Tasks Overview

Tasks overview

Tasks help you keep track of work that needs to be done.

They work in a similar way to a to-do list, but with more structure around who is responsible, when the work is due and how it is progressing. You can use tasks for everyday follow-ups, preparation work for bookings, internal processes and one-off actions.

A task can be assigned to a user or team, given a priority and due date, and updated as work is completed. You can also add details and custom fields so the task contains the information the person responsible needs to act on it.

What a task includes

Each task can hold the key details of a piece of work.

This can include:

• A task name

• Details or instructions

• An assigned user or team

• A priority

• A status

• A due date

• Custom fields

The level of detail depends on the task. A simple reminder may only need a name, assignee and due date. A more involved task may need instructions, a priority, additional fields and a clear status so everyone can see what is happening.

The aim is to give the person responsible enough information to complete the work without needing to search through other records or ask for basic details.

Assigning tasks

Tasks can be assigned to a specific user or to a team.

Assign a task to an individual when one person is responsible for completing it. This is useful for work that has a clear owner, such as following up with a client, checking a detail or preparing something for a job.

Assign a task to a team when several people may be able to handle it or when the task belongs to a particular operational area. For example, a task may be assigned to the operations team when it relates to preparing work for an upcoming booking.

Clear assignment helps avoid tasks being missed because everyone assumed somebody else would handle them.

Priorities and due dates

Priorities help you show which work needs attention first.

Use a higher priority for tasks that are urgent, time-sensitive or likely to affect a client, booking or payment if they are missed. Use a lower priority for tasks that are useful but can wait.

Due dates give the task a clear deadline. They are especially useful when the work must happen before a booking, before a client can move to the next stage or by a particular date.

A task with an assignee, priority and due date is much easier to manage than a general reminder. It tells the team who needs to act, how important the task is and when it needs to be done.

Using statuses

Statuses show where a task is in its lifecycle.

As work moves forward, update the task status so the rest of the team can see whether it still needs attention. Once the work has been completed, you can set the task to Done or archive it.

Use Done when you want the completed task to remain available as part of the active task history. Archive a task when it no longer needs to appear in the working task list.

Keeping task statuses up to date makes task lists more useful. It helps staff focus on work that still needs action and gives managers a clearer view of what is outstanding.

Adding custom fields

Custom fields let you add information that is specific to how your business works.

You can add custom fields in different formats, then use them to collect the extra details a task needs. This can be helpful when the same type of task always requires certain information that does not fit into the task name or description.

For example, a task may need an internal reference, a client choice, a completion detail or another piece of information your team uses during the process.

Use custom fields when the information needs to be structured and consistent. Keep the task description for instructions and context, then use custom fields for the details you need to capture in the same way each time.

Tasks created by automations

Tasks can be created automatically through automations.

This is useful when the same action needs to happen whenever a particular event occurs. Instead of relying on someone to remember to create the task, the system can create it as part of the process.

Automatic tasks are particularly useful for regular follow-ups, internal checks and tasks that need to happen at the same point in every booking journey.

Before creating automated tasks, make sure the task name, assignment, due date and instructions are useful for the person receiving it. An automation can save time, but only if the task it creates gives the team clear direction.

Tasks for bookings and one-off work

Tasks can also be used for work that repeats for every booking.

For example, you may need a standard set of preparation or follow-up tasks whenever a booking reaches a particular stage. Creating these consistently helps your team follow the same process each time.

You can also create one-off tasks for work that only applies to a particular situation. These may be internal reminders, special client requests or actions that fall outside your usual workflow.

Use tasks whenever a piece of work needs an owner, a deadline or a clear record that it has been completed.