Tasks

The system comes with a pre-defined set of Task types. Each task has a description and category which, by default are both:

The above can be deleted or added to as new task types with new descriptions, however the categories remain static. Tassk types can be deleted, amended or created in File maintenance. For more information on that see our section on Task types.

Task, email, meeting, phone call and any new activities follow the below format. Requisitions are a different type of activity are are typically used in conjunction with resource bookings. For more information on that see our section on Requisitions and Resource bookings.

Generating a new task:

Tasks can be created from within the task tab in any of the records where that tab appears. This includes: Organisations; Prospects; Leads; Client contacts; Jobs; Opportunities; Phases.

Once you select 'new' you will be presented with the task input form:

The details tab contains five main sections:

Description
Type: This is a dropdown containing all the active types you have set up in File maintenance.
Subject: This is a short description of the action or topic of the activity; it is this field which is displayed in the task list screens
Detail: This a text field which can be added to at length. Below is a list of topics (auto text) which the user might want to utilise in the detail field. The list of topics changes, depending on the type of task (again set up with the activity type in File maintenance).

Checklists
Checklists are created in an ad-hoc manner as required for the task in question.  A single task can have multiple checklists, each checklist can have multiple items.  Click add checklist and type in a name for the checklist to get started, then add items to the checklist.  To add a second checklist to the activity just click add checklist again.

Once an item on a checklist if complete, tick the box next to it to mark it as done, this will automatically update the % Complete thermometer.  The three dot icon offers two further options - convery to task, which converts the checklist item into a new task, and delete.

Comments / History
A summary of the history tab is displayed here along with the ability to create follow up activities.  History items can be added manually as comments, and some actions taken on the activity will automatically create a history item - changing the activity type, status, priority, owner, watcher, start / end date and completing are all examples of actions that create auto-history comments.

Linked to
This identifies where the activity sits (Organisation, job, phase etc.) and provides links to those tables.

Info

Complete: Tasks can be ticked as completed once finished.
Colour:  Setting a colour here determines the appearance of this task if you choose to show it in calendars.
Priority: A task can be set to 3 priority levels "High", "Med" & "Low"
Status/Category: These are look up fields which can be set up on site via File maintenance.
Contact: Organisation contact name.
Team: If you have divided your resources by team you can enter the team here. 
Owner: The owner is the primary person responsible for this task.  The avatar icon to the right of the drop-down selects you as the owner.  The calendar / eye icon to the right of that toggles visibility of this activity in calendars.
Watchers: This is a multi select field where any watchers can be added.  The avatar icon to the right of the drop-down adds you as a watcher.  Hovering your mouse cursor over the "i" icon lists all watchers - useful if there are too many to display in the watchers box:

Custom fields
If you have set up any custom fields for tasks, these will be displayed at the bottom of the info panel.  The screenshot below shows three - one tied to a text drop-down, one logical and one text box

Alerts
Three types of alert can be used with a task.

• An immediate alert is sent as soon as the task is saved & closed
• A completion alert is sent shortly after an task is marked as complete
• A scheduled alert is sent shortly after the deadline you set for it

In order to schedule an alert you must set the start / due date & time, and then in the reminder drop-down set the timing of the alert relative to either the start date / time or the due date / time.  In the screenshot below an alert will be sent shortly after 30 minutes before the activity start date / time passes.  (No immediate or completion alert is set):

The default date / time for newly created tasks is to start at 09:00 am today, and due at 10:00 am today.