Projects and work
Design an Item Type for a repeatable company workflow
An Item Type is the reusable definition for a company workflow. Design its fields, features, and permissions together, then test a sample item with a non-admin user before relying on it in live work.
Before you begin
- Describe the workflow’s start, required information, owner or assignee, completion state, and reporting needs before adding fields.
- Create any Forms, custom lookup data, product categories, or cost codes the Item Type must reference.
- Decide which roles may view, create, update, and delete this work.
- For a live Item Type, plan changes carefully. Existing items and reports can depend on its properties.
Customize → Item Types
Build the Item Type
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Open Item Types
In the portal, open Customize, then select Item Types.
Select New Item Type, or select an existing Item Type name to edit it.
Expected result: The Item Type editor opens on the Details tab.
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Define the workflow clearly
On Details, enter a concise Name and Description. Leave Active on when users should be able to create or select this type.
Use the company’s everyday term for the work so field users can recognize it quickly.
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Add and organize properties
Under Properties, add only the information the workflow needs. Use sections to group related fields and drag the handles to place them in a natural completion order.
For each property, set its label, type, required state, default, read-only state, hidden state, and other type-specific choices carefully.
Ask before making a field required
A required field should be available to the person completing the item at that moment. Otherwise it becomes a blocker instead of useful data.
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Choose general settings
On Settings, choose the Icon and Icon Color that help users identify the work.
Turn on Global only when items of this type should be available across projects. Use Use for Time Tracking, Use for Planning, and Include in Feed only when the workflow needs those destinations.
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Enable the workflow features
On Features, configure Completion, Assignment, Scheduling, Billing, Approvals, and Cost Code only where they match the process.
When a feature asks for a property, select the property that carries that meaning. For example, scheduling needs the appropriate date and duration fields, while assignment needs the user field that represents the assignee.
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Connect a Form when needed
Add a Form property when this work should launch a reusable checklist or inspection.
Choose whether the user selects from an allowed Form category or always starts one fixed Form.
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Grant role permissions
Open User Admin → Roles and find the new Item Type in each applicable role.
Set View, Create, Update, Delete, Restrict to Participants, and Home Screen for the real responsibilities of that role.
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Test a sample item
Create one sample item in a safe test project. Complete it as a non-admin user, including assignment, scheduling, form, approval, or Job Clock behavior you enabled.
Confirm the item also appears correctly in the views and reports your team will use.
Expected result: The sample follows the intended workflow without missing data, blocked users, or unexpected visibility.
Use the Item Type design checklist
Treat the definition, features, and permissions as one workflow design.
Details
Name, Description, Active, and Properties
Define the record. Build the fields in the order people will complete them.
Settings
Global, Time Tracking, Planning, Feed, Icon, and Icon Color
Choose where it appears. Enable only the destinations this workflow needs.
Completion
Completion properties, display, and action labels
Define done. Use a clear completion state users can recognize.
Assignment
User properties that hold assignees
Define ownership. Choose the field that represents who is responsible.
Scheduling
Date, duration, job-board, and reminder settings
Make it schedulable. Map the fields the Schedule needs.
Approvals
Approver, status, decision, and signature fields
Add review. Use when completion must be accepted by another person.
Role permissions
View, Create, Update, Delete, participant restriction, and Home Screen
Control access. Test with the least-privileged role that uses the workflow.
Be careful with live definitions
Renaming a label is usually clearer than repurposing an existing property. Deleting or changing the meaning of fields can confuse historical items, saved views, and reports.
Troubleshooting
Users cannot create the new Item Type.
Confirm that Active is on, then grant Create and View for that Item Type in the user’s role. Also confirm project access.
The Item Type does not appear in Job Clock.
Turn on Use for Time Tracking, confirm the Job Clock module and user setting are enabled, and verify that the user can access the project and Item Type.
Items do not appear on the Schedule.
Enable Scheduling and confirm that its date and duration properties are configured and filled on the item.
A Form property opens the wrong choice or no Form.
Edit the property and verify Form Selection. Choose a fixed Form for one required checklist, or an allowed category when users should choose.
Existing items remain after the Item Type is made inactive.
This is expected. Turning off Active hides the type from selection lists while preserving access to existing items.
A required property blocks field users.
Confirm that the user can supply the value at that stage. If not, remove Required or move responsibility to the person who has the information.
What happens next
- Use the tested Item Type in a small real workflow before a company-wide rollout.
- Train users on the record name, required fields, assignment, and completion action they will see.
- Review saved views and reports whenever the Item Type’s property structure changes.