Creating a project

Add a new project and set a manager/owner so you can track related work.

Why projects matter

Projects in Laminar help you organise work around specific initiatives—client builds, prototypes, internal R&D efforts, pilot runs, production cycles, or any scoped activity. A project acts as a “container” that ties together:

  • BOMs
  • Orders
  • Components
  • Documents (in future versions)
  • Related products
  • Activity timelines

Creating a project keeps all associated work grouped, making tracking, procurement, planning, and reporting far more structured.

Where project creation begins

The quickest and most consistent way to create a project is via the New menu in the top bar.

  1. Click the New button next to the search bar.
  2. A panel appears showing all available creation shortcuts.
  3. Select Project.

This takes you to the project creation screen at:

/projects/create

You can open it from anywhere—Orders, BOMs, Components, etc.—without needing to navigate through the sidebar.

Tip Make the New menu your default method for creating all core items. It keeps your workflow simple and predictable.

Understanding the project creation page

The creation form is intentionally minimal because projects in Laminar are lightweight organisational units. You’ll usually see the following fields:

  1. Project Name
  2. Owner/Manager (Optional)
  3. Description (Optional)

A simple structure keeps projects quick to create while remaining meaningful for teams that depend on them.

Basic Details

Project Name

Required. Choose a clear and descriptive name stakeholders can instantly recognise.

Good examples:

  • “EV Battery Pack Prototype – Q2 Cycle”
  • “Client Alpha – Hardware Revision B”
  • “Internal R&D – Sensor Calibration Study”
  • “Assembly Line Optimisation – Phase 1”

Avoid vague names like “Test Project” or “New Build” unless absolutely temporary.

Tip If your organisation follows naming conventions—project codes, client initials, version numbers—stick to them consistently.

Owner/Manager (Optional)

You may see an optional field to identify the person responsible for the project. Use this to clarify ownership and keep point-of-contact information visible.

  • It can be yourself
  • It can be another team member
  • It can be left blank if not applicable

Ownership helps streamline communication and accountability.

Description (Optional)

Use this field to add context such as:

  • Project goals
  • Scope or constraints
  • Time period
  • Notes about client or internal requirements
  • Any relevant background

Descriptions become helpful when returning to the project months later.

Saving the project

Once fields are filled:

  1. Click Save
  2. Laminar creates the project
  3. You’re redirected to the Project Details page

From here, you can:

  • Link BOMs
  • Link Orders
  • Review related items (as the system grows)
  • Edit the project information

Your new project is now active and ready for use across the platform.

What happens after project creation

After you create a project, it becomes:

  • Listed in the Projects module
  • Searchable via global search
  • Available to select when associating BOMs
  • Available when linking orders
  • Visible to teammates based on roles
  • A container that can grow with additional data

Projects serve as anchors for operational clarity.

Linking things to a project

Once created, projects can be linked to several other modules:

Link a BOM to the project

Go to any BOM:

  1. Open BOM detail
  2. Click Edit
  3. Choose the Project from the dropdown
  4. Save

Now the BOM is part of that project’s structure.

Link an Order to the project

Open any order:

  1. Click Edit
  2. Search for the project
  3. Select it
  4. Save

This helps track procurement for each project.

Link multiple items

A single project may have:

  • Several BOMs
  • Many orders
  • Multiple components indirectly involved

This linking creates a clearly defined scope for materials and activities.

Note Linking items does not “move” them—rather, it gives the project visibility into things that matter to it.

Editing a project

Projects often evolve, and Laminar makes editing easy:

  1. Open the project from global search or the Projects list
  2. Click Edit
  3. Update name, owner, or description
  4. Save

You can update fields anytime without impacting linked BOMs or orders.

When editing is necessary

  • Project changes direction
  • A new manager takes over
  • Scope is updated
  • Additional context becomes important
  • Naming convention updates are required

Editing is safe and maintains full historical continuity.

What you won’t see in projects (yet)

Projects in Laminar are intentionally simple for v1.0. You will not see:

  • Direct file attachments
  • Task management
  • Automatic BOM rollups
  • Real-time reporting dashboards

These enhancements may come in future releases, but the current version focuses on lightweight alignment rather than heavy project management.

Best practices

Use meaningful names

Include client names, revision labels, or time periods when relevant.

Keep the description updated

A few lines of context often save hours of guesswork.

Link everything that belongs to a project

BOMs and Orders gain meaning when they’re organised under the right project.

Review project metadata periodically

Especially for long-running initiatives—keeping names and descriptions fresh helps everyone.

Avoid unnecessary duplication

Search before creating a new project. Sometimes a similarly named project already exists.

When to create a project

Create a project when:

  • A new build is starting
  • A prototype is being developed
  • You’re beginning a client job
  • You’re testing a BOM or assembly
  • You need to track associated orders
  • You want to structure procurement around an internal initiative

Projects help keep operational work organised.

Troubleshooting

“I can’t find the Project option in the New menu.”

Your role may not have permission to create projects. Contact your admin to request access.

“I created a project but don’t see it in the dropdown when linking a BOM or Order.”

Check these:

  • You’re working in the same organisation
  • Your permission level allows linking
  • You typed only part of the name (autocomplete is partial-match friendly)

“I need to delete a project.”

Depending on your organisation’s policy, deletion may be restricted. Most teams avoid deleting projects to preserve history.

“I don’t see any associated items after linking.”

Refresh the project detail page—some associations appear only after page reload.

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