This chapter covers the following topics:
A task template is a skeleton task and a task template group is a grouping of various task templates. Creating a template eliminates the user's interaction with the specific properties of a task which simplifies the task creation process.
For example, a service department is constantly requested to have computer problems fixed. John Smith, a service director, requests the creation of a task template group called PC Repair that is specifically used for a service request. This template group consists of a set of required tasks, including customer appointment, computer repair, and progress update. These tasks are defined in a template format with task type, priority, and status information specified.
The implementers or system administrators can define task template groups only in the Forms-based Task Manager.
Use the following regions in the Setup Task Template Groups window to enter task template group information:
Template Group region. Enter task template group name, description, effective date, document type, start and end dates, and descriptive flexfields. Task Manager uses document type to specify the purpose of a template group. For example, if a template group is created for service request related documents, then Service Request is the document type.
Enter descriptive flexfields in the Task template groups additional information window if you have predefined additional information specifically for your template group. If the Start and End Dates are left blank, the template will be effective forever.
Related Task Templates region. Enter information for each task within this template group including each task name, task type, task status, task priority, description, and descriptive flexfield information specifically for each task template. For example, you can enter the three required tasks, such as customer appointment, computer repair, and progress update, for the PC Repair template group.
The descriptive flexfield information in the Task Templates Additional Information window is located at the end of the horizontal scroll bar. This flexfield is used specifically for each task template; therefore, its values can be passed to the tasks that are created based on the task template.
Optionally, you can enter just one task in this region if you want to create a single task template, instead of multiple tasks in a task template group.
Enter task duration, planned effort, and task flags information for each task you entered in the Related Task Template region. Task Manager uses the following task flags to specify additional task information:
The Publishable flag indicates that the task is publishable over the web.
The Billable flag signifies a task as a service that requires billing.
For example, you can enter about five hours work for task duration and effort, as well as select the Billable task flag for the Computer Repair task, as this task requires a service charge to a customer.
The Holiday flag will be used later.
The Multibook flag indicates whether the task can book resources that are already assigned to other tasks.
The Milestone flag indicates that the task is a milestone.
The Restrict Close flag indicates whether it is necessary to close the task in order for the source object to be closed. For example, if this task references a service request, the task must be closed to close the service request.
Confirmation Required defaults to No to mean that a confirmation is not required. Select Confirmation Required to require confirmation by the customer before task can be carried out (such as a customer visit).
After saving this template group, the Number field for each task you defined in the Related Task Templates region populates automatically.
In addition, you can define additional assignee resource types and unit information, dependencies and the offset information among task templates, and task recurrence information for a task template. See Defining Template Details.
Once a template or template group is created, users are able to create multiple tasks simultaneously based on the selected template or template group.
Note: The Private task flag in the Forms-based version of Task Manager is not supported. HTML Task Manager does support both Private and Public tasks.
Additionally, you can define assignee resource types and unit information, dependencies, and task recurrences by clicking the appropriate buttons to bring up the following tabs shown in the Task Details window:
Resources: Enter assignee resource type, such as employee resource, and required unit information for each task you specified in the Related Task Templates region.
Dependencies: Enter task dependency information if necessary.
Use this tab to set the order among task templates and to separate the sequence between task templates using time-sensitive restrictions. Use the Offset field to enter a numeric value plus an appropriate unit of measure, such as one hour or 30 minutes, to separate the initial task template from a subsequent task template. For example, you can have "one day" (offset) time frame between the first template, customer appointment, and the next template, computer repair. This allows a service agent to have one-day preparation after the appointment and before the computer repair.
Recurrences: Enter task recurrence information for tasks you want to repeat on a regular basis.
Perform the following steps to define task template details.
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to Task and Escalation Manager > Task > Task Templates.
In the Task Template Details window, with your template information defined, click Resources.
The Task Template Details window opens.
Select a resource type from the list of values (LOV).
Enter the number of resources needed in the Required Units field.
Selecting the Enabled Flag activates the resource type for the corresponding task template.
You can set a dependency type for the template. The default is Finish to Start. There are four dependency types:
Finish to Start: The successor task cannot start until the predecessor task finishes.
Start to Finish: The successor task cannot finish until the predecessor task starts.
Start to Start: The successor task cannot start until the predecessor task starts.
Finish to Finish: The successor task cannot finish until the predecessor task finishes.
In the Recurrence tab, select how you want the task to repeat, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, and provide information in the corresponding required fields.
Click OK to save your information.