To add a custom Stage to a project, open Project Settings → Stages, click Add Stage, give it a name, map it to a Status (New, In Progress, Rejected, or Completed), and save. You can add as many as you need — drag to reorder, edit later, hide from the Kanban board if you don't need it visible day-to-day.
Step 1: Open the Stages tab
Open the project.
Click Project Settings.
Open the Stages tab.
Step 2: Add the new stage
Click Add Stage.
Enter a name — for example 'Shortlisted', 'In Review', or 'Round 2'.
Save.
Step 3: Map it to a Status
Every stage you add must map to one of the four core Statuses. This is how Dapple keeps high-level progress consistent across projects with completely different workflows.
Status | Use for stages where… |
New | The submission has just arrived. The first stage of every project is automatically New. |
In Progress | The submission is actively being reviewed, scored, or moved through the pipeline. |
Rejected | The submission has been declined and won't move forward. |
Completed | The submission has reached the end of the journey. The last stage of every project is automatically Completed. |
Step 4: Customise the creator-facing label
What you call a stage internally and what the creator sees can be different. For example, internally a stage might be 'Round 2 - Shortlist Review' but creators see 'Your submission has progressed to the next round.' Use this to keep messaging clear and warm for creators while keeping your internal labels precise.
Step 5: Toggle Kanban visibility
Decide whether this stage should appear as a column on the Stages Kanban board. Hide stages you don't need daily visibility on — submissions still flow through them, they just don't take up board space. For example, you might hide 'Withdrawn' or 'Test Submission'.
Best practice for stage design
Start simple — fewer stages, clearer decision points. You can always add more later.
Match stages to actual decisions, not internal team handoffs. Every stage should mean a real change in submission status.
Use the creator-facing label to set expectations — 'Currently being reviewed' is friendlier than 'Round 2 sift'.
Reuse stage structures across similar projects by duplicating a project rather than rebuilding from scratch.
Where to go next