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.

Note:

When you need to create multiple lines of text in the import file (for example, in Instructions), use this syntax to indicate a new line: '\n'. Do not use hard returns to separate lines of text.

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 HH:MM (24-hour), for example: 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 HH:MM (24-hour), for example, 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