Tasks
A group of tasks is a list of items, often in order of importance.
Tasks can be one of the following:
- Non-billable—Tasks that a user must complete that have no associated money costs, such as preparing a report.
- Billable—Tasks that are tracked by their rates on an hourly basis. All billable tasks can be posted against certain accounts according to the posting criteria that is set for each individual account. See Posting Tasks for more information.
Each task record lets you enter all the information related to a given task on the same record page.
Types of Tasks
There are two types of tasks:
- Project-specific—Tasks that must be performed to move a project forward to completion.
- Global—Not associated with any project, such as preparing payroll reports.
Task-specific Pages
Each task record has the following task-specific pages:
- General—Create and edit tasks information, including the subject, due date, and task assignee.
- Transactions—Displays a history of the task's posting and voiding statuses and allows you to access the related account record.
Each task record also has additional pages on which you can view and edit specific information, such as a Documents page where you can store documents that are related to a task. See Viewing Documents for more information.
The following table shows how you can view, create, and edit tasks.
|
...Tasks |
How... |
|---|---|
|
Viewing |
|
|
Creating |
|
|
Updating |
Using the Task General Page
On the General page, you can perform the following actions:
Viewing Tasks
You can view tasks in a list view.
You can also view tasks in a collection or search for records. See Viewing Collections of Records and Searching for Specific Records.
To view a task
- Click the All > Tasks tab. The Tasks list page opens.
If necessary, click a task collection link in the left pane, such as Recently Viewed or All Tasks. - To open a task, click its link in the Subject column.
For information about the areas in the contact views, see User Interface.
Creating or Editing Tasks
Use the General page to create and edit tasks.
A task record can serve as a simple reminder to work on an assignment, or it can be a billable time item, which you will eventually post against a related account.
When you create a task, you can track the time for a project or vendor, and then post the task.
The following topics apply to creating or editing tasks:
- Creating a Task Manually--Create a task starting from a blank Task record.
- Copying a Record--Use an existing Task record to create a new task when many of the setting are the same.
Using a Task Wizard
Your system administrator may provide one or more wizards to help you create new tasks using a guided, step-by-step process. A wizard may be one of the available options or the only option.
If you click New and a wizard opens, complete the required fields on each page, and then click Next to progress to the end of the wizard. When you click Finish at the end of the wizard, the new record is saved.
Note: Your company may only allow you to create an account using a wizard, so the option to create an account manually may not be available.
Other Areas Where You Can Create Tasks
There are several areas in TeamConnect where you can create tasks:
- The Tasks List page--Based on your rights, you can create or edit a task. See Viewing Tasks for more information.
- The Tasks page for a project--Open a project and use its Tasks page to create or edit a task.
See Viewing Tasks for more information. - The Task Entry Tool--Create and edit multiple tasks in one operation. See Using the Task Entry Tool for more information.
Creating a Task Manually
Use the Tasks General page to create a task starting from a blank record.
To create or edit a task manually
- Click the All button.
- Click the Tasks link in the dropdown menu.
The Tasks List page opens. - Select one of the following options:
- To create a task, click New.
- To edit a task, click the pencil icon to the left of a task name.
The task record opens to its General page.
-
On the General page, enter or edit the appropriate information in the available sections, including billing information if appropriate. See the the Task General page fields table for more information.
The following fields are required:- Subject
- Assignee
Based on your rights, this page may also contain custom fields that appear based on the option that you select in the Category drop-down list. Complete these fields according on your company policies.
- Select a save option.
The tables below contains the default fields for the Tasks General page. The fields that you see may vary based on your system settings and assigned rights. Field descriptions are listed in alphabetical order and may display in a different order in the application.
Task Information
|
Field Name (*=Required) |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Activity |
The appropriate activity type for the task. Note: Typically, this field is used as a subcategory for the fee. |
|
*Assignee |
The user assigned to the task. If you are creating a task, this field displays your name. For an explanation of how to assign a task, see Assigning or Reassigning Tasks to Users. |
|
Category |
A project category for the task, such as follow up, review file, or status report. If the current task has no project (global task), use the system category Task. Inactive categories, if any, are displayed but cannot be selected. Important: Each task may have only one category. |
|
Completed Date |
The date when the task is completed. Select it by clicking the Calendar icon next to the field. If you enter the current date as the Completed Date then save, the Status changes to Completed and the Percentage Completed to 100. |
|
Contact |
Search for and select the appropriate contact. You may use this field, for example, to let the task track the time spent working on assignments by a specific contact. Note: This field serves as a vendor posting criterion, if you decide to post the task. For more information, see Posting Tasks. |
|
Due Date |
The date when the task is due. Select it by clicking the Calendar icon next to the field. Note: Certain tasks may have no specific due date. These tasks are known as floating tasks. |
|
Estimated Hours |
The approximate number of hours needed to complete the task. |
|
Hours |
The number of hours required to complete the task, such as number of hours or number of items. This applies to billable hours only. |
|
Percentage Completed |
The approximate percentage of the task already completed. When you enter 100 then save, the Completed Date field automatically displays the current date and the Status field changes to Completed. |
|
Priority |
One of the following priority levels for the task: Highest, High, Normal, Low, Lowest. The default is Normal. |
|
Project or Project name |
Displays one of the following types of information:
Select a project for the task if there is no current project. |
|
Start Date |
The date when the assignee is supposed to start working on the task. Select it by clicking the Calendar icon next to the field. |
|
Status |
One of the following descriptions to indicate the status of the task: Started, Not Started, Completed. Note: When you choose Completed then save, the Percentage Completed field automatically changes to 100, and the Completed Date displays the current date. |
|
*Subject |
A brief description of the task. |
Billing Information
|
Field Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Hours |
The amount of time in hours billed to the task. |
|
Posting Status |
Displays task's posting status, which may be:
The text in this field is read-only. |
|
Rate |
The amount charged per task unit. Note: If the task has a contact, and that contact has a specified rate entered, TeamConnect automatically displays that rate here. For more information on contacts and rates, see Setting Contact Rates. |
|
Total Amount |
The total cost of the task after you save, calculated by the system using the rate and units shown on this page. The text in this field is read-only. |
Access Information
|
Field Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Created By |
The name of the user who created the task. |
|
Created On |
The date the task was added to TeamConnect. |
|
Modified By |
The name of the user who last modified the task. |
|
Modified On |
The date when the task was last modified. |
The Notes section allows you to enter comments about the current task. For information about the Assignment History section, see Assigning or Reassigning Tasks to Users.
Assigning or Reassigning Tasks to Users
Use the General page to assign an individual user to a task. Each task must have an assignee who is responsible for completing the task. If you create a task, you are the assignee by default, but you may reassign the task to a different user if necessary.
To assign or reassign a task
- Click the Calendar tab, and then click the Tasks link under the tab bar.
The Tasks List page opens. - Select one of the following options:
- To assign a task, click New.
- To reassign a task, click the edit icon
.
The General page of the task opens allowing you to enter information. For details, see the Task General Page Field Descriptions.
- Use the drop-down list in the Assignee field to choose the user you want to assign to this task.
- Select a save option.
Note: If the appropriate preferences are set, TeamConnect automatically sends an e-mail notification to a new assignee.
The following table explains the fields in this section of the General page. The text in this section is read-only .
Assignee History
|
Field or control |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Assignee |
Displays a list of names of the task's assignees in the order in which they were added, with the first added at the top of the list. Note: You cannot click on the Assignees heading to sort assignees alphabetically. |
|
Assigned On Date |
Displays the date when an assignee was assigned to the task. |
Points to Remember
The following list summarizes key information about task assignments:
- By default, the name of a user creating a task displays in the Assignee field.
- You may only assign users to a task.
- A task can only have one active assignee at a time, the current assignee.
- The Assignee History section of the General page is read-only and displays all previous assignments.
- Make reassignments as follows:
- Individually, by choosing a new user name in the Assignee field.
- In batch, using the Reassignment tool accessible from the Tools drop-down list in the All tab.
Posting Tasks
Use the toolbar and the General page to post tasks against accounts. When a task posts successfully, TeamConnect debits its expense total from any linked account's current balance.
Before posting a task, you must make sure the following conditions are met:
- The task must be billable.
- The task's status is Completed. For more information, see Task General Page Field Descriptions.
- One or more accounts are linked to the task by way of the task's category.
- Any linked account is active and allows posting.
- Any linked account can accept posting by this task, for example:
- There must be adequate account funds.
- The task's completion date must be within any linked account's time period.
- You must have rights to any linked account.
You may also create and save a billable task, and then post it later. TeamConnect stores the record until you are ready to post or delete it. You can also use the General page to edit a posted task.
To post a task
- Open the General page of the task.
If the task's posting status is Not Posted, Failed, or Posted For Approval, the Post button appears in the toolbar. - Click Post.
The total for the task is debited from any linked account. After posting a task, you may view the corresponding account transaction entries. To do so, go to the Transactions pages of the task and any linked account. For more information, see Viewing Task Transactions.
Note: After posting, the task's system fields become read-only. Depending on system settings and your rights, one or more custom fields may be editable. If the task is voided, you may edit the task's system fields, if necessary. For more information, see your administrator.
To post multiple tasks
TeamConnect allows you to post many tasks in one operation. See Using the Task Entry Tool for more information.
To edit a posted task
- Void the task using its General page. For details, see Voiding Tasks.
- Edit the task, as necessary. For details, see Creating or Editing Tasks.
- Post the task again, if necessary.
Voiding Tasks
Open the General page of a task to void it.
Voiding a task lets you cancel a posting for any reason, such as if you received a refund and need to back out the original posting, or found a mistake in the dollar amounts. Voiding the original account credits the account by the expensed amount.
To void a task
- Open the General page of the task that you want to void.
If the task's posting status is Posted, the Void button appears in the toolbar. - Click Void.
The total for the task is credited to any linked account.
After voiding the task, you may view the corresponding account transaction entries on the Transactions page for this task. See Viewing Task Transactions for more information.
If necessary, you may edit the task's fields, and then post the task again.
Viewing Task Transactions
Use the Transactions page to view a history of posting transactions for a given task. Posted tasks appear in a convenient list that includes information, for example, the date the task was posted. For another example, if you need information on a task and want to know who posted it, you may use this list to view that user's name.
Transactions you may or may not view depend on the access rights to the related task and any of its linked accounts.
To view task transactions
- Display the General page of the task.
- Click Transactions in the left pane.
A list page opens showing the task's previous transactions. - If necessary, click an account name link to view information on any linked account.
Note: The Transactions page is read-only. You may only edit tasks using the appropriate General page.
Viewing or Creating Task History
Use the Task History page to create a history for a task. A history is one or more text notes about changes to the task. You may also use this page to view a list of history records for that task or to do an advanced search on a task's history entries.
You always have the rights to a task history you created. However, you may regulate rights that other users have to this history.
For more information, see Working with Record History.
Using the Task Entry Tool
You may perform the following operations using the Task Entry Tool:
Creating Multiple Tasks
The Task Entry Tool provides a convenient way to create multiple tasks quickly in one TeamConnect page. The Task Entry Tool can be accessed through the Tools button.
Caution: When using the Task Entry Tool page, if you navigate away from the page, you lose all work done since your last Add or Save action. If you go back to the Task Entry Tool page after navigating away, you must create a new set of tasks and a new work session to continue working in the page. For example, if you want to edit a copy of a task you created in this page, the best practice is to finish all the work you want to do during your current page session before you navigate away to edit the copy.
When you finish a session and save your work, you may then edit the task copies you made during the session. You may access tasks previously created in this page using the Task list page or General page.
To create multiple tasks
- On the toolbar of the Task list or on the General page, click Task Entry Tool.
The Task Entry Tool page opens. - For each task, enter information in the Task pane. See the Task Entry Tool field table for field descriptions.
- Click Clear to clear all field entries, if necessary.
- Click Add to create and save each task.
The task appears in the List pane below.
For more information, see the Task General page field table. - Click the Copy button to create and save additional copies of the current task.
Each copied task appears in the list pane.
The table below contains the default fields for the Task Entry Tool. The fields that you see may vary based on your system settings and assigned rights. Field descriptions are listed in alphabetical order and may display in a different order in the application.
Task Entry Tool Field Definitions
|
Field Name (*=Required) |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Activity |
The activity type for the task, if applicable. Note: Typically, this field is used as a subcategory for the fee, if applicable. |
|
*Billed By |
The name of the user (same as Assignee) assigned to the task. If the task is billable, this is the contact billing the task. |
|
Category |
A project category for the task, if applicable, such as follow up, review file, or status report. If the current task has no project (global task), use the system category Task. Important: If assigned, each task may have only one category. |
|
Completed Date |
The date when the task is completed. Select it by clicking the Calendar icon next to the field. |
|
Contact |
Search for and select the appropriate contact. You may use this field, for example, to let the task track the time spent working on assignments by a specific contact. Note: This field serves as a vendor posting criterion, if you decide to post the task, and it is billable. For more information, see Posting Tasks. |
|
Project or Project name |
Displays one of the following types of information:
If you want, select a project for the task if there is no current project. |
|
Rate |
The amount charged per task unit, only for a billable task. Note: If the task has a billable contact or Billed By assignee, and that person has a specified rate entered, TeamConnect automatically displays that rate here. For more information on contacts and rates, see Setting Contact Rates. |
|
*Subject |
A brief description of the task used as a task name. |
|
Units |
The number of units (for example, hours or items) required to complete the task. Only applies to billable tasks. |
Editing Multiple Tasks
The Task Entry Tool provides a convenient way to edit multiple tasks quickly in one TeamConnect page.
To edit multiple tasks
- Click Task Entry Tool in the toolbar of the Task List or General page.
The Task Entry Tool page opens. - Click on the right, next to the appropriate task in the List pane.
The field entries for the task appear in the Task pane. - Edit and enter information in the Task pane according to descriptions listed under Task Entry Tool Field Definitions.
When you are editing a task, the Add and Clear buttons change to Ok and Cancel. - Click Cancel to discard all your edits, if necessary.
- Click Ok to save your edits in the task.
- Click
to create and save additional copies of the current task, if necessary.
Each copied task appears in the List pane.
Note: You may not edit or delete a posted task . If you want to void a task , you must view the task using the General page then void the task from there.
Posting Multiple Tasks
The Task Entry Tool provides a convenient way to post multiple tasks quickly in one TeamConnect page.
To post multiple tasks
- Click Task Entry Tool in the toolbar of the Task List or General page.
The Task Entry Tool page opens. - Select the check-boxes in the List pane on the left, next to the tasks you want to post, or to post all tasks, click the check-box at the top of the list.
- Click Post.
Note: You may not edit or delete a posted task . If you want to void a task , you must view the task using the General page then void the task from there.
Deleting Multiple Tasks
The Task Entry Tool provides a convenient way to delete multiple tasks quickly in one TeamConnect page.
To delete tasks
-
Click Task Entry Tool in the toolbar of the Task List or General page.
The Task Entry Tool page opens. -
Select the check-boxes in the List pane on the left, next to the tasks you want to delete, or to delete all tasks, click the check-box at the top of the list.
-
Click Remove.