Service Production: Tasks and Timekeeping

Overview#

BOS Enterprise allows organisations to assign tasks to their staff and track the time staff take to complete those tasks. If applicable, these timekeeping records can be used to invoice customers. The interface to manage these records is known as the Production Board. This module is mostly used in the Service Industry. (See Production Planning for other industries.)

💡These tutorials explain how to use the Production Board to assign Tasks, and record Timekeeping against these tasks.

How to View a List of Tasks#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Set the filters as needed (See Modifying the List of Tasks' Display).
4. Click View (button).

How to Add a Custom Filter#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Set your Filters (e.g. Date, Assign to and Status)
4. Click + (button).
5. Enter a name for the filter in the block provided.
6. Click Save (icon).

How to Delete A Custom Filter#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. From the top list of Custom Filters, select the Filter you want to delete.
4. Click - (button)
5. Click Yes (button) for confirmation.

Working with Tasks#

How to Add a Task#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Click Actions (button) > Add a new Task.
4. Fill in the details on the popup as follows:
   1. Project = Select a Project from the dropdown list.
   2. Company = Select a Company from the dropdown list.
   3. Contact = Select a Contact from the dropdown list.
   4. Task from = Click the applicable radio button. The options are:
      1. Project: There is a corresponding project you can select.
      2. Items: There is a corresponding item you can select from the Items module.
      3. Custom: You are creating a custom task.
   5. Click Create Task (button).
   6. Edit the Task to complete the details that were not on the popup (see below).

How to Edit a Task#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Right-click the applicable task and select View / Edit Task.
3. Edit the task as follows:
   1. Status = Select a Status.
   2. Status Bar = Enter a note (optional).
   3. Required = Select a Date from the calendar.
   4. Time = Use the arrow keys to set a Time or enter one in the block.
   5. Date = Select a Date from the calendar.
   6. Customer = Select a Customer from the dropdown list.
   7. Contact = Select a Contact from the dropdown list.
   8. Category = Select a Category from the dropdown list.
   9. Description = Enter a short Description of the Task.
   10. Est Hr/s = Enter in how long you expect the task to take in hours.
   11. Assign the task to someone:
       1. Select a user from the dropdown list next to Assign (button).
       2. Click Assign (button).
   12. Click Edit Specification (button) and describe what the user should do in the provided block.
   13. Click Add Attachment / Link and add a link or attachment if required (see How to Add Attachments / Links below).
4. Click Close (button).

How to Add Attachments / Links#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Right-click the applicable task and select Add Attachments/Links.
3. Fill in the details on the popup as follows:
   1. Description = Enter a Description for the attachment.
   2. Type = Select a Type from the dropdown list. The options are:
      • Document (.pdf)
      • File
      • Link
      • Image (.jpg, .png)
      • Signature (Start)
      • Signature (Stop)
   3. URL/Filename = Paste a website address (or enter it).
   4. Transaction Item = Select an item from the dropdown list of items linked to the task.
   5. Click Save (button).
   6. Click Close (button) if the popup is still open.

How to Open the Linked Transaction#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Right-click the applicable task and select Open Transaction.

How to Open the Linked Service Manager Ticket#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Right-click the applicable task and select Open SM Ticket.

How to Change Tasks' Statuses#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Select the Tasks you want to update (Use Ctrl + left-click to select multiple tasks).
3. Click Actions (button) > Batch Update.
4. Select Status on the dropdown list next to Update.
5. Select a Status from the dropdown list in the next block.
6. Click Update (button).
7. Confirm the change on the popup.

How to Change a Tasks' Categories#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Select the Tasks you want to update (Use Ctrl + left-click to select multiple tasks).
3. Click Actions (button) > Batch Update.
4. Select Category on the dropdown list next to Update.
5. Select a Category from the dropdown list in the next block.
6. Click Update (button).
7. Confirm the change on the popup.

How to Change Tasks' Start Dates#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Select the Tasks you want to update (Use Ctrl + left-click to select multiple tasks).
3. Click Actions (button) > Batch Update.
4. Select Start Date on the dropdown list next to Update.
5. Select a Date from the calendar in the adjacent block.
6. Click Update (button).
7. Confirm the change on the popup.

How to Change Tasks' Due Dates#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Select the tasks you want to update (Use Ctrl + left-click to select multiple tasks).
3. Click Actions (button) > Batch Update.
4. Select Due Date on the dropdown list next to Update.
5. Select a Date from the calendar in the adjacent block.
6. Click Update (button).
7. Confirm the change on the popup.

How to Assign Multiple Tasks#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Select the Tasks you want to update (Use Ctrl + left-click to select multiple tasks).
3. Click Actions (button) > Batch Update.
4. Select Assign to from the dropdown list next to Update.
5. Select a User from the dropdown list in the adjacent field.
6. Click Add (button) to add the selected user or click Remove (button) to remove the selected user.
7. Confirm the change on the popup.

Working with Timekeeping#

How to Start Timekeeping for a Linked Task#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Click the Task you want to start.
3. Click Actions (button) > Start.
4. The Actual Hours column (Act Hr/s) is highlighted on the active task.

How to Start Timekeeping for an Unlinked Task#

1. Navigate to the Production Board (e.g. Menu (button) > Projects or Menu (button) > Tasks).
2. Click Actions (button) > Start (Unlinked).
3. Fill in the following details on the popup:
   1. Customer = Select a Customer from the dropdown list.
   2. Reference = Select a Reference from the dropdown list or enter one if there is no list.
   3. Enter a Note in the block provided of duties completed.
   4. Click Stop (button).

How to Stop Timekeeping#

1. Navigate to the Production Board (e.g. Menu (button) > Projects or Menu (button) > Tasks).
2. Click Actions (button) > Stop.
3. On the popup:
   1. Enter a Note in the block provided (e.g. what duties were performed).
   2. Click Stop (button).
   3. Click Close (button).

How to Unstop Timekeeping#

1. From the popup where you just clicked Stop (button), click Unstop (button).
   • Note: If the popup was closed, you cannot go back to it and unstop it. You must start the timekeeping again.

How to Delete a Timekeeping Record#

1. Navigate to the Production Board (e.g. Menu (button) > Projects or Menu (button) > Tasks).
2. Click Actions (button) > Edit or Stop under the Timekeeping heading.
3. Edit or Stop a Timekeeping record.
4. From the popup, click Delete (button).
   • Note: This feature is to delete timekeeping records that were started in error.

How to Edit an Open Timekeeping Record#

1. Display a list of Tasks.
2. Click Actions (button) > Edit.
3. Enter any notes in the block.
4. Click Close (button) or Stop (button) whichever applies.

Modifying the List of Tasks' Display#

How to Rearrange Tasks#

1. Display a list of Tasks. 
2. Right-click a task you want to move and select Move Up or Move Down.

How to Order Tasks by Start Date#

1. Display a list of Tasks. 
2. Click Actions (button) > Order by Start.
3. Confirm the change on the popup.

How to Filter Tasks by Required Date#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Select a Date option next to Date.
4. Refine the dates in the fields provided if applicable. (This option only applies to certain date selections.)
5. Click View (button).

How to Filter Tasks by Project#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Select a Project on the dropdown list next to Project.
4. Click View (button).

How to Filter Tasks by Status#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Check or uncheck the checkboxes next to the Statuses: Pending, Active, Complete.
4. Click View (button).

How to Filter Tasks by User#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Select a User from the dropdown list next to Assign to.
4. Click View (button).

How to View the Number of Hours Taken#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. Check the checkbox next to Show Hr/s.
4. Click View (button).

How to Apply Preset Custom Filters#

1. Navigate to the Production Board.
2. Click Menu (button) > Tasks.
3. From the top of the screen, select a filter from the dropdown list next to the + – buttons (e.g. User – Active to display all the user's active tasks).
4. Click View (button).