Projektnummer

Projektnummer, literally “project number” in German, is a unique identifier assigned to a specific project within an organization. The number serves as a persistent reference used to track the project across planning, execution, and evaluation, and to link related data in budgeting, time tracking, procurement, invoicing, and reporting.

The Projektnummer is used across multiple functions and systems, including project management software, ERP systems, and financial records. It helps distinguish one project from another in portfolios, enables standardized reporting to management and stakeholders, and supports auditing and governance. In practice, it may be visible on project charters, budgets, timesheets, invoices, and status reports.

Formats and assignment practices vary by organization. Some organizations use simple sequential numbers, while others embed meaning into the code, such as year, department, or project type (for example, 2024-IT-001 or PROJ-2024-042). The assignment typically occurs at project initiation under a defined governance process, and each Projektnummer is intended to be unique within the organization to prevent mix-ups.

Lifecycle and management: once assigned, a Projektnummer generally remains with the project through its entire lifecycle and is used in all official documents. After project closure, the number is usually archived and rarely reused to preserve traceability and historical reporting.

Relations to other identifiers: a Projektnummer is not interchangeable with a contract number or a customer number, though it may be cross-referenced in contracts, invoices, and customer records to support integrated administrative processes.