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What is the typical Task Lifecycle?

1. •  
     CommentAuthorMichael
   • CommentTimeJul 20th 2007 edited @ 09/25/2007 4:52 pm

    
   Recently I was asked what default task status we use at Pelago and what our Task Lifecycle looks like. With Intervals you can bend it to match your process, but here is how we work:
   
   1. Task Creation
   When a task is created it is set to Open. The assignee will receive an email with the task summary, due date, etc.
   
   2. Task Completion or Clarification
   When the assignee has completed the task they set it to Verify & Close (this emails the owner letting them know the task is ready to be closed). If they are unable to complete it, they set it to Needs Assistance (which also emails the owner letting them know the task needs some help to keep it moving)
   
   3. Task Closed or Opened
   The owner of the task then views it and can set the task to Closed if they feel it has successfully been completed or Open with comments and further instructions. It is not uncommon to have a task go back and forth like this for a while before it gets Closed.
   
   If the task requires customer approval before closing it, we will use the "Send email message" option on the task and notify our customer that we need their review and approval. If a task needs customer approval we set it to Review with Client. This tells us that there is nothing further we can do until we receive feedback. Once we get the blessing from our client we go in and set it to Closed.
   
   There are a variety of ways to tune the task flow to match your process, but that is how we do it. Some Intervals customers change the assignee of the task back and forth while keeping the status Open. We like to keep the owner to assignee relationship and manage tasks based on their status.
2. •  
     CommentAuthorMichael
   • CommentTimeAug 1st 2007

    
   One other tidbit on user levels. Resource level users can close tasks if they created the task, but they cannot close a task that someone else assigned them.
3. •  
     CommentAuthortorinhill
   • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008

    

   2. Task Completion or Clarification
   When the assignee has completed the task they set it to Verify & Close (this emails the owner letting them know the task is ready to be closed). If they are unable to complete it, they set it to Needs Assistance (which also emails the owner letting them know the task needs some help to keep it moving)

   
   
   Are the emails sent from Needs Assistance and Verify & Close automated?
   Can I turn auto-emailing on or off for custom phases?
   
   How do I edit the auto emails for the existing phases?
4. • CommentAuthorLauraTDG
   • CommentTimeOct 27th 2008

    
   I'd like to know the answer to torinhill's question too.
5. •  
     CommentAuthortorinhill
   • CommentTimeOct 27th 2008

    
   Thanks Laura... so would I :)
6. •  
     CommentAuthorMichael
   • CommentTimeOct 27th 2008

    
   My apologies on a tardy response. There are currently two email notification preferences used that related to task updates:
   
   - Task comments
   - Task status change
   
   The emails that are sent when a task comment is made or the task status changes are automated. There are no custom triggers (certain status, certain module, etc.) and the message cannot be customized at this time. This is true of all system generated emails. The "Send email message" functionality can be used to customize the email but that would be used on a case by case basis as opposed to establishing a rule or preference for all emails/tasks going forward. Each user's email preference can be turned on and off but they are global for that particular user.
   
   On a somewhat related topic we did recently add profile photos to the emails and the color bars correspond to the priority of the task. Here is an example: