The Task system records details of tasks to be processed. Tasks are normally created by jobs but they can also be created independently. In other words, job tasks can be interspersed with non-job related tasks, including personal tasks. A person with Admin, Partner or Manager rights can force all of a job’s task’s statuses to be set to Complete. When a job's task is set to Complete, and later tasks exist for that job, the next task is Activated. An activated task is one that is ready to be started.
If the system option, Automatically Start Task when Activated, is checked, the next task is automatically started. Unless the employee option, Can Start Inactive Tasks, is checked, inactive tasks can only be started by completing the previous task.
A document or record can be attached to and processed or edited from a task. If a record is opened from a task, HowNow prompts to change the attached task’s status when the record is closed and records the time the record was opened.
Tasks Tab
The Tasks Tab consists of the standard HowNow search field, filter options and the search results list.
Filters
The filters area consists of selections for the following:
- Contact or Team Member (you can then select the client or employee)
- The Employee filter has the following options and with each of these options, a drop-down list allows a person to be selected:
- All
- Manager
- Partner
- Reviewer
- Inactive Only
- Assigned To
- Assigned By
- Status filter drop-down lists all the Task statuses that have been created - the standard options are:
- All
- Incomplete (default)
- Completed
- Started
- Not Started
- Wait Client
- On Hold
These can vary as each firm can define their own status levels.
The Select Job filter drop-down list allows all jobs, a range of jobs or an individual job to be selected.
The Date Range filter can be based on these options:
- Due Date
- Start Date
- Completed
and can be run for these options within the selected date range
Visibility
Allows you to filter tasks that have been assigned to a specific team or teams.
Search Results
The search results list can be ordered by any column by clicking the column title. The search results screen shows the Due Date, Title, Contact, Status, Started and Assigned To for each selected task (these can be changed by an Administrator from the Display Fields Editor). Future tasks are coloured green, tasks due today are coloured amber and overdue tasks are coloured red. Completed tasks are shown in grey.
Views
The search results screen shows the Due Date, Title, Contact, Job Code (if applicable), Status, Started Date, Assigned To and Assigned By for each selected task (these can be changed by an Administrator from the Display Fields Editor). Future tasks are coloured green, tasks due today are coloured amber and overdue tasks are coloured red. Completed jobs are shown in grey.
Recycle Bin
When a task is deleted it will be placed in the recycle bin. The administrator has access to permanently delete tasks from the recycle bin.
Excel Export
Export your search results to an Excel file with the use of the Excel Export button. Click the button, choose a folder to save the file into, then give the file a name. You will then be given the opportunity to open the exported file.
Right-click Menu
Right-click an entry in the search results list to display these menu options:
- Open - opens a task
- Open Job - opens the job associated with the selected task
- Filter on this Job - shows all tasks associated with the job of the selected task
- Filter on this Contact - only show tasks with the same contact as the selected task
- Set Status to – allows a task's status to be changed
- New – creates a new task
- Profile – opens the task profile dialog for edit
- Profile Selection - allows multiple tasks to be changed at one time
- Delete - puts the task into the recycle bin
Creating or Editing Tasks
A new task can be created using the right-clicking the Tasks search results grid and choosing New from the drop-down menu. An existing task can be edited by right-clicking the Tasks search results screen and choosing Open from the drop-down menu.
The Task Details dialog appears.
Details Tab
- Job - select a job if applicable.
- Area - a list of location areas - if selecting a job, this is inherited from the job.
- Contact - select a contact (client) if applicable, this is inherited from the job if one has been selected.
- Location - a list of record locations for the area selected above. The locations displayed can be restricted by visibility. This is Inherited from the job if one has been selected.
- Title - the description of the task.
- Details - additional information about the task.
- Start Date - the date the task is actually started.
- Status - a reference to a list of user-defined task status descriptions.
- Due Date - the date the task is due for completion.
- Partner - the partner responsible for this task. This is inherited from the job if one has been selected.
- Manager - the manager responsible for this job. This is inherited from the job if one has been selected.
- Reviewer - The person responsible for reviewing this job. This is inherited from the job if one has been selected.
- Assigned To - person this task is assigned to.
- Assigned By - person this task was assigned by.
- Completion Date - the date the task is completed. This date is set when the task is flagged as completed.
- Active - the task is inactive if it has been cancelled or has been completed.
- Deleted - this is ticked if the task is in the recycle bin.
Budget Tab
Allows entry of budget and actual time in both units and dollar values. The average hourly rate is calculated for both budget and actual by dividing the value by the units multiplied by the Minutes Per Time Unit value in System Options.
Schedule Tab
This tab allows the calculation of the start and due dates of a task to be controlled and the creation of recurring tasks.
Start Date
- Start Date Required - check this box if a start date is to be automatically calculated.
- Schedule - the number of days to use in the calculation of the start date.
- Type of Days - the options are:
- Business Days - calculate the required number of business days, ignoring weekends and holidays (recommended option)
- Calendar Days - include weekends and holidays.
- From - the date to use as the basis for the calculation. The options are:
- Previous Task Completion
- Previous Task Start
- Job Start
- Financial Year End
- Today
Due Date
- Due Date Required - check this box if a due date is to be automatically calculated.
- Schedule - the number of days to use in the calculation of the due date.
- Type of Days - the options are:
- Business Days - calculate the required number of business days, ignoring weekends and holidays (recommended option)
- Calendar Days - include weekends and holidays.
- From - the date to use as the basis for the calculation. The options are:
- Previous Task Start
- Task Start
- Financial Year End
- Today
Recurring Tasks
- Recurring Task - check this box to create a new task from this task when its status is set to Completed.
- The new task's due date will be calculated according to the following settings.
- Recurrence Pattern
- Daily - task recurs daily
- Recur Every - enter the required number of days
- Weekly - task recurs weekly
- Recur Every - enter the required number of weeks
- On - optionally select a specific day, otherwise the day will be 7 days from the last task due date.
- Monthly - task recurs monthly
- Day - optionally, enter the day of the month
- The - optionally, select a day position, First, Second, Third, Fourth or Last and the specific day of the week or Day for any day in the month
- Of Every - select the monthly frequency of recurrence. Note: for quarterly recurrences, enter 3
- Yearly - task recurs annually
- Every - optionally, enter the day of the month
- The - optionally, select a day position, First, Second, Third, Fourth or Last and the specific day of the week or Day for any day in the month
- Of - select the month to recur
- Daily - task recurs daily
- Range of Recurrence
- Start on - enter the date to start recurring
- No End Date - tasks recur forever
- End After - select the maximum number of times to recur
- End by - enter the date after which recurring ceases
Notes Tab
This is an area where notes relating to the task can be entered. The Print button allows the notes to be printed. Note: use F3 to insert today's date and time into the text and use Ctrl-Enter to add new lines.
Documents Tab
This tab lists the template documents and records attached to this task and allows new templates or records to be added or existing ones removed. It also lists any records created by this task but they cannot be removed. Once a template document has been used to create a record, it is disabled and cannot be opened again.
- Add Template button - allows template documents to be added to the list
- Add Record button - allows records to be added to the list
- Remove button - allows the removal of template documents or records from the list. Note: a record can also be removed from the list by editing the record and clearing its job field.
- Open button (or double-clicking an entry) opens an item in the list. HowNow records the time each document is open and creates a time activity entry for the task.
Time Tab
This tab records the time entries for this task.
Assign Tasks
Tasks can be assigned from the New Profile Wizard, when adding a new document, and the Records right-click menu. The Create Follow Up Task box appears.
- Title - edit or accept the new task's title (the default is the name of the record the task is assigned from)
- Details - edit or enter a description for the task
- Due Date - edit or enter a due date for this task
- Assigned To - choose a person to assign this task to
Edit Selected Task Profiles
This wizard allows bulk changes to be made to a range of task profiles in one operation. Select a range of tasks in the search results list by either:
- Clicking the first task, holding down the shift key and clicking the last item, or
- Holding down the Ctrl key while clicking tasks.
- From the right-click menu, select Profile Selection. The Edit Selected Task Profiles Wizard will appear.
- The wizard welcome screen appears showing how many tasks will be affected by the process.
- Click Next to continue. The Select Edit Fields dialog will appear.
- Choose the field or fields to be edited by checking the boxes at the beginning of each field description.
- Click Next to continue. The Edit Fields dialog will appear.
- Edit the required fields. Note that in the case of some fields, attaching and removing these attributes from tasks can be done simultaneously.
- Click Next to continue. The notification screen will appear.
- Check that the fields being edited are correct and then click the Finish button to process the changes.
- Note: If a attempt is made to change a task's location from one area to another, a warning message will be displayed and the Task will be skipped.