There are a couple of ways how to use task bundles, but to put it simply – task bundles act like task templates for contacts and projects. For example, if you use a similar procedure (same set of tasks) for each of your projects, just create a task bundle and then add it to each new project. Or, if you take similar steps for each of your sales leads, you can assign a task bundle to each new lead (contact).
To add new task bundles go to Tasks > Task bundles.
Task bundles can be added to contacts (companies and people) and projects. If you add a task bundle from a document detailed view (e.g. a quote), it's still linked to the relevant contact.
To create a new task bundle, click on + New in the task bundle list. Give it a name to be able to choose the right bundle when adding it to a contact or a project, then click Add.
A saved task bundle appears in the list as active, shared with other users, and empty. In the list view you can modify the bundle's name (just click on the pencil icon on the task bundle row), deactivate it, make it private (stop sharing with other users), delete it or add tasks to it.
It is possible to filter the list of bundles by users and use the search feature to find a specific bundle.
Tasks can be added to the bundle by clicking on the button New task.
A simplified task modify view opens up, where you can fill in the task data.
Use the task timeframe to define the start and due date of the task. In case the project has already started, the moment you link the bundle to the project (today) is taken as the basis for calculating the start and due dates. If it's a future project, the start date of the project is used as the trigger. For example, the task start date is set to 3 days and the due date to 7 days from the project start date (in case of a future project). If the project starts on June 1, the start date of the task is June 4, and the due date June 8.
Note! There's a project setting to include a weekend in the workweek, in which case the task start and due dates are allowed to fall on weekend days.
Clicking on Save will take you back to the list of bundles, Save and add another will save the task and allow you to add another one.
If you're also using task dependencies, then you can add them when viewing the task bundle.
You add dependencies between tasks by dragging the predecessor start and end drag handles between tasks. The start and due dates of each task will be automatically updated, so a best practice would be to define the task duration using the start and due dates, and then add dependencies for our system to calculate the expected start and due dates.
You can also add dependencies by manually entering the predecessor task number on the predecessor field. You can define the dependency type by entering one of the four abbreviations or add a buffer via a plus sign after the order number.
There are four types of dependencies that can be used, each with its own abbreviation:
- Finish to start -> FS
- Start to finish -> SF
- Finish to finish -> FF
- Start to start -> SS
If you wish to discard the changes when manually entering the predecessor, then you can close the modal by pressing the Escape key.
To make the list of task bundles more compact, click on the name of the bundle to hide the tasks in the bundle. Click on the name again to collapse the list for a detailed view.
The tasks are added to the bundle in alphabetical order. You can drag them into suitable order, in which case the order you set will also be used when adding the bundle to a project or contact.
A task bundle can be added, for example, when you are creating a new contact or a project (company or person). In the modify view, select the bundle from the Phases and milestones section - either by itself or by creating a phase first and adding it underneath.
If you want to add a new task bundle to an already existing project (or contact), open the project's detailed view and go to List within the Tasks section. Click Add and select Add task bundle.
A task bundle can also be added from the company/person or project list by selecting the necessary contact or project and clicking the Add task bundle button on the additional buttons toolbar.
The added tasks appear in the Planned activities section on the contact card or project detailed view. If the tasks in the bundle were assigned to someone by default, the tasks also appear in the task lists of the assignees.
When a task bundle has been added to a contact or project, the tasks can be modified in the task lists of the assignees (or filter them out in your task list) in the Planned activities section of the contact card or project detailed view.