# Create an activity

Create a Visit, Meeting, or Call from the Add new routes, enter its details, and save it.

## Create an activity

An activity records planned follow-up work as a Visit, Meeting, or Call. Choose the type
that matches the work you are arranging.

| If you need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Open the activity workspace | [My Desk activities](doc:my-desk-activities) |
| Create a Visit, Meeting, or Call | [Find the activity form](#find-the-activity-form) |
| Understand activity statuses after saving | [Activity status](doc:activity-status) |
| Work with files attached to an activity | [Libraries and files](doc:libraries-files) |

Mail activities use a different creation path.

## Before you start

Prerequisites

- Your Activities subscription is included.
- You know whether you are creating a Visit, Meeting, or Call.
- You have the details needed for the selected activity, including its required dates.
- You are creating a new activity rather than editing an existing activity.

Reach the form through the **Add new** menu. Leaving the form is protected by an
unsaved-changes warning.

## Find the activity form

Use the **Add new** menu to open a form for the activity type you are arranging.

Prerequisites

- You have the Activities feature available.

Steps

1. Open the **Add new** menu.
2. Select the activity type you need.

   | If you need to create… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | A visit with a destination and visit type | **Visit** |
   | A meeting with participants and a location | **Meeting** |
   | A call with a call use and description | **Call** |

3. Confirm that the heading matches the selected activity type.

![The Visit form with its activity fields and save controls](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/99d0ac0c1a4f31c24e94b0b027a7b83d.png)

**Result:** The form for the selected activity type is open.

To change an existing activity, open it from the activity workspace. To create a new
activity, use the **Add new** menu.

## Understand the activity form

The form keeps the common activity details together and changes the type-specific fields
for Visit, Meeting, or Call.

### Visit fields

| Field | Type | Required in the form |
|---|---|---|
| **Priority** | Select | Yes |
| **Title** | Text | Yes |
| **Start Date** | Date | Yes |
| **End Date** | Date | Yes |
| Participant edit option | Boolean | No |
| **Visit type** | Select | No |

On the Visit form, **Visit Purpose**, **Priority**, **To**, and **Visit type** have no
required marker; **Start Date** and **End Date** do. The form also labels **Prepared By**.

![The Visit form with the Priority control open](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/e10695bb419877cc1d83d1c3222c0b53.png)

### Meeting fields

| Field | Type | Required in the form |
|---|---|---|
| **Priority** | Select | Yes |
| **Title** | Text | Yes |
| **Start Date** | Date | Yes |
| **End Date** | Date | Yes |
| Member restriction option | Boolean | No |
| Participant edit option | Boolean | No |

On the Meeting form, **Meeting Purpose**, **Priority**, and **Location** have no required
marker; **Start Date** and **End Date** do.

![The Meeting form with the Priority control open](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/040671ff336ce3dbca351e61d45fa867.png)

### Call fields

| Field | Type | Required in the form |
|---|---|---|
| **Priority** | Select | Yes |
| **Title** | Text | Yes |
| **Call To** | Text | No |
| **Call Use** | Select | No |
| **Call Number** | Text | No |
| **Start Date** | Date | Yes |
| **Description** | Text | No |

Use **Call To**, **Call Use**, **Call Number**, **Start Date**, and **Description** for
the corresponding Call details.

> Note: The Call form uses the same required **Priority**, **Title**, and **Start Date** rules as the
> other activity forms, while **Call Use** and **Description** are optional.

### Controls on a new activity

When creating a new activity, the form shows **Save** and **Save and Close** before the
activity is saved. After saving, use **Attachment** to work with files and **Last
Modifications** to review the activity's modification history.

The extra Priority controls and print options are not part
of the usable form.

## Enter the activity details

Enter the details for the activity type you selected. The form checks the required fields
for Visit, Meeting, and Call before saving.

Prerequisites

- The selected activity form is open.
- You have the required details for that activity type.

Steps

1. Complete the fields for the selected activity type.

   | Activity type | Complete these fields |
   |---|---|
   | Visit | **Priority**, **Start Date**, **End Date**, and, when applicable, **Visit type**. Enter a value in **Title**. |
   | Meeting | **Priority**, **Start Date**, and **End Date**. Enter a value in **Title**. |
   | Call | **Priority**, **Call To**, **Call Use**, **Call Number**, **Start Date**, and, when needed, **Description**. Enter a value in **Title**. |

2. Set **End Date** to a date that is not earlier than **Start Date** for a Visit.

3. Review each required field before saving.

![The Visit End Date control after the date fields are entered](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/e10695bb419877cc1d83d1c3222c0b53.png)

**Result:** The selected activity form contains the details needed for its activity
type and is ready for a save choice.

## Save the activity

Use the save choice that matches whether you want to remain on the activity form.

Prerequisites

- The selected activity form contains its required details.

Steps

1. Choose one save action.

   | If you need to… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Save while staying with the activity form | **Save** |
   | Save and leave the activity form | **Save and Close** |

**Result:** The selected save action starts the form's validation before the save request.

## When activity creation goes wrong

Use the message on screen to choose the corresponding correction.

| Message | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| `This action is only allowed if you belong to that branch` | The action is restricted to your branch. | Use the activity from the branch to which you belong. |
| `One topic and at least one note is required` | The activity cannot be marked done without a topic and a note. | Add one topic and at least one note before selecting **Done**. |
| `There is no topic to print` | There is no topic available for the minutes. | Add a topic before selecting **Print Minutes Of Activity**. |
| `An error occurred while processing your request` | The request was not completed. | Review the required fields for the selected activity before selecting **Save** again. |

The Activities list can also show these messages while you work with list actions:

| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| `Forbidden characters detected. Please remove them and try again.` | Remove the forbidden characters from the list search value. |
| `Action not allowed` | Use an action available for the selected activity. |
| `Your request was completed successfully` | Continue with the updated activity list. |

Use the available controls shown for the selected activity type. Extra Priority controls
and print options are unavailable during activity creation. Mail activities use a
different creation path.

## After creating the activity

An activity with a saved activity ID can carry follow-up work in its saved activity tabs.

Prerequisites

- The activity is saved.

Steps

1. Choose the follow-up area you need.

   | If you need to… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Work with files | **Attachment** |
   | Review the activity's modification history | **Last Modifications** |

**Result:** The selected follow-up area is open for the saved activity.

For status meanings and existing-record status actions, continue with [Activity status](doc:activity-status).
For the Activities workspace and list navigation, open [My Desk activities](doc:my-desk-activities).
For file procedures, open [Libraries and files](doc:libraries-files).

The activity status values are Planned, Overdue, Done, Due, and Cancelled.