Internal task
The forms that appear under New>Internal task, allow tasks that need to be done for other staff members (as opposed to those done for end users) to be saved in RefTracker, and managed just like an end user request except that the statistic for this sort of request is saved as an Internal task statistic so that it can be reported separately to the Service requests and Direct to KB questions.
Reasons for using the RefTracker’s Internal tasks functionality include:
– Internal tasks can be used my managers for delegating tasks, and by individual staff as reminders to themselves.
– Managers get to better information to judge the entire workload of their team because they can see a more complete picture of their staff’s workloads – to ensure tasks get done on time, and to better delegate tasks and requests according to the workload of staff.
– Using internal tasks provides helpful information about the amount of time being spent on tasks that support your request answering service, and even allows for them to be charged for, where that is appropriate.
Administrators can find information about how to set up internal tasks here.
Internal task forms are usually accessible to Regular users and above, however, your System administrator may have removed access to them for you.
You can use Internal task forms in the main RefTracker window by clicking on the appropriate form under New and Internal task, or you can use them in a separate window by clicking on the window icon to the right of the form name.
The layout of Internal task forms is designed to allow the details of the task that needs to be done, to be described, and details of the staff member making the request (and to whom the response will go) to be set.
Internal tasks are used for requests to do tasks that support your information provision service, such as: subscription renewals, negotiating copyright clearances, following up long overdue items, shelving projects, display set up, subject guide creation and updates, web site updates, regular reports that need to be run, requests in relation to the applications used by your information service such as adding users to your library management system, and much more.
Managers can use them to ask staff to do tasks, and staff can use them to remind themselves of tasks that need to be done.
Staff work on these requests and provide responses to them in exactly the same way as they would for a Service request. There may separate forms for the different types of Internal tasks.
To use an Internal task screen:
- Choose the Request form that you want to use under New>Internal task.
- The request form should set an appropriate Request type but you can change it, if appropriate.
- Fill in the provided fields and check that your entered information is correct. Note that the form presumes that you are the staff member making this request and automatically inserts your name (and contact details for the return of the response), however you can select a different staff member if you want them to receive the response.
- If Request type appears in your Internal task form, it will only present Internal task request types for selection
- Add any appropriate attachments to either the question or the answer by using the appropriate [Manage . . . . attachments] hyperlink.
- Set an appropriate Last useful date or Objective response date (as showing in your system ) as that will set the Target date for this task.
- Check the Allocation and change it if appropriate.
- Like Service requests, you can choose [Change to close now] to enter the answer an close on the spot if appropriate – in fact some forms may be designed to always close on the spot.
- Click on Submit and the task will be recorded and allocated to the appropriate staff member for completion.
Exercise :
Try using this screen to create an Internal task. Once created you will be able to see it in the Open questions screen with the requester name icon showing in a different colour to indicate that this is a task for a staff member rather than a request from an end user.