Skip to main content

How to Create a Task from Scratch

Saeker Team avatar
Written by Saeker Team
Updated over 6 years ago

A ‘Task’ is a recurring job generally, though not exclusively, linked to health and safety and usually falling within planned preventative maintenance or safety checks.

Before creating a task you should add all of the locations and assets that you will be creating tasks for. For example, add all the vehicles as assets if you are creating a vehicle check. 

Click the yellow + in top right-hand corner, select ‘Add Task’.

Select ‘New task from scratch’.

  1. Add the task title. 

  2. Add the assignees. These are the users you want to undertake the task. A list of users is available when you click ‘+ Task assignees’, and you can use the search facility to quickly find the right team member. You can add more than one enabling of the assignees will be able to complete the task.

4. The ‘Lock task’ function allows you to select users who can edit the task. Select ‘Yes’ and select the users who can make changes using the drop list.

5. Select ‘External task’ if this is a planned preventative maintenance (PPM) task to be undertaken by an external contractor e.g. Six-monthly fire alarm service. The task will show in a separate column in your ‘My work’ area. 

6. 'Task support’: You can add some information or media to describe your task. Either giving a brief description or uploading instruction guidance in written, image or video form via ‘Add Media’.

The ‘Add Media’ button allows you to upload documents and video for two purposes, namely:

  1. To add procedure notes that support users with completing the task. This might explain to users how to complete the vehicle check task or you can make a short video for the same purpose; and

  2. To add a document that you want the user to complete as part of the task. You can instruct the assignees to complete this document when you create the task question(s) later on.

If the task you are creating isn’t related to compliance, you can select to exclude it. This will remove it from the dashboard compliance and efficiency tracker. 

7. Locations and Assets: select the location that the task applies to and click ‘Add’ to make it appear in the right-hand box. In the example below Location 2 has been selected. 

If your task specifically relates to the kitchen, you can select the location and sub-location before adding them both. 

Assets: Using the vehicle check example, select and add the location where the vehicles are and then select and add the vehicle(s) from the assets list. 

Cycling through location/assets allows you to carry out checks on multiple locations/assets over a period of time, or by a number of locations/assets on each run. Examples of where you would use this function are hotel bedroom checks or weekly fire alarm call point testing.  Drop down options will appear allowing you to choose the frequency and number of each.

8. Date and Time: Choose the date you wish for the task to commence (the default setting is when you create it).

The ‘Grace period before’ allows the task to be completed before the scheduled due date, but only where the previous occurrence has been completed.

The ‘Grace period after’ is the time permitted after the task becomes due that the user has to complete the task.

Assuming you have indicated that a document is required to verify the completion of the task, the ‘Grace period for documents’ is the time permitted after completion of the task the user has to upload any documents.

Task notifies: allows you to select a team member to receive an email if the task is not completed within the selected time frame.

There are a range of frequency options available from once (for a one-off task) to yearly which can set with the slider.

Once you have selected your frequency you will see a drop down giving the option to indicate when, by date and count, you wish for the task to end.

Excluding dates: should you be creating a seasonal task you have the facility to exclude specific time frames.

You also have the option to add any questions that need to be answered when completing the task. For example…

“Are the tyres in good condition and road legal with sufficient tread?

You then finally have the option to add a user to be notified when a major failure occurs. This may be the area manager for example.

9. Adding Questions:

Enter your question and ‘Add’. 

There is answer flexibility which enables yes/no (you can choose whether yes or no is the correct answer to avoid a tick box scenario), a numerical answer and the ability for you to create a bespoke multiple-choice dropdown where you can create a value that indicates a pass.

There is also the option to create sections by clicking ‘+Header’.

In order to set the value of the answer click on the three dots and select ‘Settings’.

A pop-up screen will give you the options available for the answer type you have chosen in addition to trigger a major fail and fix it options.

Note: You can add multiple options if you have selected ‘Dropdown’ by clicking on ‘+Choice’ though don’t forget to choose the value that indicates a pass before you save.

10. Major Failure Notification: In the case of a major failure a senior team member can be selected for immediate notification.

Finally, click on ‘Add task’ in the bottom right of your screen to save the task.

Did this answer your question?