Pre-Sales & Project Scoping

Pre-Sales & Project Scoping

Overview

The Pre-Sales & Project Scoping module provides an AI-powered workspace designed for pre-sales activities. It enables delivery leads, sales teams, and consultants to define project scope collaboratively with the help of an AI assistant before a project officially kicks off. By scoping projects in a dedicated workspace, teams can estimate effort, identify deliverables, define milestones, and build proposals -- all within Octayne, before the project moves into active delivery.

The scoping workspace is separate from the standard project management interface and features a dedicated layout optimized for exploratory, iterative work. Sessions are saved automatically and can be revisited or shared with stakeholders.

[Screenshot: Pre-Sales landing page showing a list of active scoping sessions with project names, statuses, and creation dates]

Prerequisites

• Your organization must have access to the Pre-Sales module. Contact your admin if you do not see it in the navigation.
• The ENABLE_AI_ASSISTANT feature flag should be enabled for full AI-powered scoping capabilities (see Organization Settings > Feature Flags).

Accessing Pre-Sales

Navigation to the Pre-Sales module may vary depending on your organization's configuration and your assigned role.

1. Check the Sidebar Navigation for a Pre-Sales or Scoping entry.
2. If it is not visible in the sidebar, use the Command Palette (Ctrl+K / Cmd+K) and search for "Pre-Sales" or "Scoping."
3. If you still cannot find it, contact your organization Admin to confirm access and ensure the module is enabled for your role.

Note: Pre-Sales access may be restricted to specific roles such as Admin, Delivery Lead, or designated sales personnel. Check with your admin for access details.

Project Scoping Sessions

Viewing Active Sessions

When you open the Pre-Sales module, you see a list of all active scoping sessions. Each session card displays:

• Session Name -- Typically the prospective project or client name.
• Created By -- The team member who initiated the session.
• Creation Date -- When the session was started.
• Status -- Active, Draft, or Converted (moved to a live project).
• Last Updated -- The most recent activity timestamp.

You can sort sessions by date, name, or status using the controls at the top of the list.

[Screenshot: Active sessions list showing three scoping sessions with names, creators, dates, and status badges]

Creating a New Scoping Session

1. Click the + New Session button at the top of the Pre-Sales page.
2. Enter a Session Name (e.g., "Acme Corp Cloud Migration Scoping").
3. Optionally, select a Client if one already exists in Octayne.
4. Click Create.
5. You are taken directly into the Scoping Workspace for the new session.

Tip: Use descriptive session names that include the client name and project theme. This makes it easier to find sessions later.

Opening a Scoping Workspace

To resume work on an existing session:

1. Locate the session in the active sessions list.
2. Click on the session card or the Open button.
3. The Scoping Workspace loads with all previous work and chat history intact.

Scoping Workspace

The Scoping Workspace is a dedicated environment for defining and refining project scope. It features a layout that is distinct from the standard Octayne sidebar navigation, providing a focused, distraction-free experience.

[Screenshot: Scoping Workspace showing the AI chat panel on the left and the scope document on the right]

AI-Powered Assistance

The centerpiece of the Scoping Workspace is the AI chat assistant. This context-aware AI helps you define project scope through a conversational interface.

How it works:

1. Describe the project opportunity in the chat panel. For example: "We are scoping a cloud migration project for a mid-size financial services company. They currently run on-premises infrastructure with about 50 servers and want to move to AWS."
2. The AI asks clarifying questions to refine the scope: target timeline, budget constraints, compliance requirements, technical stack, team size, and more.
3. As you respond, the AI generates and updates scope elements: deliverables, phases, milestones, effort estimates, resource requirements, and risk factors.
4. You can refine the scope iteratively by continuing the conversation.

Tip: Be as detailed as possible in your initial description. The more context you provide, the more accurate and useful the AI's scoping recommendations will be.

Defining Project Scope

Within the workspace, you can define and organize the following scope elements:

• Deliverables -- What the project will produce. The AI suggests deliverables based on your conversation, and you can add, edit, or remove them.
• Phases & Milestones -- Break the project into phases with defined milestones. The AI can suggest a phased approach based on best practices.
• Effort Estimates -- Hours or story points per deliverable or phase. The AI provides initial estimates that you can adjust.
• Resource Requirements -- Roles and headcount needed for each phase.
• Assumptions & Risks -- Document key assumptions and potential risks that could affect scope or delivery.
• Out-of-Scope Items -- Explicitly define what is not included to prevent scope creep.

[Screenshot: Scope elements panel showing deliverables, phases, effort estimates, and risks organized in an editable list]

Chat History Management

All conversations with the AI assistant within a scoping session are saved automatically:

• View History -- Scroll up in the chat panel to review previous messages and AI responses.
• Continue Conversations -- Pick up where you left off at any time. The AI retains context from the entire session.
• Clear Chat -- If you want to start a fresh conversation while keeping the scope document intact, use the Clear Chat option. This removes the chat history but preserves all defined scope elements.

Note: Clearing the chat removes the AI's conversational context. After clearing, the AI will respond based only on the existing scope document, not on previous chat messages.

Session State Management

Scoping sessions have three states:

State	Description
Draft	Work in progress. The session can be edited freely.
Active	The session is actively being worked on by one or more team members.
Converted	The session has been converted into a live Octayne project. It becomes read-only.

To change a session's state:

1. Open the session in the Scoping Workspace.
2. Click the Status dropdown in the workspace header.
3. Select the new state.

Warning: Converting a session to a project is a one-way action. Once converted, the scoping session becomes read-only and cannot be reverted to Draft or Active.

Converting Scoped Projects

Moving from Scoping to Project Creation

When your scoping work is complete and the project has been approved to proceed, you can convert the scoping session into a live Octayne project.

1. Open the scoping session in the Scoping Workspace.
2. Review all scope elements (deliverables, phases, estimates, resources) to ensure they are finalized.
3. Click the Convert to Project button in the workspace header.
4. A dialog appears asking you to confirm and provide additional project details:

• Project Name -- Pre-filled from the session name. Edit if needed.
• Client -- Pre-filled if a client was associated with the session.
• Start Date and End Date -- Enter the planned project timeline.
• Project Type -- Select the project type (e.g., Fixed Price, Time & Materials).

1. Click Create Project.

[Screenshot: Convert to Project dialog showing pre-filled fields from the scoping session and additional project configuration options]

Transferring Scope Details to a New Project

When a scoping session is converted to a project:

• Deliverables are transferred as project tasks or work items.
• Phases & Milestones become project phases with target dates.
• Effort Estimates are carried over as budgeted hours for each task or phase.
• Resource Requirements are noted in the project configuration for staffing.
• Assumptions & Risks are attached as project notes or documentation.

Tip: After conversion, review the new project in the Projects module and adjust any details that need refinement. The transfer provides a strong starting point but may require fine-tuning for active project management.

Workspace Layout

The Scoping Workspace uses a dedicated layout that differs from the standard Octayne sidebar navigation:

• No Sidebar -- The standard sidebar is replaced by a minimal toolbar or header specific to the scoping workspace.
• Split View -- The workspace is typically divided into the AI chat panel on one side and the scope document on the other.
• Toolbar -- A top toolbar provides actions such as Save, Convert to Project, Share, and Status management.
• Back to Pre-Sales -- A navigation link in the toolbar returns you to the Pre-Sales session list.

This layout is designed to maximize focus and screen real estate for the scoping activity.

[Screenshot: Full Scoping Workspace layout showing the minimal toolbar, AI chat panel, and scope document in split view]

Note: The workspace layout adjusts on smaller screens. On tablets or narrow browser windows, the chat panel and scope document may stack vertically instead of side by side.

Troubleshooting

I cannot find the Pre-Sales module in the navigation

• The Pre-Sales module may not be enabled for your organization or your role. Contact your Admin.
• Try searching for "Pre-Sales" or "Scoping" in the Command Palette (Ctrl+K / Cmd+K).

The AI assistant is not responding in the Scoping Workspace

• Verify that the ENABLE_AI_ASSISTANT feature flag is enabled in Organization Settings > Feature Flags.
• Check your internet connection. The AI assistant requires an active connection.
• Try refreshing the page. If the issue persists, contact Octayne support.

I accidentally converted a scoping session to a project

• Conversion is a one-way action and cannot be undone. The scoping session becomes read-only.
• You can delete the created project in the Projects module if it was made in error, but the scoping session will remain in the "Converted" state.
• Consider creating a new scoping session and copying over the relevant details.

My scope elements did not transfer correctly to the new project

• After conversion, review the new project in the Projects module. Some scope elements may require manual adjustment.
• Complex deliverable hierarchies may flatten during transfer. Reorganize tasks as needed.
• If effort estimates appear incorrect, check that the units (hours vs. story points) match your project configuration.

Another team member cannot see my scoping session

• Scoping sessions are visible to all members with Pre-Sales access in your organization. Check that the other member has the appropriate role and permissions.
• The session list may need to be refreshed. Ask the other member to reload the page.

FAQ

Q: Can multiple people work on a scoping session simultaneously?

A: The workspace is designed for collaborative use. Multiple team members can open the same session. However, concurrent editing of the same scope element may lead to conflicts. Coordinate with your team to avoid simultaneous edits to the same fields.

Q: Can I export a scoping session without converting it to a project?

A: Currently, the primary output path is converting to a project. For sharing scope details externally (e.g., in a proposal), copy the scope elements into your preferred document or presentation format.

Q: Does the AI assistant have access to my organization's project history?

A: The AI assistant in the scoping workspace is context-aware within the session. It may draw on general knowledge to provide scoping recommendations but does not directly access your organization's historical project data during scoping conversations.

Q: Can I delete a scoping session?

A: Yes. From the Pre-Sales session list, locate the session, click the actions menu (three dots), and select Delete. Confirm the deletion. Deleted sessions cannot be recovered.

Q: Is there a limit to how many scoping sessions I can create?

A: There is no hard limit on the number of scoping sessions. However, keeping your session list organized by converting or archiving completed sessions is recommended.

Q: Can I convert a scoping session to an existing project instead of creating a new one?

A: Currently, conversion creates a new project. If you want to add scope elements to an existing project, you will need to manually transfer the details from the scoping session to the project.