At Motion, we’re committed to constantly improving how teams plan, manage, and execute projects. With the release of Project Workflow Templates Version 2, we’re taking a massive leap forward in project management efficiency, transparency, and long-term planning.
In this post, we’ll dive into what’s new in Version 2 and how it’s designed to help you stay ahead of your deadlines by forecasting tasks and stages across months.
What’s New in Project Workflow Templates Version 2?
So, what’s new in Version 2 of Project Workflow Templates, and how is it different from Version 1?
1. Auto-scheduling Up to 6 Months Ahead
In Version 1, Motion’s autoscheduling algorithm could plan ahead for about 2 weeks. With Version 2, Motion can now plan up to 6 months ahead. This opens up new possibilities for managing long-term projects, ensuring that teams can visualize workload distribution well into the future.
2. Introducing “Future Tasks” for Enhanced Project Transparency
Another major improvement is the introduction of Future Tasks. When you create a project using Project Workflow Templates, Motion now generates tasks for both the current stage and all future stages.
While tasks in the current stage are “real” tasks that need to be worked on immediately, Future Tasks are modeled to help you predict how the project will unfold in the coming months. These future tasks appear on team members’ calendars, giving you a detailed forecast of when specific tasks and stages will occur—even months in advance. This provides an unprecedented level of transparency in project planning, helping teams see the full picture of the project’s timeline right from the start.
What you need to do to fully take advantage for Version 2
Make sure to auto-schedule everything even if it's scary
Stop finicking with task dates: Change project or stage deadlines, tasks will smartly autoupdate
💡 Pro Tip: If you work with external contractors, you can always model their tasks as reminders for yourself to check in with them. It is important that all tasks in Motion are autoscheduled so Motion can properly model your whole project into the future
How Version 2 Makes a Difference
The introduction of future tasks and longer scheduling windows creates several immediate benefits for teams:
Better Long-Term Planning: By visualizing tasks up to 6 months into the future, teams can spot potential issues, such as capacity bottlenecks or schedule conflicts, well before they become a problem.
Increased Transparency: Project managers can see when every task and stage is expected to happen, ensuring that teams stay on track. This forecast view lets you adjust priorities, manage workloads, and ensure that deadlines are met.
Proactive Problem Solving: By seeing future tasks, you can address risks in upcoming stages before they start, reducing the chances of delays or miscommunication.
Recap: Motion’s Project Management Philosophy
Before we explore the exciting new features, let’s quickly recap our project management philosophy at Motion:
1) All work needs to be tracked in Motion.
If it’s not in Motion, it’s not being managed properly—or at all. The first step is to ensure all your tasks and projects are in the platform to make your work as efficient as possible.
2) Trust Motion to auto-schedule tasks.
Motion’s intelligent scheduling algorithm takes into account deadlines, task priorities, and calendar availability, so you don’t have to worry about the logistics. Motion finds the best time to get work done.
3) Use Project Workflow Templates for repeatable projects.
Even if the individual tasks differ, most projects follow a similar flow. Workflow templates let you standardize processes, saving time and ensuring consistency.
4) Break down projects into stages.
Every project can be broken down into key stages, such as Initiation, Execution, and Delivery. By organizing work in stages, you ensure that projects move forward smoothly through each phase of the lifecycle.
Recap: SOPs – The Heartbeat of Every Business
At the core of every organization’s productivity are **Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)**—the standardized processes that outline how work gets done. SOPs are the foundation of efficiency, consistency, and growth. In the context of project management, SOPs define how tasks and stages move a project from start to finish. SOPs exist across all areas of your business. Think about:
- Onboarding new employees, with stages like tech setup, employee training, and assigning the first project.
- Performance reviews, which might include stages such as preparation, feedback, and final submission.
- Annual budget planning, including goal setting, data collection, department submissions, approvals, and documentation.
With Motion’s Project Workflow Templates, you can codify any SOP into a repeatable, automated workflow that saves time and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Conclusion
With the launch of Project Workflow Templates Version 2, Motion is making it easier than ever to manage long-term projects, improve team transparency, and keep everything on track.
By leveraging future tasks and longer scheduling windows, your team can plan ahead with confidence, knowing that every stage is accounted for.
Stay tuned for Version 3, where we’ll continue refining how you manage, plan, and execute projects at scale—bringing an unparalleled level of precision and foresight to your organization.
Start using Project Workflow Templates in Motion today!
