Workslayr’s Tasks module is your central hub for managing all operational activities, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Whether it’s a small internal chore or a critical step within a client project, tasks keep your team organized and accountable. This guide covers the fundamental aspects of creating, assigning, and tracking tasks within Workslayr.
What is a Task in Workslayr? #
A task in Workslayr represents a single, definable unit of work that needs to be completed. Tasks are integral to both internal operations and client-facing projects. They allow you to break down larger objectives into manageable steps, assign responsibilities, and monitor progress effectively. By using tasks, you can ensure that every deliverable, follow-up, or internal action is properly documented and tracked.
Creating and Assigning Tasks #
You can create tasks from various places within Workslayr, often directly from the relevant module such as a project or client profile. When creating a new task, you will typically define its title, assign it to an employee, set a due date, and add a description of the work required. For example, if you’re undertaking a new client project, you might create tasks like “Draft initial project proposal” or “Schedule client kickoff meeting.” Properly assigning tasks ensures that every team member knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
Tasks can be standalone or linked to specific projects. Linking tasks to projects is highly recommended for client work, as it aggregates all associated activities under one umbrella, making it easy to see project progress and team contributions. For example, a task called “Review Phase 1 Deliverables” would be directly associated with the relevant client project.
Tracking Task Progress and Status #
Workslayr provides intuitive ways to track the status of your tasks. Each task has a clear status (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Complete), which can be updated by the assignee as they work. This real-time visibility allows managers to quickly identify bottlenecks or overdue items. For employees, their individual tasks are prominently displayed on their My Dashboard, helping them prioritize their workload. This dashboard often includes widgets showing pending and overdue tasks, ensuring employees are always aware of their immediate responsibilities.
Additionally, tasks can include sub-tasks for even finer granularity, further breaking down complex work. This hierarchical structure helps in tackling intricate projects by dividing them into smaller, more achievable milestones. For critical client engagements, keeping detailed task records tied to specific agreements is essential. For instance, after successfully drafting and signing a contract, you would create tasks to fulfill the agreed-upon services.
Effectively managing your workload and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks is crucial for any service-based business. Workslayr’s task management functionality allows you to break down large initiatives into actionable steps, assign responsibilities, and track progress seamlessly. This guide will walk you through the process of creating tasks within Workslayr, ensuring every detail is captured for successful project execution.
Understanding Task Creation in Workslayr #
Workslayr emphasizes linking tasks to larger organizational units like Projects or Clients to provide context and consolidate tracking. When you create a task, you’re not just noting an item on a to-do list; you’re integrating it into your operational workflow. This ensures that all efforts contribute to a defined objective, whether it’s part of a client engagement or an internal company initiative.
The process of creating tasks is designed to be flexible yet comprehensive, allowing you to define all necessary parameters from the outset. This includes assigning the task to specific employees, setting due dates, estimating effort, and linking it to relevant work items. This level of detail helps streamline communication and accountability across your team.
Steps to Create a New Task #
Creating a task in Workslayr is a straightforward process that helps ensure clarity and accountability for every piece of work. By following these steps, you can set up tasks that clearly define what needs to be done, by whom, and when, integrating them directly into your broader project and client management workflows.
- Navigate to Tasks: From your main dashboard, find and click on the ‘Tasks’ module in the left navigation panel.
- Initiate Task Creation: Look for a ‘New Task’ or ‘Add Task’ button, often represented by a plus (+) icon, and click it to open the task creation form.
- Fill in Task Details: Provide a clear and concise Task Name. This should accurately describe the work to be performed.
- Assign Project or Client: Crucially, link the task to an existing project or a client. This association helps in reporting, billing, and keeping your work organized. If the task is internal and not linked to a specific project or client, you may have an option to mark it as such.
- Assign Task Owner: Select the employee or team member responsible for completing the task.
- Set Due Dates and Time Estimates: Define a Due Date for the task. You can also add an optional Estimated Hours to help with planning and resource allocation.
- Add Description and Attachments: Provide a detailed description of the task requirements. You can also upload relevant files or documents that the assignee might need to complete the task.
- Set Priority and Status: Choose a Priority Level (e.g., High, Medium, Low) and an initial Status (e.g., To Do, In Progress).
- Save Your Task: Once all information is entered, click ‘Save’ to create the task. It will now appear in your task lists and relevant project views.
Workslayr’s task management is designed to provide visibility and control over all operational activities. Leveraging these features not only helps individual employees manage their day-to-day work but also provides administrators with a holistic view of workload distribution and project progress through the Admin Dashboard.
Workslayr provides various methods for assigning tasks to employees. Assignment rules determine who is responsible for a task and how it appears on individual My Dashboard views.
Tasks can be assigned directly to individual employees or shared with entire teams. This flexibility supports different project structures and workforce allocation methods.
Direct Assignment #
Direct assignment involves specifically designating one or more employees to a task. These employees become the primary owners and are responsible for completing the task.
- The assigned employee’s My Dashboard will display the task under their pending or overdue tasks widget.
- Timely completion of directly assigned tasks contributes to project progress and overall employee performance metrics.
Team Assignment #
Tasks can be assigned to a team rather than specific individuals. When a task is assigned to a team, any member of that team can claim responsibility for it.
This method is useful for shared workloads without requiring granular individual assignments for every task. The first team member to claim the task becomes the owner for tracking purposes.
Project-Based Assignments #
Tasks are inherently linked to projects. When you create a task within a project, the assignment options will reflect the members associated with that project.
Assigning project tasks ensures they are visible to relevant team members and contribute to the project’s overall tracking and reporting. For tasks that are not client-specific but part of internal operations, they can be assigned within an internal project.
Client-Based Assignments #
For client-facing work, tasks are often tied directly to a client‘s work order or contract. The assignment of these tasks may be influenced by which employees are designated to work with that specific client.
Workslayr utilizes task statuses to indicate the progress and state of individual tasks. These statuses provide an overview for both assignees and project managers, allowing for tracking of work items from creation to completion.
Each task is assigned a specific status, reflecting its current stage. Task statuses aid in workflow management and reporting within Projects and for individual employees.
Understanding Task Statuses #
Tasks in Workslayr progress through various statuses. These statuses help visualize where a task stands in its lifecycle.
- Backlog: New tasks awaiting assignment or prioritization.
- To Do: Tasks that are ready to be started.
- Doing: Tasks currently being worked on.
- On Hold: Tasks temporarily paused.
- Review: Tasks completed and awaiting approval or feedback.
- Done: Tasks that are fully completed.
The status of a task can be updated by the task assignee or a project manager. This update is typically performed directly from the task details view.
Impact of Task Statuses #
Task statuses influence how tasks are displayed and filtered across the platform. For example, statuses are used in Dashboard Widget Settings and in project reports to show progress.
Changing a task’s status can trigger specific actions or notifications, depending on the system configuration. This ensures relevant users are informed of progress. The status also impacts data used for Time Log Reports.
Workslayr allows for the categorization of Projects and tasks using priorities and labels. This helps organize work and provides visual cues for importance or type.
Task Priorities #
Task priorities define the urgency of a task. Workslayr includes four predefined priority levels. These priorities are visible in relevant task lists and dashboards.
- Low: Tasks with minimal urgency.
- Medium: Tasks requiring attention but not immediate action.
- High: Tasks that are important and require prompt completion.
- Urgent: Tasks that are critical and need immediate completion.
Setting a priority for a task helps employees understand its importance relative to other assigned work. This can be viewed on My Dashboard or within specific Projects.
Task Labels #
Task labels are customizable tags used for further categorization of tasks. They function similarly to custom categories, allowing you to filter and sort tasks based on specific criteria.
Labels can indicate a task’s type, department association, or any other relevant characteristic. For example, a label could identify tasks related to Contracts, Invoices, or specific Clients.
To manage task labels, navigate to the task settings within the Workslayr platform. You can create, edit, or delete labels as needed. Applying labels assists in tracking and reporting for different types of work or stages of a Project.
Subtasks divide larger tasks into smaller, manageable units. Each subtask can be assigned, tracked, and completed independently while remaining associated with its main task.
Subtasks facilitate detailed tracking and distribution of work for individual tasks within projects or other workflows.
Creating and Managing Subtasks #
Subtasks are created and managed directly from the parent task’s detail view. When viewing a task, a dedicated section allows for subtask creation and oversight.
To create a subtask:
- Navigate to the detail page of the parent task.
- Locate the “Subtasks” section.
- Click the “Add Subtask” button.
- Enter the subtask details, including title, assignee, and due date.
- Save the subtask.
Each subtask can be assigned to a specific employee and given a due date, similar to a main task. Progress on subtasks contributes to the overall completion status of the parent task.
Subtask Status and Tracking #
Subtasks have their own status indicators (e.g., pending, in progress, completed). Completing all subtasks associated with a parent task can automatically update the parent task’s status to reflect progress.
Work completed on subtasks can be logged via time logs. This allows for accurate tracking of effort at a granular level. Subtasks are a functional component of managing work related to contracts and client deliverables.
Workslayr tasks support the attachment of files and provide a dedicated section for comments. This functionality centralizes information and communication directly within each task record, making it relevant for Projects, which is part of Workslayr core modules. This includes both the My Dashboard and Admin Dashboard.
Files can be uploaded to a task to provide context, references, or completed work. For example, design mockups, specification documents, or research materials can be attached. This ensures that all necessary information is accessible to the assigned employees.
The comments section facilitates direct communication among task participants. Team members can post updates, ask questions, provide feedback, or log progress notes. All comments are associated with the task and displayed chronologically.
Managing Task Files #
To add files to a task, navigate to the specific task details page. Within this page, there will be an option to upload files. Workslayr supports various file types for uploads.
- Uploaded files are stored as part of the task record.
- Users with appropriate permissions can download attached files.
- File attachments contribute to the completeness of the task record.
Utilizing Task Comments #
The comment section provides a record of discussions related to the task. To post a comment, locate the comments area on the task details page and enter text into the input field. New comments appear below previous entries.
Comments can be used for:
- Brief real-time updates on progress.
- Clarifying task requirements for employees.
- Notifying team members of changes or issues.
- Documenting decisions made regarding the task.
This feature helps maintain a communication thread related to each product or service, separate from general project or client communications. The use of task-specific file attachments and comments helps keep task information consolidated and accessible.
Workslayr tracks all modifications made to a task within its history. This feature provides a record of changes, including who made them and when.
To access the history, open a task and navigate to the ‘Activity’ tab. This section displays a chronological log of actions performed on the task.
The audit trail records specific types of changes. These often relate to project oversight and modifications to task parameters.
- Task Creation: Records when the task was initially created.
- Status Changes: Logs transitions between project phases.
- Assignee Changes: Documents when a staff member is assigned or unassigned.
- Time Log Updates: Reflects any changes to recorded time, similar to how contracts track updates.
- Due Date Modifications: Captures alterations to the task’s deadline.
- Comment Additions: Records new comments or discussions.
The history serves as a reference for administrators to monitor task progression and modifications. This ensures transparency in project management and individual employee contributions.
