Discover how to manage a project end-to-end in Salesforce using native tools, custom objects, and AppExchange apps. Learn to track tasks, milestones, and collaborate seamlessly within your Salesforce org.
Project management is the heartbeat of every successful business initiative. Whether it’s a product launch, a system upgrade, or a customer onboarding process, structured and proactive management is what turns chaos into results. But what if you could manage all of this within your existing Salesforce ecosystem—without needing a separate project management tool?
Good news: you can. And while Salesforce doesn’t offer a native, out-of-the-box project management module, the platform is powerful and flexible enough to build (or integrate) exactly what your team needs. Streamline your workflow and boost team productivity when you manage a project end to end in Salesforce—from planning to delivery, all in one platform.
Let’s break down how you can manage a project end to end in Salesforce.
Why Project Management Matters in Salesforce
Project management isn’t just a discipline—it’s a critical business function. When done right, it drives alignment across teams, keeps stakeholders in sync, and delivers better outcomes faster.
According to industry stats, up to 90% of a project’s success is tied to how well it’s managed. That means:
- Setting clear scopes and goals
- Assigning tasks and responsibilities
- Defining timelines and milestones
- Testing and reviewing deliverables
- Staying accountable through progress tracking
Manage a Project End to End in Salesforce-Salesforce offers a robust platform where all of these elements can be brought together—either through customization or AppExchange integrations.
Manage a Project End to End in Salesforce
Native Salesforce Features You Can Leverage
Although Salesforce doesn’t have a “Project” object by default, it includes many tools you can adapt:
✅ Tasks and Events
Track individual responsibilities, assign due dates, update statuses, and notify users via standard task and event functionality.
✅ Milestones and Subtasks
Using custom objects or AppExchange apps, you can group tasks under milestones to track high-level progress and dependencies.
✅ Chatter & Collaboration
Salesforce’s internal communication tool, Chatter, lets team members collaborate in real time—commenting on records, tagging users, and sharing updates within the app.
✅ Reports & Dashboards
Visualize project progress, overdue tasks, resource allocation, and productivity metrics using custom dashboards tailored to your project KPIs.
✅ Automation Tools
Automate task creation, follow-up alerts, or stage transitions with tools like:
- Process Builder
- Flow Builder
- Approval Processes
✅ Mobile Optimization
Your team can manage and update projects from anywhere using the Salesforce mobile app.
But There’s a Catch…
Despite these features, Salesforce doesn’t natively support an end-to-end “Project” entity with full Gantt chart views, dependencies, sprints, or resource management out of the box. If you want true project oversight with structure, timelines, collaboration, and reporting in one place, you have two options:
- Customize Salesforce
- Use AppExchange project management solutions
Option 1: Customizing Salesforce for Project Management
Salesforce’s flexible architecture means you can build a custom solution using standard platform tools.
Here’s what you can do:
- Create a Custom Object called “Project”
- Add fields like:
- Project Owner
- Start Date & End Date
- Stage (Planning, Execution, Review, Completed)
- Priority and Status
- Related Accounts or Opportunities
Then:
- Link Tasks and Events to Projects via Lookup fields
- Build automation for reminders and task generation
- Create custom tabs for Projects, Milestones, and Issues
- Use Reports and Dashboards to track timelines and outcomes
- Add Flows to handle task creation when a project stage changes
💡 Bonus: Integrate tools like Google Drive or OneDrive (via apps like CV Files) to attach deliverables or supporting files directly to your projects.
This approach is best for organizations that already have admin/dev resources and want a tailored solution without external licensing.
Option 2: Use AppExchange for End-to-End Project Management
Salesforce AppExchange offers ready-made project management apps that seamlessly integrate with your CRM.
Here are some top contenders:
TaskRay
- Ideal for customer onboarding or internal project delivery
- Drag-and-drop Kanban boards
- Time tracking and resource management
- Pre-built templates for repeatable projects
- Advanced reporting and dashboards
Mission Control
- Comprehensive project and resource management
- Gantt charts, time logs, sprint planning
- Budget tracking and billing integration
- Role-based permissions and utilization reports
Taskfeed (now part of Precursive)
- Focused on customer success workflows
- Templates, playbooks, and timeline tracking
- Strong collaboration and onboarding features
These apps leverage Salesforce’s CRM data, meaning no need to sync or export. You can relate Projects directly to Accounts, Opportunities, and Contacts—ensuring full visibility into customer lifecycle and project delivery in one system.
Which Should You Choose: Customize or App?
| Feature | Customize Salesforce | AppExchange App |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | Medium to High | Low to Medium |
| Cost | No license fees | Monthly license |
| Flexibility | Very high | Depends on app |
| Integration with CRM | Seamless | Seamless |
| Project Templates | Manual or via Flow | Prebuilt |
| Gantt Charts | Needs add-on | Included |
| Ideal For | Internal teams with SF admins | Customer-facing teams or rapid launches |
If you’re a lean team and want quick deployment with enterprise-grade features, go with an AppExchange solution. But if you’re already working closely with Salesforce admins or consultants, a custom build might give you better long-term scalability and ownership.
Manage a Project End to End in Salesforce
Use Cases
Here are a few real-world examples of how project management in Salesforce plays out:
Internal IT Teams
Managing system upgrades, hardware rollouts, and service tickets with milestones, approvals, and status dashboards.
Customer Onboarding
Sales and Success teams using project templates to guide new customers through the onboarding journey, complete with task reminders and progress updates.
Marketing Campaigns
Tracking asset creation, launch milestones, and performance analytics—all tied back to Opportunities or Campaigns.
Professional Services
Time tracking, deliverable management, and invoicing within client projects—especially useful when integrated with billing or time entry tools.
Manage a Project End to End in Salesforce-Key Benefits
✅ One Source of Truth: No need to jump between tools; data lives inside Salesforce
✅ CRM Integration: Tie tasks and milestones to contacts, accounts, or deals
✅ Automated Workflows: Trigger alerts, update statuses, or assign tasks without manual input
✅ Mobile-Ready: Update tasks, log time, or check project status on the go
✅ Better Collaboration: Chatter and feeds reduce email chaos and centralize updates
✅ Real-Time Reporting: From burn-down charts to overdue tasks, get instant insights
Final Thoughts
Salesforce may not offer a plug-and-play project management module, but its powerful foundation makes it easy to custom-build or integrate a robust solution. Whether you need streamlined onboarding, full-service delivery, or agile task management—Salesforce can be molded to fit the bill.
You’re already using Salesforce to manage customers, leads, and support—why not extend its value and manage your internal or external projects there too?
✅Manage a Project End to End in Salesforce-Need Help Setting Up?
While Salesforce isn’t a traditional project management tool, its flexibility, extensibility, and deep CRM integration make it a powerful platform for managing projects from start to finish. Whether you build a fully customized solution using objects, fields, flows, and dashboards—or opt for a ready-to-go AppExchange solution like TaskRay or Mission Control—Salesforce gives you the tools to stay organized, track progress, and deliver results.
The key is understanding your team’s needs, aligning the platform’s capabilities with your workflows, and using automation and reporting to stay ahead of every milestone. With the right setup, Salesforce can become your centralized hub for managing tasks, timelines, collaboration, and outcomes—all in one place.
Need help getting started? We can guide you through the setup and help you launch a fully functional project management solution—fast. We can help you:
- Customize Salesforce for project tracking
- Integrate and deploy AppExchange tools
- Build dashboards, templates, and flows
- Train your team for adoption and success
Get up and running in days—not weeks.
📩 Ready to build a powerful, customized project management solution inside Salesforce? Contact us today!
Digital Marketing Manager at Cloudvandana Solutions
