Overview
This article covers task creation, management, and some brand new updates to support Task Templates and Relative Task Due dates.
We'll start with task creation & management, but feel free to jump ahead to Task Templates or Relative Due Dates.
Task Creation & Management
1. Click on the Tasks tab
In this example we'll create a task for a specific trip, but you can also access Tasks from Contacts or from your Global Nav.
2. Create a new task
Since this is a new trip, we don't have any tasks associated with it yet. We can create a new task by clicking the "Add Task" button.
3. Give your task a name & description
4. Assign your task
If you assign the task to another advisor, they'll get a notification in Tern's notification center, by push, and by email. Assigning a task to yourself doesn't send a notification.
5. Select a due date, and notice auto-tagging
Tern automatically categorizes tasks into "Overdue", "Due Today", "Due Soon" and "Due Later" based on the due date. You can use these to filter in the tasks overview page.
6. Don't forget to toggle off 'Email Notification' if you don't want a due date reminder
Reminders are sent automatically the day before your task is due, to everyone assigned to the task. Each advisor assigned to a task due tomorrow gets one summary each morning in Tern's notification center (the bell in the top navigation) and by push in the Tern for Advisors app. They also get one reminder email per task. To stop the reminder emails for all your tasks, go to Settings → Notifications and switch off Email under Tasks → Tasks due tomorrow. For more, see Notification Center.
7. You can filter tasks using the filter button
You can search for tasks using the search bar or filter by clicking 'Filter.' The filter menu will appear on the right side of the screen. The Tasks tab shows Incomplete tasks by default. To see finished tasks, click Completed at the top of the list. If the list is empty but the task count at the top of the trip shows tasks, see Task count shows tasks but the list is empty at the end of this article.
Task Templates
Task Templates allow you to create a Task in your library, and easily use it later
1. To create a Task Template, go to your library and select 'Tasks'
2. Create a new Task Template
3. Fill out the details as you would normally
4. You'll notice you can't choose specific travelers, because you haven't added this task to a trip yet
5. To apply a template, select 'Add Task Template' from Trip Tasks or Contact Tasks
6. Select your template
7. A new task will be created from your template
Make sure to review the details to see if you need to customize anything for that particular trip or contact
Tip: you can also save an existing task as a template.
Use the action menu for any task you've already created and select 'Save as Task Template'. Note that if you've added related trips or contacts or assigned travelers to your task, that information will be cleared out in the template itself.
Relative Due Dates
A task's due date is either Fixed or Relative. A Fixed date stays put when the trip's dates change. A Relative date moves with the trip's start or end date. If a task came from a workflow, clicking Apply Updates on that workflow resets the task's due date to the workflow's setting, even if you changed it on the trip.
1. When creating a Task or Task Template, you'll notice a new 'due date' option to select Relative Dates.
2. You can set due dates relative to trip start/end dates, or relative to when your task is created
Important note: "After Task Creation" will only show up if you create a Task Template - not when you create a task from a specific trip or contact.
3. You can set due dates relative to trip start/end dates, or relative to when your task is created
Important note: if you have multiple itineraries 'pending' with conflicting dates, or your trip does not have trip dates set, we won't be able to calculate a due date.
You can still create this task - the due date will be set once a single itinerary is 'approved' or trip dates are set.
Troubleshooting
Task count shows tasks but the list is empty
The task count at the top of a trip, for example "0/3 Tasks," shows how many tasks on the trip are completed out of the total. The first number is completed tasks. The second number is every task on the trip.
If the count includes a task you just added, that task is saved. Don't add it again. Adding it again creates duplicate tasks.
Check the Incomplete and Completed views. The list shows Incomplete tasks by default. If the first number in the count is above 0, click Completed to see the finished tasks.
Check your filters and search. Click Filter and make sure Due Within, Status and Assignee are blank. Clear the search bar.
Refresh the page.
If the count still shows tasks and the list is still empty after steps 1-3, contact Tern support. Include the trip link and the name of each missing task.
Every task on a trip shows on that trip's Tasks tab for anyone who can open it. Who created the task, who owns the trip, and who the task is assigned to don't change whether it appears, unless you've set the Assignee filter.