Tasks
What are Tasks in EInflow?
The central theme of the program is tasks (but may be, for example: jobs, or projects, tickler, matters, maintenance records, etc.). This is because almost all the other information is usually linked to the tasks. Although each task may truly be a task, it can be a job, or project, or just a simple "tickler" record. The "date next" field is one of the ways they system keeps only the important information in front of you.
The main point of the task record is to provide a central point to tie the other information together. The people, the documents, the correspondence, the notes, the project or client time tracked, the individual employee time behind each job or matter, the material and labor cost records, the client and invoicing information all revolve around the task.
Since the idea is to easily manage multiple sources and numerous bits of information, the main screen for the system is considered to be the Task Control Center. This is where a large majority of the functions are available with a mouse click or two. Tasks contain enough information to act as the "black board" and main focal point for changing information.
When to use Tasks
Use tasks when you want to create a record of just about anything you want to track. If you want to log date, time and note or memo information and follow it up later, create a task. Then, the other information will be tied to the task.
One of it's main functions is to use it as a tickler card to remind you at the right time to follow up on it. Then, all the information is right there as part of it.
The other information includes people, companies, user, categories, groups, time log, events: future and past, employee time, clients, cost items and invoice billing items. These can all be connected to the tasks.
Since this is the main focal area, most functions are accessed from the Task View, which is seen after pressing the Tasks button from the main menu.
What is Task Detail?
The task detail is entered and view via the task forms or task view so that it is always related to a "parent" task.
The task detail being attached to the tasks, is the "line item detail" of the task record. It can represent multiple information types: scheduled appointments and meetings, calls, time log, time billed, cost items or any type of detail associated with a task.
See Task Detail for more detailed information.
Task Form Fields
The task file has several fields of information used to describe the task in the detail you want for the purpose needed.
The tasks are linked with the user entered when starting the system, (or later from the menu). The user field allows different people to be involved with the same database.
The task record is a flexible form to put in may different types of information. You'll never need to fill out all fields of information -- only ones which are needed.
Follow-up Date
The next date you want the system to list the task when you look for incomplete tasks from the Task Control Center. This date system is how it's possible to maintain hundreds of tasks: by date priority. Just change the date and it won't appear until that date, unless you're looking at all tasks from the Task Control Center.
Status
Checking this field anything but complete will mean the task is still open. This has the most meaning when you are browsing the tasks because this is one of the prime sort fields to help keep the tasks organized.
Task Type
The category of task is handled by the task type field. A typical list of task types is included with the system, allowing you to get the idea of task types possible. Of course, you can easily add or delete any of them.
The task type will probably change over time as the task is updated. For example, it may start as a call, then be a letter, then be a meeting, and then a call again. Whatever task it is assigned, when you add a task note, the note will automatically be filled in with the same task type.
Person Number
Because it's possible to have people with the same name, they are automatically numbered by the order they're entered. You don't have to remember any body's number though, because you usually already have the person number filled out from when the task was created. Also, if you want to change the number, there's a lookup browse which lets you select the person and the number will be entered for you by the system.
Client Field
The client field is used if the task represents a task related to a customer of yours. There is a billing area which accommodates billing information if the task is a billing job or invoice.
This field calls another look-up file, the "Customer" file, which allows you to keep your clients or customers in a separate file. This file can be used with other Cadence Group business system products.
Label
Each task has a field called "label". The label is the name you give the task and is very important because it's used to help you locate the task later on. It can also be used to group several people together with a common task name. The label doesn't have to be unique -- it allows you to type anything that makes sense to you when you want to find the task later on.
If you don't assign it a label, Cadenzia will automatically assign it to the company name plus the first part of the first name of the person when you are creating a new company with a new person.
Description
The description field gives you a little more room to describe the task. It is visible when scrolling through tasks in the tasks main view. When you insert a new task detail record, this line is typed in for you, so you can save some typing when you have several detail records and a common description for each.
Group
Another field to help organize the tasks. If you have tasks that may be in several major categories or groups, use this field to designate them and call them up in the Group tab in the Task Control Center. Like the task type field, this field allows you to set up the lookup file to make sure your entries exactly match when you want them to match. You might use this field if you have several tasks you want to keep together for easy retrieval later.