Collapse AllExpand All

3.1.1. Create New Task

To create a new Task, select the NEW button. The following screen will appear:

Create New Task

When creating a new Task, you are presented with the following options:

Number

Enter a code to identify the Task.

Status

Specify one of the following statuses to characterize the Task:

Concept

Use this status to indicate the Task has not yet begun.

In-Process

Use this status to indicate the Task is in-process.

Complete

Use this status to indicate the Task is complete.

Name

Enter a brief name to identify the Task.

Description

Enter a description to identify the Task.

Owner

Select Task Owner.

Assigned to

Select who the Task was assigned to.

Due

Date Task is due.

Assigned

Date task was assigned.

Started

Date Task actually started.

Completed

Date Task was actually completed.

To view a time and expenses summary of the Project, select the "Summary" tab. The following screen will appear:

Task Planning

When viewing the time and expenses summary for a Project, you are presented with the following options:

Hours

Specify the number of hours associated with the Task using the following fields:

Budgeted

Enter the number of hours budgeted for the Task. This information may be saved and updated later.

Actual

Enter the actual number of hours consumed performing the Task. This information may be saved and updated later.

Balance

Displays the difference between the budgeted and actual hours.

Expenses

Specify the Expenses associated with the Task using the following fields:

Budgeted

Enter the total Expenses budgeted for the Task. This information may be saved and updated later.

Actual

Enter the actual Expenses incurred while performing the Task. This information may be saved and updated later.

Balance

Displays the difference between the budgeted and actual Expenses.

With the Time and Expense package installed, you can specify Customer and billing rate information by individual Tasks. To specify the Customer and billing rate information by Task, select the "Billing" tab. The following screen will appear:

Task Billing

When specifying Customer and billing rate information by Task, you are presented with the following options:

Customer

Enter the Customer you want to associate with the Task.

Use specified billing rate

Select if you want to specify a Customer billing rate for the Task. If not selected, the rate may be entered manually on Time Sheets.

Rate

Specify the Customer billing rate for the Task.

To add an Alarm related to a Task, select the "Alarms" tab. The following screen will appear:

Create New Alarm

To create a new Alarm, select the NEW button. The following screen will appear:

Create Alarm

When creating a new Alarm you are presented with the following options:

Due

Add the date and time when you want the Alarm to alert specific Users and Contacts.

Event

Select if you would like an event to trigger the Alarm. You may select from an unlimited list of Users to be notified.

Email

Select if you would like an Email notification to be sent as an Alarm. You may select from an unlimited list of Users to be notified.

System Message

Select if you would like a system message to be issued as an Alarm. You may select from an unlimited list of Users to be notified.

The following buttons are available:

USER ACCOUNT

Allows you to choose unlimited number of Users created in the system.

CONTACT

Allows you to choose from unlimited number of contacts created in the system.

SAVE

Creates the Alarm and adds it to the list of Alarms.

CANCEL

Closes the screen without creating an Alarm, returning you to the previous screen.

To add Comments to a Task, select the "Comments" tab. The following screen will appear:

Alarm Comments

When adding or reviewing Comments, you are presented with the following options:

Verbose Text

Select to display all Comments in the list in an expanded view which includes the entire text of each Comment. To edit a Comment, simply select the "Edit" link next to the Comment. That link will not be shown for Changelog Comments, which can't be edited. If the "Verbose Text" option is not selected, the Comment list will display only header level information for each Comment.

Comments

Display lists Comments related to the record.

The following buttons are available:

NEW

Opens screen for creating a new Comment.

VIEW

Highlight a Comment and then select this button to reach a read-only view of the "Edit" screen.

EDIT

Enables you to edit highlighted Comments—as long as the Comments are not "ChangeLog" Comments. ChangeLog Comments are system-generated and may not be edited. The edit screen is the same as that for creating a new Comment—except that when editing, the fields will contain Comment information. Double-clicking on a Comment will also bring you to the editing screen.

To enter a new Comment, select the NEW button. The following screen will appear:

Create New Comment
Comment Type

Select a Comment Type from the drop-down list to classify the Comment. This is a required step. Comment Types may be system-defined (i.e., "ChangeLog" and "General") or user-defined, as described in Section 13.2.2, “Comment Types”. Once you have specified a Comment Type, begin typing your Comment in the main text area. The text area features word-wrapping and scroll-bar support for longer Comments.

The following buttons are unique to this screen:

MORE

Select to show the complete list (i.e., "thread") of Comments associated with the record. To hide the list, simply select the SHOW MORE button again. The Comment thread will show the most recent Comment first.

To add Characteristics to a Task, select the "Characteristics" tab. The following screen will appear:

Task Characteristics

To create a new Characteristic for your current context, select the NEW button from the Characteristics list. The following screen will appear:

Create New Characteristic

When creating a new Characteristic, you are presented with the following options:

Characteristic

Select a Characteristic from the list of Characteristics available for your current context. To learn more about how Characteristics are linked to specific contexts, please see Section 9.2.2.1, “Characteristic”.

Value

Enter a value to associate with the Characteristic.

Default

In some contexts, the default option will appear. Select if the Value entered is the default Value for the specified Characteristic. Default Values will always be listed first where Characteristics are used.

To add Documents to a Task, select the "Documents" tab. The following screen will appear:

Task Documents

When associating documents, you are presented with the following options:

NEW

Select to create a new document and associate it with the current record. You may create the following document types:

Image

Select to create a new Image association.

Fixed Asset

Select to create a new Fixed Asset association.

Maintenance Order

Select to create a new Maintenance Order association.

Incident

Select to create a new Incident and associate it.

Project

Select to create a new Project and associate it.

Opportunity

Select to create a new Opportunity and associate it.

To Do

Select to create a new To-Do and associate it.

EDIT

Enables you to edit associated documents. The edit screen is the same as that for creating a new document—except that when editing, the fields will contain document information. Double-clicking on a document will also bring you to the editing screen.

VIEW

Highlight a document and then select this button to reach a read-only view of the "Edit" screen

ATTACH

Select to associate already-existing documents. The following document types may be attached: Contact, Account, Customer, Employee, File, Image, Incident, Item, Opportunity, Project, Purchase Order, Sales Order, Vendor, Web Site, Work Order.

DETACH

Highlight a document and then select this button to remove the association.

To associate already-existing documents, select the ATTACH button. The following screen will appear:

Attach a Document

When associating already-existing documents, you are presented with the following options:

Relationship

Indicate how the document is related to the current record. The following relationship options are available: Related to, Parent of, Child of, Duplicate of.

Type

Specify the kind of document you want to associate. The following document types may be attached: Contact, Account, Customer, Employee, File, Image, Incident, Item, Opportunity, Project, Purchase Order, Sales Order, Vendor, Web Site, Work Order. When associating Files, you will also be given the option to save the File to the database.

Tip

There is no file size restriction when saving Files to the database. However, excessively large files could cause storage and performance issues.

Document

Use the lookup field to identify the specific document you want to attach. The data entry options will vary depending on the document type you select.