ProjectTRACKER Help - Tasks

The ProjectTRACKER functionality is based on Programs, which consists of Tasks. A task might be broken down into smaller Activities, e.g. into SW -Definition, -Implementation and -Testing. A typical task page looks like:

Note: Only users with admin, team admin or project leader access rights can see and use this functionality!

Search Task

Task Task name filter.
Program Program name filter.
Task ID Task ID filter.
Task Group Task group filter.
Task Prio Task prio filter. Prio must be given in format: 1,2,3 …
Task Owner Task Owner filter.
Task Status Task Status filter.
Show Inactive When set also all inactive, and normally hidden tasks are shown.
excel3.jpg Export to MS Excel sheet.
Opens the Reports page showing all reports including 5 in the report view.

Tasks Inline Report

The tasks inline report with the name _Tasks Page Report is shown right to the Search Task form when defined by a user with “Report” rights.

Tasks Input Grid

ID1) Internal task ID. A tool tip with the task description is shown when moving the mouse cursor over the ID field. Clicking on the task ID will select only this task.
Trend of the last change to task Effort. Clicking on the icon will open the Task History / Trending.
Group2) Group name of the task. See Group Format.
Prio3) Prio of the task.
Program4) Name of the program associated to the task. Note: The program name will be only shown in case no default program is selected.
Task Name5) Name of the task.
Clicking on the note icon will open the Task Description page. A blue icon indicates that there is a description available. A tool tip with the content of the description is shown as soon the mouse cursor will be moved over this field.
Record Owner6)7) Owner of the task record.
Start Date8) Start date of the task. The lowest value of all tasks will be stored in the start date of the associated Programs.
End Date9) End date of the task. The highest value of all tasks will be stored in the start date of the associated Programs.
T-Box10) When set, task is time-boxed means time recording is possible only in between the start / end date range of the task.
Effort(PD)11) Planned effort for this task - see also Estimates.
Task Owner12) Task owner - if defined, users with “Own Task” right can change the task content, even when not the record owner or in the group of the record owner.
Task Status13) Task status14). Note: For Summary Tasks the task status shows the lowest status of all tasks belonging to the summary group.
Task Mapping15) Mapping task link – this might be used for dual reports on e.g. finance relevant associated tasks.
Effort Alloc. Shows the allocated Plan effort. Clicking on the link will call directly the Plan page for this task. Moving the mouse cursor over this field will show the resource allocation in a tool tip.
Clicking on the icon will call directly the Plan Allocate team members page, where you can quickly allocate resources, or check the resource allocation of the selected task. Note: You can only allocate resources but not delete any allocations! If you need to delete allocations go to the Plan page.
%Alloc. Shows the Plan effort percentage allocation in relation to the Effort.
Effort Done Shows the effort done from Efforts.
Effort Rem. Shows the remaining effort from Efforts. In case the task is done (remaining effort is 0) the Effort Rem. is shown in green color.
Total Estim. Shows the sum of effort done and remaining effort from Efforts.
%Total Estim. Shows the percentage of the sum of effort done and remaining effort from Efforts in relation to the Effort.
Active16) Set task to active / inactive. An inactive task is not visible in other ProjectTRACKER pages, e.g. task selection lists. Inactive tasks are also excluded from all effort calculations.
Copy Users with “Create” rights can copy or insert tasks depending on the Task Copy Options.
D/W Delete / Write indication. In case a check box □ is available you can delete the task. When you move the mouse cursor over the field a tool tip shows the owner and creation date of this record.
Indicates the record is write protected. To still write to your own records choose another filter criteria to reduce the list to entries you are allowed to write.

Notes:

  • Clicking on the □ checkbox will set or reset the values in all lines. To overtake the settings you have to press the Update button!
  • You need “Plan” access rights to use and access the Plan Allocate team members page!

Tasks Copy Options

Copy Tasks Copy task.
Copy Tasks+Alloc. Copy selected task and task allocations.
Copy Tasks+Alloc.+Year Copy selected task and task allocations. Task allocations will be moved to the current year setting. Note: The copy function exactly copies all fields of task. You have to modify the task dates and dependencies manually!
Task Templates List of task templates, which can be inserted below the current selected Copy task group level. Details see Task Templates.

Note: Only the Plan allocation values will be copied not the Curr. values.

Tasks Input Buttons

Update Store task entries.
Cancel Reload page without storing.

Task Description

Clicking on the icon will open the task description editor. As editor the FCK Editor is used. Press the help icon to get infos on how to use the FCK editor.

Task Description Input

Task Owner Task owner - if defined, users with “Own Task” right can change the task content, even when not the record owner or in the group of the record owner.
Grooming Status Grooming status.
Task Status Task status.
Default Activities This field shows “auto” activities assigned in the task description (see also Default Activities). Note: In case activities do not match activities belonging to the program or task activity group of this task, or the sum of activities is not 100% a warning in red is given.
Effort Best Case17) Best case effort estimation see “Software Estimation”18) page 106ff.
Effort Planned19) Most likely effort estimation see “Software Estimation”20) page 108ff.
Effort Worst Case21) Worst case effort estimation see “Software Estimation”22) page 106ff.
Expec. Case23) Is calculated according to Expected Case := (Effort Best Case + 4.0 * Effort Planned + Effort Worst Case) / 6.0 see “Software Estimation”24) page 109.

The values beside the Effort Best Case, Effort Planned and Effort Worst Case fields are extracted from the task description and can be copied to the effort fields via the Copy button. The Effort Deviation25) field is also extracted from the task description. The deviation value can be used in the Efforts page to correct the remaining efforts input. For details see Task Description Free Text Input.

Notes:

  • In case the Effort Planned is out of the range of Effort Best Case or Effort Worst Case a warning is given in the Expec. Case field.
  • The extracted Effort Best Case, Effort Planned and Effort Worst Case values are green in case they are identical to the saved effort values - otherwise they are red.

Task Description Input Buttons

Update Store description and efforts.
Copy Copy the efforts described in the text to the task effort fields. Note: Newly entered free text must be first saved via the Update button. The Copy button is only visible in case the task is not a summary task and task efforts are defined in the text!
Close Close description editor without saving.

References

26)Software Estimation - Demystifying the Black Art, Steve McConnell, Microsoft Press 2006

1) , 2) , 3) , 4) , 5) , 6) , 8) , 9) , 10) , 11) , 12) , 13) , 15) , 16)
Clicking on the headline will also sort the column
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Only for system administrator
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Configurable by the ProjectTRACKER PHP administrator
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Not visible in case of a summary task
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Ref Software Estimation
  • tracker/tasks.txt
  • Last modified: 2012/09/29 14:26
  • (external edit)