Tasks are your to-do list and communication log combined. Use them to track actions, follow-ups and decisions alongside your client records, jobs and opportunities. Tasks can be viewed as a simple list or as a Kanban board, so you can work the way that suits you.
This article covers where to create tasks, which fields matter, and how to keep them organised.
Where to create a task
You can create a task from the Tasks tab on any of these records:
- Clients and prospects
- Leads and contacts
- Jobs and phases
- Opportunities
Once created, a task stays linked to that record, so your to-do list stays close to the work it relates to.
Setting up a task
When you create a new task, fill in the core details first, then add any extra information that's relevant to your context.
Essential fields:
Type — choose from your pre-defined task types. This helps you filter and organise tasks later. Task types are managed in File maintenance.
Subject — a short description of the action or topic. This is what appears in your task list, so make it clear and specific.
Detail — free text field for any extra context, instructions or notes related to the task.
Additional fields:
Priority — set to High, Med or Low. Helps you focus on what matters most.
Status/Category — lookup fields you can set up to track where a task sits in your workflow (for example, Pending, In Progress, Blocked).
Owner — the primary person responsible for the task. You can set yourself as the owner using the avatar icon.
Watchers — add anyone else who needs visibility of the task. Watchers are notified of updates. Use the avatar icon to add yourself quickly.
Contact — link the task to a specific client contact if relevant.
Team — assign it to a team if your resources are organised by team.
Colour — set a colour that will display if you choose to show this task in calendars.
Complete — tick this box once the task is finished.
Comments and history
Comments let you add notes and track changes. The comments section shows a history of every update to the task — priority changes, owner reassignments, status updates and more. This keeps everyone in sync without needing separate emails.
Attachments
Attachments help you keep supporting files close to the task. You can:
- Upload a document from your computer
- Create a new document within Synergist (blank or from a template)
- Add a link to a URL
- Attach files from Dropbox or Office 365/OneDrive
Custom fields
If your organisation has set up custom fields for tasks, these appear at the bottom of the task form. They might be text fields, dropdown lists, checkboxes or other types, depending on how your system is configured.
Task reminders and alerts
Set up reminders to get notified when a task is due, or when a follow-up is needed. Reminders can be assigned to the task owner or any watchers, and you can set them for specific dates or relative to key milestones.
Find out more about Setting up task reminders and alerts.
Task checklists
Tasks can include checklists to break down larger pieces of work into smaller, trackable steps. Each item can be ticked off as it's completed, and the progress is visible at a glance.
See task checklists.
Tips
- Set the task owner clearly, even if it's you. It makes it obvious who needs to act.
- Use the Watchers field for anyone who needs visibility but isn't responsible for the work. They'll get notified of updates.
- Add a colour to tasks you want to track in calendars — makes them much easier to spot visually.
- Use task types consistently. Filter by type when you want to see all follow-ups, or all decisions, across your records.
- Update task status and priority as work progresses, not just at the end. It keeps the team informed without chasing for updates.