autumn-team
Fabrizio RealeHere is a clean, structured prompt you can paste into an AI coding tool to generate your application. *** ## Project Title Team Work, Time, and Cost Tracking Tool ## Goal Build a web application that lets companies define projects with detailed cost structures, track teams’ hours and expenses, and always see remaining budget and project status in real time. [mastt](https://www.mastt.com/resources/project-cost-template) *** ## User Roles 1. Admin / Project Manager - Creates and edits clients and projects. - Defines budgets, activities, and cost rates. - Views all reports and dashboards. 2. Team Member / Operative - Sees only the projects/activities assigned to them. - Logs worked hours and project-related expenses. - Can see their own timesheets and expense history. 3. Finance / Controller (optional role) - Views cost and margin dashboards. - Exports data to accounting/invoicing systems. *** ## Core Concepts and Data 1. Client - Name, reference code. - Contact info (basic). 2. Project - Client. - Name, code, description. - Start date, end date (planned). - Overall budget (total), currency. - Status: Planned, In progress, On hold, Completed, Cancelled. - Project manager (user). 3. Activity / Task - Project. - Name, code. - Type: Billable / Non-billable. - Planned start/end dates. - Budgeted hours. - Budgeted cost (labor + fixed). - Optional cost code / category. [enerpize](https://www.enerpize.com/templates/project-cost) 4. Roles and Rates - Role (e.g., Developer, PM, Designer). - Internal cost rate per hour. - Billing rate per hour (optional). 5. Time Entry (Timesheet) - User. - Date. - Project. - Activity / Task. - Hours worked. - Optional notes. 6. Expense Entry - User. - Date. - Project. - Activity / Task (optional). - Category (travel, software, materials, etc.). - Amount, currency. - Description. - Receipt file upload (optional). - Status: Draft, Submitted, Approved, Rejected. [connecteam](https://connecteam.com/best-time-and-expense-tracking-software/) *** ## Functional Requirements ### A. Project and Budget Setup 1. Create/Edit Projects - Admin/PM can create projects with: client, name, description, dates, overall budget, project manager, status. - Attach activities/tasks with per-activity budgets in hours and cost. [slideshare](https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/easy-guide-to-project-cost-tracking-template-docx/274127045) 2. Define Cost Structure - Maintain a list of roles with internal hourly cost rates and (optionally) billing rates. - For each project, allow: - Default role rates. - Custom overrides per project (e.g., higher rate for specific client). 3. Fixed Costs - Allow adding fixed costs to a project or a specific activity: - Name, category, planned amount, date. - Mark as one-off or recurring (e.g., monthly license). - Track planned vs actual for fixed costs. [mastt](https://www.mastt.com/resources/project-cost-template) 4. Work Breakdown / Activities - For each project, define activities/tasks with: - Budgeted hours per role or total hours. - Budgeted fixed costs. - Optional simple hierarchy (Phase → Task) is enough. *** ### B. Time Tracking 1. Time Entry - Team members can log hours by: date, project, activity/task, hours, notes. [getharvest](https://www.getharvest.com/blog/guide-to-time-and-expense-tracking) - Two modes are acceptable: - Manual entry (fill in fields). - Optional start/stop timer (if easy to implement). 2. Validation - Prevent logging time on closed/completed projects. - Configurable max hours per day per user (e.g., warn if > 12 hours). 3. Timesheet Views - Daily and weekly view for each user. - Users can filter by project and date range. - Project managers can view timesheets for their project team. *** ### C. Expense Tracking 1. Expense Entry - Team members can add project-related expenses with: date, project, optional activity, category, amount, description, and receipt upload. [blog.data-basics](https://blog.data-basics.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-time-and-expense-software) - Multi-currency support is a plus; base currency stored on project. 2. Approval Workflow - Statuses: Draft → Submitted → Approved/Rejected. - Project Manager (or Finance) can approve/reject expenses. - Approved expenses count toward actual costs of the project. 3. Expense Lists - Filterable list by project, user, date range, status, category. - Export to CSV/Excel. *** ### D. Budget, Remaining Budget, and Status 1. Budget Calculation Logic - For each project and activity, calculate: - Budgeted hours and budgeted labor cost (hours × role rate). - Budgeted fixed costs. - Total budgeted cost = labor + fixed. - Actuals: - Actual hours (sum of timesheets). - Actual labor cost (hours × relevant role rate). - Actual fixed/expense cost (approved expenses + recorded fixed costs). - Remaining budget = Budgeted total − Actual total. - Variance (absolute and percentage). [jotform](https://www.jotform.com/board-templates/project-cost-tracking-template) 2. Project Status Indicators - Show per project: - Budget used (%). - Hours used (%). - Timeline (today vs end date). - Simple traffic light logic: - Green: within budget (e.g., < 80%) and time. - Yellow: between 80–100% budget or close to end date. - Red: exceeds budget or overdue. 3. Activity-Level View - For each activity/task: planned vs actual hours and costs, remaining budget and variance. *** ### E. Reporting and Dashboards 1. Project Dashboard (for PMs and Admin) - List of all projects with: - Client, PM, status. - Budgeted cost, actual cost to date, remaining budget, variance. - Budget used (%). - Filters: by client, PM, status, date range. [scribd](https://www.scribd.com/document/503928692/IC-Project-Tracking-Template-8640-V1) 2. Detailed Project View - Tabs: - Overview: main KPIs (budget vs actual, remaining budget, status). - Activities: table of tasks with planned vs actual hours & costs. - Time: list or summary of timesheet entries. - Expenses: list or summary of expenses. 3. Time and Expense Reports - By user: hours and costs by period and project. - By project: hours, labor cost, expenses, total. - Exportable to CSV/Excel. *** ### F. Non-Functional Requirements 1. Platform & Tech (you decide, but specify) - Web-based application, responsive UI (desktop first, mobile-friendly). - REST or GraphQL API for all main entities (projects, time entries, expenses, reports). 2. Performance - List views and dashboards should load under 2 seconds for typical data sets. - Reports for a single project should generate under 5 seconds. [dataforest](https://dataforest.ai/blog/software-requirements-specification-understandable-framework) 3. Security & Access Control - Authentication with email/password (and ready to plug SSO in future). - Role-based permissions: Admin, PM, Team Member, Finance. - Data isolation per organization (future multi-tenant ready). 4. Auditability - Track who created/updated/deleted time entries and expenses. - Log status changes for expenses (who approved/rejected and when). [blog.data-basics](https://blog.data-basics.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-time-and-expense-software) *** ### G. Nice-to-Have Features (If time allows) 1. Invoicing Prep - Generate a summarized “billable time & expenses” report per client and project. - Show billable amount based on billing rates. 2. Integrations (future-ready) - Webhooks or basic API endpoints for integration with accounting/CRM. 3. Simple Notifications - Email or in-app alerts when: - Budget reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 80%, 100%). - Expenses are submitted/approved. *** ### Deliverables - Database schema or migration scripts. - Backend API. - Frontend UI for all roles. - Basic test data and instructions to run the app locally (e.g., Docker or simple setup). ***
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Manage Projects. Track Time. Control Costs.
autumn-team
The all-in-one project management platform that brings together budgets, timesheets, and expenses. Built for teams that value clarity, control, and collaboration.
Everything your team needs
From project kickoff to final report, autumn-team gives you the tools to manage budgets, track time, and control expenses — all in one place.
Project & Budget Setup
Create projects with defined budgets, assign activities, and set hourly cost rates for complete financial control.
Supports per-activity budgets and recurring fixed costs.
Time Tracking
Log hours by project and activity with daily and weekly timesheets your whole team can access.
Auto-prevents logging on closed or completed projects.
Expense Management
Submit expenses with receipt uploads and streamlined approval workflows for fast reimbursement.
Filter by project, user, date range, or category.
Reporting & Dashboards
Monitor budgeted vs. actual costs in real-time with visual dashboards and exportable reports.
Export to CSV and Excel with one click.
From setup to insights in minutes
Create Project & Set Budget
Define your project with client details, timelines, and an overall budget. Break it down into activities with per-task cost and hour allocations.
Assign Team & Define Activities
Add team members with role-based access and hourly rates. Map activities to team members so everyone knows their responsibilities.
Log Hours & Expenses Daily
Team members log time by project and activity with just a few clicks. Submit expenses with receipts for streamlined approval workflows.
Monitor Dashboards & Export Reports
Track budgeted vs. actual costs in real-time dashboards. Export detailed reports to CSV or Excel for stakeholder reviews.
Create Project & Set Budget
Define your project with client details, timelines, and an overall budget. Break it down into activities with per-task cost and hour allocations.
Assign Team & Define Activities
Add team members with role-based access and hourly rates. Map activities to team members so everyone knows their responsibilities.
Log Hours & Expenses Daily
Team members log time by project and activity with just a few clicks. Submit expenses with receipts for streamlined approval workflows.
Monitor Dashboards & Export Reports
Track budgeted vs. actual costs in real-time dashboards. Export detailed reports to CSV or Excel for stakeholder reviews.
The right tools for each team member
Admin & Project Manager
- Create projects with budgets, timelines, and activity breakdowns
- Assign team members and define role-based hourly rates
- Approve or reject submitted expenses and timesheets
- Monitor real-time dashboards for budget vs. actual costs
Team Member
- Log daily hours by project, activity, and task with notes
- Submit project-related expenses with receipt uploads
- View personal timesheets and weekly summaries
- Track assigned activities and project progress
Finance Controller
- Review budgeted vs. actual costs across all projects
- Filter expenses by project, user, date range, and status
- Export detailed reports to CSV and Excel formats
- Monitor fixed and recurring cost allocations
See autumn-team in Action
Trusted by project teams
autumn-team transformed how we manage project budgets. We now have real-time visibility into costs and hours, which has cut our budget overruns by nearly 40%.
Logging hours and expenses used to be a daily headache. With autumn-team, our team members submit everything in under two minutes and I can approve expenses with one click.
The role-based dashboards are exactly what we needed. As a team lead, I see my projects instantly while our finance team gets the cost breakdowns they care about most.
Ready to bring order to your projects?
Join teams who manage budgets, track time, and control expenses — all in one beautifully simple platform built for real project work.
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