🪄 AI project creation

With AI project creation, you can create a new project with folders, tasks, dates, and dependencies without starting from scratch. The AI designs the structure based on a description or takes over an existing plan from files or text. You review and adjust everything before the project is created. This article covers both options, the individual steps, and the controls in the project plan.

 

Create a project with AI

1. Click New project (at the bottom left of the sidebar).
2. In the Create new project dialog, select the Create with AI tile (“Have a structure suggested”).

There are also Empty project (“Create everything yourself”) and From template (“Use a ready-made structure”). Import project is also available at the bottom right.

What should the AI work with?

At the top of the Create project with AI dialog, select the option you want:

• Design from scratch (“From description, images, PDFs, CSV”): The AI designs folders and tasks based on your description.
• Use existing plan (“Structure from files or text”): The AI takes over the structure of an existing plan.

After entering the information, click Next. The button is only active once you have entered something.

Option 1 – Design from scratch

1. Select Design from scratch.
2. In the text field (placeholder “It’s about …”), describe what the project is about, for example its goal, scope, dates, participants, or budget.
3. If needed, click Attach and add files as context, such as a program in PDF format or an image.
4. Click Next.

The templates General, Product launch, IT rollout, and Event are available below the text field to help you get started. Clicking one inserts a sample input. Replace the placeholders in square brackets with your own information, such as the project title, time period, number of participants, and desired folders.

Option 2 – Use existing plan

If you already have a plan, for example as an Excel schedule, PDF, or image, the AI takes over its structure. This option is therefore also suitable for importing existing plans in almost any format: project plans from other tools, schedules, printouts, photos, or screenshots of plans, as well as tables copied from Excel. The AI follows your template as closely as possible. Folders, tasks, order, dates, and dependencies should be retained as they appear in the plan instead of being invented anew. You review the result in the Your project plan step and make corrections if needed before the project is created.

1. Select Use existing plan.
2. Under Plan files, drag up to three files into the area or click Select files. PDF, image, CSV, or TXT files are supported. PDFs may be up to 10 MB each; TXT and CSV files may total up to 256 KB.
3. Alternatively or additionally, enter the plan under Notes or plan as text (optional), for example a schedule copied from Excel. You can also give the AI instructions there, such as “Only use work phases 5–8”.
4. Click Next.

Options for both options

• Use assignees from the plan when they clearly match people, teams, or roles (on by default): If your plan names people responsible, the AI assigns them when the match is clear.
• Mute notifications in the project (on by default).

The following note appears below the dialog: “Inputs and files are only used to create this project and are not saved.”

 

Step by step to your project

After you click Next, the AI starts working. A progress bar (“Project data and plan are being created”) with a percentage and changing messages shows the status. The steps then guide you through the dialog. Click the arrow in the top left to go back.

Plan with unresolved items

If the AI detects a plan in your input, even if you selected Design from scratch, it first displays “Plan with unresolved items”. This can happen, for example, with a list of tasks or information such as a budget. Under Unassigned, you can see what the AI could not assign to a folder or task. You decide what to do:

• Back to input: Change your input.
• Design from scratch instead: The AI designs a new suggestion instead of using your plan.
• Use anyway: The AI uses the plan as detected.

Suggested project data

The AI pre-fills the project data. The note says “Pre-filled by AI – please review and change if necessary.” Review and change:

• Project name (required). smenso automatically assigns the project ID when the project is created.
• Project type and Project folder (required)
• Project start and Project end
• Project description as formatted text

Then click Next.

Your project plan

In the Your project plan step, review folders, tasks, and milestones. Use drag and drop to sort them; dragging a task to the right turns it into a subtask. Each folder shows how many entries it contains.

The following icons are available for folders:

• Add task (+): adds a task to the folder
• Regenerate: asks the AI to redesign the folder
• Delete: removes the folder
• Arrows to expand and collapse and to move items

The following options are available for each task:

• A dependency icon with a number. The tooltip names the linked task, for example “Prerequisite for …”.
• Description: displays the task description
• Convert to milestone: turns the task into a milestone, identified by the diamond
• Regenerate: asks the AI to recreate this task
• Delete: removes the task
• The assignee and a skill chip below it, for example “Event planning”. The tooltip explains: “Ideally, the person responsible has expertise in … Automatically generated by AI.”

Click Add folder at the bottom to add your own folder. When everything is ready, click Create project.

Project is being created

The project is now created. A display shows the task smenso is currently working on (“Creating task 3 of 12 …”), along with a percentage. The new project then opens. Folders and tasks appear in the order you specified in the dialog.

 

Tips

• Be specific: State the goal, dates, and desired folders. The clearer your input, the better the suggested design will fit.
• Choose the right option: If you have a finished plan, use Use existing plan, including to import from another tool. If you want a new design, use Design from scratch.
• Limit the plan you use: Use a note in the text field, such as “Only use work phases 5–8”, to control which part of the plan is used.
• Regenerate individual items: Using Regenerate on a folder or task means you do not have to start over.
• Expand later: In an existing project, Expand with AI in the project menu adds new folders and tasks; see Expand a project with AI.

 

Related articles

• How smenso AI works
• How AI credits work
• Frequently asked questions about AI in smenso

 

FAQ

Is a project created immediately?

No. The project is only created when you click Create project in the Your project plan step. Before that, you can review, change, or cancel everything.

Why does the AI recognise my description as a plan?

If your input already contains a structure, such as a list of tasks, the AI recognises a plan and displays “Plan with unresolved items”. You can still get a fresh design by clicking Design from scratch instead.

Are my files saved?

No. Inputs and files are only used to create this project and are not saved.

Which files can I upload?

With the Use existing plan option, you can upload PDF, image, CSV, or TXT files, up to three files. PDFs may be up to 10 MB each; TXT and CSV files may total up to 256 KB.