Overview
Milestones mark significant checkpoints within a project — a phase completion, a client deliverable, or a go-live date. Each milestone has an owner, a due date, a hill-chart progress tracker, and an approval step for official sign-off. Project managers use milestones to communicate high-level progress without exposing the full task list.
Create a Milestone
- Open a project.
- Click the Milestones tab.
- Click New Milestone.
- Enter a name and due date.
- Set an owner — this is the person responsible for the milestone.
- Click Save.
Link Tasks to a Milestone
Milestones represent the outcome; tasks are the work that leads to it. While tasks are not directly child items of milestones in the same way as subtasks, you can track milestone completion by reviewing the associated tasks' statuses.
Use check-ins (see below) to record narrative progress tied to the milestone.
Track Progress with the Hill Chart
The hill chart is a visual representation of where a milestone stands: the left side of the hill means you are still figuring out the work (uphill), and the right side means you are executing on a known plan (downhill). The top means the milestone is ready to close.
To update the hill chart:
- Open a milestone.
- Drag the marker along the hill to your current position.
- The position is saved and visible to anyone with access to the project.
Post a Check-In
Check-ins are brief status updates attached to a milestone.
- Open a milestone.
- Click Add Check-In.
- Write a short update (what's done, what's next, any blockers).
- Click Submit.
Check-ins are timestamped and appear in sequence so you can see how the milestone progressed over time.
Approve a Milestone
When all work for a milestone is complete:
- Open the milestone.
- Click Approve.
- Confirm the approval.
Approval is a one-time action that officially closes the milestone. The approved status is visible in milestone lists and can be reported on. If your workflow requires a specific person to approve, submit an approval request using the Request Approval option and designate the approver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can clients see milestones?
If the client has access to the client portal, they can see milestone status, check-ins, and the hill chart. They cannot approve milestones themselves — approval is an internal action.
What happens if a milestone is overdue?
The background worker runs an hourly check. Overdue milestones are flagged — the milestone's status becomes Overdue. Where client notifications are enabled on the milestone, the milestone email is addressed to that client's activated portal users, and it is refused until the MSP has configured a notification sender address.
Can I have milestones without tasks?
Yes. Milestones are independent records. You do not have to link tasks to them to use the check-in and approval workflow.