Glossary
Transformation management is a multifaceted process, and when combined with software, it often involves a range of technical terminology. The intersection of these two domains gives rise to innovative tools that introduce entirely new approaches to managing projects. These approaches come with their own unique terms and concepts. This glossary provides concise definitions of the most commonly used terms in scalenow AI, along with links for further information when needed.
A for Apple
Admin
In scalenow AI, the system admin is responsible for managing the entire instance and configuring its settings, as detailed in the System Admin Guide. The term "admin" can also refer to a project admin, who has specific permissions within a project but does not necessarily have system admin rights.
Agile Project Management
Agile project management is an iterative, flexible approach that prioritizes collaboration, adaptability, and self-organizing teams. scalenow AI supports both agile and traditional project management, making it ideal for hybrid workflows.
Attribute Help Texts
Attribute help texts in scalenow AI provide additional guidance on attributes in work packages and projects, including custom fields. Configured in the Administration settings, they appear as tooltips when users click the question mark icon next to an attribute. Learn more about configuring attribute help texts in scalenow AI.
Authentication
Authentication ensures secure usage of scalenow AI. Only users with admin rights can modify authentication settings by navigating to Administration -> Authentication. scalenow AI uses OAuth 2.0, the industry standard for secure online authorisation.
B for Bee
Backlogs
The backlogs module in scalenow AI supports Scrum methodology by providing features like a product backlog, sprint backlogs, task boards, story point estimation, burndown charts, and a Scrum wiki. To use backlogs, the module must be activated in the project settings by a project admin.
Baseline Comparison
The baseline feature in scalenow AI allows users to track changes in filtered work package table views over time. It helps project managers quickly identify what has changed, making it easier to report on project progress and status.
Board
A board in scalenow AI provides a visual representation of work packages as cards organized into columns. This feature supports agile project management methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban.
C for Crab
CAPTCHA
A CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a security feature used to distinguish between humans and bots. scalenow AI supports reCAPTCHA and Cloudflare Turnstile, which can be configured by system administrators for added security.
Classic Project Management
Classic project management is a structured, sequential approach that follows a hierarchical structure, often with a project manager coordinating tasks. It is associated with methodologies like Waterfall. scalenow AI supports both classic and agile project management, making it well-suited for hybrid approaches.
Cloud
scalenow AI can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud .With cloud hosting, your instance is managed and maintained by scalenow AI as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution.
Connection Validation
Connection validation in scalenow AI is available for storage integrations such as Nextcloud and OneDrive/SharePoint. It allows users to manually test the connection between scalenow AI and external storage systems, ensuring reliable integration.
Custom Action
Custom actions in scalenow AI are customizable buttons that trigger specific actions on work packages. Available in the Enterprise edition, they streamline workflows by enabling users to update multiple attributes with a single click.
Custom Field
A custom field in scalenow AI is an additional field that can be added to resources like work packages, spent time, versions, users, or groups. System administrators can enable and configure custom fields to tailor the platform to specific needs.
Custom Query
Custom queries in scalenow AI allow users to save filters, sorting preferences, and groupings in the work package table. Queries can be set as public (visible to all authorized users) or private (visible only to the creator). For instance, you can filter work packages assigned to you and save this view as “Assigned to Me” for quick access.
D for Dinausor
Dark Mode
Dark mode in scalenow AI is a personal setting that changes the application’s theme to a darker color scheme. Other available display modes include the standard light mode and a high contrast light mode.
Dashboard
A dashboard in scalenow AI provides an overview page within the software. There are several types of dashboards available:
- My Page: A personalized page where you can display custom widgets, such as a calendar or work package reports.
- Project Overview Dashboard: Offers a project-level summary, with the ability for project admins to add or remove widgets.
- Additionally, you can create a custom query to save filtered work package views, which can function similarly to a dashboard.
Date Alerts
Date alerts, are customisable notifications that inform you of important work package dates, such as due dates or start dates. You can manage date alerts in the notification center, located in the upper-right corner of your instance.
E for Elephant
Enumerations
Enumerations in scalenow AI refer to a setting in the admin configuration that allows you to manage and configure activities (for time tracking), project statuses, and work package priorities. Learn more about enumerations in scalenow AI.
Excel Synchronization
Excel synchronization is an integration in scalenow AI that simplifies importing issues from Excel into the platform or exporting work packages to an Excel spreadsheet.
F for Fish
File Storage
File storage can be configured in the System Administration and selected in the project settings. scalenow AI offers integration with Nextcloud to support file storage.
Filters
Filters are a key feature for managing tasks and projects in scalenow AI. Several filtering options are available for work package tables, and these filters can be saved as custom queries. A filtered view (e.g., showing only open work packages) can be saved and used as a dashboard for easy access.
Forum
The forum module in scalenow AI is used to display forums and forum messages. To enable this feature, a project admin must activate the forum module in the project settings and create a forum under the "Forums" tab. Once set up, the forum will appear in the project’s side navigation.
G for Gorilla
Gantt Charts
The Gantt Charts module in scalenow AI provides a robust timeline view of your work packages, enabling teams to collaboratively plan and manage projects with efficiency. This feature ensures project timelines are accessible to all team members, fostering transparency and keeping stakeholders informed with real-time updates. You can set start and finish dates, make schedule adjustments through simple drag-and-drop actions, and define task dependencies like predecessors or followers directly within the Gantt chart. Learn more about activating and using Gantt Charts in scalenow AI.
Global Modules
Global Modules in scalenow AI provide a centralized menu to access all tools and modules across your projects. This feature allows you to easily view overarching project information in one place, including work packages, boards, calendars, and meetings. To access the Global Modules menu, click on the logo in the header to return to your homepage or use the grid icon in the top-right corner. Discover more about Global Modules in scalenow AI.
Groups
In scalenow AI, a Group represents a collection of users that can be added as members to projects with designated roles. Groups can also be assigned to specific work packages, streamlining project and team management. To create new Groups, navigate to Administration → Users and Permissions → Groups.
H for Hippo
File Storage
File storage can be configured in the System Administration and selected in the project settings. scalenow AI offers integration with Nextcloud to support file storage.
Filters
Filters are a key feature for managing tasks and projects in scalenow AI. Several filtering options are available for work package tables, and these filters can be saved as custom queries. A filtered view (e.g., showing only open work packages) can be saved and used as a dashboard for easy access.
Forum
The forum module in scalenow AI is used to display forums and forum messages. To enable this feature, a project admin must activate the forum module in the project settings and create a forum under the "Forums" tab. Once set up, the forum will appear in the project’s side navigation.
I for Ice cream
Integration
M for Monkey
Macro
Macros in scalenow AI are powerful shortcuts designed to streamline and automate repetitive tasks. They can be utilized in editors such as work package descriptions, wikis, or forums. For example, by entering workPackageValue:1234:subject
in a work package description, scalenow AI will automatically display the title of the work package with the ID 1234 once the content is saved.
Meetings
In scalenow AI, the Meetings module enables efficient organization and management of meetings. To use this module, a project admin must activate it within the project settings, after which it becomes accessible in the side navigation. Users can choose between classic meetings and dynamic meetings, with dynamic meetings being the recommended and future-proof option. For detailed guidance, refer to the user guide on Meeting management in scalenow AI.
Member
A Member in scalenow AI represents an individual participant in a project. Project members can be added or managed using the Members module found in the project menu.
Module
In scalenow AI, a Module is an independent feature set designed to enhance and extend the platform’s core functionalities. Project admins can activate or deactivate modules through the project settings. Some examples of modules include Forums, Time and Costs, Wiki, and the Work Packages module. Refer to the user guide for a comprehensive overview of all available modules in scalenow AI.
My Page
The My Page in scalenow AI acts as a personal dashboard, consolidating key project information tailored to your needs. It provides a quick view of work package reports, news, time tracking, and a calendar. You can fully customize it to match your specific requirements. Learn more about configuring My Page in scalenow AI
N for Nest
News
In scalenow AI, the News module enables the publication and display of news entries within a project.
The news page showcases the latest updates in reverse chronological order, serving as a hub for communicating general topics to all team members. These updates can also be displayed on the project overview for better visibility. Learn more about using the News module in scalenow AI.
Nextcloud Integration
scalenow AI provides seamless integration with Nextcloud, allowing secure and efficient file management. This integration enables you to link files or folders from Nextcloud directly to work packages or upload files to Nextcloud from within scalenow AI.
The integration is available in the Files tab of work packages, provided it has been activated for your instance.To enable this feature, download and activate the scalenow AI-Nextcloud integration via the built-in Nextcloud app store in your Nextcloud instance.
Notifications
scalenow AI keeps you informed with in-app notifications about critical updates relevant to your work.
Notifications include mentions in comments, changes to status, type, or dates, and new assignments. This feature, enabled by default, serves as a complement or alternative to email notifications.
To access your notifications, click the bell icon in the top-right corner of the header. A red badge on the bell icon indicates new notifications awaiting your review. Learn more about managing notifications in scalenow AI.
O for Orange
OAuth
OAuth is an open standard for authorisation that allows users to grant access to specific data or resources without sharing their username and password with each individual service.
scalenow AI functions as an OAuth provider, enabling users to give permission to third-party applications or services to access their data. For more information on OAuth applications in scalenow AI, refer to the documentation.
OneDrive/SharePoint Integration
OpenProject provides an Enterprise add-on for integrating with OneDrive and SharePoint.
This integration must be configured by an administrator before users can utilize it. With this feature, users can link files and folders from OneDrive/SharePoint to work packages in OpenProject, and they can view, open, and download these linked files and folders. Learn more about the OneDrive/SharePoint integration in scalenow AI.
On-premises
The on-premises version of scalenow AI is a self-hosted deployment where you install, run, and maintain both the hardware and the software locally. Unlike the cloud version, you are responsible for managing the system.
OpenID Connect (OIDC)
OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an authentication protocol built on OAuth 2.0, providing a secure, simple, and standardized way to verify user identities. scalenow AI offers interfaces for both OIDC and SAML, allowing administrators to configure Single Sign-On (SSO) for users.
P for Penguin
Phase
A phase in scalenow AI is a type of work package, typically comprising multiple work packages such as tasks or features. For example, phases in a construction repair project might include: Project Definition, Detailed Design & Tender, Construction, and Post-Project.
Plugin
In scalenow AI, you can choose from a variety of plugins or integrations, or add your own custom plugins to the community. Unlike integrations, plugins are installed as part of the scalenow AI system. Being open source, scalenow AI allows for community-created plugins, although their use may not be error-free or seamless.
Primer Design System
In 2023, scalenow AI adopted GitHub’s Primer Design System. New features will be built using Primer, and existing features will be gradually updated. Reusable components from Primer, along with common patterns and their compositions, will be documented in our Lookbook.
Project
In scalenow AI, a project is an individual or collaborative effort carefully planned to achieve a specific goal. Projects are the central organizational unit in scalenow AI and can be either publicly or internally available. . Projects can be structured hierarchically, with parent and sub-projects. For example, a project can represent:
- An organizational unit within a company
- A cross-functional team working on a specific topic
- Separate products or clients
Project Attribute
A project attribute in scalenow AI is a custom field that applies to an entire project. It is displayed in the right-hand column on the project overview page and can be organized into sections for better structure.
Project attributes can be enabled or disabled on the project overview page or through global administration for multiple projects.
Project Folder
Project folders facilitate efficient collaboration and can be used with scalenow AI’s Nextcloud or OneDrive/SharePoint integrations. Learn more about project folders in scalenow AI.
Project Identifier
The project identifier is the unique name used to identify and reference projects in the system and the browser address bar. Project identifiers can be modified in the project settings.
Project Lists
Project lists in scalenow AI are useful for project portfolio managers to oversee all projects in the instance. Access project lists via the “select a project” menu and click the “Project list” button or through the Global modules. Learn more about project lists in scalenow AI.
Project Navigation
Project navigation refers to the side menu within a project. Modules can be added or removed by activating or deactivating them in the project settings.
Project Overview
The project overview in scalenow AI serves as a dashboard displaying all key information for a selected project. This dashboard acts as a central information hub for the entire project team, with project details displayed as widgets. Access the project overview from the “Overview” section in the project menu. Learn more about the project overview in scalenow AI.
Project Settings
Project settings refer to the configuration options specific to each project. These settings include general information (e.g., project name and identifier), module configuration, work package categories and types, custom fields, version settings, time tracking activities, required disk storage, file storage, and Backlogs settings (if the plugin is enabled). Learn more about project settings in scalenow AI.
Project Status
The project status in scalenow AI indicates whether the project is on track, allowing teams to take corrective actions if needed. Learn more about the project status in scalenow AI.
Project Template
A project template in scalenow AI is a preconfigured project that can be copied and modified for use with other similar projects. Templates can save time when creating new projects with similar structures or teams. Learn more about project templates in scalenow AI and see this blog article for tips on using project templates.
Public Project
In scalenow AI, projects can be either private or public. A public project is accessible to any user, regardless of their membership status. You can adjust the visibility of a project in the project settings. Learn how to set a project to public in scalenow AI.
Q for Quail
Quick Context Menu
The quick context menu in scalenow AI appears when you right-click on a work package in the work package table.
It enables you to quickly perform actions such as opening the details view, copying the link to the clipboard, or creating a new child work package.
Please note that the options in the quick context menu may vary depending on whether you are in the Gantt charts module.
R for Rooster
Repository
A repository is a document or source code management system that enables users to organize and manage files and folders using various version control systems, such as Subversion or Git. Learn more about using repositories for source code control.
Roadmap
In scalenow AI, a roadmap is an overview page that displays versions in alphabetical order, along with the work packages assigned to them. The roadmap is visible in the project navigation when the work package module is enabled and a version has been created in the project settings.
Role
In scalenow AI, a role is a set of permissions associated with a unique name. Project members are assigned roles within a project by specifying a user's, group's, or placeholder user's name, along with the role(s) they will hold in the project.
RICE Score
In product management, the RICE score helps prioritize individual elements, such as features, by evaluating and comparing requirements objectively. The RICE scoring model uses the following formula: Reach x Impact x Confidence / Effort. This allows teams to decide which products or features to prioritize on the roadmap.
S for Snake
SAML
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an open standard used to exchange authentication and authorization data between parties, typically an identity provider (IdP) and a service provider (SP). scalenow AI Enterprise provides user interfaces for both SAML and OpenID Connect, allowing administrators to configure Single Sign-On (SSO) options for users. Learn more about SAML providers for scalenow AI in the system admin guide.
Share Work Packages
scalenow AI allows you to share work packages with external groups or users who are not members of the project. This feature is available as an Enterprise add-on. Any user with whom a work package is shared must either already be a user within the instance or be created as a new user, which requires special permissions. Learn more about how to share work packages with non-project members in scalenow AI.
Story Points
Story points, a term commonly used in Scrum, are numerical values assigned to a work package to estimate its relative size. In scalenow AI, you can add story points to work packages to help estimate the effort involved.
T for Tree
Team Planner
The team planner in scalenow AI is a module (Enterprise add-on) designed to provide a comprehensive overview of what each team member is working on across different timeframes. It allows you to track the current progress of work packages, schedule new tasks, reschedule existing ones, or even reassign tasks to other team members. Learn more about the team planner in scalenow AI.
Time and Costs
The time and costs module in scalenow AI allows users to log time on work packages, track costs, and generate time and cost reports. Once activated by a project admin, time and unit costs can be logged through the action menu of a work package. Logged time and costs can be searched, aggregated, and reported using the Cost Reports menu.
Time Tracking Button
The time tracking button in scalenow AI is a feature that enables users to track the time spent on work packages in real time. Learn more about logging time using the time tracking button in scalenow AI.
Theme
A theme is a visual customization setting that alters the overall appearance of the application. In scalenow AI, Enterprise customers can set a custom color theme and logo. While all users can choose personal modes (such as high contrast or dark mode), the theme itself is globally set by an administrator in the design settings.
U for Unicorn
User
In scalenow AI, a user is an individual who utilizes the platform, identified by a unique identifier. New users can be created through the admin settings.
Users can become project members by either assigning them a role and adding them via the project settings or by having a system admin add them to the project through: Administration → Users and Permissions → Users, then selecting the username and navigating to the "Projects" tab.
User Guide
The scalenow AI user guide provides comprehensive information on all platform features. It offers detailed instructions on how to use scalenow AI’s features, modules, integrations, and more.
V for Van
Versions
In scalenow AI, versions are defined as an attribute for work packages or within the Backlogs module.
Versions are displayed in the Roadmap for easy tracking.
W for Watermellon
Widget
A widget in scalenow AI is a small, customizable element that displays relevant information at a glance. You can use widgets on your My Page dashboard or the project overview.
Explore all available project overview widgets and learn how to add a widget to the project overview.
Wiki
In scalenow AI, a wiki is a module that enables the use of wiki pages. To use the wiki module, it must be activated by a project admin in the project settings.
Work, Remaining Work, and % Complete
In scalenow AI, 'Work' refers to the estimated time and effort needed to complete a work package. 'Remaining work' indicates the amount of work still left to complete a work package, calculated automatically when using status-based progress reporting. '% Complete' is an automatically calculated attribute that shows the percentage of the work that has been completed.
All three attributes are essential for progress reporting in scalenow AI.
To assist project managers with work package hierarchies, scalenow AI displays the total amount of work (in blue) for parent work packages, showing both the parent and child work package values.
The same applies to the 'Remaining Work' attribute. Learn more about configuring work packages in our user guide.
Workflow
A workflow in scalenow AI defines the transitions allowed between statuses for a role and a work package type, specifying which status changes a role can implement based on the work package type. Workflows can be configured in the admin settings. For example, developers might be the only ones allowed to set the status to "Developed." Learn more about work package workflows in scalenow AI.
Work Package
In scalenow AI, a work package represents an item within a project, such as tasks, bugs, user stories, or milestones. Work packages are assigned to users for execution and may include additional attributes such as assignee, responsible person, story points, or version. They are displayed on the project timeline, unless filtered out in the timeline configuration. The work package module must be activated in the project settings by a project admin to use work packages.
Work Package Categories
Work package categories in scalenow AI allow for automatic assignment of a member to a work package by specifying a category. Learn more about work package categories in scalenow AI.
Work Package ID
A work package ID is a unique ascending number assigned to each newly created work package in scalenow AI. These IDs cannot be changed and are numbered sequentially across all projects in a scalenow AI instance. As a result, the numbering within a project may not follow a strictly sequential order.
Work Package Table
The work package table in scalenow AI provides an overview of all work packages within a project, displaying their attributes in columns. This is also referred to as the "work package list." Learn how to configure the work package table in scalenow AI.
Work Package Types
Work package types represent the different categories a work package can fall under. Each work package is associated with exactly one type. Examples of common work package types include Task, Milestone, Phase, and Bug. Work package types can be customized in the system administration settings. Learn more about work package types in scalenow AI.
Work Package View
A work package view in scalenow AI refers to a list of work packages displayed in different formats, such as the table view, full screen view, split screen view, or card view.
Work packages can also be organized in a board for agile methodologies. Learn more about work package views in scalenow AI.
WYSIWYG Editor
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors in scalenow AI provide a content editing interface that allows users to create and edit content visually, ensuring the final result matches what is seen during editing. You can use WYSIWYG editors in wikis, forums, and work package descriptions or comments within scalenow AI.