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Understanding Project Tasks

This guide explains how to use Project Tasks to organize work, track progress, and ensure your team knows exactly what needs to be done. Whether you are a project manager or a team member, this guide will help you manage your daily work effectively.

What are Project Tasks?

Think of a Project Task as a single unit of work that needs to be completed. It’s the answer to the question: "What do I need to do today?"

A project is made up of many tasks. For example, if the Project is "Renovate the Office", the Tasks might be:

  1. Paint the walls
  2. Install new desks
  3. Set up the internet

Why use Tasks?

  1. Clarity: Everyone knows exactly what they are responsible for.
  2. Tracking: You can see what is "To Do", "In Progress", and "Done".
  3. Time Management: You can track how much time is spent on each specific job.

💡 Analogy: If a Project is the destination, Tasks are the steps you take to get there.

The Task Lifecycle

Every task goes through a lifecycle from creation to completion. In Kezi ERP, this corresponds to the Kanban Stages.

1. To Do (New) 📝

The task has been created but work hasn't started yet. It is waiting in the backlog.

  • Action: Assign it to a team member and set a deadline.

2. In Progress (Doing) 🏗️

Work has begun. The assignee is actively working on this task.

  • Action: Log time in the timesheet to track effort.

3. Review / Testing 🔍

The work is done but needs to be checked (e.g., code review, quality check).

  • Action: Manager or peer reviews the work.

4. Done (Completed) ✅

The task is fully complete and approved.

  • Action: Move to the "Done" stage. High five! ✋

How to Manage Tasks

Creating a New Task

Navigate to: Project Management → Project Tasks → Create Task

Fill in the key details:

  • Title: A clear, action-oriented name (e.g., "Draft Monthly Report").
  • Project: Which project does this belong to?
  • Assignee: Who is doing the work?
  • Deadline: When must it be finished?
  • Description: Detailed instructions, checklists, or links.

Assigning & Scheduling

Don't let tasks float in the void!

  1. Assign a Person: A task without an owner rarely gets done.
  2. Set a Due Date: Give it a timeline.
  3. Add Tags: Use tags (e.g., "Urgent", "Bug", "Feature") to categorize.

Tracking Time ⏱️

If your project is billed by the hour, tracking time is critical.

  1. Open the Task.
  2. Go to the Timesheets tab.
  3. Add a line: Date, Description (what you did), and Time Spent (e.g., 2 hours).

Note: This data feeds into the Project Profitability report!

Working with Subtasks

Sometimes a task is too big (e.g., "Build Website"). You can break it down into Subtasks:

  • Design Homepage
  • Write Content
  • Code Backend

Use the Subtasks checklist within the main task to track these smaller steps without cluttering your main project board.

Troubleshooting

Q: Why can't I see a task assigned to me?

A: Check your filters. By default, you might only see "Open" tasks. Clear the filters to see "All" or check if you are looking at the correct Project.

Q: How do I move a task to a different stage?

A: You can simply drag and drop the task card from one column to another on the Kanban board (Board View), or change the Stage dropdown inside the task form.

Q: I finished the task, but the project isn't 100% complete?

A: A project is only complete when all its tasks are done. Check if there are any orphaned tasks left in the "To Do" column.

Best Practices

  • Be Specific: "Fix bugs" is bad. "Fix login error on mobile" is good.
  • Update Daily: Move tasks to "Done" as soon as you finish. Don't wait until Friday.
  • Use Comments: Discuss the work on the task itself, not in email. This keeps the history in one place.
  • Keep it Small: If a task takes more than 3 days, break it into smaller tasks.