diff --git a/nw/common.py b/nw/common.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab413a43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nw/common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""novelWriter Common Functions
+
+ novelWriter – Common Functions
+================================
+ Various functions used multiple places
+
+ File History:
+ Created: 2019-05-12 [0.1.0]
+
+"""
+
+import logging
+import nw
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+def checkString(checkValue, defaultValue, allowNone=False):
+    if allowNone:
+        if checkValue == None:   return None
+        if checkValue == "None": return None
+    if isinstance(checkValue,str): return str(checkValue)
+    return defaultValue
+
+def checkInt(checkValue, defaultValue, allowNone=False):
+    if allowNone:
+        if checkValue == None:   return None
+        if checkValue == "None": return None
+    try:
+        return int(checkValue)
+    except:
+        return defaultValue
+
+def checkBool(checkValue, defaultValue, allowNone=False):
+    if allowNone:
+        if checkValue == None:   return None
+        if checkValue == "None": return None
+    if isinstance(checkValue, str):
+        if checkValue == "True":
+            return True
+        elif checkValue == "False":
+            return False
+        else:
+            return defaultValue
+    elif isinstance(checkValue, int):
+        if checkValue == 1:
+            return True
+        elif checkValue == 0:
+            return False
+        else:
+            return defaultValue
+    return defaultValue
diff --git a/nw/project/item.py b/nw/project/item.py
index 4e2366c4..b41342c9 100644
--- a/nw/project/item.py
+++ b/nw/project/item.py
@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@
 import logging
 import nw
 
-from os       import path, mkdir
-from lxml     import etree
-from datetime import datetime
+from os        import path, mkdir
+from lxml      import etree
+from datetime  import datetime
 
-from nw.enum  import nwItemType, nwItemClass, nwItemLayout
+from nw.enum   import nwItemType, nwItemClass, nwItemLayout
+from nw.common import checkInt
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ class NWItem():
         return
 
     def setStatus(self, theStatus):
-        theStatus = self._checkInt(theStatus,0)
+        theStatus = checkInt(theStatus,0)
         self.itemStatus = theStatus
         return
 
@@ -169,31 +170,18 @@ class NWItem():
     ##
 
     def setCharCount(self, theCount):
-        theCount = self._checkInt(theCount,0)
+        theCount = checkInt(theCount,0)
         self.charCount = theCount
         return
 
     def setWordCount(self, theCount):
-        theCount = self._checkInt(theCount,0)
+        theCount = checkInt(theCount,0)
         self.wordCount = theCount
         return
 
     def setParaCount(self, theCount):
-        theCount = self._checkInt(theCount,0)
+        theCount = checkInt(theCount,0)
         self.paraCount = theCount
         return
 
-    ##
-    #  Internal Functions
-    ##
-
-    def _checkInt(self,checkValue,defaultValue,allowNone=False):
-        if allowNone:
-            if checkValue == None:   return None
-            if checkValue == "None": return None
-        try:
-            return int(checkValue)
-        except:
-            return defaultValue
-
 # END Class NWItem
diff --git a/nw/project/project.py b/nw/project/project.py
index 8c45acf3..1450aad8 100644
--- a/nw/project/project.py
+++ b/nw/project/project.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from datetime        import datetime
 from time            import time
 
 from nw.enum         import nwItemType, nwItemClass, nwItemLayout
+from nw.common       import checkString, checkBool
 from nw.project.item import NWItem
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ class NWProject():
                 for xItem in xChild:
                     if xItem.text is None: continue
                     if xItem.tag == "spellCheck":
-                        self.spellCheck = self._checkBool(xItem.text,False)
+                        self.spellCheck = checkBool(xItem.text,False)
             elif xChild.tag == "content":
                 logger.debug("Found project content")
                 for xItem in xChild:
@@ -427,8 +428,8 @@ class NWProject():
         return
 
     def _appendItem(self, tHandle, pHandle, nwItem):
-        tHandle = self._checkString(tHandle,self._makeHandle(),False)
-        pHandle = self._checkString(pHandle,None,True)
+        tHandle = checkString(tHandle,self._makeHandle(),False)
+        pHandle = checkString(pHandle,None,True)
         logger.verbose("Adding entry %s with parent %s" % (str(tHandle),str(pHandle)))
 
         nwItem.setHandle(tHandle)
@@ -466,40 +467,4 @@ class NWProject():
             itemHandle = self._makeHandle(addSeed+"!")
         return itemHandle
 
-    def _checkString(self,checkValue,defaultValue,allowNone=False):
-        if allowNone:
-            if checkValue == None:   return None
-            if checkValue == "None": return None
-        if isinstance(checkValue,str): return str(checkValue)
-        return defaultValue
-
-    def _checkInt(self,checkValue,defaultValue,allowNone=False):
-        if allowNone:
-            if checkValue == None:   return None
-            if checkValue == "None": return None
-        try:
-            return int(checkValue)
-        except:
-            return defaultValue
-
-    def _checkBool(self,checkValue,defaultValue,allowNone=False):
-        if allowNone:
-            if checkValue == None:   return None
-            if checkValue == "None": return None
-        if isinstance(checkValue, str):
-            if checkValue == "True":
-                return True
-            elif checkValue == "False":
-                return False
-            else:
-                return defaultValue
-        elif isinstance(checkValue, int):
-            if checkValue == 1:
-                return True
-            elif checkValue == 0:
-                return False
-            else:
-                return defaultValue
-        return defaultValue
-
 # END Class NWProject