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Plans for Projects, changes, removal and replacement?

  • 18 April 2023
  • 10 replies
  • 232 views

Hi Team, 

 

I am hearing from a lot of people that Projects will be removed for new and old Copper accounts.

We have a lot of clients and automation that are using this feature. 

We wanted to know your plans for this change? Will there be a new module to replace this?

 

Thanks

-- Mervin

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Best answer by Andrew S 21 September 2023, 22:45

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I was just looking for where to buy backlinks when I saw this. Anyway, hello! Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns regarding the removal of Projects for Copper accounts. I know what you feel since this change may affect your clients and automation and I don't think the site can assure you that it is working on a solution to mitigate the impact.

Userlevel 7
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Hi @mervz, thanks for posting! It’s not a decision we made lightly, but yes, Projects will be removed from existing accounts in early 2024.

The Projects feature didn’t provide the functionality that our customers needed when it came to managing their projects. In an effort to provide the best tools, we are removing Projects so we can support other features.

As for alternatives, we recommend:

  • For simple project tracking, use Pipelines. Each stage of the Pipeline can represent a section of the Project board. You could build workflow automations on top of this to automatically create a new Opportunity in that Pipeline after a sale.
  • One of our Zapier integrations with project management tools like Asana, Trello, Airtable, etc.

The Product Team is also looking into a system that allows you to sync data into another system, without the use of Zapier. That’s something we’re hoping to have more details on later this year, but at this time I don’t have any specific timeline to share.

I hope that provides some clarity. Thanks Mervin!

Userlevel 3

Without the ability to use Projects, we would like to use another Pipeline to track certain activities that are currently in Projects, HOWEVER, the problem with multiple Pipelines is that Copper does not allow each user to have different views for different Pipelines.  This has been discussed before.  One Pipeline may need to have fields in a certain order to make that Pipeline useable.  Another Pipeline may need entirely different fields all in a different order.  Today, Copper keeps the same view (order) of fields for each Pipeline.

PLEASE allow for unique views of each Pipeline if you are going to do away with Projects.

Userlevel 1

All,

This is some pretty big news. Will an official announcement be made? Currently my company uses projects to track equipment deliveries and repairs. It sounds like the removal of Projects means we will have to use only Pipelines (which doesn’t currently allow pipeline specific list/card views) or buy into another platform which requires the data to be exported. This could create some difficulties for how a lot of companies are using the Copper. I look forward to seeing some more information on this change. 

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@wtmcc thank you for your feedback. It sounds like you’re taking about when you’re in List View mode, when you customize the fields that are shown in the columns. Is that correct?

Our team is working on including the columns (fields) as part of saved filters. So for example, if I have a certain set of columns showing, it will show me that exact same set of columns again when I open up that filter another time. This means I could switch Pipelines and see the fields/columns I previously selected for that specific Pipeline as well.

We’re hoping to provide an update on that in a matter of weeks. Please let me know if that addresses what you’re asking about, or if I’ve misunderstood. Thanks wtmcc!

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@GCook yes, we will be making an official announcement about it. I recommend subscribing to our Product Updates to get all the news on our product changes.

Regarding what you said about this:

Pipelines (which doesn’t currently allow pipeline specific list/card views)

It sounds like “specific list view” refers to the columns that are shown, and how currently when you customize the columns, those settings are applied to all Pipelines, not just the one you’re on? Our team is working on a feature that will “tie” the selected columns to a specific filter view, so you will soon be able to customize the columns that are displayed when you open each Pipeline by editing the default filter for each one. Let me know if that addresses that piece of it.

As for customized card views - I think that’s a really good idea. I’ll bring it up with the product team. We’ve been discussing the card views in general based on the Idea submissions we’ve received. At this time I don’t have any explicit updates to share, but when we do we’ll post a Product Update, as well as comments in each individual Idea thread with relevant features.

Userlevel 3

@wtmcc thank you for your feedback. It sounds like you’re taking about when you’re in List View mode, when you customize the fields that are shown in the columns. Is that correct?

Our team is working on including the columns (fields) as part of saved filters. So for example, if I have a certain set of columns showing, it will show me that exact same set of columns again when I open up that filter another time. This means I could switch Pipelines and see the fields/columns I previously selected for that specific Pipeline as well.

We’re hoping to provide an update on that in a matter of weeks. Please let me know if that addresses what you’re asking about, or if I’ve misunderstood. Thanks wtmcc!

Yes, the term “views” relates to the order in which the fields are displayed.  In one Pipeline, we may want to see a proposal’s due date as the first field.  In another Pipeline that field may not be important at all and would not need to be one of the first fields listed.  Today, when we order fields in one Pipeline, that order transfers over to the other Pipelines.

I was just made aware today that Projects will be removed from the platform by the end of the year. I am not sure how everyone else uses this feature, but in my business it is a paramount. 

Userlevel 1

@Sam Walter  We use it quite often as well to track issues, repairs, ect…  Essentially things that need to get done or be tracked, but are not necessarily an opportunity. I believe the idea is for project type functions to be done via pipelines going forward. 

@Michelle from Copper Idea: It would be great if we could relate opportunities from different pipelines. I know we can currently use connect fields, but allowing this in the related section may be a smoother functionality for users. Essentially have it act similar to how the other related objects do. 

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Hi everyone, thank you all for your writing in your feedback and concerns thus far.  Here’s a quick update on the plan related to Projects based on our roadmap commitments:

  • Sunsetting Projects has been postponed indefinitely
  • We’re rewriting the Pipelines Kanban View (i.e. the view type with horizontally arranged Stage Columns and Opportunity cards under each stage).  This rewrite will contain the following features (but are not limited to):
    • Update Pipeline Kanban View to use the same technology and have consistent UI/UX as New List Views
    • “Genericizing” Pipeline Kanban View to better support non-direct sales workflows 
    • Customizing Fields on Kanban Cards
    • Viewing Tasks like Sub-Tasks related to Cards in Kanban View
    • Displaying Insights on Kanban Cards
  • Users will be able to save List View Column Settings at the individual Saved Filter level, instead of at the User level (e.g. User A and User B on the same Account will see the same columns when viewing Saved Filter Z) and Record type level (i.e. User A can setup Saved Filter A and Saved Filter B for Companies with different columns).  This way you can better execute different workflows while working with the same record type, and share lists so team members can see the list exactly as you see it.

Apart from supercharging Pipelines, another key goal is migrating the current Projects feature over to the redesigned Pipeline/Kanban View.  If you have any questions or comments about this initiative, I’m more than happy to chat.  We’re actively collecting feedback and interviewing customers to help inform the New Pipeline/Kanban View work kicking off this year.  Thanks for reading!

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