completed their assigned tasks. This communication ensures everyone understands the project status and can focus on new priorities.
Archive or Delete Project
For archiving, locate the archive button within the project details screen and click it to initiate the process. Confirm your decision when prompted to move the project to your archived list.
When deleting, find the delete option in the project menu and select it to begin removal. Read the confirmation message carefully to understand the consequences before finalizing the deletion.
After completing either action, refresh your FreshBooks dashboard to confirm the project no longer appears in your active project list. This verification ensures the closure process completed successfully.
Special Project Closure Scenarios
Some projects require additional considerations during the closure process due to their complexity or unique characteristics. Understanding how to handle these special cases helps ensure smooth transitions.
Multi-Team Member Projects
Projects involving multiple team members require extra coordination during the closure process. Verify that all team members have stopped tracking time on the project and have submitted their final hours before proceeding with closure.
Review aggregated time reports to ensure all contributions have been properly documented and billed. This verification prevents revenue loss from overlooked billable hours across your team.
Send a clear notification to all team members confirming the project's closure and thanking them for their contributions. This communication provides closure for the team and prevents confusion about project status.
Projects With Ongoing Follow-Ups
Some projects formally conclude but require periodic follow-up activities. For these situations, consider archiving the main project while creating smaller, focused projects for ongoing tasks.
Document any expected follow-up activities in your project notes before archiving to ensure this information remains accessible. This documentation helps maintain continuity when addressing future client needs.
Establish clear timelines and responsibilities for any post-project activities to ensure nothing falls through the cracks after the main work concludes. This organization prevents confusion about who handles ongoing client support.
Project Closure Efficiency Tips
Implementing these practical tips helps streamline your project closure process in FreshBooks. These strategies save time while ensuring thorough documentation of your completed work.
Regular Project Reviews
Conducting regular reviews of active projects helps identify those nearing completion before they officially end. This proactive approach allows you to prepare documentation and coordinate with team members in advance.
Schedule weekly or monthly reviews of your project list to maintain awareness of project statuses and upcoming conclusions. This routine helps prevent projects from lingering unnecessarily in your active list.
Use these regular reviews to identify potential issues that might complicate project closure, addressing them early to ensure smooth transitions. This foresight prevents last-minute scrambling when projects reach their conclusion.
Closure Checklist Implementation
Developing a standardized project closure checklist ensures consistency across all your projects. Your checklist should include:
- Time entry verification: Confirming all hours have been logged and approved
- Expense review: Ensuring all project costs have been documented
- Invoice confirmation: Verifying all billable work has been invoiced
- Document organization: Properly storing all project files
- Team notification: Informing all stakeholders of project closure
Using this checklist for every project prevents oversights and establishes a reliable closure routine. This consistency improves efficiency and reduces the risk of missing important steps.
Custom Field Utilization
FreshBooks allows you to create custom fields that can streamline your project closure process. Consider adding fields for:
- Project end date to automatically track when work should conclude
- Closure status to indicate progress through your shutdown procedure
- Final invoice number to link billing records directly to the project
- Client approval documentation to confirm acceptance of deliverables
These custom fields provide at-a-glance information about project status and help automate parts of your closure process. This customization saves time and improves tracking accuracy across multiple projects.
Financial Considerations at Closure
Proper financial handling during project closure ensures accurate billing and reporting. These practices protect your revenue while maintaining transparent client relationships.
Final Invoicing Process
Generate a comprehensive final invoice that captures all remaining billable hours and expenses before archiving the project. This timing ensures nothing gets overlooked in the billing process.
Review the invoice carefully to confirm it accurately reflects all work performed and aligns with client expectations. This verification prevents disputes that could delay payment or damage client relationships.
Include detailed descriptions of all billed items to provide clients with clear information about what they're paying for. This transparency builds trust and reduces questions about invoice contents.
Profitability Analysis
Before closing a project, generate profitability reports to evaluate financial performance against projections. This analysis provides valuable insights for improving estimates on future similar projects.
Compare actual hours spent with initial estimates to identify areas where scope expanded or efficiency improved. This comparison helps refine your estimation process for more accurate future proposals.
Document any financial lessons learned from the project to inform your approach to pricing and resource allocation going forward. This continuous improvement strengthens your business model and increases profitability over time.
Start Your Project Closure Process Today
Properly ending projects in FreshBooks represents an essential component of effective project management. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you'll maintain cleaner records, preserve valuable historical data, and ensure smoother transitions between projects.
The project closure process deserves the same attention and care you give to project initiation and execution. Taking time to properly archive or delete completed work pays dividends through improved organization, better resource allocation, and more accurate financial reporting.
Consider which projects in your FreshBooks account could benefit from proper closure today. Whether you choose to archive valuable client work or remove test projects cluttering your dashboard, these actions will streamline your workflow and improve your overall productivity. Your future self will thank you for the clear records and organized project history that result from implementing these best practices.
