Task Types

A Task Type is used within Project Templates.

Task Types provide the format for the tasks which need to be completed to answer the project. Each task can have its own requirements, be targeted at a specific user and have their own date.

To add a new Task Type, navigate to Add a New Task Type

In this example a Sample task is selected with the intention that the user is given a list of samples to be sent to a customer.

The Task Type ‘Request’ options are the fields required for the task’s initial actions:

Behaviour – Choose ‘Sample’ for a sample task. This ensures samples are associated with the company to whom the samples are sent. The default is Standard and this is appropriate for most Task Types. The alternate is Sample. Sample behaviour is similar to having Specify Items in Task = Yes, plus there is additional special behaviour which associates the samples sent with the customer. This association happens when the Task Status reaches an End state.

Name – Add a Name for the Task Type.

Title – You can enter a Title for the Task Type.

Description – Optionally add a description which could be a summary of the purpose of the Task.

Specify Items in Task – Select ‘Yes’ to allow users to add items to the task request. If this is changed to Yes, the Task allows Items to be added as part of the Task and also adds another layer of properties and status, so the items given in the task can have individual responses. This can be useful e.g. if the task is to request tests and results for a selection of items. The person assigned to this kind of task can enter responses for each of the items requested, e.g. the test results for each item.

Show Item Cost – Select ‘Yes’ to Show Item Cost if desired.

Perform Suitability Check – Select ‘Yes’ if a suitability check is required at this stage, choose at which Task Status stage the suitability check should be performed.

Include Add Formulation button – Select ‘Yes’ if a formulation will need to be added.

Task Modifiers – Select Users with the ablility to modify the task.

Stakeholders – Optionally choose account managers or users who are stakeholders. A Stakeholder is someone with an interest in the Task who may not be a Project Manager or assigned to the Task. You can add Account Manager Types and/or Users or leave this empty. If you Add an Account Manager Type here, the Account Manager assigned to the delivery party of the Task will be considered to be a Stakeholder of the task.

Specify Delivery Party – Select ‘Yes’ if you want to specify a delivery party, typically a customer. Delivery Party is inherited from Delivery Party of the Project or the Primary Party if delivery party is empty, but it’s possible to change it on this type of Task.

Task Type Properties – Add properties here if you want to give additional information with the task request. Make property required ‘Yes’ if an answer must always be given, or choose ‘No’ if the user is allowed to ignore the property and remove it from the task. Properties can be used to customise the information required in a Task. These are properties which the requestor (assignor) of the task will be asked to complete. For example, you could add a property of Packaging Requirements to a sample task. You can define your own Properties in Add a New Project Property.

Attachments – Choose ‘Yes’ if you want the ability to upload attachments to the task request.

Assign To – You can enter an Account Manager Type or User to whom this type of Task should be automatically assigned. This will pre-populate the User / Account Manager in the Task but allows for it to be changed too.

The Task Type ‘Response’ options are the fields required for the task’s process actions:

Respond with Attachments – Choose ‘Yes’ if you want the ability to upload attachments to the task response.

Response Properties – Add properties here if you require the user to provide additional information with the task response. In this example a Delivery Method is required.

Respond with Items – Choose ‘Yes’ if the response should include items. The sample task items have special behaviour and appear in the response tab of the task. The user is expected to indicate that the samples have been sent. This can be useful for e.g. a Product Selection task where the result of the task is a list of chosen items and could include a value for each item e.g. Colour.

Possible Task States – You can alter the names of the states to reflect your process if desired. In this example ‘End’ was changed to ‘Sent’ which more closely relates to sending samples. These relate to the overall Task Status. You can enter as many states for this type of Task as are useful to reflect your process. You can assign any name to the State and then select what kind of State it is. Options are Begin, In Progress, Responded and End. There must be at least one with an End state. For example, in a Sample Task you could have ‘Accepted’ as a Begin state, ‘In Laboratory’ as an In Progress State and ‘Shipped’ as an End state.

Item Properties – Add properties here if you require the user to give information for each item in the task. These are properties which can be used with Task Items when the Task is added. The person adding the Task can use these properties to specify particular things about the Items in the Task, e.g. in a Sample Task they could be used to request a product sample is coloured using the property ‘Colour’.

Item Response Properties – These are properties which can be used with Items given as part of the Task (as described in Respond with Items)

Possible Item States – These relate to the states of the Items Responded in the Task. For example, you could have a state of ‘On Test’ as an In Progress state and ‘Test Completed’ as an End state. Note you do not have to use multiple Task states but need at least an End state.

Calculate Task Date Required From – Choose ‘Yes’ to calculate dates automatically from the project deadline and then enter a number of days (or weeks) to subtract from the deadline.