Tasks
You can add Tasks to records throughout your CRM as a way of tracking and storing information about your business activities, so the details are accessible to everyone in your team.
This page will take you through the available features of Tasks in your CRM.
Where you can use Tasks
The Task function is available in the following modules of your CRM: Contacts, Companies, Opportunities, Quotes, Orders, Invoices, Outbound Shipments, Stocktakes, Stock Transfers, Stock Transfer Shipments, Requests For Quote, Purchase Orders, Supplier Bills, Inbound Shipments, Supplier Companies, Supplier Contacts, Campaigns, Tickets, Projects, Jobs and Training Courses.
Where your Tasks will appear will depend on where you create them:
- From List View in most modules: if you create a new Task from List View in any module, it will only be linked to the Contact and/or Company record/s you select when you are creating the Task. There will be a button on the module toolbar in List View where the Task function is available.
Module list view Toolbar
- Directly from a record in most modules: if you create a new Task directly from a record in any module of CRM, it will apply to both the record you are in, as well as the Contact and/or Company record/s you select when you are creating the Task. For example, if you created a Task from an Invoice record and selected a Company and/or Contact to link it to, the Task will show up on all three timelines (i.e. the Invoice, Company and Contact timelines). There will be a button on the record toolbar where the Task function is available.
Module record toolbar
Selecting a Contact and Company for a Task to apply to
When you create a new Task and select a Company to apply it to, the system will automatically populate the Contact drop-down field with people that are linked to the Company record.
You can customise the following Task field values with your own options:
- Priority
- Status
- Type
- Currently With
You can do this from the Admin Module.
Admin > Settings > Activity > Task.
Customising values in these fields allow for you to organise and segment your team’s workflow.
From a record – pending Tasks
When you create a Task from anywhere within CRM, an activity is automatically created on the associated record/s in the Planned Activities area. When due date for a Task has passed, it will move to the Timeline area and form part of the record history.
The Company and/or Contact that you chose when you created the Task will determine which records the Task will be visible from. The following example shows the Planned Activities area in a Contact record.
A Task in the Planned Activities section of a Contact record
From a record – completed Tasks
When the due date for a Task has passed, it will automatically move from Planned Activities to the Timeline area and form part of the record history.
A Contact Timeline showing a Task that has passed it’s due date
From Notifications – when a Task reminder is set
When you add a reminder to a Task, you will receive a Notification in CRM when your reminder is triggered.
Accessing the Notifications area
When the reminder appears in the Notifications area, you have the option to snooze the reminder or clear it.
A Task reminder in Notifications
From the Calendar module – all Tasks
You can also view all the Tasks that have been created from anywhere in your CRM from a single point, by using the Calendar module in List View.
Accessing the Calendar module
Once in List View, you will see a list of Activities from all over your system – you can then refine what you see by using the filters and search boxes.
Calendar module in List View showing Activities – you can filter your view or search for particular criteria
There are 2 Task forms in CRM:
- Simple – this is a short form with a link to open the Task in advanced mode at the bottom.
When you create a Task from an activity toolbar, it will open in simple mode by default and you can switch to advanced mode.
- Advanced – this mode opens the full-size record.
If you create a new Task using the New Task button from Calendar & Activity > Tasks, it will open in advanced mode by default.
Hovering over a Task on a Timeline or in Planned Activities will give you the option to edit or delete the Task.
Hover over a Task on a Timeline to reveal the edit and delete options
Hover over a Task in Planned Activities to reveal the edit and delete options
You can set reminders for your Tasks, which will prompt a Notification to appear in CRM. To set a notification on a Task, simply click on the bell icon, which will reveal the option to choose a time for your reminder (this is the time before your Task is due when the reminder will appear).
You can customise the time intervals that appear on your Reminder list from Admin>Settings>Activity>Task.
Click on the bell icon to create a reminder
Choose a reminder time
Your reminder will appear in the Notifications area of CRM.
A Task reminder in Notifications
You can click on the Priority field when creating a new Task to choose from Low, Medium or High. This function helps you to organise your workflow, as you will be able to search your CRM for Tasks based on their priorities and due dates.
By default, all new Tasks will have a Medium priority assigned. You can customise the options that appear on your Priority list from Admin>Settings>Activity>Task.
Choosing a Task priority
Tasks work in conjunction with Time – you can have multiple Time entries that are added up to determine the total time spent on a Task.
You can add Time from Calendar & Activity > Time or from a Task in Advanced View.
Adding new Time from Calendar & Activity > Time
Linking Time to a Task
Adding Time to a Task in Advanced View
You can view all the Time spent on a Task from the Time tab in Advanced View.
Viewing Time on a Task in Advanced View
For more about how to do this, refer to our Time Billing guide.
You can categorise your Tasks by applying different types to them, which will help you to search, sort and assign them. Click on the Type field when creating a new Task to choose from the available options.
You can customise the options that appear on your Type list from Admin>Settings>Activity>Task.
Setting a Task priority
Assigning Tasks
You can assign Tasks to your users with the Assign To field, click on the field to reveal a list of users to choose from – this list is automatically populated with your active users. Assigning a user has the following implications:
- The assignee will receive an email notification with details of the Task.
- Any reminders set for the Task will show up in the assignee’s Notification area in CRM.
Assigning a Task to a user
Setting Task responsibility
You can use the Currently With field to determine whether responsibility for the Task lies with you or a customer. You can customise the options that appear on your Currently With list from Admin>Settings>Activity>Task.
Setting Task responsibility
You can use the Attendee field to invite other people or resources to a Task – just click on the field button to display a search box that allows you to search and select from people and resources in your CRM. Adding attendees to a Task has the following implications:
- People invited as an attendee will receive a Task notification email.
- Resources invited as an attendee will have the specified time (the time between the task start and end dates) added to their resource calendar as a meeting.
You can add or amend Resources in your CRM from Admin>Calendar>Resources>All Resources.
Choosing Attendees for a Task
Choosing people and resources for a Task
You can categorise your Tasks by applying different statuses to them, which will help you to search, sort and assign them. Click on the Status field when creating a new Task to choose from the available options.
You can customise the time options that appear on your Status list from Admin>Settings>Activity>Task.
Setting a Task status
Setting Task dates
You can use the Start, End and Due Date fields to apply dates and times to your Tasks.
The Due Date field determines where the Task will display in a record – if the date is upcoming, the Task will appear in Planned Activities area and if the date has passed, the Task will appear on the record Timeline.
Date fields in a new Task
Estimating time for a Task
You can add the time you think a Task will take to complete using the Estimated Hours field – this is a great way for teams and individuals to track and manage their workflow.
Add the estimated time to a Task
You can choose from existing Tasks if they apply to a new Task i.e. the new Task is depends on another Task being completed first.
In the example below, if I have a Task to “Order more coffee from Fred”, I may need to complete an earlier Task to “Confirm coffee prices with Fred” before I can proceed with my ordering Task.
Dependencies are a great way to organise complex Tasks that may involve multiple parties or stages.
Choosing other Tasks that your current one depends on
You can attach files to your Tasks by clicking on the paperclip icon, which will open a window prompting you to select a file.
Depending on the size of your attachment, it may take a moment to load and will then appear next to the paperclip icon.
Attaching a file to a Task
A Task with an attachment
The Task form includes a formatting toolbar, providing you with the ability to customise your task body with the following features. Hovering over each of the buttons will reveal a description of the button function.
- Font – choose a font and size and have the option to apply bold, italics, underline or strikethrough to the text and change the colour.
- Text format – increase/decrease indent, add a numbered or bullet point list, align text to left, centre, right or justify.
- Email format – choose a background colour from the palette.
- Insert an image – from either a URL or file upload.
- Add or remove a link – available for URL, email, phone or link to an anchor in the task text.
Email formatting toolbar
Rather than typing a Task, you can use the native voice transcription feature to turn your voice into text. While you are speaking, the system will record your audio and you will have the option to save the recorded audio as an attachment so that it will form part of the Task activity on the applicable record Timeline.
To begin voice transcription, press the microphone icon when you are creating a new Note and start talking – the system will begin transcribing your speech (there may be a slight delay in the text appearing in the note body).
Click on the microphone to start voice transcription
If your browser does not already have permission for Tall Emu CRM to use your microphone, a prompt will display and you will need to choose Allow.
Example of browser permission to enable a microphone
When the voice transcription starts, the microphone icon changes to a square – click on the square to stop the transcription.
The microphone icon changes to a square when the voice transcription starts
When you end the voice transcription, you will have the option to save your recorded audio as an attachment to the Task activity, or select Cancel to abandon the recording.
Choose whether to save the transcription audio file
If you choose to save the audio file, you will see it attached to the Task – click Save.
An audio file attached to a new Task
You can now edit any of the text that has been transcribed before you save the Task.
Rather than typing a Task, you can record and attach an audio file instead of, or in addition to typed text.
To record an attach an audio file to your Note activity record, just click on the microphone button and the recording will immediately start. If you are speaking during the recording, the voice transcription feature will automatically commence and start turning your speech into text within the note body.
Click on the microphone to start recording Task audio
If your browser does not already have permission for Tall Emu CRM to use your microphone, a prompt will display and you will need to choose Allow.
Example of browser permission to enable a microphone
When the recording starts, the microphone icon changes to a square – click on the square to stop recording audio.
The microphone icon changes to a square when recording starts
When you stop recording, you will then be prompted to save the audio file. If you are not happy with it and would like to start again, simply choose Cancel and you will return to the Task form.
When you stop recording, you are prompted to save the audio
When you click OK to save the audio file, you will see it attached to the Task – click Save.
An audio file attached to a new Task
You can then delete the transcribed text from the message body if you do not want to include it in the body of your Task.