Adding and updating tasks

Open the

Project

dialog.

In the
Clients
setup screen (Setup > Clients), select the client for which you want to add task information and select the
Edit
button. On the Projects tab, select the
Add
or
Edit
button to open the
Projects
dialog.
In the
Manage Projects
screen (Actions > Manage Projects), right-click the project list and choose either
Add Project
or
Edit Selected Projects
from the context menu.
You can also right-click any
Project
field (for example, in Time & Expense Entry) and choose
Add Project
or
Edit Project
from the context menu.

In the

Project

dialog, go to the Tasks tab.

Select the

Add

button to open the

Task

dialog.

Identification:

Order:
The default order number is 1 for the first task that you add to a project. For each additional task, the application assigns the next available number. However, you can enter a duplicate order number, if necessary.
note
For tasks that are concurrent, you may want to use duplicate order numbers. When the preceding task is completed, notifications will be sent that both concurrent tasks are ready if you have set up notifications at the Firm level. Both of those tasks must be completed before a notification is sent that the next task is ready.
Activity:
Select the activity for the current task.
Description:
If you want the task description to be something other than the default description inherited from the Activity, enter a new description.

Task information: Make a selection in the

Tracking

field. The default for new tasks is Not Started. Select a tracking description from the drop-down list. If you have security permission, you can right-click to add or edit a tracking description in the drop-down list.

Budget information: Mark the

Calculate amount automatically

checkbox to have the budgeted amount calculate automatically based on the staff rate of the assigned staff member. Leave the checkbox unmarked if you want to enter the task budget information in the

Hours Budgeted

and/or

Amount Budgeted

fields manually or select the Down arrow button and use the drop-down calculator to enter the numbers. You can also make manual adjustments to the number shown in the

Est. Remaining

field.

Target dates:

Start:
To specify the project’s target start date, complete the
month(s)
and/or
day(s)
fields, and then select
Before due date
or
After received date
from the drop-down list.
Complete:
To specify the target completion date, complete the
month(s)
and/or
day(s)
fields, and then select
Before due date
or
After received date
from the drop-down list.

Assigned: Select the More button to select a staff to assign to the project.

manually assign staff to the task based on their qualifications. Select a filter from the list, or select the More button next to the
Staff qualifications
field and create a filter to specify which qualifications the assigned staff must possess to work on the task.
automatically assign staff to the task based on a work queue. When you select the
Work queue
option, the task will be placed in a queue that appears in the Work Queue portlet of the Staff Dashboard only for those staff who meet the qualifications.
go to the Scheduling tab to view the schedules of all qualified staff members and assign the task to a staff member or to the work queue by marking the appropriate checkbox.

Solution:

Select solution:
Select the solution you will use to complete the task from the drop-down list. This field defaults to the solution for the project.
When you select a solution (Microsoft Word or Excel, or other application) for a project or task, DT Practice will do the following when you launch the solution from the project or task:
If the client exists in the solution that you have selected, the client will be opened automatically.
If you have entered a file path for Word or Excel, the document in the file path will open automatically.
DT Practice will automatically start a timer, if you have the
Start Timer for Projects
checkbox marked in Setup > User Preferences > Time & Expense Entry. When you close the client, document, or application, the timer is stopped. You then need to post the recorded time to Time & Expense Entry.
If the solution you want to use is not available in the drop-down list, enter the path in the
Solution path
field and select the More button to navigate to the solution.

Notes: Enter an optional comment in the text box.

Go to the Scheduling tab if you want to view the schedules of all qualified staff members. You can assign the task by marking the checkbox for a staff member or the work queue.

The Links tab enables you to add links to any items that you want to associate with the task. You can link to files, websites, or documents outside of DT Practice, including documents stored in DT FileCabinet. You can also link to interaction items within DT Practice.

The Custom Fields tab provides fields in which you can enter additional information for the task. Custom fields can be checkboxes, dates, lists, numeric fields, staff lists, or text-entry fields. Custom fields for dates have a drop-down calendar. Numeric custom fields have a drop-down calculator. DT Practice allows you to create your own custom fields and field names for offices, staff, activities, clients, engagements, projects, tasks, and time & expense entry. Using custom fields enables you to track additional information in the application. You can create checkboxes, date fields, numeric fields, text fields (up to 4000 characters long), lists, and staff lists. To create custom fields, choose Setup > Custom Fields and then Offices, Staff, Activities, Clients, Engagements, Projects, Tasks, or Time & Expense Entry, depending on where you want the custom fields to appear within DT Practice.

Select

OK

to save the task.

Select the task that you want to update.

In the Clients setup screen (Setup > Clients), select the client for which you want to update task information and select the
Edit
button. Go to the Projects tab, expand the project to which the task belongs, and select the task. Then select the
Edit
button (or right-click the task and choose Edit Task) to open the
Task
dialog.
In the
Project
dialog, go to the Tasks tab, and select the task that you want to update.
In the
Manage Projects
screen, select the project in the entry grid, then right-click the task you want to update in the lower part of the grid and choose
Edit Selected Tasks
from the context menu.
In the
Manage Projects
screen, go to the Project Tasks tab. Right-click the task that you want to update and choose
Edit Selected Tasks
from the context menu.
In the
Time & Expense Entry
screen, select a project from the drop-down list in the
Project
field. Select the Task Selection button to open the
Task Selection
dialog and select the task that you want to update.

Select the

Edit

button or right-click and choose

Edit Task

from the context menu.

Update the task information as needed.

Select

OK

to save your changes.