Ishtar.Tasks user manual

Contents

• Description
• Homepage
• My Tasks vs All Tasks
• Filters
• Kanban Board

What is Ishtar.Tasks?

Ishtar.Tasks is a modular task application that provides a clear overview of both simple and complex task sequences. It offers a user-friendly way to track, manage, and plan all tasks, helping users work more productively and in an organised manner. Users can also assign priorities to tasks, set deadlines, receive reminders, create subtasks, define dependencies, add checklists, and much more. For recurring tasks, Ishtar.Tasks also provides an automated solution.

Homepage

After launching the application, or by clicking the 'home' button, you will arrive at the homepage of Ishtar.Tasks. This page provides a general overview of all tasks you have access to. Team members can see what tasks exist, their current status, and who is working on them. By default, all tasks are displayed in a list view, but they can also be viewed on a Kanban board with swim lanes. By clicking on a task, you can quickly find all relevant information.

My Tasks vs All Tasks

By default, all tasks you have access to are displayed. This includes tasks assigned to colleagues within your department or group. If you are a manager, you will also see tasks of employees from subordinate groups within your organisation. Some projects may have restricted access. To view the tasks of such a project, you must have at least basic access to that project. Only Ishtar.Tasks administrators can view all tasks within the organisation.

You can customise the task overview to show only your own tasks. This includes:

• All tasks you created for yourself or assigned to others.
• Tasks where you are listed as the executor.
• Tasks where you have been assigned as an approver.

These options are also available in the Kanban board. When you change your view, your preference is automatically saved.

Filters

You can filter the task overview using one or more search terms.

1. Select the desired column from the left side.
2. Enter a search term.
3. Press "Enter" or click the search button to activate the filter.
4. If needed, you can add additional filters.

⚠️ The results depend on all active filters combined. For example, if you apply two filters to different columns, only tasks matching both filters will be shown.

To modify an active filter, select it, change the value, and reactivate it by pressing "Enter" or clicking the search button.

To remove a single active filter, click the delete button next to it . To remove all filters at once, click the "Reset Filters" button . Once filters are cleared, all tasks will be displayed again.

Kanban Board

In addition to the list view, tasks can also be displayed on the Kanban board, where tasks are represented as cardsgrouped into different columns based on their status. This provides a clear visual overview of task progress and responsibilities.

Task Management

Clicking on a specific task in the task overview and then selecting "Details" will open a pop-up displaying all relevant information about the task across multiple tabs.

Adding a New Task

To add a new task, click the "Add Task" button. A form will appear where all task-related details can be entered.

• The first tab, "Info", contains the essential details of the task.
• The task number is automatically generated but can be modified if needed.
• Enter a clear and concise name for the task.
• Additional details can be added in the description field.

Each task must have a task type assigned. Currently, there are three available types:

• Execution
• Event
• Meeting

There is no functional difference between these types yet, but future updates will introduce distinct features for each.

The task status is initially set to "New" and cannot be changed at creation. However, you can link a skill and assign the task to a specific project.

• Start Date & Deadline: These are automatically set to today's date. The deadline is calculated as start date + 2 months, but both dates can be manually adjusted or left blank.
• Assigning Team Members: You can immediately select one or more employees who will be responsible for completing the task.

⚠️ If an employee is already assigned to other tasks during the same period, an icon will indicate this next to their name.

If you have a license for Ishtar.Resource, you can also allocate necessary machines.

All required fields are marked with an asterisk. Some fields, such as email addresses, are optional but must be filled in correctly before saving.

Additional Task Features

By default, only the "Info" tab is displayed. However, you can use the "+" button to add additional tabs with extra functionalities:

• Progress Tracking
• Subtasks*
• Dependencies*
• Checklists
• Notifications*
• Attachments*
• Approval Workflow

(*Some functionalities can only be added after saving the task.)

Progress Tracking

If you add the progress tab, task completion can be tracked using one of three methods:

1. Manual Progress: A text field and slider allow manual progress updates (0-100%).
2. Time-Based Progress:
   • Enter the total estimated hours.
   • Update the hours spent.

   • The remaining time is automatically calculated.

     

3. Ishtar.Time Integration: If using Ishtar.Time, logged hours are automatically tracked.

Approval Workflow

This tab enables an approval process before a task is marked as complete.

• Description-Based: The approval workflow is restarted every time the task description is updated.
• DMS Library: Used for document approvals within Ishtar.DMS.
• File-Based: Requires at least one attachment before an approval workflow can be activated.

For each approval step, at least one person must be assigned as an approver. Approvers can be set to "all must approve" or "any can approve".

Once you have selected one of the above options, click the "+" button. This allows you to add a new approval round. Each round is automatically assigned a name with a sequential number. If you wish to rename the round, click the rename button , enter the desired name, and save the changes.

For each approval round, at least one person must be assigned as an approver. Click the "+" button in the respective round to add approvers. Repeat this step for all individuals whose approval is required. If approval is needed from only one of several assigned approvers, multiple people can be added using the dropdown menu. For example, if there are four approvers listed, both Tim and Miet must approve, while either Christopher or Wim can approve to move forward. 

⚠️ If any approver rejects the document or description, the approval status will immediately change to "Rejected", even if multiple approval rounds remain. If the document or description is modified, the approval workflow will restart from the beginning. 

Checklist

Tasks can include checklists for required actions before completion.

• Click "Add Item" to create checklist entries.
• Drag items to reorder them.
• Tick off completed items using the checkbox.

Attachments

You can attach files to tasks in the Attachments tab.

• Click "Upload" and select a file from your computer.
• Rename the file if needed.
• Use drag & drop to add files directly.

⚠️ File uploads are currently limited to one file at a time.

All uploaded files are stored within Ishtar.DMS.