🔁Inactive projects (Project simulation)

If you want to plan a new project in the background first - create tasks, plan resources and dates, run through numbers - create it as inactive. You can change the status at any time, even after creating or duplicating a project.

Typical use cases for inactive projects:

• Planning a project without notifying assigned people
• Simulating planning variants
• Comparing with active projects
• Pausing or putting a project on hold without archiving it immediately

Setting a project to inactive

1. Open the project
2. Open Manage project via the ⋯ Options menu
   
   
    
3. Switch to the Settings tab
4. Disable the toggle under Active project

Properties of an inactive project

Inactive projects differ from active ones mainly in their notification behavior - but there are also differences in the workload view and for costs/budget:

• Inactive projects are marked as such in many places
• Notifications: If participants are added to tasks or set as watchers, they receive no notifications
• My tasks: Tasks from inactive projects do not appear in the My tasks view
• Home widget "My upcoming tasks": Tasks from inactive projects are not shown there
• Workload: Inactive projects are not shown in the workload view - tasks from inactive projects therefore do not factor into capacity calculations
• Costs / Budget: Inactive projects are treated like active ones - budget and costs continue to be included in totals and reports. The portfolio filter (Active only) can be used to exclude inactive projects if needed

Reactivating a project

There are three ways to activate a project:

• Via the ⋯ Options menu in the project
  
  
   
• Via the light blue banner shown in every tab of the inactive project - click Activate project on the right
  
  
   
• Via Manage project > Settings > enable the toggle under Active project

Related articles

• Project settings
• Watching tasks/projects

FAQ

Do assigned people receive notifications while a project is inactive?

No. If participants are added to tasks or set as watchers during the inactive phase, they receive no notifications.

What happens to notifications when I reactivate a project?

When a project is activated, all participants who were assigned to tasks during the inactive phase receive one single summary notification – not one for each individual change.

Do tasks from inactive projects appear in "My tasks"?

No. Tasks from inactive projects appear neither in the My tasks view nor in the home widget My upcoming tasks.

Are budget and costs of inactive projects still included in reports?

Yes. Inactive projects are treated like active ones for budget and costs, and continue to be included in totals and reports. The portfolio filter Active only can be used to exclude inactive projects if needed.

Are inactive projects included in the workload view?

No. Inactive projects are not shown in the workload view – tasks from inactive projects therefore do not factor into capacity calculations.

What is the difference between an inactive and an archived project?

An inactive project remains fully editable – tasks can be created, modified, and planned without notifying participants. It is suited for planning in the background or temporarily putting a project on hold. An archived project, by contrast, is closed for active work and removed from the active portfolio view.