Checklists – Standardize Project Setup and Track Work Items
Overview
Every project has work that has to happen the same way, every time. Kickoff steps, closeout tasks, safety items, document collection, site readiness. When those steps live in someone's head, they get skipped. The Checklists module gives you a place to capture those repeatable work items inside the project itself, so nothing gets forgotten and anyone on the team can see what's done and what's still open.
You can build a checklist from scratch or start from a saved template, and you can mark a checklist as the default for all new projects so every job you create automatically starts with the right steps already in place. As work gets underway, your team checks off items as they go. You can edit the checklist at any time as scope changes.
This guide walks you through creating checklists, turning them into templates, setting defaults, and managing them through the life of a project.
Understanding Checklists
What It Does
The Checklists module allows you and your team to:
Create checklists from scratch inside any project with a title, description, and as many items as the work requires
Start from a saved template instead of rebuilding the same list on every project
Set a default checklist that automatically applies to every new project you create
Add items quickly by pressing Enter to add an item and Shift + Enter to start a new line within an item
Convert any checklist into a template so your whole team can reuse it on future projects
Check off work as it's completed directly from the checklist
Track progress at a glance with the progress counter visible from the checklist list view
Edit checklists at any time as scope evolves during the project
When to Use It
Checklists are most valuable when you want to:
Standardize project kickoff or closeout steps across every job
Make sure repeatable tasks don't get missed on a specific project
Give your field or office team a clear, shared view of what's done and what's left
Turn a well-built checklist on one project into a template the whole team can reuse
Automatically apply a consistent set of steps to every new project without having to remember to add them
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Open the Checklists Module
Open the project you want to work in
Click Checklists in the module top bar
If no checklists exist yet, you'll see a prompt to add your first one. Click + New Checklist to get started.
2. Create a New Checklist
Click + New Checklist in the top right
The Create New Checklist modal opens with two options:
Start From Scratch Select this to build a new checklist from the ground up.
Choose a Template Select this to start from a previously saved template. The items from that template will be pre-loaded for you.
Enter a Name for the checklist
Enter a Description so your team knows what the checklist is for (optional but recommended)
Check Set as default for all new projects if you want this checklist applied automatically to every new project going forward (see note below)
Click Create
Note: The "Set as default for all new projects" option affects every project created after this point across your company. Only enable it for checklists you truly want on every single job. If this checklist is specific to one project, leave it unchecked.
3. Add Checklist Items
After clicking Create, the checklist detail page opens.
In the Checklist Items section, click the input field
Type your first item
Press Enter to add the item
Press Shift + Enter to add a new line within an item if needed
Click Add Item to add each entry to the list
Click Save in the top right when you're done
Write each item as a clear, specific action so anyone on the team knows exactly what it means without having to ask.
4. Mark Items as Complete
Open the checklist by clicking Open on the checklist row
Check the checkbox next to each item your team has finished
Completed items stay visible on the list so the team can see what's done and what still needs attention. Progress is also tracked in the Progress column on the checklist list view.
5. Edit an Existing Checklist
Find the checklist in the list view
Click the three-dot menu on the right side of the row
Select Edit
Update the title, description, default setting, or checklist items
Click Save
Note: Editing a checklist on a project only updates that checklist. If you want the change to carry over to future projects, update the template directly as well.
6. Convert a Checklist into a Template
Once you've built a checklist you want to reuse on other projects:
Find the checklist in the list view
Click the three-dot menu on the right side of the row
Select Convert To Template
Enter a Template Name
Click Save Template
The template is now available to select whenever you create a new checklist on any project.
7. Delete a Checklist
Find the checklist in the list view
Click the three-dot menu on the right side of the row
Select Delete
Confirm the action
Note: Deleting a checklist removes it and all its items from the project permanently. This does not affect any templates you've already saved from it.
Best Practices
Build templates for anything you repeat – If you're going to use the same checklist on more than one project, save it as a template the first time instead of rebuilding it from scratch each time.
Write items as specific actions – "Upload signed contract to Documents" is far more useful than "contract." Specificity is what makes a checklist actually work for your team.
Be deliberate with the default setting – Only enable "Set as default for all new projects" for checklists that truly belong on every single job, not for project-specific scope items.
Keep templates up to date – When your process changes, update the template so new projects automatically pick up the improvement.
Use multiple checklists per project – Break kickoff, midpoint, and closeout into separate checklists rather than one giant list that's hard to scan.
Use the Progress column – Check the checklist list view regularly to see how far along each checklist is without having to open every one individually.
Common Questions
Q: Where does the Checklists module live?
A: Inside each project. Open the project, then click Checklists in the module top bar.
Q: Can I have more than one checklist on the same project?
A: Yes. Create as many checklists as the project needs, for example, a kickoff checklist, a safety checklist, and a closeout checklist.
Q: What does "Set as default for all new projects" actually do?
A: When enabled, every new project created after that point will automatically include the checklist. Existing projects are not affected.
Q: How do I add multiple items quickly?
A: Click the input field, type your item, and press Enter to add it. Press Shift + Enter if you need a new line within a single item.
Q: Can I turn a checklist into a template after I've already built it?
A: Yes. Click the three-dot menu on the checklist row, select Convert To Template, give it a name, and click Save Template. It'll be available for all future checklists.
Q: If I edit a checklist on a project, does it update the template?
A: No. Editing a checklist on a project only changes that specific checklist. To update the template, you'll need to edit it separately.
Q: If I update a template, does it update checklists already on existing projects?
A: Currently, template changes only apply to new checklists created from that template. Checklists already in use on projects won't automatically reflect template updates — you'd need to edit them on each project individually.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
Rebuild the same checklist on every new project | Save it as a template once and reuse it |
Enable "default for all new projects" for project-specific checklists | Only use the default setting for checklists that belong on every job |
Write vague items like "kickoff" or "closeout" | Write specific actions like "Send kickoff email to client with schedule" |
Assume template edits flow to existing project checklists | Update each project's checklist directly if you need changes applied in-flight |
Cram every step into one enormous checklist | Split by phase so each list stays scannable and manageable |