This chapter covers the following topics:
Use the Task window to create and update a task, or use the Find Tasks window to search for tasks created with or without templates.
Enter search criteria in the Find Tasks window to search for desired tasks. These criteria include basic task elements, information about owner, assignee, customer, and task dates. Additionally, you can also search for open tasks, escalated tasks, or any tasks created from a task template group if appropriate criteria are selected.
For example, if the Show Open Tasks check box is selected, then Task Manager filters out any task status with the status Canceled, Rejected, Closed, or Completed and only shows task with Open task status. If this box is not checked, then all tasks with any statuses will appear in your search results. If the Show Escalated Tasks check box is selected, then Task Manager will search for all escalated tasks of all escalation levels.
Task Manager allows you to use the standalone Forms-based Tasks to update standalone tasks, and contextual tasks created from other source objects, such as service requests. Contextual tasks can only be updated if the From Task check box is selected for the source object in Task Setup: Object Types. Updates made in the standalone Tasks forms may break some of the business rules that are enforced in the source business object. Therefore, you should use the parent business object's specific Task screens, such as service request screen, to update contextual tasks.
When updating customer information for an existing task, it is important to note that any updates to the customer will remove the existing contacts for the task. After an update, the customer name and number are changed, and the contacts and contact points for the former customer are also removed from that task. Therefore, you must select new contacts from the newly added customer for that task.
Additionally, when you manually update or add any owners, assignees or customers with a resource of category party in the Forms-based or HTML Tasks, the associated party references including the party type of relationship, party and organization information will also be created and visible under Task References. However, if it adds any duplicate references in Tasks, then an error message will appear stating that the reference already exists, unless the calling module is set up to ignore the creation of duplicated references.
After clicking the New button in the Find Tasks window, you are directed to the Tasks window to create tasks in the following ways:
Tasks can be created simultaneously from a task template if an appropriate task template has been created during the implementation.
For example, a service department constantly receives requests to fix computer problems. To accomplish this assignment usually involves three required tasks including customer appointment, computer repair, and progress update. A service director could request the creation of a task template group used specifically for a service request called PC Repair which covers all these three tasks defined in a template format with task information specified, such as task type, priority, and status.
To create tasks from a template, you must select the Create Task from Template button. Enter the following information in the Create Tasks from Template Group window:
Template Group: Select a template group from the LOV, such as PC Repair since this template group consists of three task templates that are used specifically for service requests regarding computer problems.
Source Document: This field displays automatically after the template group is identified. For example, the PC Repair template group is tied to the source document Service Request during the setup.
Source Value: Enter the document number that these tasks are to be created for. For example, if you create tasks associated with a service request, then you need to select the request number as the source value. If creating tasks from a template for a standalone task, you can select any number as the source value. The selected number will not have impact on the task creation.
Owner Type: Enter the type of owner that will be assigned to all these three tasks, such as Employee Resource.
Owner: Select the specific owner based on the previous value. For example, if you select Employee Resource you must select a person.
Clicking the Create Tasks button will create multiple tasks from the selected template simultaneously.
You can create a single task in the Tasks window by entering appropriate task information including subject, type, status, priority, description, and other task information.
The values of task owner type, , owner, task type, status, and priority fields can be defaulted from the relevant profile options. If selecting the values from the type and priority fields, you will see only the task types and task priorities mapped to your source object from the list of values. If none of the types or priorities is mapped to your source, then all task types and priorities will be displayed in the list of values.
Additionally, enter dates and customer information for your task. Click the More button to specify task details using the following tabs:
Use the Resources tab to define resource requirements. See: Assigning and Scheduling Resources.
Use the Dependencies tab to enter task dependencies. See: Setting Dependencies for Tasks.
Use the References tab to enter task references. See: Linking Tasks to Source.
Specify Additional Dates for a Task using the Date tab.
Use the Contacts tab to enter the customer contact information. See: Documenting Multiple Contact Information.
Use the Recurrences tab to enter the recurrence rules. See: Scheduling Recurring Tasks.
Use the Audit tab to view the task history information. See: Tracking a Task Record.
Clicking Launch Workflow in the Tasks window automatically reserves the specified resource and notifies the task owner of task creation.
Time Zone: If the time zone is not selected for a task and profile options enable time zones, then all times are displayed in the server time zone along with a hint explaining the time zone. If the time zone is selected for a task, and profile options enable time zones, then times appear in the selected time zone along with a hint explaining the time zone. If profile options do not enable time zones, then times display in the server time zone with no hints.
Use the Resources tab to define a specific resource for a task. The task owner assigns and schedules the required resources after selecting the best available options. Perform the following steps to assign and schedule resources.
Steps
With your task information displayed in the window, click More.
The Task Details window opens.
In the Requirements region of the Resources tab, select the resource type from the list of values (LOV).
Enter a numerical value in the Unit field.
The unit value determines the number of resources needed to complete the task.
Select the Enabled check box to activate varied resources according to the task.
Use this option to select live resources when updating.
In the Assignment region, select the resource type and name from the LOV.
If you want to schedule a resource, select the Schedule check box.
Enter scheduled distance and duration values and select a unit of measure.
For tracking purposes, update the Actual fields after task completion.
Save your task.
Dependencies determine the order among tasks. When an action requires the creation of several tasks, setting a dependency for each task sets the relationship between the tasks and their start or end dates. For example, it ensures the completion of a designated task before the start of another task.
Note: The functionality of dependencies and offset field is enforced only during the tasks automated creation using task templates.
For example, a support manager wants an employee to call back to a customer and another employee to follow up with a salesperson. Dependencies can be created to ensure the salesperson is contacted before the customer is called back. Dependent tasks are tasks that are completed in a specific order.
Use the offset feature to organize tasks with time-sensitive restrictions. Enter a numeric value in the Offset field plus an appropriate unit of measure, such as one hour or 30 minutes, to separate the initial task template from a subsequent task template. This way, tasks are time dependent. For example, you can have a one day (offset) time frame between when the salesperson is contacted and the customer is called back. This allows the salesperson to have one day preparation before the customer is called back.
Please note that the difference between dependencies and parent-child tasks is that a parent task and its child tasks do not have a specific order for completion. They are not, therefore, dependent on each other. The dependent tasks have to follow a specific sequence. If desired, specific time restrictions (offsets) can be specified between each dependent task.
The Offset value determines the time that separates the action of initial tasks from subsequent tasks. Use this feature to organize tasks with time-sensitive restrictions.
Responsibility: CRM Administrator
Dependency types define the relationship between dependent tasks and their start or end dates. There are four dependency types:
Finish to Start: The successor task cannot start until the predecessor task finishes.
For example, a document needed for a customer is completed before an agent calls on the customer.
Start to Finish: The successor task cannot finish until the predecessor task starts.
For example, the on-site training person cannot leave until the implementation consultant arrives and is ready to start.
Start to Start: The successor task cannot start until the predecessor task starts.
For example, two service representatives need to call on the same customer at the same time to perform two different tasks that are related and require cooperation.
Finish to Finish: The successor task cannot finish until the predecessor task finishes.
For example, the implementation consultant starts weeks before user training begins, but the consultant assists with training and isn't finished until the training is also completed.
There is a validation flag for each dependency, which is defaulted to no. If it is set to Yes, then validations are done when dependencies are created, updated, or deleted. The following are some of the validations that are performed:
The schedule for a scheduled task is validated against the dependency type.
For the Finish to Start dependency type, the task B start date is not less than the task A end date.
For the Start to Finish dependency type, the task B end date is not less than the task A start date.
For the Start to Start dependency type, the task B start date is not less than the task A start date.
For the Finish to Finish dependency type, the task B end date is not less than the task A end date.
A task depends only once upon another task.
The predecessor task cannot depend on the successor, creating a cycling dependency.
Tasks cannot make a cyclic chain, with the first task linked with the last one in a cyclic manner.
After creating a task, you can use the References tab to update or add more references or business objects to a task. See Task References Information for more information. Perform the following steps to add a reference to a task.
As the CRM Administrator, navigate to Task and Escalation Manager > Tasks > Tasks.
Locate your task and click More.
In the References tab of the Task Details window, select from the LOV in the Document Type field.
Enter the identification number of the reference document in the Number field. The application name populates the Details field with a description of the reference type.
Optionally, enter the resource type information and click OK.
Save your task.
Use the Date tab to provide values for additional date types related to a task. These date types are in addition to the already present date types, Planned, Scheduled, and Actual that are on the main task window. The user can define additional date types using the Define Task Date Type window.
With your task information displayed in the window, click More.
Select the Date tab and enter a date type. You can define a new date type using Define Task Date Type.
The Application Reference field is read only and displays information based on the application that is related to the date type, as set up in Define Task Date Type.
Enter a value for the selected date type.
Enter information in the flexfield region if any flexfields are defined for the task dates.
Save your work.
Use the Contacts tab to associate contact information to a task.
Note: You must save the task to make contact information available in the list of values (LOV).
Select the Primary check box if the person is the primary contact for the task.
Entering multiple contacts and selecting one as the primary contact records the correct communication channel for the selected task.
You can schedule a task to automatically repeat on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis using the Recurrences tab of the Task Details window.
Use the Others tab to set task flags to further customize a task.
The task owner receives the task flagged as a Milestone.
Use the Audit tab to view the history of a task. The task record provides a trail from the original task status through the current status. Perform the following steps to access the task audit record information.
Steps
With your task information displayed in the window, click More.
The Task Details window opens.
In the Audit tab, view the task history.
Each row documents the status of the task. The first row contains the most recent task record.
Scroll to the right to view both the old and new values.
Click OK when you are done viewing the audit record.
Use the launch workflow button to notify an assignee of the creation of a task.
Workflow triggers an e-mail or worklist notification when a task is created or updated.
You can link a task to a source document to reference pertinent background information. Define source documentation as the original request document that results in the creation of a task. Perform the following steps to link a task to a source document.
Responsibility: CRM Administrator
Steps
Navigate to Task and Escalation Manager > Tasks > Tasks
Locate your task.
The Task Main window opens.
Select the source document from the LOV.
Enter the identification number of the source document in the Source Value field.
Save your task.
The source document is now associated with the corresponding task.
Double-click the Source Value field to view the source document.
Track task progress by entering date information after three task milestones:
Task Creation
Resource Reservation
Task Completion
Use this procedure to track planned, scheduled, and actual task dates.
Steps
In the Find Tasks window, find or create a task.
The Tasks window opens.
Enter information into the Planned fields in the Dates region.
After reserving resources for the task, enter information into the Scheduled fields.
Upon task completion, enter final information into the Actual fields.
Save your task.
Updating the Actual Start and End Dates in the Resource tab populates the corresponding Actual date fields in the Task window.