​@Aiza last year we implemented new Work Type - Planning and then Subcategories (formally Project Type) - Service Planning and Program Planning so that we could track how much time we spend planning and forecast for capacity/demand purposes.  At the parent leaf level reservations for the forecast and authorizations to log time are used. This work item remains active year over year and new tasks are labeled with the new year in January. Our chargeback file was modified to recognize the new categories so that we could bill back planning work when appropriate and communicated to the business partners of the potential increase in hours billed for planning work. Tasks for planning work (not actual projects) are setup a little differently. Some add multiple parent tasks with child tasks for each new initiative or potential project that is being planned, while others add tasks based on what line of business the planning work is for. Planning work is not always related to a specific future project. 

The other use case we have is what is called a “Discovery” project that is typically a 30-45 day schedule to gather requirements, hours, resource needs etc. These are handled like a true project as far as needing approval to start the discover and then once complete the project comes back through for another approval with the detailed schedule and resource needs. This type of project is only used when with a confirmed project, however, there is not enough known details yet to mitigate for approvals. 

I see a potential need to create a template for these so that tasks and naming conventions are more consistent.

Thank you Leanna, I think the second use case - Discovery is something we can use. Do you create a two projects record, one for the Discovery (before approved activities) and then one for when the project is going to be implemented?

​@LeannaM Hello, also, how do they handle Actual Start Date on the first use case? that is the field we are hoping to use for tracking but doesn't change if a project goes on hold?

​@LeannaM Thank you Leanna, I think the second use case - Discovery is something we can use. Do you create a two projects record, one for the Discovery (before approved activities) and then one for when the project is going to be implemented?