---
title: "Setup: Project Sources"
description: Set up project sources in Exterio to track where each job came from, like canvassing, referrals or Google, and learn how they differ from contact sources.
---
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October 27, 2026
# Setup: Project Sources
## Project sources record where each job came from, like canvassing, a yard sign, a referral or a Google ad. When every project has a source, you can see which marketing actually turns into work, not just leads.
### When would I use this?
- You’re setting up Exterio and want your project sources to match how you market.
- You started a new campaign, like radio ads or a truck wrap, and want to track the jobs it brings in.
- A past client called you back for a second job, and you want to know what brought them back this time.
- You want to compare which channels bring in the most projects.
### Before you start
- **Only users with Feature Settings access can change project sources.** By default, that’s Admins and Managers.
- **Sources affect everyone.** Every user picks from this list when they create or edit a project.
- **Project sources are separate from contact sources.** See “What’s the difference between a contact source and a project source?” below.
### How do I open Project Sources in Exterio?
Go to **Settings** \> **Feature Settings** \> **Projects** \> **Sources**.
Each source shows its color, how many projects use it, and whether it’s active.
### What’s the difference between a contact source and a project source?
| **Source** | **What it answers** | **Example** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Contact source** | How did this person first find us? | A homeowner found you on Google in 2024 |
| **Project source** | What brought in this job? | The same homeowner called about gutters in 2026 after seeing your truck wrap |
A contact can have many projects over the years, and each one can have its own source. That’s how you see what brings past clients back, not just what brought them in the first time.
Contact sources are set up separately. See “Setup: Contact Lead Sources.”
### How do I add a project source?
Click **Add Source**, name it, pick a color, and click **Add Source**.
1. Click **Add Source**.
2. Enter a **Name**, like “Home Show” or “Door Hangers.”
3. Add a short **Description** if it helps your team know when to use it, like “Leads from the spring home show booth.”
4. Pick a **Color**.
5. Click **Add Source**.
The new source shows up in the **Source** dropdown on projects right away.
### How do I rename a source or change its color?
Click the pencil on the source, make your changes, and click **Save Changes**.
### How do I turn off a source I don’t use anymore?
Turn off the switch in the **Active** column.
A turned-off source doesn’t appear when your team creates or edits a project. Projects that already have it keep it, so your history stays accurate. Turn the switch back on any time to bring it back.
### How do I delete a source?
Click the delete icon on the source, then confirm.
You can only delete a source that no projects use. If any project uses it, turn the source off instead.
| **What you want** | **What to do** |
| --- | --- |
| Stop using a source, but keep it on past projects | Turn off its switch |
| Remove a source that was added by mistake and never used | Delete it |
| Fix a typo or change the name | Click the pencil and rename it |
### Can a project’s source be filled in automatically?
Yes, for projects that come in through an Exterio lead form. In the lead form’s settings:
- Add **Project Source** as a hidden field to set the same source on every project from that form, like “Website.”
- Or use **UTM Source Mapping** under **Lead Attribution** to set the source based on the ad or campaign the visitor clicked, like “Facebook” for leads from your Facebook ads.
See [Setup: Create and Edit a Lead Form](https://www.getexterio.com/help/setup-create-and-edit-a-lead-form?hsLang=en).
### Tips and gotchas
- **Fill in the source on every project.** A project with no source is a job you can’t credit to anything. Make “What made you call us about this job?” part of every first call.
- **Turn off, don’t delete.** Turning off a source keeps it on past projects, so your reports still add up. That’s why sources with projects can’t be deleted.
- **Name sources after where you spend money.** “Advertising” doesn’t tell you whether to keep paying for radio or TV. “Radio” and “TV” do.
- **Don’t split sources too thin.** A separate source for every street you canvass makes your numbers too small to mean anything. Use “Canvassing” as the source, and put the details in the project notes.
- **Keep contact and project sources lined up.** Using the same names in both lists, like “Google” and “Referral,” makes it easier to compare where people come from with where jobs come from.
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