Managing project orders can be tricky, especially when you have multiple clients and tasks to handle at the same time. Without a proper system, things can get messy, deadlines may be missed, and clients may feel frustrated. This is where a good project management tool comes in handy.
WP Project Manager is one of the best tools for managing projects right inside WordPress. You can organize tasks, assign responsibilities, track progress, and keep everything under control. Its order management feature helps you handle client requests smoothly and stay on top.
In this blog post, we will show you how to use WP Project Manager to manage project orders effectively. You will learn step by step how to create orders, assign tasks, track progress, and ensure that your projects run without any confusion. By the end, you will have a clear idea of the system.
What Is WP Project Manager?
WP Project Manager is a feature-rich project management plugin for WordPress. It allows teams and business owners to plan and organize work directly from the WordPress dashboard. You can create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, attach files, and track progress. It removes the need for third-party management platforms and keeps everything in one place.
If you are a freelancer or running an agency, you often may have to manage multiple client orders and bill them once they are finished. As the WP Project Manager has integration with WooCommerce, you can manage client orders right from your WordPress dashboard.
Besides, the plugin has a built-in invoice generator. You can directly bill clients with detailed project reports from the same dashboard and receive the payment through Stripe or PayPal. Thus, WP Project Manager could be a great project management solution for you.
How to Handle Project Order Management with WP Project Manager
As already said, WP Project Manager has integration with WooCommerce. It has a built-in invoice generator to bill clients. Let's now take a detailed guide below on how to handle project orders with a comprehensive discussion.
Prerequisites & Installation
WP Project Manager has a free and a premium version. In order to use WooCommerce and the built-in invoice generator, you need the following plugins installed and activated on your site.
Once they are ready on your site, start following the tutorial as explained below.
Step 01: Activate the WooCommerce Module
Log into your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Project Manager > Modules. Find the WooCommerce Order module and toggle it on to enable it.
Step 02: List Packages as Products to Sell Through WooCommerce
Hope you know that with WooCommerce, not only physical products, but you can also sell services and digital items. So, go to Products > All Product and list these services as packages.
Step 03: List These Projects to Woo Project
In this step, you'll connect those projects to WP Project Manager to create automation rules. Navigate to Project Manager > Woo Project. Type the project name in the search box that a client has recently ordered.
You can see that we have selected the ‘Content & Marketing Packages' project. Then, select the users involved with the project. Co-Workers will work to complete the project. As the client has been selected, he will be able to monitor the project progress.
Toggle on the Create option. Finally, hit the Save Change button.
In the same way, list and connect all projects to WP Project Manager.
Step 04: Check Your WooCommerce Store and Make an Order
Now, come to the frontend of your store. Check if all the packages you created are being shown or not.
Now, buy a project package to make an order.
Now, come to the Project Manager's dashboard. You'll see a project has been created that the customer bought just a while ago. Click to enter into the project.
Step 05: Prepare the Project with Tasks and Sub-Tasks
After entering into the project, you'll see no tasks and nothing at all. Now, you have to create tasks, sub-tasks, a Kanban Board, a Gantt Chart, and other things as you need to complete the project.
In the screenshot attached below, you can see that we have listed several tasks and sub-tasks. However, before creating the task list, you'd better have a discussion with your client so you can understand what he actually wants from you. Check how to create task lists with WP Project Manager.
Step 06: Visualize the Project with Kanban, Gantt, Milestone, and More
The Kanban Board is a great way to visualize your task management. You can show up which tasks you are going to begin, which are in progress, and which you have already completed. Here's how to create a Kanban Board with WP Project Manager.
A Gantt chart is another visual way to display the project timeline that shows tasks, their duration, and their order so teams can understand what to do and when to finish. Learn how to create a Gantt Chart with WP Project Manager.
By milestone setting, you can mark key events or important points in the project timeline to track progress and keep the team aligned. Going to the Milestones tab, you can create and set milestones so team members can move forward step-by-step to complete the project.
To move ahead with a project, team members may need various files. It's better to store them in a shared server so anyone can explore them when needed. You can store them in the Files section of the Project Manager plugin, as you can see in the screenshot below.
Step 07: Invoice the Client for Extra Work (If Required)
Sometimes during a project, you may notice that the client is asking for more work than what was agreed upon at the beginning. This is normal. In such cases, both sides can discuss and agree on extra payment for the extra tasks.
WP Project Manager makes this process easy with its built-in invoice generator, which lets you create detailed invoices quickly and receive payments through PayPal or Stripe. Check how to invoice a client with WP Project Manager.
In addition to all these things, WP Project Manager has many more features that could be useful in project order management. You can use the Time Tracker, Task Calendar, Discussion Board, Reporting Module, Integration with Slack, and more.
Thus, you can efficiently handle various project order management with the plugin. If you are a budget-friendly user, you can take a look at the best and cheapest project management software.
Best Practices for Effective Project Order Management
Effective project order management helps you avoid confusion and delays. It keeps clients happy and makes delivery smooth. When you follow a clear set of practices, it becomes easier to handle new requests, track changes, and complete work within the deadline and budget.
1. Clear Requirement Gathering
Start by collecting all the details about the project order. Ask questions to understand what the client wants, what the purpose is, and what result they expect. Clear requirements make planning easier and reduce future rework. It also helps you break the job into smaller tasks with realistic deadlines.
2. Proper Task Breakdown
Once you understand the order, divide it into smaller tasks. Assign those tasks to team members who can handle them best. A proper breakdown prevents confusion and helps the team work in parallel. It also makes progress visible and easier to track.
3. Defined Timeline and Priority
Every project order should have a timeline. You must know when the project starts and when it should finish. Add priority labels to tasks so the team can focus on the most important items first. This protects deadlines and avoids last-minute rush. Learn how to master time management.
4. Continuous Communication
Good communication between team members and clients is very important. Update clients when something changes or when a task is done. Ask for clarification if something is not clear. Regular communication creates trust and prevents misunderstandings.
5. Progress Tracking and Status Updates
Always keep an eye on task progress. Use tools like WP Project Manager to update task status, check completed work, and see what is pending. This helps you catch delays early and make corrections before the project goes off track.
6. Quality Check Before Delivery
Before handing over the final work, test everything properly. Make sure the project order matches the client’s requirement. A final quality check reduces support issues and makes the client feel confident about your work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Project Order Management
Managing project orders can become difficult when certain mistakes are not handled early. So, in addition to the best practices, you must be careful about those common mistakes as well. Let's take a look at them in the discussion below.
1. Unclear Requirements
Many projects fail because the team starts working before understanding the project order properly. When requirements are unclear, tasks get done in the wrong way. This causes back-and-forth revisions, missed deadlines, and frustration for both clients and team members.
2. No Prioritization
Not all tasks have the same value or urgency. When the team treats all tasks equally, important work can get stuck behind minor tasks. This slows down the whole project and increases pressure later. Setting priorities helps the team know what to do first and what can wait. It also helps when deadlines are tight because the most critical work is already done on time.
3. Weak Communication
Lack of communication is one of the most common issues in project work. When communication is weak, misunderstandings appear and slow things down. Clients may expect progress updates while the team stays silent until the final delivery. This creates anxiety and loss of trust.
4. Skipping Progress Tracking
If you do not track project progress, you do not know where things stand. Problems can grow without notice, and deadlines can be missed without warning. Progress tracking helps you see which tasks are done, which are pending, and which are blocked.
5. No Quality Review
Some teams rush to deliver the final work without a proper quality check. This increases the chance of errors and rework. A simple review process can catch issues before the client sees them. This makes your delivery more polished and professional.
Final Words on Today's Discussion!
Finally, managing project orders does not have to be stressful but adventurous. With a proper system and good practices, you can reduce confusion, track tasks, and deliver work with confidence. WP Project Manager makes this process easier by bringing project planning, task management, communication, and tracking into one platform.
It helps both small teams and growing companies handle client orders with better control and more clarity. When you follow clear workflows and avoid common mistakes, you can complete projects on time and keep clients satisfied. WP Project Manager supports this goal by providing tools that match real project needs. It improves collaboration, reduces risks, and gives you a stable method to manage work from start to finish.