Creating subtasks

Subtasks may be predefined by the requestor of the main task when the main task is not being worked on (e.g. in states initial or reopened); subtasks may also be created by the contractors of the main task when the task is in processing. You create a subtask as a single task by

•      selecting  File    New    Task  in the top menu of the task view of a task. You may also invoke this action by selecting   New    Task  in the action menu of a task entry in a folder listing. The existing task becomes the main task of the subtask to be created.

•      The action form for creation of a subtask equals in nearly all parts the action form for the creation of tasks. Only the definition of input and output data offers a new possi­bi­li­ty. In addition to data fields and conditions of peer tasks (of a phase or project) you can now also enter conditions and data fields of the main task.

Input Data

•      Conditions for starting of the task: Here you can select from conditions under which the new subtask may be started – when the main task has been started or when a peer subtask has been finished.

<input of main task released> means that the main task is in processing, hence in a state where the input data may not be changed (e.g. requested).

<output of peer task released> means the peer task, i.e. another subtask of the same main task, has been finished, hence in a state where the output data may not be changed (e.g. finished).

•      Data coming from main or peer tasks: Here you may select from data fields of the main and peer tasks. By selecting such a data field you declare it as input field of the new subtask. The new subtask can then only be started when the respective data field has been released and the value of the data field, with a data field of type docu­ment, e.g., the contents of the document, is available to the new task.

If you select input data of the main task, the new subtask can only start when the main task has been started, too, and thus its input data have been released. If you select output data of a peer task, the new subtask can only start when the peer task has been finished and thus its output data have been released.

•      New input data: Here you may define own input data fields of the new subtask by selecting a data type and clicking [Add].

Output Data

•      Data needed by main or peer tasks: Here you can select from data fields of the main and peer tasks. By selecting such a data field you declare it as output field of the new subtask. When the new subtask has been finished, the data field is releas­ed. The value of the data field, with a data field of type document, e.g., the con­tents of the document, is then available for the contractors of the peer task or the requestor of the main task, respectively.

•      New output data: Here you may define own output fields of the new subtask by selecting a data type and clicking [Add].

Continue to create new subtasks until you have finished the partition of the main task into sub­tasks.