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Help Project Managers

Adding a task to a project

Once you've added a project, you can add as many tasks as you need to it. Each task can have sub-tasks. You can also assign resources to tasks, when you add tasks or later from the Resourcing tab.

Once you've added tasks, you can monitor how work is progressing against each task, and for the project as a whole.

Adding a task

Before adding the first task to a project, ensure it is set to use your desired task date rollup option, either Manually Set or Calculated Automatically. Refer to Choosing whether a project’s task dates roll up to their parent task for more information.

To add a task:

  1. Add or open a project, and click the Edit button, located in the top, right-hand corner of the page.

  1. Click Tasks.
  2. Click the + Task button located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the page.

  1. Complete the task fields in the dialog that displays, then click Add Task.
  2. To add a sub-task to a task, click the + icon next to the task name, complete the fields, and click Add Task.

About key task fields

Field name

 Description

Code

An alternate way of identifying the project, in addition to its name

Start Date
End Date

Defines the date range for the task.

These dates do not limit time entry – resources can enter time against the task on dates that fall outside this range

Role

The type of worker required to complete this task.

Task Owner

The team leader for the task, who knows what the rest of the team is doing, and directs their work. Some organization's may only allow the task owner to record hours worked on a project, to keep tighter control over estimates and progress. Will display in the Task Owner column for that task on the Tasks tab.

Estimated Hours

The number of hours you estimate the task should take to complete.

The value saved in this field does not update based on new estimates from SmartBeats.

Estimated Cost

The amount you estimate the task should cost, based on the hours estimate.

The value saved in this field does not update based on new estimates from SmartBeats.

Time & Expense Entry Allowed

Choose No if time/expense entry isn't allowed.

If it is, choose whether hours recorded are:

  • Billable
  • Non-Billable, or
  • Billable & Non-Billable

Cost Type

Whether the task's costs represent capital expenditures (CapEx) or operating expenses (OpEx). Available in Polaris PPM only.

Milestone

Enable this check box to mark this task as a billing milestone, that can be recognized by milestone-based bill plans 

Custom fields

Task custom fields you have set up in your system

Resource Assignment section

Assign resources to the task, and the number or hours you expect them to work.

Resources must first be either allocated or allowed access to the project before you can assign them to the task.

Refer to Assigning resources and hours estimates to a task for more information.

Assigning resources and hours estimates to a task

If a resource has been assigned to a project, either via allocation or through being allowed to enter time against it, they can be assigned directly to specific tasks on that project. Refer to Assigning resources to a task for more information.

Once a resource is assigned to a task, they can record time they worked on that task in their timesheet and via SmartBeats.

Plus, you can set an estimate for the number of hours you expect each resource to spend working on a task. Resources can view their hours estimate in the Work Remaining field in SmartBeats. These estimates will also be used to calculate completion estimates for the task and project.

To assign resources and hours estimates:

  1. When adding a task, click + RESOURCE to add the resource required to complete the task, if you haven't already added them.

Resource must already have access to the project to be available to choose from.

You can also assign resources to tasks via the Resourcing > Timesheet Access tab.

  1. In the Hours column, record the hours you expect each resource to work on the task.

The hours for the task will be automatically totaled, and a red variance tab displays if the total doesn't match the total hours estimate you set. Generally speaking, these two values should match.

Editing a task

To edit task fields:

  1. Click the task's name.

  1. In the side panel that displays, click the icon to make fields editable.
  2. Click Save when you've finished making changes.

Closing a task

Closing a task has a couple of effects:

  • Hours can be recorded against closed tasks, via beats or in timesheets
  • Closed tasks won’t display in timesheets or on the beat pages.
  • If a task is a milestone task named in a Fixed Bid Milestone bill plan, closing the task signals completion of the milestone; the associated amount becomes available for billing

To close a task:

  1. Open the Tasks tab.
  2. Click the task name.
  3. Click Open in the panel that displays.
  4. Select Closed.

You can reopen the task at any time.

To delete a task, click its name, and click REMOVE.

FAQs

Why can’t I see a schedule bar for a task?

Ensure you’ve entered both a start and end date for the task. Task schedule bars only display if both are present.

Why can’t I add any tasks?

Ensure you’ve clicked the Edit button located in the top, right-hand corner of the page.

What does the Milestone option mean?

Enabling the Milestone check box for a task makes that task available to be used as a milestone for the project, if you’re using a Fixed Bid Milestone bill plan.

Why aren’t a user’s tasks appearing on their My Work > My SmartBeats page?

Tasks are only available on that page when the project status is set to Execution, if your administrator has limited time entry to the Execution phase.

Part of a task bar is a different color. What does this mean?

The dark portion of the bar shows the hours recorded against the task, as a proportion of the current estimate for total hours at completion.

Related topics

Adding a project
Assigning resources to a task
Requesting project resources
All about resourcing