If you’re a project manager responsible for getting proposals out the door, you know missed deadlines and vague progress updates can tank your chances. You need a system that gives you clarity, not confusion. If you’re using Xait, this guide will help you actually track proposal progress and deadlines—without getting lost in features you don’t need.
This isn’t a “look at all the bells and whistles” tour. It’s the stuff that makes your job easier and your proposals smoother.
1. Get Your Workspace Right Before You Start Tracking
Before you obsess over tracking, get the basics set up. Xait is collaborative, which is great, but it's easy to get tangled in settings or permissions if you don't pay attention up front.
Set up your proposal workspace: - Create a new proposal document and give it a clear, specific name (not "Q3 Proposal Final Final"). - Add only the people who need to be there—oversharing leads to confusion. - Assign roles right away. Xait lets you set who can edit, review, or just view. Use it.
Pro tip:
Don’t skip the permissions step. If everyone’s an editor, someone will overwrite or delete something important by accident.
2. Map Out Deadlines Before the Team Starts Writing
You can’t track what you haven’t scheduled. Xait lets you add deadlines for the overall proposal and for individual sections or tasks.
How to set deadlines in Xait: 1. In your proposal workspace, look for the timeline or schedule tab (yes, the naming sometimes changes depending on your setup). 2. Set the main proposal due date. This should be non-negotiable. 3. Break the proposal into logical sections or chapters (executive summary, technical approach, pricing, etc.). 4. Assign deadlines to each section, working backwards from the main deadline. Pad a little time for reviews and late edits. 5. Assign section owners—one person per section is best. Shared responsibility just means finger-pointing later.
What works:
- Xait’s deadline reminders are solid—people do get notified.
- You can see a quick overview of upcoming deadlines in the dashboard.
What to ignore:
- Don’t bother with setting micro-deadlines for every paragraph unless you love admin work. Focus on big chunks.
3. Use Xait’s Progress Tracking—But Don’t Trust It Blindly
Xait gives you built-in progress bars and status indicators for each section. These can be helpful, but only if everyone updates their status honestly.
How to use progress tracking: - Each section owner should update the status (Not Started, In Progress, Awaiting Review, Complete) as they go. - You can see overall progress from the main proposal dashboard. - For more detail, you can filter or sort by section, owner, or status.
What works:
- You get a real-time sense of where bottlenecks are—if a section is stuck “In Progress” for days, you’ll know.
- It’s easy to nudge people with overdue tasks.
What doesn’t:
- People forget to update status. A “Complete” section might still need work.
- The progress bars are only as accurate as your team’s habits.
Pro tip:
Schedule a short check-in (15 minutes max) every few days. Don’t rely on the dashboard alone—ask people directly about blockers.
4. Set Up Notifications—But Don’t Let Them Become Noise
You can configure Xait to send notifications when deadlines are coming up, when someone finishes a section, or when you’re assigned a task. This is great, until you’re getting 30 emails a day and start ignoring them.
How to set up useful notifications: - Go to your profile or workspace settings. - Choose “Notifications” or similar (the menu wording can be inconsistent—classic). - Select only the notifications that matter: approaching deadlines, assignments, and comments on your sections. - Turn off notifications for every minor edit, unless you really want to know when someone adds a comma.
What works:
- Deadline reminders.
- Notifications when someone tags you in a comment.
What doesn’t:
- Email for every edit—turn that off or you’ll miss the important stuff.
- Slack integration is hit-or-miss. If you use it, test it first.
5. Make Comments and Reviews Work for You
Xait has built-in commenting and review systems. Use them, but keep it simple.
How to run reviews in Xait: - Assign reviewers for each section or for the whole proposal. - Use the comment function to ask questions or flag issues—don’t rely on side emails. - When a section is ready, change its status to “Awaiting Review.” - Reviewers should mark up directly in Xait, not download and email annotated PDFs. (That just creates version hell.)
What works:
- Centralized feedback—the whole team can see questions and answers.
- Clear audit trail of changes and comments.
What to watch:
- Too many reviewers slow things down. Assign one or two per section, not everyone.
- Comments can get lost if you don’t check the review panel regularly.
6. Pull Reports—But Keep Them Simple
You can generate progress reports and status summaries in Xait. These are handy for check-ins or updates to your boss, but you don’t need to overcomplicate them.
How to get a useful report: - Go to the reporting or dashboard area. - Choose the proposal and time frame you want. - Export a summary (PDF or Excel usually) that shows: percent complete, overdue sections, and next deadlines. - Share only what matters—no need for a 10-page report unless someone specifically asks.
Pro tip:
If you’re presenting progress, screenshot the dashboard—it’s often clearer than the auto-generated PDF.
7. Handle Late Tasks Without Losing Your Mind
No system magically makes people hit deadlines. Xait can show you who’s late, but you still have to manage the human side.
How to handle late sections: - Check the dashboard for overdue tasks. - Reach out directly (call or DM)—don’t just @mention in the platform. - Ask if there’s a real blocker or if someone just forgot to update their status. - If a section is chronically late, consider reassigning it or adjusting the scope.
What works:
- Being direct and specific. “I see the technical approach is overdue. What’s the holdup?”
- Keeping a public list of overdue sections (but don’t shame people—just keep it factual).
What doesn’t:
- Relying on passive notifications or assuming silence means progress.
8. Avoid Common Pitfalls
A few things trip up project managers new to Xait:
- Overcomplicating the structure: Don’t create 20 levels of sections. Keep it readable.
- Ignoring permissions: Too many editors can derail your version control.
- Letting notifications pile up: Prune aggressively.
- Assuming the tool replaces actual management: You still need to check in with people.
9. Quick Checklist: What Actually Matters
Here’s what you really need to do:
- Set clear deadlines for the whole proposal and each section.
- Assign one owner per section.
- Use status updates, but double-check with people.
- Limit notifications to the essentials.
- Keep reviews and reporting simple.
- Tackle late tasks head-on, not by email ping-pong.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Xait can make proposal tracking a lot easier, but only if you don’t let it become its own project. Start with the basics, see what works for your team, and adjust as you go. If something’s not helping, drop it. The goal is getting good proposals out on time—not mastering every feature.
Focus on clarity, steady check-ins, and honest updates. That’s how proposals actually get done.