Creating an Input Task

Create an input task for your story to gather data from colleagues.

Prerequisites

Make sure you have the Maintain permission for the underlying planning model. You need a table with at least one active private version before you can create an input task. Also, if your model has multiple currencies, you can use only one currency when creating the input task.

Note
Any pages that you have hidden will not be included in the input task.

Context

When creating an input task, you and the people you assign to the task work on a private version of the story. The original story won't be affected, changed data will only be visible to others after the input task has been completed and you've published the private version.

Procedure

  1. From Tools, select Create Input Task.

    The input task Summary page opens.

  2. Enter a Title for the task.
  3. Optional: Enter a description.
  4. To set a due date, choose calendar and pick a date that is in the future.
    Note

    You can't set a start date, the input task will start immediately once you sent it to the assignee(s).

  5. Optional: Configure the completion settings for your input task and click Add Completion Settings.
    1. In the Set Final Status dialog box, turn on Discontinue the task at due date automatically.
    2. Decide what to do with the information that has been gathered:

      • Keep status Canceled: no information will be saved.

      • Change status to Accomplished: all data that had been submitted will be approved and stored, even for Rejected tasks.

    3. Click OK to close the dialog box.
  6. Optional: Create a reminder for the task:
    1. Choose Click to Add Reminder.
    2. In the Add Reminder dialog, specify how many days before the due date the reminder is to be sent.
    3. Choose Add.
  7. In the Models area, select a model and expand its menu.
  8. To assign the task, select assignees from the Available Assignees column.

    The available assignees are users who are identified in the model as responsible for a dimension member.

    Tip
    For a large hierarchy, you can select to search for members or assignees, and you can reduce the long list of members by turning on the option for Show members with assignees only.

    The chosen values are displayed in Selected Assignees.

    To assign the task to a different assignee, or if there is no responsible person defined for a dimension member in the model, do the following:
    1. Find the current assignee in the Available Assignees list, or select the dimension member that's missing a responsible person, and choose (Select Substitute).
    2. From the Select Users dialog, select your substitute. (You can also use this dialog to clear the substitute assignee: just select Reset Substitute.)
    3. Select OK.

    To reset all substitute assignees back to the default assignees, on the Summary page, select Reset to All Original Assignees.

  9. Optional: Select Assignee can see other assignees.
  10. Select Send.

Results

The task is sent to the assignees and an Input Form is created. The Summary page is displayed, showing the current status of the input tasks. You can see at a glance whether assignees have accepted the tasks or made any progress on them.
Note

Only you as the creator have the overview of the overall status.

Next Steps

If you need to change an assignee after the task has started, do the following:

  1. From your Selected Assignees list, beside the assignee you wish to change, select Change User.

  2. In the dialog, select a new user and then select OK.

The task will be reassigned.

If needed, you can also remove an assignee by clicking Remove User. If all assignees of the task are removed, the input task is set to Canceled.

Related Information