Tasks

Tasks resolve Requests.

The team that is associated with the project category that a Request references reviews the Request and determines if it can be addressed in the project. If the Request will be addressed, a Task is created and associated with the Request. Anyone looking at Request can see which Tasks are needed to fulfill it. Anyone looking at the Task can see which Request it is intended to complete.

A Task record:
  • Is owned by a member of the project team.
  • Contains all information about where the Request will be addressed.
  • Represents an aggregation of work activities spread across multiple team members.
  • Includes references to all associated Activities that are required to complete the Task.
  • Is mastered at the owner's database replica site. (For example, a record in the Opened state might be first mastered at a Developer Lead's database replica site and then be mastered at the Tester's site when the Task is in the Activated state.)
  • Refers back to the Request which the Task is intended to complete.
  • Allows for comments and questions to be added to it.

In the primary flow for a Task, the Task starts in an Opened state. The Task record is moved to the Activated state when work is being done. When a resolution is accepted, the record is moved to a Completed state.

Managing a Task

Typically, some lead role (which may be the same as the developer/project manager role), processes the workflow for a Task. In the basic work process, Activities that resolve the Task are created and then assigned.

The Task owner typically creates Activities that will complete the Task. The Task owner normally uses the CreateActivity action which creates a set of necessary Activities based on the WorkConfiguration record for the project. For example, the Activate action could automatically create a unique Activity for Development, for Testing, and for Documentation.

Tracking and closing a Task includes:
  • Reviewing the state of any associated Activities. For activities in the Completed state, the engineering work is finished.
  • Setting the Complete action to close the Task (Completed state).