OpenProject User Guide

I. Contents

I. Contents ............................................................................................................................... 1

1 User Guide ............................................................................................................................ 2

1.1 Login and register ......................................................................................................................................2
1.2 Account settings: My Account ...................................................................................................................4
1.3 Personal Dashboard: MyPage....................................................................................................................6
1.1 Roles and permissions ...............................................................................................................................7
1.1 Project setup .............................................................................................................................................7
1.2 Activity .......................................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Roadmap .................................................................................................................................................10
1.4 Work Packages ........................................................................................................................................11
1.5 Timelines .................................................................................................................................................27
1.6 Agile and Scrum (Backlogs Plugin) ...........................................................................................................36
1.7 News ........................................................................................................................................................50
1.1 Calendar...................................................................................................................................................54
1.2 Wiki ..........................................................................................................................................................54
1.3 Forums .....................................................................................................................................................64
1.4 Repository (working with documents) ....................................................................................................68
1.5 Documents (Plugins) ................................................................................................................................70
1.6 Meetings (Plugin) .....................................................................................................................................72
1.7 Time and costs .........................................................................................................................................77

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1 User Guide

1.1 Login and register

1.1.1 Register

To register an account with OpenProject click the login sign in the upper right corner and select Create
a new account.

You will then be asked to fill out the registration form and specify your login and personal information,
as well as specify the password.

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 Figure 1: Create a new account

Depending on the settings, you will either receive an email with an activation link directly, or the admin
will receive an email with the request to activate your account, including an activation link.

1.1.2 Login

To login simply select the Login option in the upper right corner and sign in.

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 1.1.3 Forgot password

If you have forgotten your password, select the Login icon in the upper right corner and click Forgot
my password link. You will receive an email with further instructions and will be able to create a new
password.

1.2 Account settings: My Account

My account is the control center for your account, where you can adjust various account settings, such
as language, time zone, theme, etc. Changing these settings only affects your own account – without
impacting other users. To reach My Account click on your name in the top right corner and select My
Account.

Figure 2: Select My Account

1.2.1 Change password

You can change your password under My Account settings. Click Change password on the left side bar
and follow the instructions.

Figure 3: Change password

1.2.2 Change language settings

You can change the language settings under My Account. In the OpenProject core, English and German
languages are supported. You can use further languages by installing the OpenProject translations
plugin (https://github.com/opf/openproject-translations). If you want to help us to add further
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languages, you can contribute to the translations project here
(https://crowdin.com/project/openproject).

Figure 4: Change language settings

1.2.1 Activate/deactivate the accessibility mode

OpenProject was developed with the intention of creating a universally accessible software. You can
enable the accessibility mode by selecting the box on the right side under My Account settings.

Figure 5: Activate accessibility mode

Please note: In a few modules, e.g. when using the backlogs plugin, accessibility cannot be guaranteed
due to drag & drop functionalities. If you enable the accessibility mode, the backlogs tab will not be
displayed. If you are not dependent on the accessibility mode, we would recommend unchecking the
option.

1.2.1 Select the order of the comments

You can select the order of the comments under My Account settings -> Preferences. You can select
the chronological or reverse chronological order.
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 1.2.1 Setup backlogs task color (requires installation of backlogs plugin)

If you installed the backlogs plugin, you can adapt the color in which the tasks assigned to you will be
shown in backlog task boards under My Account settings -> Backlogs -> Task color. The task color is
entered in Hexcode.

1.2.1 Select time zone

You can select your time zone under My Account settings -> Preferences. Your time zone will, for
example, be displayed when you setup a meeting (if you are using the meeting plugin) to help keep
track if your team members are located abroad.

1.3 Personal Dashboard: MyPage

OpenProject has a personal dashboard which contains information from all your projects. My Page can
be configured according to your wishes. You can include project information, for example the latest
news, work packages assigned to you or reported work packages. To personalize MyPage click the
Personalize this page link.

Figure 6: Personalize My Page

Once you have entered the editing mode:

1) Select the additional information blocks from My page block dropdown menu. Click the Add
button to add the selected item to your page

2) Save your choice by clicking on the Back button.

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 Figure 7: Configure My Page

At this point you can also decide if you prefer the information to be displayed in two columns or to
cover the entire page width. Change this by dragging and dropping the blocks into respective windows.

1.1 Roles and permissions

For some projects it is important that certain actions can only be carried out by specific groups of
people, or that certain information is not visible to everyone, due to, for example, privacy concerns or
sensitive information.

OpenProject allows creating an unlimited number of Roles (e.g. Product owner, developer, project
manager, etc.) and define precisely which privileges each role should have. The number of roles and
the permissions that every role has may vary, depending on the projects needs or preferences. Roles
are defined globally, meaning permissions that a specific role is granted is not project specific, i.e. the
permissions that a role “Developer” has are valid for all projects.

However, the same user can be assigned different roles in different projects. One user can also be
assigned multiple roles in the same project. This means that depending on the role assigned to you
within a project you may have more or less rights in one project than in the other. In most cases this
will have direct influence on what functionalities are available to you.

If you have the necessary administration rights, see here how a new role can be created or an existing
role can be edited.

1.1 Project setup

Project navigation
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From left to right you can view and edit My Page, access the public projects and the projects you are
a member of, access the Help page and configure your account settings.

The leftmost tab takes you back to the OpenProject home.

Figure 8: Upper Menu Structure

Features and plugins (left-hand navigation)

OpenProject provides a large number of core features and can be extended by various plugins.
Depending on the projects settings, some of the modules containing specific functionality might not
be activated, so they will not be displayed in the project menu on the left. It is the project
administrator's responsibility to activate/deactivate the modules in the project settings. See here
(LINK) how you can do it.

Project Overview Page

This page provides a general overview of the project using different information blocks such as
project description, project details, work package tracking, members or latest news. In order to
personalize this page by adding or removing information blocks according to your needs, click on
Personalize this page.

Figure 9: Personalize overview page

On the new page, click on Add. You can now select different options from the dropdown-menu. You
can easily delete existing blocks by clicking on Delete next to the title of the respective block.

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 Figure 10: Adding information blocks to the overview page

When using the My Project Page plugin the project overview can be further customized by adding
teasers to a project page (by selecting Add teaser…) and use it to add customized text and attachments
(such as images) as well as use macros to include other pages, such as wiki articles or timeline reports.
For an overview of the available syntax have a look at the list of available macros and textile syntax
(LINK).

1.2 Activity

On the activity page, you can see the newest developments in your project. The changes are listed in
reverse chronological order, with the latest changes appearing on top. By applying various filters
(located below the project navigation on the left), you can select which attributes are included in the
activity (such as work packages, repository changes, new, wiki entries or forum messages).

Figure 11: Display activity

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 1.3 Roadmap

In the roadmap, you can see all work packages listed by version, including Bugs and Product Backlogs,
Wish Lists, Evaluation, and other target versions. This view also provides information on the project’s
progress, by displaying the percentage of closed vs. open work packages. The status of each work
package can be assessed from the list displayed in the roadmap view. Titles marked as crossed out are
used for closed work packages, while open work packages are written in standard font.

Figure 12: Roadmap

Clicking on the version title opens a new page displaying the complete list of work packages. You can
sort the list by selecting criteria from the dropdown-menu on the right side.

Figure 13: Sort work packages

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Note that a roadmap is only displayed when at least one backlog version exists in a project.

1.4 Work Packages

Work packages can be different project activities, such as tasks, risks, ideas or user stories. These so-
called work package types (link) can be defined according to the specific project requirements by the
project administrator. Projects can thus vary in their work package types range.

Work packages capture important project information, can be assigned to a project member and can
be displayed in a timeline. In addition, work package hierarchies provide an easy-to-understand
overview of a project’s structure and progress.

1.4.1 Work Package types in Open Project

Work package types in Open Project include for example Task, Bug, User Story, Epic, Idea, Deliverable,
Project phase, Project milestone, Sprint, Testing, Release, Rollout, and many more. The work package
types available for a specific project can be configured by the project manager. Look here (LINK) to find
out how to create specific types or adapt the selection of available work package types per project.

You can see the list of activated work package types available to you in a specific project when creating
a new work package.

Figure 14: Work package types

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 1.4.2 Create a new work package

On the work package page, click on the + Work Packages button. Now select the type of work package
you want to create from the newly opened dropdown menu.

Figure 15: Create a new work package

On the new page, you can now create and configure the new work package using the fields of the
provided form. Fields marked with a * sign are mandatory.

First, select a Type (1) from the dropdown menu. Secondly, choose a title and type it into the field
Subject (2). If you want to create a sub work package to an existing work package, you can type in the
number of the superordinate work package in the Parent (3) field. Auto-completion makes it easy to
find the right number. The field Description (4) is optional, but specifying the task is recommended, for
example regarding the exact requirements of a work package. Within the text field, the commonly
used Wiki-Syntax (LINK) can be used.

Below this, you can find additional pre-configured fields.

The first field is Status (5). The default status for a newly created work package is typically New,
however this can be adjusted throughout the process. For example, the status can be changed to In
Progress or Resolved (or the status defined by the system admin), depending on the work package
type.

Note: Some status transitions are not supported by some work package types. This can potentially lead
to a situation where it is no longer possible to change the status due to a previous change of the work
package type. If this is the case for you, inform a system administrator to adjust the workflow according
to your project role and the work package type.

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Below this, you can select the work package Priority (6) which provides information about the urgency
of completing a work package. Furthermore, you can define an Assignee (7) who is the person or group
in charge of working on the work package. This is to be distinguished from the project Responsible (8)
who carries the general responsibility for the work package. This configuration is useful to clarify to
whom the task is to be “sent back” by the assignee. This role frequently applies to the responsible.

Moreover, it is possible to categorize work packages. Categories (9) are specific to each project and
can be customized by the project administrator. Categories can be assigned to a specific project
member, so that even if no Assignee or Responsible has been created for the work package in a certain
category, a person assigned to a specific category will receive a notification that the work package has
been created. Note: at least one category has to be configured for this field to be displayed when
creating a work package. You need project administration rights to be able to create a new category.
See here (link) how this can be done.

Furthermore, you can select a Target version (10) if at least one open version exists in the project. If
the backlogs plugin is installed and activated, a target version assigns a work package to a backlog or
sprint. This way, the work package numbers are displayed in the backlog view, provided that the
respective work package type is selected for the backlog view. In addition, the work package assigned
to a target version is included in the version displayed in the roadmap.

The next two fields allow you to define Start date (11) and Due date (12) of the work package. In
Estimated time (13), you can enter the necessary time input estimate in hours.

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 Figure 16: Create a new work package – step 2

In addition to the pre-defined fields, it is also possible to configure any number of additional project-
specific fields. In order to choose an additional field, you need certain rights, for example that of the
role of a project administrator, depending on the roles and right setup in your project environment.
See here (link) how a custom field can be created. Note that some plugins (such as the costs plugin)
also add additional fields to the work package form.

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 Figure 17: Create a new work package – step 3

The following configurations are possible in addition to the before-mentioned fields (see fig. 16):

(1) Attach one or several files and add a description for the file.
(2) Choose watchers to receive information about changes in this work package via e-mail. The
selection of e-mail notifications can be configured under My account.
(3) A selection for a budget is displayed if the Costs plugin is installed and the module Controlling
is activated in your project.
(4) Estimation of remaining hours (if the backlogs plugin is installed and activated).
(5) By checking or unchecking the box next to Email updates, you can choose whether the
responsible project members or watchers will receive e-mail notifications (provided they did
not deactivate emails in their My account settings).
(6) The Preview option shows a draft version of the final work package description.
(7) With Create, you can save all data and create the work package.

1.4.3 Work package hierarchies

To complete some tasks, it is necessary to fulfill additional subtasks which can be displayed as
subordinated work packages.

1.4.3.1 Adding a subtask

Navigate to the detailed work package view.

Under the heading Work package hierarchy at the bottom of the page, select Add subtask by clicking
on the cross symbol. This will open the screen to create a new work package, already containing the

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number of the higher-level work package. As usual, fill in the work package details, and finish by
clicking Create.

Figure 18: Add subtask

1.4.3.2 Adding a higher-level work package

A higher-level work package is called parent work package and can be added using the Update work
package function. Learn more about how to update a work package here (LINK).

1.4.3.3 Display work package hierarchies

Now, you will find both a link to the subtasks in the detail view of the higher-level work package, as
well as a hint to the higher-level task in the subtask.

Figure 19: Display work package hierarchy

Hierarchies are also displayed from the work package list, namely through the indented arrow next to
the subtask.
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 Figure 20: Subtasks from list view

You can also add a column with information about parent work packages:

1. In the settings menu, click on Columns.

2. Use auto-completion to search and add the Parent column.
3. Click on Apply to display the new parent column in the work package list.

1.4.4 Work package relations

You can not only create work package hierarchies (LINK), but also define relations, for example indicate
that they address the similar topic. To create a relationship between two work packages:

1) Select a work package and click the + Symbol next to Related work packages
2) Select the relationship from the dropdown menu.
3) Enter the ID of the work package, with which the relation should be created.
4) Click Add.

Figure 21: Add a work package relation

You can select one of the following relations:

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  Related to – this option adds a link from the work package A to work package B, so that
project members can immediately see the connection, even if the work packages are not
members of the same hierarchy.
 Duplicates – this option indicates that the work package A duplicates a work package B in
one way or another, for example both address the same task. This can be useful if you have
the same work package that needs to be a part of a closed and public projects at the same
time. The connection in this case is semantic, the changes you make in work package A will
need to be adapted in work package B manually.
 Blocks – this option defines status change restrictions between two work packages. If you set
a work package A to be blocking work package B, the status of work package B can not be set
to closed or resolved until the work package A is closed or resolved.
 Precedes/Follows - Defines a chronologically tied relation between two work packages. For
example, if set a work package A to precede a work package B, you will not be able to change the
starting date of B to be earlier than the end date of A. In addition, you can specify the delay (in
days) between the closing date and the starting date of the preceding and following work
packages respectively.

The selected relation status will be automatically displayed in the work package that you enter.
For example if you select “Blocks” in the current work package A and specify work package B,
work package B will automatically show that it is blocked by A.

1.4.5 Edit and update a work package

In order to edit a work package, select it in the work package list by clicking on the title or the work
package number. This opens the detail view.

Figure 22: Select a work package from list

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You will find the Update button for editing the work package in the upper right corner of the work
package detailed view (if you have permissions to edit work packages in the project).

Figure 23: Edit a work package

This option allows you to make changes to the status, the work package’s assignee, target version, etc.
Note: If you want to change core information, such as type, subject, parent or description, first click on
the triangular icon next to Change properties. The core information fields will then be folded out.

Figure 24: Change properties

Save your data by clicking on OK. All changes will be displayed in the history below the ticket.

Note: you can also edit a work package by selecting the detailed view (LINK) and selecting the edit
option in detailed view.

1.4.6 Copy, duplicate, move, watch or delete work packages

Apart from editing, you can make the following changes to your work packages:

1. Duplicate a work package

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 When duplicating a work package, a work package form with the pre-set values of the original
work package is shown. This option also copies the work package’s tasks (if selected), and
automatically creates a relation between the new and the original ticket (if not deselected).
Duplicating a work package allows to easily create and adjust new work packages based on
existing one’s is however limited to only one work package at a time.

2. Copy a work package

In contrast to duplicating a work package, copying a work package can potentially be
performed on many work packages at the same time. The attributes that can be changed and
are therefore limited to more generic attributes, such as assignee or status. However, it is also
possible to directly copy work packages to different projects by selecting the respective
projects in the dropdown menu.

Regardless of the way of multiplication, the work package will only be created after the final
confirmation of clicking on Duplicate or Copy.

3. Move a work package

The Move option shifts a work package to another project or subproject. Select the project
into which the work package is to be moved, check whether further adjustments are necessary
and confirm by clicking on Move.
Please note: You can only move a work package into projects that you are a member of and
for which you are authorized to carry out this function.

4. Delete a work package

The right to delete work packages is tied to specified roles (for example system
administrators). The roles and permission may vary from project to project.

You can select these options either in the detail view under More functions, or via the context menu
by right-clicking into the work package list. The latter option allows you to perform an action (such as
copying, moving or deleting a work package) on multiple work packages at once.

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 Figure 25: Duplicate, copy, move or delete from details view

1.4.1 Work packages list view

Top panel above the work package list view offers several functionalities:

1) Adding a new work package

2) Adding a filter
3) Switching to the list view
4) Activating the details view
5) Adapting the view list, such as adding new columns, changing the sorting criteria, exporting
work packages, etc.

Figure 26: Work packages list view

In addition, you can access additional editing options, such as editing, duplicating and deleting for
specific work packages. To do that right-click in the respective row of the table. This will open the list
allowing general changes such as Copy, Delete, Duplicate, and Move (provided you have permissions
to perform these actions). Apart from this, the list indirectly allows more detailed changes: Open detail
view will open the detail pane at the right side of the list, and Edit links to the full range of options on
the specific work package page.

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 Figure 27: Edit work packages from list view

Detail view will open on the right side of the screen, showing the work package attributes and allowing
you to edit the work package.

1.4.2 Working with filters

The work package list displays all work packages of a project. By creating filters, you can adjust the
selection to your needs. These predefined filters can also be shared with other users by marking them
as public.

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The list of pre-defined queries is grouped by public and private filters. Filters configured as public are
also visible to other users. You can see the full list of queries by clicking on the work package list’s
heading or the small triangle next it.

Figure 28: Filtered work package list

1.4.2.1 Filter work packages

1. Click on work packages. The filter pane must be activated.

2. Open the dropdown menu Add filter.

Figure 29: Add filter

3. Choose any number of filter criteria from the selection on the right side of the filter pane, such as
author.

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4. Further define the selection criteria, for example by selecting a specific person as author. It is also
possible to select multiple filter attributes of the same filter. In order to select multiple filter
attributes, click on the “+” symbol at the end of the row and select the filter attributes you want
to apply (hold “Ctrl” or “Shift” for multi-selection).

1.4.2.2 Save preconfigured filters

In order to save the filtered list, click on Save in the settings menu.

Figure 30: Define filter

Type in the name of your filter and finish by clicking on the Save button.

Figure 31: Name and save query

1.4.2.3 Deleting, Exporting, and Sharing Queries

Once you have selected a pre-configured query, the work package list’s heading now changes to the
selected title.

From this view, you can now go on to configure your filter. In order to do so, click on the settings
button. The drop-down menu now allows to select from a range of options.

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 Figure 32: Configure query

Save as allows you to use the filter as a template for other filters by using the same selection under
another title. With Delete, you can delete the filter. Export opens a new window offering different
options, for example export as PDF or Excel file (See export work packages). By clicking on Share, you
can define whether the filter will be publicly visible and should be added to the. Under Page settings,
you can change the query’s title.

1.4.2.4 Add a preconfigured filter to the project menu

In order to display a pre-configured filter in the menu under work packages, open the Share setting
window from the respective query view and check Show page in menu.

Figure 33: Add query to menu

The query is now added to the menu. You can recognize queries in the menu by a pin symbol next to
their title. In order to remove them from the menu, simply undo your action by unchecking the Show
page in menu box in the Share window.
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 1.4.3 Display work

Figure 34: Add parent column

packages in the timeline

You can display all work packages in timelines. Learn more about how to work with timelines here
(Link).

1.4.4 Link documents to work packages

In order to link documents to work packages, open the detailed work package view and click on
Update. At the bottom of the page, click on Files. A new line will unfold, allowing you to upload files.
Click on Browse to search for files on your hard drive. You can also add a description of the file using
the provided field. Add as many files as you like by clicking on Add another file, and finish with Submit.

Figure 35: Link documents to work package

1.4.5 Export work packages

OpenProject allows you to export the work package list, whether it is filtered or not, to other programs.
Possible file formats include Atom, PDF, PDF with descriptions, CSV, XLS, and XLS with descriptions (if
you are using XLS Export plugin).

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 Figure 36: Export options

In order to do so, click on the settings button at the right side of the work package pane, and select
Export. In the new window, clicking on the desired file format will open a download window.

Figure 37: Export work package

1.5 Timelines

A critical component for successful project management is the ability to plan the individual milestones
and tasks and their dependencies associated with a project. OpenProject helps to visualize these
deliverables via the timeline module. Timelines can be used to display the work packages of individual
projects but also allow to construct complex multi-level reporting relationships among several
projects, allowing to monitor corporate-scale projects. You can compare and analyze the data directly
in OpenProject without the need for additional tools. It is however possible to use external tools such

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as the PowerPoint task connector Add-in which allows to create timelines based on timeline report in
OpenProject (see LINK for further information).

To open the timeline view, navigate to your target project using the top navigation and select Timelines
from the menu.

Figure 38: Select timeline view

In case of already existing timeline reports, the first one will be displayed to you automatically.

1. In the upper left selection you can choose between different reports.
2. In order to get detailed insights into the plan, use the zooming option. The available units
range from days to years.
3. On the right, you can choose up to which level units should be displayed. If you are interested
in the planning structure of only a few projects, you can fold or unfold levels for these projects,
for example in order to see sprints or releases.
4. In the upper right corner, you find options to create a new timeline report, as well as to edit
or delete an existing report. Note: This function by default is limited to only roles with
sufficient permissions.

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 Figure 39: Timeline view

Depending on the timeline configuration, different columns can be displayed, for example responsible,
start or end date. Please note that depending on the roles and privileges configured in your project or
project environment you may not be able to modify these settings.

Figure 40: Columns in timeline view

Depending on the configuration, timelines can display whether elements have recently been changed.
If the comparisons view is selected, changes during a set timeframe are highlighted through small
symbols. Note: depending on the roles and privileges defined for your project or project environment,
you may to be able to select the comparison option.

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 Figure 41: Displaying changes in timeline view

If you mouse over single work packages, a tooltip appears displaying further information, such as
subject, work package number, start and end date or responsible (if selected).

Figure 42: Mouse over in timelines

If you are assigned a role with the necessary permissions (for example a manager or a project
administrator), you can find additional information about timeline configuration under project settings
and in admin guide.

1.5.1 Create a timeline report

From the timeline view, click on New timeline report in the top right corner.

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 Figure 43: Create a new timeline report

In the new window, you can now define your report’s settings which are divided into 6 categories.
Each category can be folded and unfolded by clicking on the respective pane.

Figure 44: New timeline report - Step 1

1. General settings: Here you can choose the timeline report’s title under Name and decide if
you want to display it in the timeline view by checking or unchecking Hide chart. You can also
choose the chart’s default zoom factor, ranging from days to years. Under Initial outline
expansion, you can define the number of levels to be displayed in the chart by default. You
can also set the displayed time frame by setting the start and end date under show timeframe.
Columns allow you to define which columns are to be displayed, such as start and end date
or responsible. By clicking into the field, a drop-down menu opens containing a pre-defined

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 list of column titles. Finally, under Sort projects by, you can decide whether your projects
which are displayed in the timeline report are to be sorted by date or by alphabet.
2. Comparisons: It is often useful to visualize changes in planning. The Comparisons section
allows to compare the current state of planning to previous states. Changes concerning
several attributes (such as work package start and end date, assignee, responsible and status)
are highlighted in the timeline report when the comparison option is activated. There are
two different planning comparison options: Choosing relative comparisons displays changes
within a certain timeframe (e.g. to display the changes which occurred within one week – for
example to use this for weekly status reports) to the current date, while absolute comparisons
(e.g. to show planning changes since the start of a project) refer to a fixed date.
Potentially show comparison screenshot
3. Vertical work packages: Sometimes it is useful to include events / work packages in a timeline
report which affect an entire project / an entire timeline report. Examples may include
deployment or feature freezes or even public holidays. Vertical work packages allow to display
these “global” / vertical work packages in a timeline report. In order to add vertical work
packages, simply enter the work packages’ IDs (e.g. #1234, #1235), separated by commas.

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 Figure 45: New timeline report - Step 2

4. Filter work packages: Here you can define which work packages should appear in the timeline
report by setting filters. First, you can choose to hide work packages from this project. This
way, only work packages of other projects will appear in the chart. In the Show status field,
you can select the status you want to be displayed in the chart using the integrated drop-
down menu. The following fields work accordingly, and allow filtering work packages by type,
responsible or assignee. Additionally, it is possible to filter by customized attributes (so called
custom fields).

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 5. Filter projects: This category allows you to filter the displayed list by projects. You can choose
to hide other projects or empty projects, and, similar - to filtering by work packages - select
projects by type, status or responsible. You can also filter the list by parent projects using the
option Show subprojects of, or even use the combined filter Projects with a work package of
a certain type in a certain timeframe. Here you can choose between an absolute timeframe,
i.e. fixed period, or a relative timeframe, which is defined by a certain distance to the current
date.

Figure 46: New timeline report - Step 3

6. Grouping: In the last category, you can specify grouping and sorting criteria. The first (is a
subproject of) and second group criterion (has a dependency to project type) can each be
chosen from an integrated drop-down list. Below each of these lines, you can then go on to
choose a respective sorting criterion. Grouping allows structuring large timeline reports by
grouping them based on different criteria. The first grouping criterion allows to group
subprojects of target projects while the second grouping criterion enables users to add an
additional grouping level by extending the first level grouping by projects with a certain
project type. Finally, if you want to hide the group “Other”, check the corresponding box.

Once you have chosen all settings for your timeline report, finish by clicking on the Create button.

1.5.2 Overarching timeline reports (multiple projects)

Projects are characterized by relationships and dependencies. In order to visualize these structures
and also to make full use of the permissions concept, it is advisable to create the planning levels as
independent subprojects.

Subprojects are only displayed in the timeline reports of their respective parent project, if:

a) you have permission to see timelines in the respective subproject, and

b) there is a reporting relationship created from the subproject to the respective parent project (LINK)
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The latter is created via status reports in the respective subproject. Depending on the roles defined for
your project or project environment, you may or may not be able to create this relationship. See how
to create an overarching timeline report here (link).

1.5.3 Display vertical work packages

In case of complex projects with many work packages and dependencies, the timeline view can
become confusing. For a better overview of overarching work packages (for example vacation or public
holidays), OpenProject offers the possibility to display work packages vertically.

Figure 47: Display vertical work package

Depending on the roles defined for your project or project environment, you may or may not be able
to display work packages vertically. See here for instructions on how to display work packages
vertically.

1.5.1 Edit and create work packages from the timeline view

You can display details of existing work packages from the timeline view. To open the detail window,
click on the desired work package in the timeline. By clicking on Update, you can also edit the work
package as usual.

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 Figure 48: View and edit work packages from timeline view

You can also create new work packages directly from the timeline view. In order to do so, click on the
„+“-symbol on the top right and create a work package following the usual procedure.

Figure 49: Create a new work package from timeline view

1.6 Agile and Scrum (Backlogs Plugin)

Working in agile project teams is becoming increasingly important.

OpenProject supports your work with Scrum methodology by providing a variety of functionalities. You
can record and prioritize user stories in the sprint and product backlog, use digital task boards or
burndown-charts, print story cards, and much more. Using OpenProject Scrum functionality requires

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installation of backlogs plugin. You can download it here https://github.com/finnlabs/openproject-
backlogs

Please note that this user guide does not represent an introduction into scrum methodology, but
merely explains the scrum-related functionalities and user instructions in OpenProject.

1.6.1 Working with backlogs

The starting point for effective work in Scrum teams is a well-maintained and prioritized product
backlog as well as the creation of sprint backlogs. In OpenProject, you can easily record and specify
requirements represented by user stories. Moreover, you can respond to inquiries and sort them by
priority for implementation.
Please note that the backlogs plugin must be installed and the backlogs module in the project
configuration must be activated by the project administrator in order to be able to use scrum
functionalities in OpenProject. See here to learn how to activate and deactivate these modules.
Moreover, please note that the backlogs module is not available in the accessibility mode, since it uses
drag&drop functionalities which are not accessible. If you use the accessibility mode you can however
perform the same actions (like viewing and editing work packages such as user stories and epics) from
the work package list view.

First steps

Creating a new backlog

The first thing you will want to do is create a new backlog version. Read here on creating a new backlog
version or a sprint. You can always manage the backlog versions under project settings, if you have the
necessary administrator rights.

Creating a new user story

In order to create a new work package in the product backlog, click on the arrow on the left of
the product backlog and choose New Story from the drop-down menu.

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Here, you directly specify the work package‘s type, title, status and story points. The list
contains those work package types that are activated for the backlogs plug-in; usually those
are Feature and Bug.

In the background, a new work package is created in the project. Clicking on the work package
ID opens the detail view, where you can specify additional work package attributes.

Of course, new user stories can also be directly created following the usual procedure
of creating a new work package. In order to do so, choose a work package type and target
version which are activated in the backlogs-plugin – such as feature or bug, and product or
sprint backlog, respectively.
Read more about creating user stories in the backlog view.

Prioritizing tasks

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You can prioritize different work packages within the product backlog using drag&drop and you
can attribute them to a specific sprint backlog.
Note: If you move a work package into the backlogs view, the target version will automatically
be adapted in the background.

Working with story points

In a sprint, you can directly document necessary effort as story points. The overall effort for a
sprint is automatically calculated, whereby the sum of story points is displayed in the top row.

Read more on assigning and editing the story points.

Editing timeframe

Moreover, you can adjust the start and end date of a backlog in the backlogs view. Clicking on
the date opens a calendar where you can make your changes.
Note: Apart from start and end date, you can also adjust the sprint name. To do so, you have
to be a project administrator.

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Note: a backlog version will be shown under Roadmap, but not in a Timeline. If you want to
display a sprint in a timeline, you can create a new work package, select a phase as a work
package type, give it the same name as to a specific version (for example Sprint 1) and assign
the same start and end date.

1.6.2 Create a new backlog version

You can easily create a new version from the work package detail view. Click on the small “+”-symbol
next to the field Target version.

Figure 50: Add new backlog version

A new window opens where you can specify the name of the new version. Once you finished by clicking
on OK, the new version will appear in the drop-down menu of the field Target version and can be
selected for the current as well as for other work packages.

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 Figure 51: Name new backlog version

1.6.3 Create new sprint

Since sprints are one type of version, creating a sprint is done following the same procedure as for
creating a new version. It is advisable to number your sprints chronologically for a better overview.
Sprints usually run for a fixed period of approx. two to three weeks. In order to configure these settings,
click on the Sprint title in the backlogs view. For some settings, such as start and end date, you can also
use in-line editing.

Figure 52: Open sprint settings

On the new page, you can specify details of the version such as description, status, (sprint) wiki page,
start and end date, as well as sharing options across projects. Moreover, you can create a custom
field and decide where the version is to be displayed in the backlog. The latter option is important to
define a version as a sprint, which are displayed on the left side of the backlog. Note that sprints
(backlogs displayed on the left side of the backlogs page) offer more options – such as opening the
task board and displaying the burndown – compared to the Product Backlogs (which are displayed on
the right side of the backlogs page).
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 Figure 53: Sprint properties view

1.6.4 Edit story points in backlog view

You can easily edit story points directly from the backlogs view. In order to do so, simply click in the
line of the work package you want to edit, and make the desired changes. In the same way, you can
also edit name, start and end date and status of a work package. To confirm your changes, press
“Enter” on your keyboard. To cancel your changes, press “Escape”.

Figure 54: Edit story points in backlog view

1.6.5 Create new epic, user story, bug or feature in backlog view

Configuring and managing epics and user stories works according to the same procedure as with work
packages and parent tasks.

Select Create New Work Package and select the type, i.e. Epic or User Story. As usual, add information
and click on Create.
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Work package hierarchies allow you to create and display epics, user stories and tasks according to
their hierarchies.

Displaying user stories and tasks for a sprint is also possible by selecting Stories/Tasks in the drop-
down menu next to the sprint title.

Figure 55: Select user stories from backlog view

This will take you to the filtered work package view of all user stories and tasks in a sprint.

Note that all tasks created for a user story via the task board view are automatically configured as child
tickets. The task is thus always automatically assigned to the target version of the parent work package
(i.e., the user story).

1.6.6 Working with the task board

To support daily scrum meetings, all of a team’s tasks and sprint impediments are recorded in a digital
task board. The digital task board thus allows team members to get a fast overview of the current state
of a sprint.

To open the task board view, click on the small arrow next to the respective sprint, and select Task
board in the drop-down menu.

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 Figure 56: Open Taskboard

You will find user stories in the left column, followed by their individual tasks which are sorted by
status. Therefore, you can immediately see the status of a user story and its associated tasks. Clicking
on the „+“-sign next to a user story opens a window to create a new task.

Figure 57: Create a new task from the taskboard view

Here, you can configure the fields Subject, Assigned To, and Remaining Hours. The new task will be
created as a child element of the user story in the same row.

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If a task is updated or completed, it can be moved to the respective column by a team member using
drag&drop. In the background, the status of the work package will be adjusted accordingly. Clicking on
the work package number opens the work package’s detail view.

Figure 58: Drag&drop from the task board view

On the very top of the table, sprint impediments are documented and assigned to the scrum master
for removal.

Figure 59: Sprint Impediments in the task board view

Note: If you add an impediment and type the work package number into the field Blocked (ID), the
respective work package will be linked to the impediment. As long as the impediment remains, the
work package cannot be closed.

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 Figure 60: Create a new impediment in the task board view

The task colors are different for every team member, making it easy to associate tasks with their
respective assignees. If needed, the coloring can be adjusted in the personal user account settings (in
My Account (see section X). Use hex codes to specify the desired color.

Figure 61: Configure task color

1.6.7 Burndown chart

Burndown charts are a helpful tool to visualize a sprint’s progress. With OpenProject, you can generate
sprint and task burndown charts automatically. As a precondition, the sprint’s start and end date must
be entered in the title and the information on story points is well maintained.

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 Figure 62: Select burndown chart

The sprint burndown is calculated from the sum of estimated story points. If a user story is set to
“closed“(or another status which is defined as closed (see admin settings)), it counts for the burndown.

The task burndown is calculated from the estimated number of hours necessary to complete a task. If
a task is set to “closed“, the burndown is adjusted.

The remaining story points per sprint are displayed in the chart. Optionally, the ideal burndown can
be displayed for reference. The ideal burndown assumes a linear completion of story points from the
beginning to the end of a sprint.

Figure 63: Burndown chart

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 1.6.8 Print story cards (Plugin)

Note: printing story cards requires installation of the PDf Exports plugin. You can find it here.
https://github.com/finnlabs/openproject-pdf_export

If you do not want to do without the real project pin board in your project management, OpenProject
offers the option to print the user stories and tasks.

In order to so, select the Export option from the sprint drop-down menu in the backlogs view.

Figure 64: Export story cards from the sprint view

Choose a story card format from the list that will open. The format selection can only be adjusted by
a system admin and applies to all projects in OpenProject.

Now, a PDF file is created which displays one or several stories or tasks per page (listing the work
packages of the selected sprint), depending on the selected settings.

1.6.9 Create a sprint wiki page

OpenProject also allows you to create a wiki page associated with a sprint directly from the backlog.
In order to do so, click on the arrow on the left of the respective Sprint title to open the drop-down
menu. A click on Wiki will take you to the Wiki editing page.

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 Figure 65: Create a sprint wiki page

Here, you have all the tools for creating wiki pages at your disposal, with the title already pre-set and
related to the selected sprint. You can insert and edit content using the text field and make changes
to the formatting using the navigation pane above. You can also add comments and files from your
hard drive. Once you have configured the wiki page according to your preferences, click Save.

Figure 66: Configure a sprint wiki page

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 1.6.10 Selecting folded or collapsed backlogs view

You can choose whether backlogs are to be displayed folded or collapsed by default. In My account,
check or uncheck the respective box next to the field Show versions folded.

Figure 67: Selecting folded or collapsed version of backlog

1.7 News

On the news page, you can easily see the latest changes in a project in reverse chronological order.
News generally document developments in your project that are of general interest, rather than mere
changes to work packages as displayed under Activites.

Figure 68: News overview

1.7.1 Add or delete a news entry

To add a new news entry, click on Add news (below News) in the side navigation. A new window will
open similar to the wiki edit page, allowing you to enter title, summary and description. You can further

50
edit the content of your news entry by using the provided basic formatting options. To finish and
publish the entry, click on Create.

Figure 69: Add news entry

Delete a news entry

To delete a news entry, click on the Delete button in the top right corner of the respective entry’s detail
view.

Figure 70: Delete news

1.7.2 Edit a news entry

You can also always go back and make changes to an existing entry. To do so, select the respective
news entry from the overview page by clicking on its heading. In the detail view of the entry, click Edit
in the top right corner.

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 Figure 71: Edit news

A form appears allowing you to make adjustments to title, summary and description. The original entry
is displayed at the bottom of the page. Make your changes and click on Save to finish.

Figure 72: Form for editing news

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 1.7.3 Watch a news entry

You can also decide to watch a news entry. As a watcher, you will receive an e-mail notification if a
news entry is changed or if a comment has been added to a news article. To become a watcher, click
Watch in the top right corner of a news entry’s detail view. If you want to stop watching a news entry,
simply click on Unwatch.

Figure 73: Watch news

1.7.4 Comment on a news entry

In OpenProject, you can also add comments to a news entry. To add a comment, click on the Comment
button in the bottom area of the respective entry’s detail page. A form for entering and formatting
text will open. Insert your comment and finish by clicking on the Add button. Your comment, along
with all other comments, is then displayed below the news entry description, in reverse chronological
order.

Figure 74: Add a comment

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 1.1 Calendar

Calendar shows all of the project work packages in calendar form. Current month will automatically be
selected. You can change the date by selecting the wanted month and year and clicking Apply.

Moving the mouse over a specific work package will result in the detailed work package information
being shown.

Filters in calendar

You can filter the work packages in the calendar view by adding any number of filters, e.g. Author, Due
Date, Priority, etc. To do that select a filter in the dropdown menu Add Filter and click Apply.

You can also link the calendar to the overview page. See here how to do this.

1.2 Wiki

Wiki syntax – Textile

Wiki pages (as well as all other text boxes – such as News or Meeting pages) use textile as their main
markup language. In order to format your text properly, your entries need to follow the specific textile
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syntax. You will find the most important commands above the editor window, where you can select
the type of formatting you want to use with just one click.

At the top right of the window, you will also find a help link (Text formatting) which explains commonly
used commands in terms of the syntax and how it is displayed.

Figure 75: Wiki editor window

Considering that it is nevertheless faster to work without having to refer to the help option, some basic
formatting codes will be explained in the following.

1. You can create six different heading sizes. To create a first-degree heading, type h1 in front of
the text, the H indicating Headline. Second- and third-degree headings are created according
to the same principle, i.e. by typing h2 and h3, respectively. A full stop and space separate h1
from the text that follows. The headlines range from h1 to h6, yet typically the first three are
sufficient.
If you insert # after the headline, the headings will be numbered according to their hierarchy,
e.g. h1# or h2#, whereby the headings’ degrees correspond to the numbering levels.
2. To display an unordered list (bullet points), start each line with a *.
3. If a # precedes the text, a numbered list is created.
4. To put a text in italics, it has to be enclosed by underscore characters. Putting a * in front and
after your text will display it as bold. To underline a text, set it between two + characters.

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 Figure 76: Wiki syntax

If you are unsure whether you have entered all information correctly, you can use the Preview option
below the window, directly next to the Save button. Note: It is advisable to save regularly, in order to
avoid that content is being lost.

Figure 77: Wiki preview

If the result does not live up to your expectations, check if you have forgotten empty spaces or lines in
some spots.

1.2.1 Create a wiki page

To create a new wiki page in a project, select New child page under menu point Wiki in the side
navigation.

The editor window will open, allowing you to enter title and content of the future page.

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Learn here (link xy) how to format texts in wiki.

The Preview option allows you to check how your entries will be displayed.

Confirm your entries by clicking on Save.

Figure 78: Create a new wiki page

1.2.2 Create a new child page

You can create additional child pages within an existing wiki page using the drop-down menu More
functions.

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 The new child page will automatically be displayed below the parent page in the table of content.

Figure 79: Wiki Table of Contents

1.2.3 Edit a wiki page

To edit a wiki page, go to the respective page or child page and click on Edit in the top right corner.

Figure 80: Edit a wiki page

In the newly opened editor window, you can now make adjustments and changes.

To finish, save your entries by clicking on Save.

1.2.4 Rename a wiki page

You can rename wiki pages. Browse to the drop-down menu More functions and select Rename. You
can now adjust the page name in the editor window. Clicking on Rename will save your changes.

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Note: When renaming, you can relink the URL of the old wiki page (defined by the title) to the new
title (Redirect existing links). In case you have already communicated the page URL to someone, this
saves you the effort of sending a new link to this page.

Figure 81: Rename a wiki page

1.2.5 Watch a wiki page

If you want to keep updated about any changes to a wiki page, you can make use of the Watch option.
Browse to the wiki page you want to watch and click on Watch in the top right corner. You can undo
this choice at any time.

Figure 82: Watch a wiki page

With this function being activated, you will receive an e-mail notification after every page update,
including a link to the respective changes.

1.2.6 Show wiki page history

In some cases, you might want to know the latest change to a wiki page. You can get information on
the type of change as well as on the author using the history option. To display it, choose History in
the More functions drop-down menu.

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 Figure 83: Wiki history

First, you will get an overview on author and date of the latest changes. Potential comments can
already give you an idea about the type of change. You can explicitly choose two versions to display a
more detailed view of the changes between them using the View differences button.

Figure 84: Differences between wiki versions

Note: The more distance between two versions, the more difficult it becomes to compare them,
since only the selected versions are compared (ignoring the changes that were made in the
meantime). The most comprehensible information is thus provided by comparing two consecutive
versions.

1.2.7 Show a wiki page in the project menu

You can also display wiki pages as menu items to access them more easily. To do so, select Configure
menu item from the More functions menu. On the new page, you can choose a name for the menu
point and choose between different visibility options.

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 Figure 85: Show a wiki page in the project menu

Selecting Show as menu item in project navigation will create an independent menu point in the side
navigation (1). In addition to this, you can choose to display a link to create a new child page, and/or
to display a link to the wiki Table of Contents (2) under this new menu point. Alternatively, you can
also choose to make the wiki page a sub-point to the overall wiki module in the side navigation, by
selecting Show as menu item of (3). The drop-down menu here displays Wiki as the default parent
page. However, if you have already created other main menu points (using the before-mentioned
option), the drop-down menu will offer these menu points as additional parent page options.

Figure 86: Menu point visibility options

The default option is Do not show this wiki page in project navigation. Check this option if you want to
undo earlier changes and hide the wiki page from the side navigation.
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 1.2.8 Link to work packages, documents, timelines and images

You can embed work packages, documents and images into wiki pages.

Linking a wiki page to a work package

To link to a work package, enter the work package number following a hash key in the editing mode.

#1234 only creates the link to the work package.

With ##1234, you can display a work package’s title as well as its status and start and end date.

###1234 displays a work package’s title, status, start, end date as well as its assignee and responsible
and the first three lines of the description (if existing).

Figure 87: Link to work package on a wiki page

Linking a wiki page to a document

To add a document or file, browse to the bottom area of the editing page and select a document using
the Browse button. Alternatively, you can also collapse this section on the wiki page itself by clicking
on the Add file link below the text. In the newly opened window, select a file from your hard drive and
click Open. Optionally, you can also add a description to your file. By clicking on Add another file, you
can attach additional documents. Once you are finished, click on Save.

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Embedding an image

To embed an image in a wiki page, the procedure consists of the following steps:

1. First, upload the file. To do so, click on Browse.

2. Enter the file name in wiki syntax, e.g. !Image.png!. It is important to use the correct file name,
otherwise the image cannot be displayed.
3. Click on Save. Note: If you have not saved the page before, the image will not be displayed in
the preview mode

Figure 88: Embed an image into a wiki page

Embedding a timeline

You can embed a project timeline into a wiki page. To do that use a macro {{timeline(ID)}}. You will
find the timeline ID in the timeline URL.

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Figure 89: Linking a wiki page to a timeline

1.3 Forums

When dealing with complex projects and geographically scattered teams, project communication can
become confusing. In this case OpenProject Forums provide a space for exchange between project
members. In order to use a forum it must first be created by a project administrator or a role with
respective permissions.

Forum boards
A board is a sub-forum of an overarching topic, each one bundling more specific discussions (threads).
Only project administrators can create new forum boards. To do so, the forum module must be
activated. Project users can then create new discussions within the existing boards.

You can see all existing boards from the forum overview page. The first column displays the name and
a short description of the board. The table also displays the number of topics (threads) and messages
in each board. The last column shows the latest activities. To access a board, click on the respective
title in the first column.

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 Figure 90: List of forum boards

1.3.1 Create a new thread

In every board, you can document any number of subjects. To display all existing discussions in a board,
select the respective board title from the overview page. On the new page, you can now see the full
list of discussions, including details regarding author, date of creation, number of replies, and last
message. To start a new thread yourself, click on New message in the top right corner of the page.

Figure 91: Create a new message in the forum

A new page will open where you can define the new message‘s subject and description. You can format
the description using the commonly known Wiki Syntax.

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 Figure 92: Define a new message in the forum

Like in the OpenProject wiki, a Preview option is provided. Clicking on Create saves your entry and adds
it to the forum.

1.3.2 Edit or delete own messages

You can easily edit or delete messages created by yourself by clicking on the buttons in the top right
corner of the entry‘s page. To edit or delete individual replies, use the buttons displayed to the right
of the respective reply.

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 Figure 93: Edit or delete own messages in the forum

1.3.3 Reply and quote

In the forum view, select the discussion you want to contribute to. You can add a reply to an existing
message by clicking on Reply. To cite the previous entry in your reply, click on Quote.

Figure 94: Reply and quote

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 1.3.4 Sticky forum message

In order to make a message sticky, i.e. always displayed on top and not subject to the reverse
chronological view in a forum, check the Sticky box on the respective message’s editing page.

Figure 95: Sticky forum message

1.3.5 Locked forum message

You can also set a message as locked, i.e. other project members will no longer be able to post replies.
This way, you can define a discussion as closed.

Figure 96: Locked forum message

1.3.6 Watch a forum

You can watch either individual or all forums. You can activate this function by clicking on Watch.
Whenever a new message is created in the respective forum, you will then receive an e-mail
notification.

Figure 97: Watch a forum

1.4 Repository (working with documents)

Please make sure that the Repository module is activated under project settings.

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Browser View
An important part of working on a project as a team is sharing various files and documents. Keeping
track of the latest versions can sometimes be a challenge. Therefore, OpenProject provides two types
of version control systems (Git and Subversion) which – after being properly configured – can be used
to store relevant data in the different projects.

In OpenProject you can view all the project documents under Repository. Please keep in mind that
from your OpenProject website you can only view or download the documents, but not upload them
directly.

In order to be able to edit documents and to upload the updated versions to repository, you need to
check out your repository. The following steps assume you have configured your OpenProject
repository to work with subversion (but many of the options are very similar or identical when using
Git). Please download the repository and save it locally through an SVN Client of your choice.

Figure 98: Browser view of a project repository

Below the documents list you can see the latest revisions and the changing comments. If you select a
specific document, you will see the list of the versions of this specific document.

You can create a comparison of two versions to see the changes made for specific documents. Please
keep in mind that this comparison option is available for single documents, so a specific document has
to be selected, not a folder. Hint: the comparison only works for Plain Text Files (e.g. xml, yaml, json,
html, etc.) and not for Binary Files (e.g. pdf, ppt, doc, images, audio- or archive files, etc.)

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 Figure 99: Document versions comparison

Working with SVN client

The data contained in a project repository can be downloaded to your computer using one of several
clients, for example Tortoise SVN.

The specifics of working of the selected version control client may vary. Please refer to the
documentation of your version control software client for more information. If you choose to use
Tortoise SVN, you will find a good guide here:
http://tortoisesvn.net/docs/release/TortoiseSVN_en/tsvn-dug.html

1.5 Documents (Plugins)

Using the Documents functionality requires installation of a documents plugin. You can find the plugin
and installation guide here. https://github.com/opf/openproject-documents

This plugin allows uploading documents directly to the project under project menu item Documents
and categorizing documents.

Add a new document to the project

To upload a document select Documents from the project menu and click New Document. You can
select the document category from the ones that you have created under project administration
settings. See in the Admin Guide how to create a new document category.

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Name the document and add a short description using Wiki Syntax. After you have uploaded the file,
don’t forget to click Save.

Figure 100: Add a new document

All of the uploaded documents will be visible to all of the project members.

Edit or delete a project document

You can edit or delete documents anytime. To do that, navigate to the Documents overview and select
the document you want to edit. By selecting Edit or Delete respectively you can either adjust the
document file and related information or remove the file permanently. You can add the file again at a
later point.

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 1.6 Meetings (Plugin)

Using the Meetings functionality requires installation of a meetings plugin. You can find the plugin and
installation guide here. https://github.com/finnlabs/openproject-meeting

Note: in order to be able to use meetings plugin, the Meetings module needs to be activated under
Project Settings.

1.6.1 Create a new meeting

To create a new meeting, click on the arrow next to Meetings and select New Meeting.

Figure 101: Create a new meeting

After that a dialogue window will open, where you can edit the following information:

1. Meeting title
2. Meeting location and venue
3. Starting time and duration of a meeting
4. All the project members are listed here. By clicking the Invitees column you invite the selected
project members to the meeting. The invitees are notified automatically when an agenda or
minutes are created and sent for review.
5. You can keep track of participation in Attendants column by clicking fields next to respective
project members. That can be done after the meeting has been created.
6. Save your meeting by clicking the Create button.
After the meeting was created you will be able to edit the agenda. See here how you can create or edit
an agenda.

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 1.6.2 Edit a meeting

If you click Meetings in the project menu, you will get an overview of all the project meetings sorted
by the date. By clicking on a meeting name you will view further details of the meeting.

If you want to change the details of a meeting, for example its time or location, click on Edit next to
the meeting’s name.

Figure 102: Edit a meeting

An edit screen is displayed and the meeting information can be adjusted.

Don’t forget to save the changes by clicking the Save button.

1.6.3 Add meeting participants

You can add participants to the window while being in the editing mode. The process is the same
whether you are creating a new meeting or editing an existing one. Additionally you can record after
the meeting who actually took part in it.

You can see the list of all the project members under the name and place fields. This list varies from
project to project. If you select the field in the columns Invitees or Attendees, the selected project
members will be notified automatically when an agenda or a meeting protocol is created.

By removing the check mark you can remove project members from the meetings.

Click on the Save button secures the changes made by you.

1.6.4 Create or edit a meeting agenda

To set the topic for discussion upfront you can create a meeting agenda.
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To do that open the detailed view of the meeting in question by clicking the meeting’s name. Under
the meeting name, location and invitees list you will see the Agenda field. If you have just created the
meeting, it is of course empty.

Figure 103: Create a meeting agenda

You can create and edit the agenda using the same Textile Syntax that is used for editing Wiki Pages.
You can link specific work packages, wiki pages and timeline reports directly to the agenda.

Similar to the editing process in wiki pages you can use the top panel above the editorial window to
format text. The text needs to be highlighted to use this option.

You can create a preview of the agenda and/or the changes through the Preview button underneath
the text window.

As usual, secure your changes by clicking Save button.

After that you will be directed to the detailed view of the Meeting. You can select the following from
left to right:

1. Close: After editing the agenda you can close it. After that the data will automatically be
transferred to the meeting protocol and you will be able to edit the protocol. A closed agenda
can be edited afterwards. Note: in case you open and edit an agenda, the original protocol will
be lost as a result.
2. Edit: You can edit and format the agenda, as well as link to documents, work packages and
timeline reports.
3. History: By clicking on History you will view the history of changes made to the agenda and
have the change to recreate earlier versions of it.
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 4. Send for review: On the far right you have the option of sending an agenda for review. In this
case an automatically generated email will with an embedded link to the agenda or protocol
will be sent to the meeting author, the invitees, participants and watchers.

Figure 104: Meeting Agenda Options

1.6.5 Create or edit meeting minutes

A meeting’s minutes are automatically created when closing the agenda by opening the detailed view
of the meeting and selecting the Close option.

The agenda will be closed and copied to the minutes which are opened. You can start editing the
minutes now. As with the agenda and wiki pages (link), you can link minutes to work packages,
documents, etc.

Don’t forget to Save your data.

You will directed to the detailed meeting view, where you can

1. edit the minutes,

2. view the change history,
3. send the minutes for review to invitees and attendees (as well as watchers and the meeting’s
author).

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 Figure 105: Create meeting minutes

1.6.6 Copy a meeting (recurring meetings)

If you have recurring meetings, for example a Jour Fixe, and want to simplify the process of creating
meetings and agendas, you can copy an existing meeting. To do that select the respective meeting and
open the detailed meeting view.

Select Copy option in the top right side.

Figure 106: Copy a meeting

You can now edit the copied meeting and add the new details. Click the Save button to secure your
changes.

Note: All of the settings will be copied, except for the minutes, participants and meeting history. So if
you want to keep the minutes as well, you have to copy it separately. In contrast, the agenda is copied
along with the meeting.

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 1.7 Time and costs

Time and costs functionality allows keeping track of the resources, both in terms of labor and budgets.
With OpenProject you can always keep control of the time and costs planned for and spent on the
projects.
Create budgets, log time and costs to specific work packages, create time and cost reports based on your
needs. Browse through the following sections of this user guide to learn how to do this.
Note that for certain functionalities you may need to install additional plugins. Costs plugin allows you
creating budgets, assigning work packages to budgets and logging costs for specific work
packages. Reporting plugin enables creation of time and cost reports.

1.7.1 Logging time to a work package

Users can book their time or units spent directly on work packages, which gives a clear indication of
how much effort the project activities require. You can either log time in the work package view or via
a commit message.

Logging time in the work package view.

In order to log spent hours for a certain task, select the corresponding work package. Select Log time
from the More functions dropdown menu.

Figure 107: Selecting Log Time function

You will be directed to the detailed view where you can edit the following:

1. Work package ID of the work package you want to log time on. The work package ID of the
work package which you selected via the Log time option is shown automatically. You can
change this number, in which case the time spent will be logged on the respective work
package.
2. The date, for which the time will be logged.
3. The actually logged time (in hours).
4. Comment field, where you can note a more detailed description of the activities that you log
time for.

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 5. Activity dropdown menu offers a choice of activity categories, such as coordination or
development. The range of categories can vary from project to project and can be edited by a
project administrator or a role with respective permissions.
6. Don’t forget to Save your logged time.

Figure 108: Log spent time

The aggregated time logged on a work package is shown in the work package view.

Figure 109: Spent time in work package view

Logging time via a commit message.

Note: the “enable time logging” (link to Repository system guide under settings) option must be
activated in order to log time via a commit message.
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To log time to a work package via a commit message you need to use the following syntax:

Refs #Work package number @amount of hours. For example refs #123 @2h will log 2 hours for the
work package number 123.

Figure 110: Log time via commit message

1.7.2 Show time logged

There are two ways to see the time you’ve spent and logged.

1. Work package view shows the time logged per specific work package.
2. An overview over the spent time for the entire project is displayed under the project menu.

Figure 111: Time spent on project

If you click on the number of hours, you will be directed to the cost reports view. See here (LINK) how
to adapt this view and derive costs and labor reports.

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 1.7.3 Logging costs to a work package (Costs plugin)

Note: the Costs plugin has to be installed and the Cost Control module has to be activated in order for
the Log Costs function to be available.

To log costs to a work package select the Log unit costs option from the More functions dropdown
menu.

Figure 112: Log unit costs function

A new form is opened, where you can log unit costs. You can edit the following information:

1. Work package ID. By default, the work package ID of the work package where you selected
Log unit costs option is shown. You can change this number, in which case the unit costs will
be logged for the respective work package.
2. The date, for which the unit costs are logged.
3. You can select a project member for whom you log the unit costs from the dropdown menu.
4. The Cost Type field offers a range of pre-defined cost types. The units and respective costs per
unit category are defined for every type separately. Please note that you need certain
privileges to be able to create new cost types and define costs for specific units.
5. Units: You can enter the number of units to be logged.
6. The costs for the entered units will be automatically calculated after you have entered the
number of units. You can manually change the sum of the calculated costs, if for example a
discount is offered or a special agreement was reached. To adapt the sum manually click on
the Pen icon to the left of the sum.
7. The comment field, where you can enter more details to describe the logged costs.
8. Don’t forget to Save your time log.

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 Figure 113: Logging unit costs

1.7.4 Time and costs reports (requires installation and activation of Reporting plugin)

Note: creating time and costs reports requires installation and activation of Reporting plugin. You can
find the plugin and installation instructions here. https://github.com/finnlabs/openproject-reporting

You can activate the module under Project Settings.

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You can create a cost reports in two ways, either through the project menu on the left or through the
Modules dropdown menu on top of the page.

Figure 114: Selecting costs reports function

A new cost report view will be opened, where you can adapt the report:

1. Filter: You can select and apply various filters, such as work package author, start date or target
version. Hint: multiple projects can be selected for the Projects filter field. Depending on your
rights in the project, multiple users can also be selected.
2. Group by: this is where you can define Columns and Rows that will be displayed in the report.
You can select additional rows and columns in the dropdown menu Add Group-by Attribute.
3. Units: You can select the cost types to be evaluated in the report under Units category. For
instance if you choose Labor, logged time will be evaluated. Hint: units can vary from project
to project, depending on the settings configured by your project administrator. Read here
(LINK) how to create a new cost type.
4. Apply: click on Apply button will generate the configured cost report, which will appear on the
lower part of the page.
5. Save: If you click the Save button, your cost report will be saved as a template. Note: if you
select the filed “Public” when saving the cost report, the template will be visible to all the users
(with the permission to view cost reports). Public reports are displayed on the left side under
the cost reports view. They are grouped into Private cost reports and Public cost reports.
6. If you click the Clear button, the earlier selected criteria will be removed and you will be able
to create a new report.

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 Figure 115: New costs report

1.7.5 Assign a work package to a budget (requires installation of Costs plugin)

Note: assigning a work package to a budget requires installation of costs plugin. You can find it here:

https://github.com/finnlabs/openproject-costs

In order to assign a work package to a budget select a work package and select the Edit option. Note:
the budget page is only available when the Budget module has been activated in the project settings.

Scroll down and select a budget from the dropdown list next to the Budget field. You can assign several
work packages to the same budget.

Figure 116: Assign a work package to a budget

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Note: this function can only be used if at least one budget was specified. See here (Link) how a budget
can be created.

Time and cost units logged for this work package, will be automatically deducted from the selected
budget.

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