Managed task monitoring and collaboration
Creating task manager containers
The FirstClass task management feature allows you to assign a task to another person and monitor that task in a task manager container. A task manager container can also be used to monitor a project that consists of multiple tasks.
Everyone involved in a task can comment on it, so that discussion about the task is kept in one place, inside the task manager container.
The task manager container's list of tasks uses the following appearance codes for tasks with certain states:
| Appearance | Task state |
|---|---|
| red | overdue |
| bold | urgent |
| pink | deferred, waiting for something, or cancelled |
| green | completed |
To add a managed task to a task manager container, use the New Managed Task button, then complete the managed task form.
Note
Anyone you assign to a task must first be a member of the task manager container and have appropriate permissions. Details are below under "Creating task manager containers".
The managed task form consists of the following fields in the envelope, as well as a body where you can enter additional information.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Notify me of changes | Sends a notification email to everyone who ticks this checkbox whenever the task is updated. Everyone who can open this task can update this field. |
| State | The status of the task. Assignees acknowledge receipt of the task here and update the task status. |
| Progress | The percentage of the task that is complete. |
| Limit editing to State and Progress | Assignees can only edit the State and Progress fields. You as creator can also edit those fields. If you want to edit other fields, clear the checkbox, then reset it when you are done. |
| Priority | If you change the priority to Urgent, the task appears in bold in the task manager container. |
| Description | The task description as you want to see it in the task manager container. |
| Created by | Your name appears here automatically. |
| Assigned to | The person you want to be responsible for this task. Enter their name just as you would when addressing a message. When State changes from Assigned to Acknowledged, you will know that the assignee has accepted the task. It isn't necessary to assign this task to anyone, if you plan to do it yourself. |
| Scheduled start | The date the task is scheduled to start. If there is no specific start date, leave the field blank. To set a scheduled start date, select this field. The date/time popup lets you change the month, year, date, and time (drag the sliders or select the slider bars to change the hour and minute). |
| Due date | The task's due date. If there is no due date, leave the field blank. Set the due date and time as for Scheduled start. |
| Started on | The actual date that work started on the task. This date is automatically filled in when the assignee chooses In Progress at State. |
| Completed on | The actual date that the task was completed. This date is automatically filled in when the assignee chooses Completed at State. |
| Time zone | The time zone for this task's dates. This overrides the default time zone set in your preferences, allowing you to set tasks in different time zones. |
| Attach | Attaches a file that is on your device to the task. Browse for and select the file, or take a picture. To attach an object that is on your server (such as a FirstClass document or an uploaded file), drag the file or other object to the task's envelope. You can also use this method as a shortcut to attach files that are on your device. |
| Done | Asks you what you want to do with the task. The options you see depend on whether this task has already been published. New and draft tasks give you the option to publish, save as draft, or delete the task. Publish saves the task and displays it for everyone to see in the task manager container. Save as Draft saves the task as a draft, making it visible only to you. Published tasks give you the option to save or discard your updates. |
| menu | Comment lets you discuss a task. Type and format your comment, then select Post. Print prints the task using your device's standard print method. Delete deletes the task. |
When you assign someone a managed task, a notification email goes to their mailbox. This is the only personal email they will receive about this task unless they tick the Notify me of changes checkbox on the managed task form. Anyone with access to this task can request these notifications.
Ensure that the task manager container has appropriate permissions for the people who are assigned tasks (for example, an access level of Contributor). This allows an assignee to open their task and change its status, as well as participate in task discussions inside the container. Permissions are described below, under "Creating task manager containers".
You and assignees can comment on a task by choosing Comment from its menu. In turn, comments can be replied to by opening them in the container and using the Reply button. All comments and replies to them are listed under the task as a message thread that you can expand or collapse just as you do any other groups of objects in columns.
As an assignee works on a task, they can update the task form to change the task status and percent complete. Any update they make will flag the task and container, thereby notifying you even if you didn't choose to receive emailed notifications of changes.
To change task information, open the task and update it. You and assignees can always change State and Progress.
If you ticked the Limit editing to State and Progress checkbox, this is all assignees can update, other than turning on or off emailed notifications of changes. If you as creator want to update anything else, first clear this checkbox. Remember to reset it after your changes are made.
To change the status of a managed task, choose the appropriate status at State.
When the status is changed to In Progress, the current date is displayed at Started on. This date can be changed.
When the status is changed to Completed, the percent complete automatically becomes 100 and the current date is displayed at Completed on. This date can be changed.
If it's necessary to revert a completed task to a different status, choose the new status. The completion date is automatically removed.
To create a task manager container on your homepage, choose New Container from your homepage's menu, then select Task Manager. Follow the prompts to give your task manager container an icon, name, and description.
When you are done, select Create. Your new task manager container is added to the end of your homepage.
To create a task manager container elsewhere, open the container where you want it to be created, choose New Container from the New button's dropdown menu, then follow the same procedure you would on your homepage. You can access your new task manager container using the container's Folders button.
To protect your task manager container from being deleted by accident, open it, choose Properties from its menu, then tick the Protected checkbox. If you really want to delete this task manager container in the future, you must first clear this checkbox.
You use permissions to control how your task manager container behaves (for example, what others can do in the container).
To set task manager container permissions, open the task manager container, choose Permissions from its menu, then fill in the permissions form:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Do not publish in Directory | Prevents the task manager container from showing up in the Directory. This keeps others from knowing about your task manager container unless you tell them. It also means you can use any name you want for it, without it conflicting with a published name. |
| Belongs to | Unless you are familiar with groups and how they affect behavior, we recommend you leave this field as is. |
| Who | This is the area where you set permissions that control what others can do in your task manager container. It's described in the next section. |
Task manager containers are intended as collaborative areas. At a minimum, you need to give access to people to whom you assign the tasks that this container will store. To do this, you first set permissions that control what they can do in your task manager container, then you make your task manager container available to them.
To specify what you want someone to be able to do in your task manager container, update the Who section of the permissions form. You must do this for every person and group with access to your task manager container.
First, enter the person or group's name under Who just as you would address a message to them. They can be anyone who is on your FirstClass server. The order in which you list people matters, because when someone opens your task manager container, FirstClass checks the Who list from the top down. When it finds the first occurrence of this person, or the first group to which they belong, it uses the permissions it finds there. This means that if the first thing you list is the All Users group, and make the access for that group Disallowed, no one will be able to access your task manager container.
Second, choose the access level for the person in the field to the right of their name. Access levels are predefined sets of permissions. You can assign an access level as is, or customize it by selecting and clearing the individual permissions which follow.
| This level | Gives these permissions |
|---|---|
| Disallowed | Prevents the person from accessing your task manager container. We recommend that you add the All Users group at the end of your list with this access level, to prevent anyone from inadvertently being able to access your task manager container. |
| Summary | The person can look at the list of objects in your task manager container, but not open them. |
| Browser | The person has the permissions of Summary plus can open objects in the container. |
| Reader | The person has the permissions of Browser plus can download attachments, view item histories, and search. |
| Contributor | The person has the permissions of Reader plus can post comments on tasks and reply to comments, delete any objects they added, and view this permissions form. |
| Approver | Doesn't apply to task manager containers. |
| Moderator | The person has the permissions of Contributor plus can delete any items, move items to subcontainers, post messages that exceed the size limit, edit documents, and move subcontainers. |
| Creator | The person has the permissions of Moderator plus can create subcontainers. |
| Controller | The person has the permissions of Creator plus can edit this permissions form, the task manager container's description, and posts sent by others. |
| Custom | Access is defined by the individual permissions that are selected. If you add or remove individual permissions for someone with another access level, their access level automatically becomes Custom. |
The icons to the right of the access level field represent the individual permissions that make up the levels. To toggle a permission on and off, select its icon.
Limitation
Be aware that certain permissions will only work if the person has been given appropriate privileges by your administrator.
From left to right, the individual permissions are:
| Permission | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Edit permissions | The person can edit this permissions form. This includes adding people at Who and making them members of the task manager container. |
| Moderator | Doesn't apply to task manager containers. |
| Delete any item | The person can delete any object, including posts sent by others, and move objects into subcontainers. |
| Create items | The person can post to the container, move objects into it, post oversize messages, and upload files without having to attach them to posts. |
| Edit read-only items | The person can edit objects that aren't normally editable, such as others' posts. For this permission to work, you must also select the Edit items permission. Be cautious about giving this permission, because it overrides normal FirstClass behavior. |
| Edit items | The person can edit any document and move subcontainers. |
| Save window and view properties | Doesn't apply to task manager containers. |
| Approve items | Doesn't apply to task manager containers. |
| Delete own items | The person can delete and change the properties of their own objects. |
| Open conference | The person can open your task manager container. This lets them see the objects in the container, but not open them. |
| Search items | The person can search your container. |
| Send items | The person can post to your container. |
| Open items | The person can open objects in your container. |
| Create subconferences | The person can create subcontainers in your container. |
| Download files & attachments | The person can download attached files and files that have been uploaded directly to your container. |
| View permissions | The person can view this permissions form, but not edit it. |
| View history | The person can view the history of objects in your container. |
To create a description of the task manager container for others to read, use the About button on the container's permissions form.
To make your task manager container available to someone, either create it in a container to which they already have access, or make them members of your container. Making someone a member puts a link to your container on their homepage.
To invite someone to become a member of your container, use the Members button on the container's permissions form. Enter the person's name in the members list just as you would address a message to them.
When you are done with the members list and permissions form, close them using the x button in the top right corner. Your changes are automatically saved.