Create and run projects

Creating a project

A project’s name, type, budget and dates cannot be edited after you create it, and projects cannot be deleted — so check the details before clicking Create.

1. Go to Projects and click New project.
2. Enter a project name (required) and choose a project type: Fixed price or Retainer.
3. Pick an existing client, or choose "Add a new client instead" and enter a name and email. No invite email is sent from here.
4. Optionally set the project value, start date and target end date, then click Create project.

On the project page

Panels your plan does not include are simply not shown.

• Status — Active, On hold or Complete. A project cannot be marked Complete while any of its invoices is unpaid, including drafts.
• Proposals and Invoices linked to this project, with buttons to create more.
• Time Log (Independent and above) — log a date, hourly rate, hours and what you worked on, then click Create invoice to turn unbilled time into invoice lines.
• Project Stages (Independent and above), Requests (Studio and above), Messages (Independent and above) and Files.

Project stages

Clients follow the stages on their portal Timeline. A final "Complete" milestone is added automatically once every stage is done, so do not name a stage "Complete". When the active stage changes, the client is emailed — controlled by the "Notify client when project stage changes" automation, which is on by default.

1. On the project page, find Project Stages and click "Use the default template" (Brief, Design, Review, Revisions, Delivery) or Add a stage.
2. Rename, remove or drag stages to reorder them. Click a stage’s circle to move it from pending to active to done — only one stage can be active at a time.
3. Click Save.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit a project after creating it in Kwill?

Only its status. A project’s name, type, budget and dates are fixed once it is created, and projects cannot be deleted, so check the details before you click Create project.

Does Kwill track billable time?

Yes, on Independent and above. Log time against a project with a date, hourly rate and hours, then click Create invoice on the project’s Time Log to turn each unbilled entry into an invoice line. Time that has already been invoiced is marked "Invoiced" and cannot be deleted.

Why can’t I mark my project as complete?

A project cannot be marked Complete while any of its invoices is unpaid — including drafts. Send or delete the outstanding drafts and collect payment on the rest, then set the status again.

Do clients see project stages?

Yes, on Independent and above. Clients follow the stages on their portal Timeline as Complete, In progress or Not started, and are emailed when the active stage changes unless you switch that automation off.

Do I need a project to message a client?

Yes. Kwill keeps one message thread per project, so a client with no project cannot be messaged. Create a project for them first.