# Manage tasks from My Desk

## Manage tasks from My Desk

A My Desk task is a follow-up item you manage independently of a sales job. Use the
standalone task list for work you want to find by **All** or **My Tasks**. Use the
sales-job task surface when the task must stay with a saved sales job.

| If you need to… | Go to… |
|---|---|
| Choose between all tasks and your tasks | [Filter and act on tasks](#filter-and-act-on-tasks) |
| See completed work | [Filter and act on tasks](#filter-and-act-on-tasks) |
| Create a task from My Desk | [Open My Desk task work](#open-my-desk-task-work) |
| Fill in and save a new task | [Create and complete a task](#create-and-complete-a-task) |
| Handle a required-field, save, delete, or loading message | [Resolve errors and continue](#resolve-errors-and-continue) |
| Keep the task with a saved sales job | [Sales job comments and tasks](sales-job-comments-and-tasks.md) |

## Before you start

The Tasks subscription and your user type determine whether My Desk task work is available.
A new task uses the task form; an existing task can show additional task tabs and controls.
The owner rule determines whether you can save or delete.

Prerequisites

- Sign in as a non-principal user with the Tasks subscription available.
- For a new task, open the in-workspace new-task form.
- For an existing task, open a saved task with a task ID.
- To save or delete an existing task, be its owner and meet the control's owner condition.

## Open My Desk task work

Select **Tasks** to open My Desk task work. The task list appears under **Tasks** in the My
Desk workspace.

Prerequisites

- Sign in as a non-principal user with the Tasks subscription available.

Steps

1. Open the My Desk workspace.
2. Select **Tasks**.
3. Choose the task surface you need.

| If you need to… | Select or open… |
|---|---|
| Review the standalone list | The task list that appears under **Tasks** |
| Start a task from My Desk | The plus control shown beside the **Tasks** tab |
| Open a task already in the list | The task row's **Open** action |

![My Desk with the Tasks tab selected](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/e8db9011e06f3a16d8c8accd4dee2508.png)

**Result:** The standalone task list is open, or the in-workspace new-task surface is open
for the task you want to create.

## Understand the task screen

The task list lets you choose a task view and act on a row. The new-task surface collects
the task's priority, title, description, dates, progress, and assignee.

The main task list displays these headers:

| What you use it for | Header or control |
|---|---|
| Choose all available task rows | **All** |
| Choose your task rows | **My Tasks** |
| Include completed work | **View completed tasks** |
| Read the task row | **Title**, **Owner**, **Start date**, **Due date**, **Status**, **Importance** |
| Refresh or change the list presentation | **Refresh**, **Table Layout**, **Settings** |

The columns visible in the list follow the selected list layout. Work from the headers you
see in your list.

The new-task surface contains these fields:

| Field | Rule or condition |
|---|---|
| **Task Purpose** | Required task title field |
| **Priority** | Required |
| **Owner** | Task owner shown on the form |
| **Tags** | Available task relationship field |
| **Description** | Optional |
| **Start Date** | Required |
| **Due Date** | Required; it cannot be earlier than **Start Date** |
| **Task Progress** | Optional progress value |
| **Assign To** | Optional single assignee |
| **Reminder** | Available for an existing task with a task ID |

The **Following** option, **Follow** control, and priority, status, creator, and owner filters
are not part of this task surface. Existing tasks can also show
**Sub-tasks**, **Activities**, **Comments**, **Attachment**, and **Last Modifications**.
Use **Sub-tasks** for work under a parent task, **Activities** for related activity work,
**Attachment** for saved-task files, and **Last Modifications** for the task history.

![Task list with the visible headers and task-view controls](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/472bc48b1c44ffcfbe09785961234c2d.png)

**Result:** You can identify the list view, the row information, the available row menu,
and the fields used to create or update a task.

## Filter and act on tasks

Use the task list when you need to choose a working set or act on a task row. **All** shows
the all-task view, while **My Tasks** shows your task view.

Prerequisites

- Open the standalone task list.
- Know whether you need the all-task view, your task view, or completed work.

Steps

1. Select the task view that answers your question.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Work across the all-task view | **All** |
| Work with your assigned task view | **My Tasks** |
| Include completed work | **View completed tasks** |

2. Select the row completion checkbox to change the task's completion state.
3. Open the task-row menu.
4. Select one of the following options.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Open the task | **Open** |
| Complete an incomplete task | **Complete** |
| Return a completed task to an incomplete state | **Un complete** |
| Remove a task you own | **Delete** |

![Task-row menu with **Open**, **Complete**, **Un complete**, and **Delete** options](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/5667c786de839d4d8e80432a1d049179.png)

**Result:** The selected task view is displayed, or the task opens, changes completion state,
or is prepared for deletion.

## Create and complete a task

Create a standalone task from My Desk when the follow-up work does not belong with a saved sales job.
The form requires a priority, task title, start date, and due date before it can save.

Prerequisites

- Open the new-task surface from the My Desk **Tasks** tab.
- Have the task title, priority, start date, and due date ready.

Steps

1. Enter the task title in **Task Purpose**.
2. Select a value in **Priority**.
3. Enter tags in **Tags**.
4. Enter optional detail in **Description**.
5. Set **Start Date**.
6. Set **Due Date** to the start date or a later date.
7. Set **Task Progress** when the task is already partly complete.
8. Select an optional person in **Assign To**.
9. Choose how to save the task.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Save and continue working on the task | **Save** |
| Save and leave the task surface | **Save and Close** |

10. Open the saved task when **Save** keeps it on screen.
11. Select **Consider As Complete** when the task is overdue or due to start and you are
    marking it complete.
12. Select **Consider As Not Completed** when a completed task needs its date-based status
    recalculated.

The new-task defaults set **Task Progress** to `0`, **Start Date** to the current date, and
**Due Date** to the next date. Saving a valid task displays `Data saved Successfully`.
**Save** keeps a newly saved task open; **Save and Close** leaves the page.

![New-task surface with its initial fields](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/2ccbd7ee0c3c44939f1d1d13d685e3ea.png)

![New-task date fields with Due Date set after Start Date](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/2ccbd7ee0c3c44939f1d1d13d685e3ea.png)

**Result:** The task is saved, remains open for further work or leaves the page according to
the save choice, and can be marked complete from its task controls.

## Handle task branches

Task controls change with the task's owner, assignment, completion state, and whether the
task already has an ID. The Tasks subscription and user type also determine whether the
standalone surface is available.

Prerequisites

- Open a task or the new-task surface.
- Check the task state shown on the task surface before selecting an action.

Steps

1. Accept or decline an assigned task that you own and have not accepted.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Take the assigned task | **Accept** |
| Return the assignment to the creator | **Decline** |

2. Choose the save action that matches your next task.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Save and continue working on the task | **Save** |
| Save and leave the task surface | **Save and Close** |

3. Open **Reminder** on an existing task with a task ID.
4. Select the existing-task surface that matches the related work you need.

| If you need to… | Select… |
|---|---|
| Work under a parent task | **Sub-tasks** |
| Work with related activities | **Activities** |
| Read or add task discussion | **Comments** |
| Work with saved-task files | **Attachment** |
| Review task history | **Last Modifications** |

5. Use the standalone task surface only when the Tasks subscription is available and you
   are not a principal user.

**Result:** The controls shown for the task's assignment, ownership, saved state, and
subscription state determine the next available action.

## Resolve errors and continue

Use the message on screen to correct the immediate task problem before trying the action
again.

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| `Priority is required` | Select a value in **Priority**. |
| `Title is required` | Enter a task title in **Task Purpose**. |
| `Start Date is required` | Set **Start Date**. |
| `Due Date is required` | Set **Due Date**. |
| `Error Saving Registration` | Check the required fields and select **Save** again. |
| `Only task owner can take that action` | Continue with an action available to the task owner. |
| `You accepted the assigned task` | Continue working with the accepted task. |
| `You declined the assigned task` | Continue with the task returned to its creator. |
| `Are you sure you want to delete this task?` | Confirm the deletion only when the task is the one you intend to remove. |
| `Task deleted successfully` | Continue with the task list. |
| `Error while deleting task` | Remain on the task list and retry the delete action when the task is available. |
| `Data Loading Error` | Use **Refresh** and check the task list again. |

**Result:** You have a correction for the message shown and a next task surface to use.

## What happens next

After saving, continue with the saved task or leave the page with **Save and Close**. Change
its status with **Consider As Complete** or **Consider As Not Completed** according to the
task's current dates and completion state.

For job-filtered work, use [Sales job comments and tasks](sales-job-comments-and-tasks.md),
which keeps related follow-up tasks with a saved sales job.

**Result:** You know whether to continue in the standalone task surface or move to the
sales-job task surface.