Working with Tasks

This chapter provides an overview of task management in PeopleSoft CRM and discusses how to:

Set up task management.
Create tasks.
Manage tasks.
View calendars.
Manage meetings.

See Also

Understanding Task Management

Task management enables users to plan and manage the day-to-day activities that are associated with managing sales, service, and support activities.

Tasks are associated with workflow items that are triggered by PeopleSoft CRM transactions, such as leads and opportunities. If a transaction triggers a workflow item that assigns a task to a user, than that task appears in the user's task list and the user's calendar. If the task is for a meeting, the task appears in the user's meeting list. You access task lists, calendars, and meeting lists using the My Tasks, My Calendar, and My Meetings pages.

Users can access their task list directly from the left-hand menu or by clicking a toolbar button that is available on the My Contacts, My Calendar, and My Meetings pages. Additionally, users can view tasks that are associated with a transaction or component.

You can create tasks from these components.

Lead
Opportunity
Strategic account management
Risk Component in Wealth Management
Change Management
Case
Service Order

Details of a task that appear on the My Tasks, My Calendar, or My Meetings page are available by clicking the task name.

Task Types

PeopleSoft CRM provides these task types when the application is first installed:

Appointment
Meeting
Phone call
Reminder
To-do

You can also set up additional task types.

See Setting Up Task Management.

Task Management Process

A task owner creates a task and assigns it to one or more persons. A notification is then sent to each of the assignees that a task is assigned to them, and the task appears in the assignee's task list. The assignee can either accept or decline the task. The owner is notified when the assignee marks the task as completed.

The task owner can reassign a task for any of the assignees. An assignee can reassign a task that is assigned to them. When a task is reassigned, the system sends a notification to the new assignee that the task is assigned to them. When the new assignee accepts or declines the task, the system notifies the owner.

This diagram shows the task management process:

Task Management Process Flow

You can also call the Task web service to perform many task management inquiries and notifications.

See Working with Business Processes and Web Services.

Personal Information Managers

You can synchronize tasks between the PeopleSoft CRM database and personal information management (PIM) systems such as Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes.

See Also

Managing Sales Leads and Opportunities

Defining Company Business Objects

Defining Person Business Objects

Setting System-Wide Security Options

Using the 360-Degree View

Setting Up Task Management

To set up task management, use the Task Priority (RB_TSK_PRIORITY) and Task Type (RB_TSK_TYPE) components.

This section lists the pages used to set up task management and discusses how to:

Define task types.
Define task priorities.
Define task group templates.
Define task durations.

Note. Your PeopleSoft Application Administrators can control and modify access to all PeopleSoft CRM pages, including those that are used for Task Management, through the standard PeopleTools security using roles, permission lists, and user IDs. Documentation for this security administration is provided in Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Security Administration.

Pages Used to Set Up Task Management

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Task Type	RB_TSK_TYPE	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Task Management, Task Type, Task Type	Define task type codes that enable the user to categorize tasks.
Task Priority	RB_TSK_PRIORITY	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Task Management, Task Priority, Task Priority	Define task priority codes that enable the user to designate a priority for tasks.
Task Group Template	RB_TSK_GRP_TPL	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Task Management, Task Group Template, Task Group Template	Define task group templates and task durations.
Clone Template	RB_CLONE_TXN_SEC	Click the Clone button on the Task Group Template page.	Specify a new template name to be created from the current template.

Defining Task Types

Access the Task Type page.

Task Type

The options you select on this page control the options that are available on the Task Detail page.

Task Type	Enter the type of the task.
Application Usage	Select the application where the task type is used. A value of All Applications indicates a universal type that is available to all applications.
Active	Select to make the task type active. Users can only create tasks for active task types.
To Accept Task	Select to indicate whether all of the assignees need to work on the task or only one assignee needs to work on the task when the task is assigned to multiple people.
Pencil In (Mark as free Time)	Select to indicate that the task duration is not treated as busy time by the Assignment Engine.
Record Attendance	Select to enable recording of attendance. If this is selected, the Task Details page shows a column of check boxes in the Invitee/Assignee grid for users to indicate whether the Invitee/Assignee attended the meeting. This check box is usually selected for meeting task types.
Show Repeating Options	Select to enable the user to select the frequency and time period in which this task repeats.
Do not show in Calendar	Select to suppress the task from the user's calendar. This option is cleared by default. Note. The task appears in the user's calendar only if this option is cleared and the user enters a start and end date and time for the task.
Show Assigned to Grid and Label for Assigned to Grid	Select to have the assigned to grid appear on the Task Detail page. If you select Show Assigned to Grid, then the Label for Assigned to Grid field becomes enterable for you to change the grid label that appears on the Task Details page. By default, the system displays Assigned To. This value comes from the message catalog.
Show Invitation Type	Select to have the Invitation Type column appear in the Invitees grid on the Task Detail page.
Show Contacts Grid and Label for Contacts Grid	Select to have the contacts grid appear on the Task Detail page. If you select Show Contacts Grid, then the Label for Contacts Grid field becomes enterable for you to change the grid label that appears on the Task Details page. By default, the system displays Contacts. This value comes from the message catalog.
Label for Assign Button	Select a value to change the label for the Assign Button that appears on the Task Details page. By default, the system displays Assign. This value comes from the message catalog.
Show Task in Task List	Select to have the task appear in the task list for the task owner and all assigned users.
View or Link Transactions	Select to have the View or Link Transactions link appear on the Task Detail page when the user adds a task of this type.
Calendar Image	Enter the name of the image that identifies the task type in the task list and calendar.

See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: System and Server Administration, “Using PeopleTools Utilities”

Field Display Options

Start Date Required, End Date Required, Start Time Required, End Time Required, and Location Required	Select the fields that are required for this task type.
Start Date Visible, End Date Visible, Start Time Visible, End Time Visible, and Location Visible	Select the fields that are visible for this task type. If you indicate that a field is required, you must also indicate that it is visible. However, a field can be visible but not required.

PIM Integration Options

Select the task type that displays on a PIM (personal information managers) for this task type. You can specify task types for integration with Outlook and with Lotus Notes.

See Setting Up PeopleSoft Enterprise CRM Infosync Applications.

Defining Task Priorities

Access the Task Priority page.

Code

Enter a code to identify the task priority.

Default

Select one priority as the default for all tasks.

Active

Select to indicate that this task priority is active. Only active priorities are available to assign to tasks.

Image Name

Select the image that represents the priority visually. If defined for a task priority, the image appears on the My Tasks list for each task that has that priority.

See Also

Creating Tasks or Updating Task Details

Defining Task Group Templates

Access the Task Group Template - Type page.

Task group templates ensure that all tasks that must be completed to accomplish the goal that is assigned. For example, the task group Install Hardware might consist of three tasks: Installation, Test Install, and Installation Acceptance. This is particularly useful when the tasks are performed by different people with different reporting relationships.

When a user schedules a task group, the task group template creates and assigns each task within the group.

Application Usage

Select from All Applications, Change Management, Field Service, HelpDesk, Personal Information Mgmt, Sales, Strategic Planning or Support.

Note. If you select Change Management, HelpDesk, Strategic Planning or Support the system displays the Duration tab. You can use this page to enter offset days, duration days, and start and end times. For Change Management, you enter only days, hours and start use codes.

Task Type, Priority, Task Owner, Assigned To, and Location

Specify the default task type, priority, assignee, and location of each tasks that is part of the task group. You can modify these default values at runtime.

Defining Task Durations

Access the Task Group Template - Duration page.

Use this page to specify a duration for each task. If the task type requires a start or end time (for example, meetings), you must enter these fields. The specific fields that appear on this page are dependent on the task type. This tab appears only when you select Change Management, HelpDesk, Strategic Planning or Support from the Application Usage field.

Note. For Strategic Planning, the system validates the required fields. For example, Start Time and End Time are required for meetings. The system, however, doesn't validate fields for other application usages.

Offset Days

This field appears only if you selected HelpDesk, Strategic Planning or Support in the Application Usage field.

Enter the number of days that are added to the plan start date to derive the task start date. The task end date is derived from adding the Duration Days to the task start date.

Duration Days, Start Time and End Time

Enter the number of days a task should take as well as the start and end times for each task.

Start Use Code

This field appears only if you selected Change Management in the Application Usage field.

Select one of these values to indicate when a task should start:

Current Phase Start
Next in Sequence
Prior Phase Start
Prior Task Start

Managing Tasks

This section lists common elements and discusses how to:

Set task defaults.
Enter additional filtering criteria.
View task lists.
Create tasks or update task details.
Add persons.
View or update task notes.
Link transactions to a task.

Common Elements Used in this Section

History

The History drop-down list box displays a list of the task management pages that you accessed during the current session. Select a listed page to transfer to that page.

Pages Used to Manage Tasks

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
My Tasks	RB_TSK_MY_TASKS	My Tasks, My Tasks	View the list of tasks that are assigned to you. You can select a task and view its details or add a task.
My Tasks - User Preferences	RB_TSK_PREF_SEC	My Tasks Click the Preferences toolbar button in the My Tasks component.	Set defaults for tasks that you create and for how the My Tasks list appears.
Task Details	RB_TSK	Click a listed task on the My Tasks page. Click the Add Task toolbar button on the My Task page. Select a task type and click the Add Task button on the My Tasks page.	Create a task or update task details.
Task Repeating Options	RB_TSK_REPEAT_SEC	Click the Options button next to the Repeats field on the Task Details page.	Specify the frequency with which a task repeats. This page is accessible only if you select the Show Repeating Options check box for the task type on the Task Type page.
My Tasks - Notes	RB_TSK_NOTE	Select the Notes tab on the Task Details page.	View or add notes to a task.
Related Objects for the Task	RB_TSK_TXNS	Click the View or Link Related Objects link on the Task Details page.	Link related transactions to a task.

Viewing Task Lists

Access the My Tasks page.

The task priority indicator appears in the left most column on this page, if the default priority is not assigned to the task. The task type icon appears in the column immediately to the left of the subject column.

See Defining Task Priorities, Defining Task Types.

Tasks	Select a filter to view only tasks that meet the filter criteria. The available filters are: All Open Tasks Meetings This Week Meetings Today Overdue Tasks Tasks This Month Tasks This Week Tasks Today Tasks Tomorrow By default, all open tasks, appointments, and meetings appear in the task list. You can click the Preferences button to select a different default filter.
My Status	Indicates whether the task is assigned to you and whether you accepted or rejected the task.
Task Status	Indicates the task status.
Contact	Displays the primary contact for the task or meeting.
Task Type	Select a task type to add.
Add Task	Click to add a task of the selected type.

Entering Additional Filtering Criteria

Click the Advanced Filter link.

Enter one or more search criteria to filter the results by the criteria entered. To modify the columns that appear in the My Tasks grid, click the Personalize Filter link. On the Personalize Search Settings page, select or clear the check box for the appropriate column.

Task Status prompt	Click to display a list of task statuses. Choose one or more statuses to filter the task list by those statuses.
Show in Results	Select one or more roles to display only tasks for which you have the selected roles.
Personalize Filter	Click to access the Personalize Search Settings page, where you can modify the columns that appear on the My Tasks grid.

Setting Task Defaults

Access the My Tasks - User Preferences page.

Use this page to personalize how tasks and calendar items appear in the My Tasks component and to set defaults for tasks that you create. The Default Filter option controls which tasks appear in the task list when you first access the component.

Note. You can also set these defaults under My Personalizations, General Options.

Creating Tasks or Updating Task Details

Access the Task Details page.

Task Details

Subject	Enter the meeting subject that appears on the My Tasks list.
Task Type	Select a task type if you access this page from the toolbar. If you access this page from the My Tasks page, the system displays the task type you select on the My Tasks page.
Status	Select the status of the task from the statuses that appear in the drop down list: Cancelled, Completed, In Progress, and Open.
Private	Select to permit only the task owner to access task details.
Start Date, Start Time, End Date, and End Time	Enter the starting and ending dates and times of the meeting.
Owner Name	Enter the name of the task owner. The owner might not actually perform the task, but is responsible for task completion.
Repeats	Select the reoccurrence frequency for the task.
Options	Click to access the Task Repeating Options page (RB_TSK_REPEAT_SEC) configure the settings for the repeating task.
View or Link Related Objects	Click to link a company, lead, opportunity, or partner to the task. This link appears only if View or Link Transactions was selected on the Task Type page. Clicking this link accesses the Related Objects for the Task page (RB_TSK_TXNS) where you can search for and select objects to link to the task. Note. If you select a company, lead, opportunity, or partner on the Related Objects for the Task page, the name appears as a link above the View or Link Related Objects link. If you click the name of the company, lead, opportunity, or partner, the system takes you to the page where the object was originally established. If a company has one or multiple contacts, the system still takes you to the Company page.

The label of this grid changes depending on the task type. As delivered, the label is Invitees for the Meeting task type and Assigned To for task types Activity, Approval, and Mtg.

The systems displays different information in this section based on how you configured the Task Type page. You can add this grid to add task types or modify the labels using the Task Type page.

Display Name	Enter the name of the person to whom the task is assigned or who is invited to the meeting.
Reassign	Click to replace the meeting invitee with another contact. The system sends the new invitee an email. The system removes the task from the original invitee's task list.
Create	Click to create the meeting invitee as a contact in the case where a meeting invitee was added in a personal information manager (PIM) such as Lotus Notes or Outlook and does not exist in the CRM database.
Role	Select the person's role. The company name that the person represents appear in the list, as well as other roles the person has, such as Individual Consumer.
Status	Indicates the status of the task assignee: Assigned, Accepted, or Declined.
Attendance	Select Absent or Attended. This field is available only if you select Record Attendance on the Task Type page.
Invitation Type	Select whether the invitation is Mandatory, FYI, or Optional for the invitee. This column appears only if the Show Invitation Type field is selected for this task type on the Task Type page.

Contacts

Primary

Select to indicate that the contact who is listed in the row is the primary contact for this task. There is only one primary contact for a task, and the primary contact name appears for the task when it is listed on the My Tasks page.

Adding Persons

Access the Task - Search Contacts page.

To add a person to either the Invitees grid or the Contacts grid, enter a first and last name below the grid and click the Add button.

If the first and last name do not uniquely identify a person, the Search Contacts page appears. Select one or more listed persons and click Add Persons to Task.

The selected persons are added to the task and you are transferred back to the Task Details page. You can also enter new search criteria or return to the Task Details page without making any selections.

The task owner and assignee can reassign the task by changing the person name in the assignee box.

See Also

Setting Up Task Management

Viewing or Updating Task Notes

Access the My Tasks - Notes page.

See Working with Notes and Attachments.

Linking Transactions to a Task

Access the Related Objects for the Task page.

When you select a transaction type, the text that appears next to the Add Transaction button changes to reflect the transaction type.

Primary	Select to designate that this is the primary transaction that is associated with the task. The system displays this task on the Task Details page in the field above the View or Link Related Objects link.
Transaction	Select a transaction type.
Add Transaction	Select to choose a transaction from a list of transactions for the selected transaction type.

Viewing Calendars

This section discusses how to view calendars.

Pages Used to View Calendars

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Daily Calendar of <name> Weekly Calendar of <name> Monthly Calendar of <name>	RB_TSK_CALENDAR	My Calendars Click the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly link. My Tasks Click the My Calendar toolbar button. Click the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly link.	View or update a calendar.
Daily Team Calendar of <name> Weekly Team Calendar of <name> Monthly Team Calendar of <name>	RB_TSK_GRPCALENDAR	On the daily, weekly, or monthly calendar, click the View My Team Calendar link.	View calendar entries for all direct reports.
Other Calendars for <name>	RB_TSK_CAL_SRCH	On the daily, weekly, or monthly calendar, click the View Other Calendars link.	View another person's calendar.
My Tasks - User Preferences	RB_TSK_PREF_SEC	My Tasks Click the Preferences on the toolbar in the My Tasks component.	Set the default calendar view (daily, weekly, or monthly).

Viewing or Updating Calendars

Access the My Calendars page.

See Using Calendars.

Viewing Another Person's Calendars

Access the Other Calendars for <name> page.

Select the Person's Calendar to View

The names of all people who report to you appear in this list. You can click a person's name to view their calendar or refine the search criteria and search again.

Show in Results

Select one or more listed relationships. Only those persons who meet the search criteria and have the selected relationships to you appear in the search results.

Managing Meetings

This section lists the page that you use to manage meetings.

Page Used to Manage Meetings

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
My Meetings	RB_TSK_MY_TASKS	My Meetings, My Meetings	View meetings in which you are a participant.

Viewing Meetings

Access the My Meetings page.

This page lists all tasks of type Meeting that are assigned to you. Click a listed subject to view meeting details.

Meetings

Select one of these values: All Meetings, Meetings this Month, Meetings this Week, and Meetings Today to filter the list.

Code	Enter a code to identify the task priority.
Default	Select one priority as the default for all tasks.
Active	Select to indicate that this task priority is active. Only active priorities are available to assign to tasks.
Image Name	Select the image that represents the priority visually. If defined for a task priority, the image appears on the My Tasks list for each task that has that priority.