How to create a new portfolio in profit.co?

Profit.co provides the ability to create Portfolios to efficiently organize and manage multiple projects in one place.

What is a Portfolio in Profit.co's PPM module?

A Portfolio in Profit.co is a collection of related projects grouped for strategic management and oversight. Portfolios enable organizations to:

Key characteristics:

• Organize multiple related projects in one location
• Track collective progress toward business objectives
• Manage shared resources across projects

Portfolios sit at a higher level than individual projects, providing a strategic view of how multiple initiatives work together to achieve business goals.

Why is the Portfolio creation feature important?

The Portfolio creation feature is essential for effective project portfolio management. Here's why this feature matters:

• Organized Project Management: It helps organize projects into Portfolios for quick access, task prioritization, and improved team collaboration.
• Strategic Alignment: It combines multiple projects to track progress, manage resources, and ensure they align with business goals.
• Centralized Visibility: Provides a single view of related projects for better decision-making and resource allocation.

How do I create a new Portfolio in Profit.co?

Follow these steps to create a new Portfolio:

Step 1

• Navigate to Portfolios and Projects → Portfolios → Portfolio Roadmaps from the left navigation panel.
• On the Portfolio Roadmaps page, click the + Create Roadmap button.

• On the Create Roadmap side panel:
  • Fill in the Roadmap Name
  • Set the visibility (who can view this roadmap)
  • Click the "Create" button

• After creating the roadmap, you'll be directed to the Roadmap page.
• Click the Create Portfolio button to create a new portfolio.
• Alternative: Click the "Add Portfolios" button to include portfolios from the existing roadmap.

• On the Create Portfolio page, fill in the required details (Portfolio name, Template, Date, Owner, Status, and Visibility).
• Click the Create button.

• The newly created portfolio will appear on the roadmap overview page.

• Portfolio project counts and views are now controlled using the Project Level filter, allowing you to switch between portfolio-only projects or include sub-portfolio projects for accurate visibility.

KPI Creation at the Portfolio Level

Portfolio owners can create, manage, and check in on KPIs directly at the portfolio level, bringing the same KPI capability already available in projects to portfolios. Each KPI tracks attainment against a defined start value, target, and direction, and this attainment stays independent of the portfolio's overall progress roll-up from projects.

How to Create a Portfolio KPI

Step 1

• Navigate to Portfolios and Projects → Portfolios → open the relevant portfolio.
• On the Overview page, click Create KPI.

Step 2

• Set the KPI direction to Increase or Decrease.
• Enter a name and select the unit type: Percentage, Number, or Currency.
• Set the target value, assign an owner, and define the date range.
• Optionally assign a category to organize the KPI.
• Click Save; the KPI appears in the KPI section of the portfolio Overview with attainment calculated automatically.

The table below covers what happens to attainment, history, and visibility once a portfolio KPI is in use, not the steps to set one up.

Scenario	What Happens
You check in on a portfolio KPI.	Profit.co updates the KPI's current attainment based on the check-in value; the portfolio's overall progress roll-up from projects stays unchanged.
You edit the target value or direction on a KPI that already has check-ins.	Profit.co recalculates attainment for every existing check-in against the new target or direction; the change is not limited to future check-ins only.
You delete a KPI from the row menu.	Profit.co permanently removes the KPI along with its full check-in history; the deletion cannot be undone.
You check in on a KPI without holding full manage rights on the portfolio.	Profit.co lets the check-in proceed; KPI ownership grants check-in access independently of portfolio-level manage rights.
You create, check in on, or delete a portfolio KPI.	Profit.co does not send a notification to any user; the KPI section on the portfolio Overview page is the only place the change appears.

Settings Configuration

Profit.co includes a dedicated Portfolio settings section where administrators can control visibility and access behavior across the organization. These settings apply globally to all portfolios and govern which users can view portfolio data in the PPM module.

Portfolio and Super User Access Visibility

• Navigate to Settings → Portfolio from the left navigation panel.
• Locate the Portfolio and Super User Access Visibility settings section.
• By default, all three visibility toggles are enabled.
• Administrators can enable or disable individual visibility options based on access requirements.

What is a Portfolio Roadmap and why do I need it?

A portfolio roadmap is a container that holds one or more portfolios, providing a strategic timeline view of your portfolio initiatives.

Purpose of Portfolio Roadmaps:

• Visualize multiple portfolios on a timeline
• Show how different portfolios relate to each other
• Provide executive-level strategic planning views
• Track portfolio milestones and dependencies
• Enable scenario planning and strategic alignment

You must create a Roadmap before creating Portfolios because the Roadmap provides the organizational structure and timeline context for your portfolios.

What's the difference between a Portfolio Roadmap and a Portfolio?

Understanding the hierarchy helps with organization:

Portfolio Roadmap:

• Container: Holds multiple portfolios
• Timeline View: Shows portfolios on a strategic timeline
• Strategic Level: Executive-level planning and visualization
• Scope: Organization-wide or major initiative grouping

Portfolio:

• Collection: Groups related projects together
• Project Management: Manages resources and tracks progress across projects
• Operational Level: Portfolio manager-level oversight
• Scope: Specific theme, department, or strategic objective

Hierarchy: Organization → Portfolio Roadmap → Portfolio → Projects → Tasks

Best Practices for Creating Portfolios

To maximize the effectiveness of your Portfolios:

• Clear Naming Conventions: Use descriptive, consistent names that indicate portfolio purpose
• Strategic Alignment: Ensure portfolios align with organizational goals and strategies
• Right-Sized Grouping: Include 5-15 related projects per portfolio (avoid too many or too few)
• Appropriate Ownership: Assign owners with authority and accountability for portfolio success
• Logical Organization: Group projects by theme, department, product line, or strategic objective
• Regular Reviews: Schedule periodic portfolio reviews to assess progress and alignment
• Documentation: Maintain clear descriptions of portfolio purpose and scope
• Stakeholder Communication: Set visibility appropriately and communicate with relevant stakeholders
• Template Usage: Leverage templates for consistency when appropriate
• Resource Consideration: Ensure portfolio projects can be resourced appropriately
• Set the KPI direction and target correctly before the first check-in, since editing either afterward recalculates attainment for every existing check-in, not just new ones.
• Assign a category to portfolio KPIs you plan to track across multiple portfolios, since categorization is the only structured way to group them beyond the name.
• Confirm a KPI's history is no longer needed before deleting it, since Profit.co removes the KPI and all check-in data permanently with no recovery option.

Related Questions

• How to create a Project in the PPM module

Frequently Asked Questions