Parent Project Overview
SapphireOne Parent Project functionality can be used when any costs and / or income needs to be consolidated and tracked across a group of Child Job Projects. A Parent Project may be created at any time and individual Child Job Projects can be assigned to it as they are created.
The primary purpose of a Parent Project is to provide a consolidated view of all Budgets, Costs & Billings, Risks and Progress across a group of Children that are assigned to a Parent. It should be noted that the consolidated view of these items from the Parent Project is for viewing only. Any modifications or additions can be made within the appropriate Child Job Project.
Child Job Projects may be considered as any operation or group of operations pertaining to the management of a business related task. Child Job Projects management software provides a set of integrated features that allow an organisation to collect, track and analyse business activities and profitability across Job Projects of any scale.
The Child Job Project functionality typically includes tools that allow for the agreed upon time frames, planning, quoting, budgeting and billing, as well as the management of inventory, resources, documents and digital assets, activities, allocation of plant assets, Clients and Vendors. Retention management is also a key component of Job Projects for both Vendor and Clients, where a fixed amount or percentage and release date is mutually agreed upon at the commencement of the Job Project.
Data visualisation tools using a Parent Project can assist with interpreting multiple factors of large data sets. One example of such a tool is a Gantt Chart which is integrated into both Child Job Projects as well as the Parent Project, where it displays a graph of tasks against time to assist with all the Child Job Projects time management. This helps to ensure goals are achieved throughout all of the Child Job Project life cycles and ultimately results in profitability. The Risk Register assessment tools merged into a Parent Job Project can also be utilised towards this end by providing a repository to capture all identified threats and opportunities relating to all of the Child Job Projects for consideration.
An example for a grouping of Job Projects under a Parent Project could be a housing development of a number of houses. In this scenario, all of the Job Projects would become Child Job Projects for each individual house, and the Parent Job Project would be the entire housing development encompassing all of the houses.
As each individual house is commenced and then set up as a Child Job Project, the tracking of Budgets, Costs & Billing, Resources, Risk and overall Progress is performed by SapphireOne. Once the Child Job Projects are linked to a Parent Project, the Parent then takes the data from all of the Child Job Projects and consolidates it. This provides the user with an overarching outlook of the group of Child Job Projects in their entirety. This allows for better monitoring and assessment of the Job Project lifecycle across multiple Job Projects.

Hierarchical Layout for Parent Job Projects and Child Job Projects
In the example hierarchy above, a housing development would be the Parent Job Project and each individual house would be a Child Job Project. Task Headers could be stages in the construction of each house. The individual Tasks would then provide itemisation of the costing, billings and time frame of the activities (labor) and Inventory (stock) assigned to them as follows.
- Activities and Inventory items – These must all have a Cost and a Price which is entered at the Task level.
- Costing and Billing – These are added at the Task level. Task level details consolidate in the Task Header, then to the Child Job Project and finally through to the Parent Job Project if a Parent has been set up.
- Job Projects – (Child) These may be setup without a Parent Job Project if necessary.
- Tasks – These may be setup directly below a Job Project.
- Task Headers – These may be set up under a Child Job Project, to group a series of Tasks, providing an additional level of planning, reporting and consolidation.
Working backwards, at the Task level reporting can be done on each task with a completion target entered by each resource performing an activity. A group of tasks can then be reported on at the Task Header level. Task Headers are consolidated at the Child Project level and as per our example, each individual house would be a Child Job Project.
Finally, by looking at the Parent Job Project a user can see how the entire Job Project (the housing development) is performing as a whole. Cost and Billing can be assessed throughout each level of the Job Project and any problems reported and monitored using the Risk Management function.


Parent Project Details Page
When first Looking
or Modifying
a Parent Project Inquiry the Details page is the first page the user is presented with. The user can change the Page they are viewing by navigating to the Page drop-down menu on the left hand side of the SapphireOne Toolbar.
Very little data is actually entered into a Parent Project. The only data input required is to set up the Parent. It should be noted that in a Parent Project this is the only Page that data entry is required. All of the data on the Child Project, Gantt chart, Risk and Action Pages are all drawn from the Child Job Projects that are linked to a Parent Project.
Planning ahead is recommended before creating the Parent and Child Job Project ID’s. If you create your Child Job Projects first, consider the ID’s that will be using for them in future. Then set up a plan to have Parent Project ID’s as well.
Project Area
The Project area is where the basic details about the Parent Project are entered and then Viewed.


Project Area
This area displays basic information about the Parent Project such as the ID, Description, Area and Class.
- ID – Enter in an ID for the new Parent Project. Remember this ID may not be re-used
- Description – Enter in a Description or Name for the Job Project. Unlike the ID above, the Parent Project name may be altered at any time.
- Company – SapphireOne will enter in a Company ID automatically based on the company that the user has logged in to
- Department – This is an optional field as the entry of a department is dependent on a number of factors. For example one factor might be if Parent Project reports are to be generated at the department level.
- Class – All Job Projects may be assigned to a Class. This enables additional Searching, and Reporting for Parent Projects within the assigned class. For example, reporting a Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet by Class.
- Area – This field’s drop down menu is customisable. It allows the user to create a drop down list to select from for any desired purpose.
- Active Checkbox – SapphireOne will by default set the Active checkbox as active, and also enter in the date that this Parent Project was created and by who immediately to the right of it.
- Document Paperclip – Clicking on the Paperclip will display the Document Management dialog box. See below for details.
Grouping Area
The Grouping Area displays a number of Tags which may be customised by the user. The Grouping Area includes three tags, which are by default named: Tag, Tag2 and Tag3. The user may go to Utilities Mode > Utilities Controls > Utilities Default Settings > Utilities Controls Master Defaults (Job Projects Page) and rename the Tag headings as required. There is also a provision for the linking of a Parent Job Project to this Project.
- These same three tags are also displayed as part of the details displayed when the list of Clients is on screen. The tags are mainly used for reporting and reconciling Clients details.
- When a detailed query is executed they form part of the list of Fields.
- When a Quick Report is executed they are listed as part of the Master Table and all SapphireOne report writers have these fields accessible.
- All tags can be used within the Custom Inquiry screen.
Notes Area
You can use the Time and Date stamp to add the Time and date and make notes about your Parent Project. You can also highlight the text in the notes area and right mouse click to customise the Font, Style, Colour and Background Colour to your preference.
Contacts Area
The user may enter any contacts that are associated with this Parent Project. The user has three options when adding or Deleting contacts for a Parent Project as follows.
- Add Button – Select the
add button. SapphireOne will display the New Contact screen ready for the user to enter in the details for a new contact. - Delete Button – Select the
delete button. SapphireOne will display an alert asking for confirmation of the deletion of the selected contact. - Import Button – Select the
import button. SapphireOne will display an alert asking the user what existing contact is to be imported or linked to this Parent Project.
- These contacts may be selected from the following Items in a drop down list with the following items on it. Clients, Vendors, Job Projects,Employees,Assets, Contacts or Client and Vendor Addresses.
- Once a selection is from the drop-down list and the ‘@’ or ‘?’ symbol is entered into the data entry field SapphireOne will display a list of Contacts to choose from.
Child Project Page


Project Parent Area
This area contains the Parents Project ID and Description of the Parent Project.
Overview Costings and Billing Areas
This area displays all Costings and Billings that have been auctioned against all Child Projects that are linked to this Parent Project. SapphireOne will consolidate all Costings and Billings into the fields for ALL Child Projects in the list below this area. There are no active data entry fields in this area as all data is entered through the Child Projects that are linked to this Parent Project.
Overview Costings
Task Costing area values are consolidated at the task header level. Task header costings are consolidated at the Child Project level, and Child Project Costings are consolidated here at the Parent Project level once it has been setup.
- Estimate Column – The Estimate column is for tweaking budget values.
- Note that the values entered here do not update the budgeted values.
- To do this the user must update the amounts allocated within the Inventory and Activities assigned to the task.
- Budget Column – The values displayed here are derived from the amounts allocated to Activities and Inventory items assigned to the task.
- Actual Column – The amounts displayed here are the actual costs incurred by the task.
- These are derived from posted time sheets, posted purchase vendor invoices (PVI) or posted stock allocations (JGJ).
Overview Billing
As with costs, billing values for project resources are entered at the task level as Activities or Inventory in the Costing & Planning page. These values are summarised in the Billing area of the Task window. Task Billing area values are consolidated at the Task Header level, Task Header billing values are consolidated at the Child Project level, Child Project billing values are consolidated in the Parent Project.
- Estimate Column – The Estimate column is for tweaking budgeted values
- The values entered here do not update the budgeted values. To do this the user must update the amounts allocated within the Inventory and Activities assigned to the task.
- Budget Column – The values displayed here are derived from the amounts allocated to Activities and Inventory items assigned to the task.
- Actual Column – The amounts displayed here are the actual billed amounts assigned to the task. These values are assigned when a sales client invoice (SCI) or a Job Project Invoice (JCI) is posted.
Child List Area
Any Child Projects linked to the Parent Project will be displayed in the list in this area. To display or modify this information the user can select a Child Project for modification and proceed to the Planning and Quote Page. Depending on the level of consolidation the user may do any of the following:
- Highlight the Child Project, then either double click or right click and select Modify. SapphireOne will do a query for the selected Job Project and display it in a list containing the selected Job Project only.
- Double click on the Child Project and SapphireOne will open it as normal ready for viewing or modification.
- Go down to the Planning / Quote page for the Child Project selected.
- Highlight a Task Header right click and select Modify Task. SapphireOne will display costing and billing for all tasks under the selected task header.
- Highlight a Task right click and select Modify Task and the costing and billing will only be displayed for the task as selected.
Gantt Chart Page
The Gantt chart provides users with a visual representation of the project schedule and how the project is performing against budget. To display this page go to Job Projects Mode > Job Projects General > Job Projects General Inquiries > Job Projects Inquiry.


- Each Header Task consolidates the duration’s and status of all tasks assigned to it.
- Milestones are displayed in red for easy identification.
- The user can rearrange columns to suit their purpose and edit each task as required.
Risk Page
The Risk page allows the user to capture all identified threats and opportunities relating to the Parent Project for consideration.
This page of a Parent Project does not have the ability to create any risk documents. Any risks are entered through the Individual Child Projects and will then be displayed on the Risks Page on the Parent Project. Once displayed in the list it may then be double clicked on to View or Modify as normal. It can be found by going to Job Projects Mode > Job Projects General > Job Projects General Inquiries > Job Projects Parent Project.


- The user can not add or remove Risk entries from a Parent Project Inquiry so the
Plus and
Delete buttons are not displayed. - Each Risk record registers the type, category, proximity, date registered and description of the risk.
- Additionally, it allows the user to assign an appropriate response, a risk owner and risk actionees.
- An event history can be maintained and actions assigned to track status and manage risks.
Action Page
Actions may also be stored in the Parent Project. Actions stored here in the Parent are separate to actions stored in any of the Children.
- Delete Action button – To delete an action select an action then select the
delete button. An alert will be displayed asking for confirmation of the deletion. - Add Action button – To add an action select the
add button. The new action screen will be displayed as seen below ready for data entry. - Query Button – If there are a number of actions selecting the Query Button will tell SapphireOne to display the advanced find function which allows the user to entry in criteria to search for a specific action.
Action Page Overview
The Action Page in SapphireOne serves as access to a comprehensive hub for managing and organising tasks, meetings, and notes, seamlessly integrating actionable items with relevant records and transactions. By providing access to a wide array of features such as Calendar Reminders, Meeting Invites, Alarms, Emails, To-Do Lists, and various types of Notes, the Action Page ensures that users can efficiently coordinate their activities within a centralised platform.
One of the key advantages of the Action Page is its ability to link actions directly to specific records or transactions, enhancing the accessibility and relevance of alerts throughout SapphireOne. This integration allows users to set up actionable alerts that are contextually tied to their organisational data, ensuring that important tasks and notifications are not only visible but also directly connected to the pertinent information. By leveraging these capabilities, users can improve their productivity and maintain a well-organised workflow, all within the intuitive environment of SapphireOne.


The Action Page enables users to manage actions by using the add
or delete
buttons. To add or delete an action, simply click the corresponding button.
Diary Area
The Diary Area in SapphireOne provides users with a comprehensive range of options to customise their actions. It includes the following functionality:
- Sequence – SapphireOne automatically generates a unique sequence number for each action.
- Title – Enter a title for the action.
- Type – Choose from the customisable drop-down menu to input a type. This will subsequently become a permanent type within the drop-down.
- Action – Utilise the user-customisable drop-down menu to input an Action. This will then become a permanent action within the drop-down.
- User – SapphireOne automatically inputs the user creating this action, though it can be modified if necessary.
- Private – If this checkbox is selected, SapphireOne will only permit the specified user to view or modify this action.
- Status – The user has three options: Open, Hold, and Completed.
- Open – Action is open and active.
- Hold – Action is active, but no alarms will be active.
- Completed – Action is now Inactive and won’t be displayed in any list of actions.
- Tag – Choose from the customisable drop-down menu to input a type. This will subsequently become a permanent type within the drop-down.
- Link – When created within a transaction or record, SapphireOne automatically generates a link to the transaction or record. When created from the Options Menu, Palette, or Workbook, users must select an item or function from the drop-down menu to link the action. There are 12 items on this list, ranging from Clients to Manager.
Check List Area
SapphireOne offers a user-friendly checklist tool to create and track actions, allowing users to check off completed items as they progress.
Dates and Times Area
- Start/Finish – Set a Start and Finish time for the action, or select the checkbox for an all-day option.
- Completed – Entering a completion date for an action deactivates it, and it will no longer appear in the action lists.
Alarm Area
Ensure you never miss a task again by setting up alarms to send reminders to the designated email at specified dates and times. Users can also receive notifications through SapphireOne Workflow.
Recurring Area
If necessary, the alarm can be set to recur at specified intervals chosen from the Type drop-down menu which contains an exhaustive list of interval options. Additionally, the recurring period can be defined by date.
Notes Area
This area can be used to make permanent notes or reminders when dealing with contacts. When you click on the clock button, a timestamp will be created at the beginning of the notes section. [Command or Control] places it at the end, and you can input the note straight away. The functionality is as follows:
- Right-Click context menu – Users can also customise the font, style, size, colour, and background colour of the text in the Notes area by selecting the desired text and choosing the options available from the right-click context menu
- Green Clock Button – Include a date and time stamp.
- Font Size Buttons – Modify the font size.
- Expand
button – Maximise the notes screen for unobstructed editing. You can click the same expand
button again to minimise the notes.
Invite Attendees Area
In the event module, you can invite multiple attendees to your event and track their acceptance or rejection of the invitation. You can also send them email notifications if their email addresses are provided. Additionally, you can manage and track attendees RSVP status in real-time.
In conclusion, the Action Page in SapphireOne stands as a pivotal tool for enhancing organisational efficiency and productivity. By offering access to a centralised platform that seamlessly integrates tasks, meetings, and notes with relevant records and transactions, it empowers users to maintain a streamlined and well-coordinated workflow. The ability to link actions directly to specific data points ensures that alerts are not only accessible but also contextually relevant, providing users with the insights needed to make informed decisions. As organisations continue to navigate complex operational landscapes, the Action Page remains an indispensable resource for optimising task management and fostering a more organised and productive environment within SapphireOne.







button, the History area will be automatically updated, ensuring that all previous versions of the document are recorded and available for viewing. This enables users to access the most recent version of the document, while still maintaining a complete history of all versions.



