Project Lifecycle

Every project in GreenVee has a phase — a label that says where the project currently stands in its journey from first idea to completion. There are seven phases in total: six that represent active progress and one exit path (Cancelled) that can be taken from any earlier phase.

Phases are set manually by project managers or administrators. GreenVee does not move a project forward automatically. The phase label is a shared signal: everyone on the project, and everyone reviewing the portfolio, can see at a glance how mature a project is.

The seven phases

1. Initial

The project has been created and recorded. There is enough of an idea to give it a name and assign it to a portfolio, but detailed planning has not begun. Typical activity at this stage: capturing the customer, the rough budget goal, and the project type. Who is most active: the project manager or business developer who identified the opportunity.

2. Definition

The project is being scoped. The team starts to define what the project will deliver, who will be involved, and at what cost. Typical data created here: early budget outlines, initial risk and chance entries, and the first version of the technical structure. Who is most active: project managers, engineers, and key customer contacts.

3. Planning

Detailed planning is underway. The full work plan is built out — segments, task packages, tasks, milestones, and gates are added. Team members are assigned to tasks. Planned hours are entered. Material requirements are identified. Who is most active: project managers, team leads, and technical designers.

4. Execution

Work is happening. Tasks are being completed, time is being logged, materials are being procured and used. Progress is tracked against the plan. Status reports are produced. Risks and chances are monitored. Who is most active: the whole team — field workers logging time, engineers updating the technical structure, coordinators tracking progress, and controllers watching the budget.

5. Closing

The main work is done. The team is wrapping up: confirming deliveries, finalizing cost occurrences, completing documentation, and submitting final time entries. Any open risks, chances, or decisions are resolved. Lessons learned (takeaways) are recorded. Who is most active: the project manager and controllers.

6. Successfully Closed

The project is complete and formally closed. The record is kept for reporting, portfolio analysis, and historical reference. No further active changes are expected. Data from this phase is available for portfolio-level reporting and lessons learned.

7. Cancelled

The project will not be completed. This is an off-ramp that can be taken from any earlier phase. The record is preserved in the system — it does not disappear — so that the work already done (costs incurred, risks and chances logged, time booked) remains visible for reporting and accountability.

Gates as checkpoints between phases

Gates are records attached to a project’s work plan that can act as checkpoints. A gate may carry gate criteria — conditions that should be met before the project advances to the next phase. Risk Actions and Chance Actions (responses to specific Project Risks and Chances) can also be linked to gates, so that resolving a risk — or capturing an opportunity — is formally tied to passing a checkpoint. See Risks and Chances.

Note

Gates do not technically block a project from moving to the next phase — a project manager can advance the phase regardless of gate status. In practice, though, most teams treat an open gate as a reason to pause. Gates are the recommended place to enforce “definition of done” at major transitions.

For Project Managers

Use gates at the transitions that matter most to your organization — typically at the end of Definition (before detailed planning is approved) and at the end of Planning (before execution begins). Document the criteria clearly so there is no ambiguity about what “ready” means.

For Executives

The phase field is visible in portfolio views. A quick scan of how many projects are in each phase tells you a great deal about where your pipeline is healthy and where it is stalled.

For the full list of phase labels as they appear in the product, see Phases reference.