Task Import File Format
The task import file enables you to specify the task information that you want to import into a template. The first row contains only the column headings that identify the data in that column, for example, TaskName. Separate rows are used to define each task.
Each task in the file must be given a unique ID in the TaskID column. You use the numeric IDs to uniquely identify predecessors and parent tasks. For example, when you enter a parent task in the Parent column, you enter the numeric ID of the task rather than the task name.
When you use the Replace or Replace All options, you can add, remove, and shift the columns but you cannot remove required columns. When you use the Update option, there are no required columns except TaskID, or TaskTypeID when you are importing Task Types. The data in each column must match the column ID in the first row.
Many column IDs may have an indeterminate amount of values. For example, a task may have many viewers. You can add parameters by modifying the ending number, for example, Viewer4, Viewer5, and so on.
The numbers that you append to the column IDs for Approvers, Questions, or References only represent the relative order with the other approvers, questions, or references. When you update these, the system matches by the name of the approver, question, or reference without regard to the number in the file format column. To replace question text, approvers, or reference names, you must use Replace mode. When you select Update mode, the system only adds a new question, approver, or reference if the file names do not match.
All Text Lookup rows in the file must match values stored in the application. For example, if you are importing Task Types, you must have specified values for them when you set up the application. For groups of column headings, if you have a certain number of one of the group, you must have the same number for other members. For example, if you have QText5, there must be a corresponding QType5.
Column ID | Description | Type |
---|---|---|
TaskID |
ID of task. Maximum of 80 characters. |
Text |
TaskName |
Name of task |
Text |
TaskType |
Task Type |
Text Lookup |
Description |
Full description of task. Maximum of 1000 characters. |
Text |
Priority |
Task priority (High, Medium, Low) |
Text Lookup |
StartDate |
Start date, in template days (for example, -5, 0, 1, 12) For schedules, the start date must be a calendar date in the locale format. |
Integer |
StartTime |
Start time in hours and minutes. For example, in HH:MM (24-hour format), a start time such as 13:00 |
Integer |
EndDate |
User tasks only, in template days (for example, -5, 0, 1, 12) For schedules, the end date must be a calendar date in the locale format. |
Integer |
EndTime |
User tasks only in hours and minutes. For example, an end time in HH:MM (24-hour) format could be 13:00 |
Integer |
Duration |
Task duration in minutes (automated tasks only) |
Number |
Owner |
Task owner |
Text Lookup |
Assignee |
Task Assignee (user tasks only) |
Text Lookup |
Active |
Whether the task is active. Only applies to template import. |
Boolean |
StartEarly |
Whether the Assignee is allowed to open a pending task prior to the scheduled start time |
Boolean |
RunAs |
RunAs user name. Only applicable for system-automated tasks. |
Text Lookup |
Instruction |
Instruction text. Maximum of 2 GB. |
Text |
Reference# |
Instruction reference (URL and Content Server references) |
URL |
RefText# |
Reference name, for URL references |
Text |
RefType# |
Reference type (URL, Document) |
Text Lookup |
RefURL# |
Reference URL, for URL references |
URL |
RefDocId# |
Reference document ID, for document references |
Integer |
Approver# |
Approver Level |
User Name |
Viewer# |
Task viewer |
User Name |
QText# |
Required for question. Text of question. Maximum of 255 characters. |
Text |
QType# |
Required for question. Data type of question (Text, Member, True/False, and so on) |
Text Lookup |
QReq# |
Required for question. Question required? (Yes or No) |
Boolean |
QList# |
List of values for question, separated by | symbol, for example, Red|Green|Blue|Yellow. |
Text Lookup |
QCurrSymbol# |
Currency format for question X |
Text |
QDecPlaces# |
Number of significant digits after the decimal places for question X |
Number |
QNegNumFmt# |
Negative number format for question X |
Text: - or ( ) |
QScale# |
Scale format for question X |
Number, in magnitude: 1000 and so on |
QThouSep# |
Thousand separator indicator for question X |
Boolean |
Attribute# |
Attribute name, for example, Color |
Text Lookup |
AttrVal# |
Attribute value, for example, Red. Maximum of 255 characters. |
Text |
AttrDisplay |
Display to user (in task action dialog box) for attribute |
Boolean |
Param# |
Parameter name |
Text Lookup |
ParmVal# |
Parameter value |
Text |
Parent |
Task ID of the task parent |
Task ID |
Predecessor# |
Predecessor task ID (from column A) |
Task ID |
PredType# |
Required. Predecessor type (for example, Finish to Start). |
Text Lookup |
PredTemplate# |
Name of the predecessor template or schedule, if the predecessor belongs to a different template or schedule |
Text |
When you import Task Types, these columns are used:
-
TaskTypeID
-
IntegrationType
-
ParamOverride# - whether the parameter can be overridden
A sample task import file is provided. It contains these dynamic parameters, which you can modify:
-
Two questions
-
Two attributes
-
Two instructional references
-
Three predecessor tasks
-
Three approver levels