How to Create and Customize Your First Project

Creating a project in Soto is the first step to organizing your workflow and ensuring seamless collaboration. This guide will walk you through setting up a project, customizing its features, and making it work for your team’s needs.

1. Creating a New Project

Before you start assigning tasks, setting deadlines, or managing workflows, you need to create a project within the platform. Follow these steps to set up your first project:

1. Log in to Your Account – Ensure you have the necessary permissions to create a project.
2. Navigate to the Projects Section – Click on the “Projects” tab in the main dashboard.
3. Click on "Create New Project" – Locate the “+ New Project” button and select it.
4. Enter Project Details – Fill in essential details, such as:
   • Project Name – Choose a clear, descriptive title.
   • Project Description – Briefly explain the purpose of the project.
   • Project Type – Select from available templates (e.g., Agile, Kanban, Scrum).
5. Set Visibility & Permissions – Choose whether the project is public, private, or accessible to specific team members.
6. Click “Create” – Once all details are filled in, confirm the creation.

After completing these steps, your project will appear in the dashboard, ready for customization.

2. Customizing Your Project Layout

Every team has different workflows, and customizing your project ensures it aligns with your processes. Here’s how you can tailor it to your needs:

Choosing a View: Board, List, or Timeline

Depending on your preference and project type, you can choose from multiple views:

• Board View – Ideal for teams using Kanban-style task management.
• List View – A structured way to track tasks in a linear format.
• Timeline View – Best suited for projects that require scheduling and dependencies.

To change the view, navigate to the project settings and select the preferred layout.

Adding Sections or Categories

Organizing your project into sections or categories helps break down work efficiently:

• Create sections for different phases (e.g., Planning, Development, Review).
• Group tasks by department or responsibility (e.g., Design, Marketing, Engineering).
• Use labels and color-coding to categorize tasks visually.

To create a new section:

1. Open the project and click on “Add Section”.
2. Enter a section name and choose a color (if available).
3. Click Save to apply changes.

3. Setting Up Project Preferences

Configuring Task Priorities and Statuses

Every project involves different levels of urgency. To keep tasks organized:

• Assign priority levels (e.g., High, Medium, Low).
• Customize task statuses beyond the default (e.g., “In Review,” “Blocked,” “Ready for Deployment”).
• Enable automatic status updates based on task completion.

Adjusting Notifications and Alerts

Stay informed without being overwhelmed by unnecessary notifications. You can:

• Enable or disable real-time notifications for project updates.
• Choose to receive alerts via email, push notifications, or in-app messages.
• Set reminders for deadlines and upcoming tasks.

To modify these settings, go to Project Settings > Notifications and adjust preferences.

4. Inviting Team Members and Assigning Roles

Collaboration is key in any project. To invite teammates and set permissions:

1. Navigate to Project Settings > Team Members.
2. Click "Invite Member" and enter their email address.
3. Assign a role:
   • Project Admin – Full access to project settings and team management.
   • Editor – Can create, edit, and assign tasks.
   • Viewer – Can view tasks but cannot edit.
4. Click Send Invite, and the member will receive an email to join.

You can also create custom roles with specific permissions based on your organization’s needs.

5. Enhancing Your Project with Custom Fields and Integrations

To make your project more efficient, consider adding custom fields and third-party integrations.

Custom Fields

Use custom fields to track specific project details such as:

• Budget allocation
• Estimated hours vs. actual time spent
• Client or stakeholder information

To add a custom field:

1. Go to Project Settings > Custom Fields.
2. Click "Add Field", choose a field type (text, dropdown, date, etc.), and name it.
3. Save and apply it to the project.

Integrations

Connect your project with essential tools like:

• Slack – Get real-time project updates in team channels.
• Google Drive – Attach documents and collaborate efficiently.
• Jira or GitHub – Sync development tasks with engineering workflows.

To integrate with third-party apps, go to Settings > Integrations and enable the tools you need.

6. Final Review and Best Practices

Once your project is set up and customized, here are some best practices to follow:

Review project settings regularly – Ensure permissions, views, and workflows still align with team needs.
Encourage team members to update statuses – Keeping tasks current helps with project tracking.
Leverage templates for repetitive projects – Save time by reusing successful structures.
Monitor project performance – Use reports and analytics to measure progress and adjust strategies as needed.

By following these steps, you’ll have a well-structured, fully customized project that enhances efficiency and collaboration.