Teamwork Project Manager

What are task lists?

Task lists are simply a collection of individual tasks. Task lists can not be assigned to people but the individual tasks in a list can be assigned to multiple people.

Example:

• Task List 1
  • Task 1
  • Task 2
  • :
  • Task n
• Task List 2
  • Task 1
  • Task 2
  • :
  • Task n
• Task List 3
  • Task 1
  • Task 2
  • :
  • Task n

What is the difference between Task Lists and Milestones?

Task lists are groups of tasks. Milestones are specific points in time that mark when a significant part of a project is reached.

Task Lists can be attached to Milestones.

Example:

• Milestone 1 - Has a due date
  • Task List 1
    • Task 1.1
    • Task 1.2
    • :
    • Task 1.n
  • Task List 2
    • Task 1
    • Task 2
    • :
    • Task 2.n
• Milestone 2 - Has a due date

Can I create task list templates?

Yes. Task list templates can be created in the Settings area of your installation.

When you create Task List Templates, they will now show on the Create Task List form when you create a new Task List in a project.

The new task list will be populated with the tasks assigned to the template you used to create the new Task List and can be assigned to a person, have a due date and marked as public/private

Is a notification sent about changes/addition of tasks to a project?

Notification emails are sent to people that are assigned to the task if you select the "Notify this person" option when creating or editing each task.

If a task is assigned to Anyone and you choose to the notify option, every user on the project will get a notification email.

Is it possible to add a link to a Notebook page on a Task item? I'd like to be able to add a link to a page with more information on how to complete the task - i.e. additional training, special account information, etc.

You can't associate a notebook directly with a task. However there are 2 options you can do here:

1. When entering the task, you can click the "Add a longer description" link and a bigger text box will appear into which you can put the full details.
   
2. You could first create a notebook and then copy the link to the notebook into the task description.

Who can add/edit or delete tasks?

If a person has Can add/edit task lists permissions, is an Administrator or has the project specific Project Administrator permission, they can access the tasks tab.

Adding Tasks

• Administrators can add tasks
• Project Administrators can add tasks
• Users with "Can add/edit task lists" permission can add tasks

Editing Tasks

• Administrators can edit all tasks
• Project Administrators can edit all tasks
• Users with "Can add/edit task lists" permission can edit the following tasks
  • Tasks assigned to them
  • Tasks assigned to "Anyone"
  • Tasks they created themselves

Deleting Tasks

• Administrators can delete all tasks
• Project Administrators can delete all tasks
• Users with "Can add/edit task lists" permission can delete the following tasks
  • Tasks created by them
  • Tasks assigned to "Anyone"

Who can Add/Edit or Delete task lists?

If a person has Can add/edit task lists permissions, is an Administrator or has the project specific Project Administrator permission, they can access the tasks tab.

Adding Task Lists

• Administrators can add task lists
• Project Administrators can add task lists
• Users with "Can add/edit task lists" permission can add task lists

Editing Task Lists

• Administrators can edit all task lists
• Project Administrators can edit all task lists
• Users with "Can add/edit task lists" permission can edit all task lists 

Deleting Task Lists

• Administrators can delete all task lists
• Project Administrators can delete all task lists

Can I assign tasks to multiple people?

Yes. When you create a task you can choose multiple people or a single person (or Anyone)

You can also choose whether each person picked or any person picked need to complete the task.

Tasks with multiple people assigned are listed as follows:

• [Daniel M.] This is an example task assigned to one person
• [Daniel M. + 3 more] This is an example task with 4 people assigned to it

If the person currently logged in is viewing a task assigned to multiple people and they are part of the task assignment list, it shows their name + x more.

Note: This option is only available when you are creating new tasks and is not available when you edit an existing task.

Can I create recurring tasks?

Yes. You can create tasks that repeat at certain intervals.

When a task is set to repeat, the next task in the sequence is created when the latest task is marked as complete. You can also inspect the future repeating dates and create a task that repeats in the future if you want to modify certain details for one task in the sequence.

You can also create recurring events on the Calendar and associate that event with a project.

Can I create a task via email?

Yes. Each project has a unique email address that allows you to send emails to the Tasks section of a project.

You can view/customize this email address by clicking the "Post a task via email" link on the left of the Tasks tab in each project.

These will be added to the Inbox task list.

• You can create a single task or multiple tasks.
• Each task list can also has a unique email address if you want to create tasks in a specific list.
• Attachments will be saved with the message if you are creating a single task.
• Attachments are ignored if you are sending multiple tasks in the same email.
• Only emails sent from your email address registered on Teamwork will be accepted.

Additional Parameters

• You can use @person in the subject or in each line if there are multiple tasks (e.g: @dan @peter) to assign a task to a person on the project
  • The @mention can be the login name or a combination of firstname and lastname
  • For example
    • A user called "Daniel Mackey" with a login "dmackey" can be "mentioned" by @dan, @daniel, @danielmac, @danielmackey or @dmackey
• You can append private+ to the email address to make the tasks private
• You can append notify+ to the email address to send a notification email 
• You can set the priority of tasks by adding a number of ! characters to the task
  • ! = Low Priority
  • !! = Medium Priority
  • !!! = High Priority
• You can add a short description by putting it in curly braces e.g: {quick description} - Line breaks are not allowed so keep it all on one line!
• You can specify a due date by including the date in square brackets. Use the date format that is set in your Teamwork account
  • Examples
    • [22/03/2012]
    • [today]
    • [next week]
    • [friday]
    • etc

Additional From Email Addresses

Alot of people have multiple devices and email accounts so your email address is not always the email you registered as your primary email address in Teamwork.

If you click your name in the top right and choose My Details, you can add up to 3 more alternative email addresses that you will be matched against.

Note on Attachments

• Attachments are not saved if you are creating multiple tasks from one email
• Attachments from emails forwarded through mail.app on iOS do not work
  • Photos or Documents sent directly through an iOS app do work (ie: Not forwarded)
• Exchange Servers sometimes attach attachments as winmail.dat which are ignored
  • See Microsoft Tech Note : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138053

Tip: Also check out this FAQ for forwarding emails from a custom email address

Can I keep a task list from closing when the last task is completed?

Yes.

If you click the Pin icon on the right of the Task List, the task list will not close when the last task is completed.

To disable this feature on a task list, just click the Pin icon again

Only Administrators can change this setting.

Can I Collapse/Expand task lists?

Yes.

Click the + and - icons on the right of the task list to Collapse or Expand the list.

This is a per user setting.

Can I create a Task List template from an existing Task List?

Yes.

If you click the Task List options menu and select Save as template...

This option only shows for Administrators in the owner company.

Note:

Currently the Task List Template feature does not save Dependencies or Recurring information associated with the tasks in the Task List.

Only the task name, description and privacy are saved in the template.

We will be expanding the Task List Templates functionality in the future to save all details of a task.

Can I move a task to another list? / Can I move a task to another project?

Yes - open the task option menu (displayed to the left of each task) and select the option "Move Task".

You will see two tabs - "Move to list" and "Move to project" which allow you to easily pick another task list or project to move this task to.

Note:

When you move a task to another project, only the task is moved. Any files, comments or time logs will not be moved with it. This is because the files or time logs may be in use by other items such as Invoices, messages, other tasks etc.

Can I make task lists private?

Yes. You can mark a task list as private which is then only visible to members of your company.

Only private tasks can be added to a private task list.

If you edit a non-private task list and make it private, you will first need to mark all tasks as private.

Can files be attached to tasks?

Yes. If you edit a task you can attach files using the Files tab of the Edit Screen.

You can choose to upload new files or select from existing files uploaded to your project.

Can I get a daily report of my upcoming and late tasks?

Yes. This is an optional feature per user. You can opt-in to receive a Daily Report email that is sent every morning at 5am your local time containing your upcoming and late tasks & milestones.

To activate this per user:

• Edit the user
• On the Notifications tab, choose "Receive daily 'Project Report' email
• Choose whether to send it even if the user does not have upcoming or late items

The report is sent to users who have selected to receive it and have logged in to your Teamwork site at least once in the last 30 days.

NOTE: Tasks and Milestones are considered upcoming if they are not complete and are due within 14 days of the email being sent.

How do I set the percentage complete on a task?

Each task has a drop-down to the left of it which gives you quick access to functions relating to the task.

One of the options in this menu is Set % Complete

Clicking this options allows you to set the percentage complete.

How to I reorder my task lists?

On the Tasks tab of each project, you can click "Reorder lists" on the left hand side under "Options".

When you click this link, the view changes to show the Task Lists which can be dragged/dropped into position.

Why is it when I check off a Task assigned to me, I don't get a notification email that the Task was completed?

When you complete a task, TeamworkPM will send an email notification to the person who created that task. However, it will not send the notification if you completed a task you had created for yourself.

Can I turn off receiving a completed task email notification?

By default if you create a task for another user and they complete the task, you get a notification alerting you that they have completed the task assigned to them.

You can opt out of receiving this email by clicking your name in the top right, choosing My Details.

On the Notifications tab, you can enable/disable this notification by changing the "Receive task completed emails" setting.

This is a per user setting. Administrators can modify this setting for other users in your Teamwork account using the People & Companies page and editing each user.

Can I retrospectively change the date a task was completed?

Sometimes people check Tasks off late. If you are an Administrator or Project Administrator you can change the date a task was completed from the Task View Page.

When you view a task, on the left hand side next to the date the task was completed, you can click Modify to change the date the task is shown as completed on.

Can I add an estimated time to tasks?

Yes. When you add or edit a task you can specify how much time you think this task will take.

Once you add an estimated time to a task it is displayed on the right hand side of the task when you are viewing a task list.

Can I Move/Copy an entire Task List to another project?

Yes. If you are an Administrator or Project Administrator you can move or copy a Task List to another project.

Moving A Task List

To move the task list, click the Task List Options menu and choose "Move/Copy to another project".

All tasks, comments and timelogs will also be moved to the new project. If a task being moved is assigned to a person who is not a member of the target project, the task will be re-assigned to "Anyone"

Copying A Task List

To copy the task list to another project, click the Task List Options menu and choose "Move/Copy to another project".

All tasks in this list will be copied to the new project. If a task being copied is assigned to a person who is not a member of the target project, the task will be re-assigned to "Anyone"

Dependencies and Repeating Tasks will also be copied.

Can I assign tasks, set the due date etc when I use the Quick Add Tasks?

Yes. The Quick Add->Tasks works in the same way as sending tasks via email.

Have a look at our syntax guide for sending tasks via email for more information on what's allowed when using the quick add tasks method.