5.2 Working with Tasks

Your ability to update tasks depends on the role you have for the task, the state the task is in, and the way the application is configured.

• Claiming a Task
  You can claim a task to assign it to you.
• Approving or Rejecting a Task
  You can complete tasks by approving or rejecting them.
• Requesting Information for a Task
  If you are the actual owner for a task, you can request more information from the task initiator.
• Submitting Information for a Task
  If you are the task initiator, you may be asked to submit information about the task to the task owner.
• Commenting on a Task
  You can comment on a task to provide additional information about the task.
• Changing the Priority of a Task
  You can change the priority of a task.
• Delegating a Task
  Delegating a task allows you assign a task to another user.
• Inviting a Participant to a Task
  As a business administrator, you can invite a participant to a specific instance of a task.
• Updating the Due Date for a Task
  As a business administrator, you can update the due date for a specific instance of a task.
• Releasing a Task
  Releasing a task allows you to remove yourself as the actual owner, and make the task available for other potential owners to claim.
• Canceling a Task
  You can cancel a task you have initiated if you no longer need it.
• Renewing a Task
  As a business administrator, you can renew an expired task,
• Viewing the Task History
  You can view the history of a task to see what has already happened with the task.

5.2.1 Claiming a Task

You can claim a task to assign it to you.

If there are multiple potential owners for a task, the task is Unassigned.

To claim a task, you must be a Potential Owner. If you are not a potential owner, the Business Administrator can add you as a potential owner.

1. Open the application.
2. Open the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Approvals.
3. Locate the unassigned task you want to claim, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Claim Task to claim the task.
   The position of the Claim Task button varies by application depending on how the developer customizes the task details page.

The task is now assigned to you.

5.2.2 Approving or Rejecting a Task

You can complete tasks by approving or rejecting them.

To approve or reject a task, you must be a Potential Owner or an Actual Owner for the task. You cannot be the Task Initiator. You cannot approve or reject tasks you initiated.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Approvals.
3. Locate the task you want to approve or reject.
4. To approve the task from the Unified Task List, click Approve or Reject.
   If you complete a task from the Unified Task List, you cannot add comments.
5. To approve the task from the Task Details page:
   1. Click on the task.
   2. If necessary, claim the task by clicking Claim Task.
   3. (Optional) Add a comment to the task.
   4. Click Approve or Reject.
   The position of the Approve or Reject buttons varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.

The task state updates. The task is now complete.

5.2.3 Requesting Information for a Task

If you are the actual owner for a task, you can request more information from the task initiator.

To request information for a task, you must be the Actual Owner for the task.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Approvals.
3. Locate the task you want to request more information for.
4. Click on the task to open the Task Details page.
5. Click Request Information.
   The position of the Request Information button varies by application, depending on how the developer configured the task details page.
6. Type in the details of your request in the Message field, and click Request Information.

APEX assigns the task to the initiator, with your request information text in the comments section of the task details page.

5.2.4 Submitting Information for a Task

If you are the task initiator, you may be asked to submit information about the task to the task owner.

If one of your tasks is in the Information Requested status, you can submit information to send the task back to the task owner.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Tasks.
3. Locate the task in the Information Requested status.
4. Click on the task to open the Task Details page.
5. Click Submit Information.
   The position of the Request Information button varies by application, depending on how the developer configured the task details page.
6. Type in the details of your request in the Message field, and click Submit Information.

APEX reassigns the task back to the actual owner, with your submitted information text in the comments section of the task details page.

5.2.5 Commenting on a Task

You can comment on a task to provide additional information about the task.

You can comment on a task that is in progress. If you want to comment on a completed task, you need to be the business administrator for that task.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to update, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Type your comment in the comment text box.
5. Click Add Comment.

The comment displays on the task.

5.2.6 Changing the Priority of a Task

You can change the priority of a task.

To change the priority of a task, you must be the Initiator or Business Administrator for the task.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to update, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Priority.
   The position of the Priority button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. Select the new priority from the list.
6. Click Set Priority.

The priority is updated.

5.2.7 Delegating a Task

Delegating a task allows you assign a task to another user.

An assigned task can be Delegated to another user. That user becomes the new Actual Owner for the task.

To delegate a task, you must be a Business Administrator or the Actual Owner of the task. Tasks that have already been approved or rejected cannot be delegated. The user you delegate the task to must be listed as a potential owner for the task.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to delegate, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Delegate.
   The position of the Delegate button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. Select the new actual owner for the task.
6. Click Delegate.

The task is delegated to the selected user.

5.2.8 Inviting a Participant to a Task

As a business administrator, you can invite a participant to a specific instance of a task.

You may want to invite a participant to a task if the actual owner is away from the office. The new participant can claim the specific task they are added to, but does not have access to any future tasks created from the same task definition.

To invite a participant, you must be a Business Administrator for the task. You cannot invite a participant to a completed task.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to invite a participant to, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Invite Participant.
   The position of the Invite Participant button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. Type in the login name for the participant you want to add.
6. Click Invite Participant.

If the task is unassigned, the new participant can claim the task. If the task is assigned, either you, as the Business Administrator, or the actual owner of the task can delegate the task to the new participant.

5.2.9 Updating the Due Date for a Task

As a business administrator, you can update the due date for a specific instance of a task.

To update the due date, you must be the business administrator for the task. You cannot update the due date if a task is already approved, rejected, or expired.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to update the due date on, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Due.
   The position of the Due button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. Select the new due date for the task.
6. Click Set Due Date.

The due date updates.

5.2.10 Releasing a Task

Releasing a task allows you to remove yourself as the actual owner, and make the task available for other potential owners to claim.

Releasing a task you own makes the task available for other Potential Owners to claim.

To release a task, you must be the Actual Owner of the task. Tasks that you have already approved or rejected cannot be released.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Approvals.
3. Locate the task you want to release, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Release.
   The position of the Release button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.

The task is now unassigned, and available for potential owners to claim.

5.2.11 Canceling a Task

You can cancel a task you have initiated if you no longer need it.

Canceling a task you initiated stops the task from continuing.

To cancel a task, you must be the task initiator. Tasks that are already approved or rejected cannot be canceled.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called My Tasks.
3. Locate the task you want to cancel, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Cancel Task.
   The position of the Cancel Task button varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. Click Cancel Task on the dialog window.

The task is now canceled.

5.2.12 Renewing a Task

As a business administrator, you can renew an expired task,

Renewing an expired task creates a new task from the same task definition.

As a business administrator, you can renew a task once it is expired.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List. For the Sample Approvals App, the task list is called Approvals Administration.
3. Locate the task you want to renew, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click Renew Task.
   The Renew Task button is only visible if the task is expired. Tasks cannot be renewed prior to expiring.

APEX creates a new task from the same task definition. The renewed task has a new due date.

5.2.13 Viewing the Task History

You can view the history of a task to see what has already happened with the task.

The Task History show a log of everything that has occurred with the task.

To view the task history, you must be able to open the task details page.

1. Open the application.
2. Access the appropriate Unified Task List.
3. Locate the task you want to view, and click on the task to access the task details page.
4. Click the dropdown arrow next to History.
   The position of the History region varies by application, depending on how the task details page is configured.
5. The task history displays. Events are logged in chronological order, and details for each event are in the Message column.