Creating a project

Written By Stanislas

Last updated 7 days ago

Set up your first project in minutes. This guide walks you through the creation process, from naming your project to inviting your first team members.

Overview

Creating a project is straightforward. You'll provide a name, optionally describe what the project is for, and decide whether you want Swiftask to generate starter tasks. Within moments, you'll have a working project ready for your team.

Prerequisites

Before you create a project, make sure:

  • You have access to Swiftask — You're logged into your workspace

  • Your workspace supports Projects — Check with your administrator if you're unsure

  • You have permission to create projects — Most workspace members can create projects, but this depends on your workspace settings

  • You have a clear project goal — Know roughly what you're organizing (a campaign, product work, team initiative, etc.)

Step-by-step: Creating your first project

Step 1: Navigate to Projects

  1. Open Swiftask and look at the left sidebar

  2. Click the Projects icon (folder icon)

  3. You'll land on your project list

Step 2: Start the creation flow

On the project list, look for a button labeled Create project or + New project (location may vary by workspace).

Click it. A dialog or form appears.

Step 3: Enter project details

The creation form has these fields:

Field Required? What to enter Example

Project name

Yes

A clear, descriptive name for your project

"Q1 Marketing Campaign"

Description

No

1–3 sentences explaining the project's goal

"Launch email campaign for new feature. Tasks: copywriting, design, testing, approval."

Generate initial tasks

No

Checkbox: let Swiftask create starter tasks from your description

Check if you want auto-generated tasks

Project name tips:

  • Use a name you can find easily in a long list

  • Include a timeframe or version if relevant (e.g., "Q1 2025 – Chat management")

  • Avoid generic names like "Project" or "Work"

  • Keep it under 50 characters for readability

Description tips:

  • If you check "Generate initial tasks", a detailed description helps the AI create better starter tasks

  • Example: "Organize the redesign of our help center. Includes: audit current docs, plan new structure, write new content, test with users."

  • You can leave it blank and add tasks manually later

Step 4: Decide on task generation

Check the Generate initial tasks box if:

  • You want Swiftask to suggest starter tasks based on your description

  • You prefer to refine auto-generated tasks rather than create from scratch

  • Your description clearly outlines the project scope

Leave it unchecked if:

  • You prefer to create tasks manually

  • Your project is simple and doesn't need many tasks

  • You want to set up the project structure first

Note: You can always add, edit, or delete tasks after creation, so this choice is not permanent.

Step 5: Create the project

Click the Create button (or Continue if the flow has multiple steps).

If you checked "Generate initial tasks", wait 2–5 seconds while Swiftask processes your description and creates tasks. You'll see a loading indicator.

Step 6: You're in your new project

Once creation completes, you're automatically redirected to your new project dashboard. You'll see:

  • Project name at the top

  • Kanban view by default (columns: To Do, In Progress, Done)

  • Starter tasks (if you chose to generate them)

  • Invite Collaborator button or prompt to add team members

After creation: Next steps

Option 1: Invite your team (recommended first step)

  1. Look for Invite or Invite Collaborator in the project header or a menu

  2. Enter team members' email addresses

  3. Assign roles (Owner, Admin, Member, Viewer)

  4. Send invitations

See Managing project members & permissions for detailed steps.

Option 2: Review and refine starter tasks (if generated)

If you used task generation:

  1. Review the auto-generated tasks in each section

  2. Delete or rename tasks that don't fit your workflow

  3. Add any missing tasks manually

  4. Reorder tasks by dragging them

Option 3: Customize your project structure

  1. Rename sections (e.g., change "To Do" to "Backlog")

  2. Create additional sections (e.g., "In Review", "Blocked")

  3. Switch to List or Gantt view if that better fits your workflow

  4. Set up automations (optional; see Project automations)

Option 4: Create your first tasks (if not auto-generated)

  1. In the "To Do" section, click + Add task

  2. Enter a task title (e.g., "Draft email copy")

  3. Click Create or press Enter

  4. Click the task to open details and add description, due date, or assignee

Real-world example: Creating a campaign project

Scenario: You're launching a product feature and need to coordinate marketing, design, and engineering sign-off.

What you do:

  1. Navigate to Projects → Click Create project

  2. Fill in the form:

    • Name: "Product Launch – Feature X – Q1 2025"

    • Description: "Coordinate launch of new AI features. Marketing: copy and social posts. Design: graphics and banners. Engineering: feature documentation. Approval: leadership review."

    • Generate tasks: ✓ Checked

  3. Click Create → Wait for task generation

  4. Review the generated tasks:

    • Swiftask creates tasks like "Draft social media copy", "Design launch graphics", "Write feature documentation", "Get leadership approval"

    • You see they're in the "To Do" section

  5. Refine:

    • Rename a task from "Draft social media copy" to "Draft 5 social posts for LinkedIn"

    • Add a custom section "Legal Review" for compliance check

    • Delete a task that doesn't apply

  6. Invite team:

    • Invite @marketing-lead (Admin role)

    • Invite @designer (Member role)

    • Invite @engineering-lead (Member role)

  7. Start working:

    • Team members see the project and can start claiming tasks

    • You use the AI assistant on each task to help with drafting or feedback

Tips & best practices

Naming conventions

Good project names:

  • "Q1 2025 – Marketing Campaign"

  • "Website Redesign – Phase 2"

  • "Product Launch – Feature X"

  • "Customer Support Process Improvement"

Poor project names:

  • "Project 1"

  • "Work"

  • "TODO"

  • "Stuff"

Why it matters: In a long list of projects, clear names help you find the right one instantly.

When to use task generation

Use auto-generation if:

  • Your description is detailed and specific

  • You want a quick starting point

  • You're comfortable refining tasks afterward

Skip auto-generation if:

  • Your project is very simple (2–3 tasks)

  • You want to set up structure first, then add tasks

  • Your project structure is non-standard

Project scope

One project per: Campaign, initiative, product feature, or major work stream.

Not one project per: Individual task, single meeting, or temporary discussion.

Why: Projects are meant to organize related work over days or weeks. Use Chat for quick conversations.

Starting small

Create your first project with just a name and no description. Add tasks manually. Once you're comfortable, try auto-generation on your next project.

Advanced options & edge cases

What if I want to generate tasks but keep my description short?

You can. Swiftask will generate tasks based on whatever detail you provide. For better results, include:

  • What the project achieves (goal)

  • Who's involved (roles)

  • Main stages (workflow)

Example: "Organize Q1 marketing: research, planning, execution, review."

Can I change the project name after creation?

Yes. Click the project name in the header and edit it (if you have Owner or Admin role).

What if task generation fails or creates irrelevant tasks?

  1. Don't panic. You can delete all generated tasks and create them manually.

  2. Or, keep the useful ones and delete the rest.

  3. The project itself is fine; only the tasks are affected.

Can I create a project without inviting anyone?

Yes. You can work on a project solo or invite people later.

What if I delete a project by accident?

Projects have a confirmation dialog: "Are you sure you want to delete this project? All tasks will be deleted." There is no undo. Contact your administrator if you need help recovering.

Can I import tasks from another tool?

Not directly through the UI. You'd need to create tasks manually or contact your administrator about integration options.

Troubleshooting

I don't see the "Create project" button

Possible reasons:

  • You don't have permission to create projects

  • Your workspace plan doesn't include Projects

  • You're in a filtered or archived view

Solutions:

  • Check with your workspace administrator

  • Verify your workspace plan includes Projects

  • Clear any filters on the project list (look for a Filter button)

Task generation is taking too long

Possible reasons:

  • Your description is very long or complex

  • The system is busy

  • Network issue

Solutions:

  • Wait up to 10 seconds

  • Refresh the page

  • If it times out, create the project without task generation and add tasks manually

I got an error: "Project name is required"

Cause: You tried to create a project without entering a name.

Solution: Go back and enter a project name in the form.

I got an error: "Error creating project"

Possible reasons:

  • Network connectivity issue

  • Server error

  • Permission issue

Solutions:

  • Refresh the page and try again

  • Check your internet connection

  • Wait a moment and retry

  • Contact support if it persists

Generated tasks don't match what I wanted

Cause: The AI interpreted your description differently than you intended.

Solution:

  1. Delete irrelevant tasks

  2. Edit task names to match your vision

  3. Add missing tasks manually

  4. Next time, be more specific in your description

I can't edit the project name or delete the project

Cause: You don't have Owner or Admin role.

Solution: Ask the project Owner or Admin to make the change, or ask them to promote you to Admin.

Frequently asked questions

How many projects can I create?

It depends on your workspace plan. Check with your administrator for limits.

Can I duplicate a project?

Not directly. You'd need to create a new project and manually copy tasks, or contact your administrator about workarounds.

What's the difference between project name and description?

  • Name: Appears in the project list and project header; must be unique in your workspace

  • Description: Shown in project details; helps you remember what the project is for; used for task generation

Can I create a project from a template?

Not built-in, but you can create a "template project" and duplicate it manually by recreating tasks.

What happens if I generate tasks but I'm not happy with them?

You can delete all of them and create new ones. The project itself is unaffected.

Can I change my mind about task generation after creation?

Yes. If you didn't generate tasks, you can add them manually. If you did generate them but don't like them, delete them and create new ones.

Is there a maximum number of tasks per project?

Not practically. Projects can handle hundreds or thousands of tasks, though performance may vary.

Can I set a project as private or public?

Projects are private by default. Only members you invite can see them. There's no "public" option; sharing is via invitation only.

What's next?

Your project is created and ready. Now:

  1. Invite your team — Add members with appropriate roles

  2. Create or refine tasks — Add the work you need to track

  3. Open the AI assistant on a task — Try the task chat feature

  4. Set up automations (optional) — Create rules for your workflow

For detailed guidance on these topics, see:

Ready to create your first project? Head to Projects in your sidebar and click Create project.