Create sub Task

The Create sub task function allows internal tasks to be created for those jobs that need to split so that other staff members can contribute to the answering process or workflow.  It is created by copying the details of your “Primary” question into a new question that has the client contact details set to be the staff member allocated that Primary question, so that the response to the sub task will be returned to the staff member responsible for the Primary question.  

A service statistic is NOT created for these sub tasks – an internal task statistic is created so this type of work is counted separately to your service statistics.

Importantly this function also provides an option for managing projects/workflows though RefTracker (additional to the already existing method of updating hidden fields in the Change screen – see Using RefTracker for workflow and project management).  If you have a workflow or project that you’d like managed through RefTracker, your RefTracker support representative can help you decide the best way to manage that workflow/project.

The “Create sub task” function can usually only be used by Regular users and above.

To achieve the objectives of this Create sub tasks function, this function can only be used (and so is only offered in the menu structure under Actions) if a Primary question is allocated and open (not closed or in a review status). 

Also, the Primary question cannot be closed until all of its sub tasks are closed, and the Primary question cannot be deleted if it has sub tasks. This means that the “Close without client contact” and “Delete request” functions do not show in the menu structure for requests with sub tasks, and the Answer and Redirect screens display without a closing option if the request has open sub tasks.

You would choose to use this function to create a sub task if the “Primary” question you are working on requires some work to be done by other RefTracker using staff members, but when all that work is complete, the responses to the sub tasks need to be accumulated and sent on to the client by the staff member allocated the Primary question.  Sub tasks can be used for concurrent or sequential tasks, for example:
. A question may need a number of sequential steps undertaken to provide the service required.  Create a sub task can be used to create those sub tasks in a sequential manner to ensure the steps are completed in the right order. For example, sub tasks could be used for a digitization request that might need a copyright clearance before the digitization can be don, and the digitised item sent on to the client.
. A request may need a service to be provided by a different team – for example a training booking could come in and be confirmed, then a sub task created for the trainer to provide the training.  When the training is complete the trainer can close the sub task that advises the owner of the Primary question that the service has been provided so they can then close the booking and send the invoice. This would allow you to monitor that the training was actually provided, as opposed to the other way this could have been done where the training is created as a separate linked (follow on) question.
. A task may need a large amount of research that needs to be shared amounts several staff. Sub tasks can be used to delegate the specific research to be done by each staff member so they can report back to the staff member allocated the Primary question when their part of the research is done.
. Requests that require an approval are also good things to set up using a sub task – either a separate sub task to record the approval, or the fact that a sub task has been created by the right person being your record of the approval.
. A sub task would also be used where a separate question needs to be created but it should not be counted as an additional service to the client.  For example, an item might be offered for donation, but it needs to be inspected by one staff member, before you ask a different staff member to add it to your catalog – all distinct steps in a process, but collectively only one service.

Using Create sub task
Only Request forms specifically designated for use with Internal tasks (and with “Allow sub Requests/Tasks” enabled by your System administrator, in their request form design) show as options under Create sub task, and only if they have been specifically allowed to be used as sub tasks. They designate the type of internal task and the data required for that type of internal task. They also recognise that this type of task always has the response going back to the staff member allocated the Primary question, not direct to a client.

Sub tasks can only ever be created by using the Create sub task function for a Primary question.  They can never be seen by end users as there are no client contact details associated with a Sub task (only staff contact details).

Statistics now have a Service type parameter that allows statistics to be separately reported for Requester service statistics, Internal tasks (including Sub tasks), KB questions, or any combination of these. 

Your System administrator can create as many different types of sub tasks as you need by creating a new Internal task Request form and allowing it to be used for sub tasks (System administrators should see Hints for designing forms for Internal tasks for details of how to create the Request forms for Internal tasks).  Here’s an example:

After selecting the form to be used, the system then shows the details that it has copied into that form (including replacement of the client contact information with that of the Primary question’s allocated staff member), so the user can provide instructions for the specific work that is required for this sub task.  The question field (Details of the task) and the Target date will need to be reviewed and amended as required to reflect the details of the sub task, and the Other imported details can be removed – it is the details of the original client who asked the question. 

The sub task is not created until you have made all the desired changes in this screen, and clicked Submit.

The sub task that is created by this process can be answered in all of the usual ways, but the answer will go to the staff member recorded as allocated to the Primary question, so the sub task function will never be offered for a question that is not allocated (allocate the question and it will show in the menu list).  Further a Primary question with open sub tasks cannot be closed until all of its sub tasks are closed, and it cannot be deleted if it has sub tasks.

To create a sub task (that does NOT have a customer service statistic associated with it) ensure that the number of the question you want to use as the “Primary” is showing in the Question action bar, and then, from the Actions menu, select “Create sub task”, and then select the type of internal task that you want to create (the Request form to be used for the new task).  Selecting the right request form is important as that will determine the characteristics of the sub task to be created – its Request type, and the data to be provided to facilitate the task, etc.  Received date will always be the date and time that this Create Internal task function was used. 
This Create sub task function can also be used from the popup menu list on the question number in the Open questions screens.  When using this menu list you cannot choose the form to be used for the sub task creation from the menu list – the system will use the top form on the list of internal tasks but you can change it after display of the Create sub task screen.
A display of the new task that will be created then appears for you to check.  All of the question and bib/ILL data from the Primary question has been applied to the same fields in this new question, except that all the client contact information has been replaced by the contact information for the staff member allocated the Primary question.  Answer data is not copied.
A note at the top of the screen, and to the left of the Question text field, provides a reminder that the Question text field needs to be amended to reflect the details of the work to be done for this sub task.  To make it more obvious that the Question text needs to be changed, “Create sub task” automatically inserts “Regarding primary request” above the Question text it has copied in from the Primary question.  You can leave that text there and insert your sub task instructions above it or alter that automatically inserted text to suit the new sub task.

If the selected form already has data in a particular field that does not match the question being copied into it, that data will appear in an “Other imported data” field where you should check it and copy and paste any data that needs to be moved, into other fields, if appropriate. The original client contact details may be showing here and can be deleted (as they have been replaced by that of the staff member allocated the Primary question).

Also, in this top section of the form, you need to review any Question attachments from the copied question.  Untick any that you do not want included in this new sub task.

In the body of the form, make sure you provide all of the information that the recipient of this internal task will need to perform the task.

Just like other new requests allocation and target date information needs to be provided for sub tasks.  For Sub tasks it is also important to adjust the Objective response date, or Last useful date, as appropriate, so that the sub task response will be provided in time for the staff member allocated the Primary question to meet its Target, or for the next sub task to be set in train.  For that reason, the Objective response date is defaulted to the Target date of the Primary question and a note about it displayed in red as a reminder to set an appropriate Objective response date.  If you do not change this date, the validation that occurs on submission of the task will provide a reminder that it needs to be changed.

Finally, just as for a New question, you need to decide on Allocation for this question.  The default allocation is as per the Request form used to create the sub task, but you can change it as appropriate. 

To include a note to the staff member being allocated the question, tick the Staff note box to expose the staff note field.  Enter your note and it will be included in the History and in the allocation email to the staff member.

The question is not created until after you click Submit in this screen. 
You can even close this newly created question right in the Create sub task screen by changing to Close now and entering an Answer, as you can in the New screen.

The Create sub task function provides links in the Sub task to the Primary question, and from the Primary question back to the Sub task.  These task links are key to being able to ensure that the results of the sub task are returned to the staff member allocated the Primary question so they can collate the results and send a final response to the client.

 
How the allocated staff member works with the Primary question and sub task responses
The Primary question owner can see the status of all the sub tasks to their question by clicking the “Sub tasks” label in the Details tab of the Primary question, or in the Question summary that appears at the top of most question answering screens and, importantly, in the Open questions screen.

A display of all internal tasks to that question shows providing status details, including any answers that have already been provided.

In the Details tab, the contact details for the staff member who needs to receive the response to this sub task are provided in a “Internal task contact” section that appears where the client’s contact details normally appear, making it clear this is an internal task or a sub task.

When a sub task is responded to, the response email is sent to the staff member that was recorded as the “Internal task contact” for this question (who was the owner of the Primary question when the task was created), who can copy and paste the relevant parts of the sub task answer into the Primary question answer, and can right click on any attachments to copy the link to the attachment into the answer for the Primary question.

If the staff member allocated the internal task has a question, they can ask it of the Primary question owner by using Query to client.  The Primary question owner can use the Client interface link provided in that email to respond (or simply reply to that email).

The Primary question owner may even want to use the Allocated staff communication function to do things like querying the staff member allocated the sub task about their progress.

How to make more than one sub task
If you have just created a sub task, you can create another sub task for the same Primary question by simply using “Duplicate sub task” (from the Actions menu list or from the Open questions screen popup menu on the question number of the sub task you just created).  Importantly when you duplicate an already existing sub task like this, you are copying the data in that sub task so any changes that you have made such as changes to the Question text and Target date, will automatically carry through to this additional sub task – this makes creating lots of sub tasks really efficient!!!

A sub task cannot have subsidiary sub tasks so the menu list does not allow that.  However you can have as many sub tasks to a Primary question as you need.

How to respond to a sub task
If you are allocated a sub task in RefTracker,  you are being asked to perform a task and respond to another staff member about that task.  The work requested in the sub task will contribute to a larger (Primary question) response that the other staff member is creating.  There is no correspondence with a client for this new type of request – all correspondence goes to the staff member who is the owner of the Primary question.
A sub task will usually look like this – with a Request type of internal task and a Request type icon of to clearly indicate that it is work for a staff member not for the client.  Also the head and shoulders icon before the staff member’s name will be a highlight colour, whereas the head and shoulders icon for a question from a client is a different colour.

To answer one of these sub tasks, use the Answer screen to provide the details required by the owner of the Primary question, and, just as you do for any other question, when your response is complete, close the sub task and your answer will be forwarded to the owner of the Primary question.  While working on this sub task you can use all of the features of RefTracker, such as being able to Reallocate the question, Refer to third party, Query to client (which sends a query to the staff member who asked you to perform this task), Inform client (that sends an update to the staff member who asked you to perform this internal task), Partial answer, etc.

If you need to refer to the Primary question that this work is for, go to the Details tab and click the Primary question number hyperlink in the status division, or click it in the question summary.

What does the owner of the Primary question do with your response?
The staff member recorded as owning the Primary question will receive an email with your response.  Here’s an example of such an email:

Notice that it provides options to go to the Primary question to update it with this information, and to reopen the sub task to ask the staff member responding to the internal task for further work. 

If this response contains useful information, simply copy and paste the information from the email, into the Answer screen of the Primary question.  If it has an attachment, drag and drop the attachment from the email to the Manage answer attachments screen’s drop zone, or right click on any attachment hyperlink and use Copy link to insert a link to the attachment.

Primary questions (with sub tasks attached) cannot be deleted without first deleting the sub tasks.

Tools to help the owner of the Primary question handle your sub task response?
Sub task responses will come back to the owner of the Primary request by email, and can also be reviewed by using the “Sub tasks” label link in the Details tab.  The Primary request owner can then cut and paste the appropriate information provided by the sub tasks, into their response to the Primary request. 
To copy attachments right click the attachment name and use the Copy link option to copy in a hyperlink to that attachment. 
Staff can use all of the normal RefTracker request answering functions with that Primary request.

How to find sub tasks and their appropriate primary request?
When a linked copy or sub task is made, not only do the links show in the Details tab, but they also show in the request summary so relationships are clear in the search screens and whenever you work on a request.

Click the “Linked requests” or “Sub tasks” hyperlinked labels to see the current status of all of the linked requests or sub tasks for that Primary question, and to be able to easily work on any of these related requests.

Or, to quickly see the Status of any of these subordinate requests, cursor over the request number and the popup Request Details summary for that request showing its status will display for 6 seconds.  To make it display for longer leave your cursor over the popup.  To make the popup go away, click anywhere else on the screen. 

How much time was spent on the Primary question and its sub tasks
If you use Time used, it will be accumulated separately for the sub tasks and for the Primary task, and shown in each.

However, you will want to know what the total time used for the Primary questions AND all its sub tasks is, so this is summarised in the Details tab of the Primary request as follows (Costs use the same presentation, if your system uses Costs):

Time used:  C ( A + B) where

A is the total time spend on this Primary question

B is the total time spent on all of the sub tasks to this Primary question

C is the total time spent on the Primary question itself, AND all of its sub tasks

Closing Primary requests
A Primary request with open sub tasks cannot be closed until all of its sub tasks are closed.  A message displays at the top of the screen about there being open sub tasks and the option to Close the request does not display (in the Answer screen, the Third party screens and in the Delete screen).

Exercise

Choose Create sub task for an open question.

Make any changes you need to make taking special note that you must change the Question text and Target date (Objective response date or Last useful date as appropriate) to reflect the work required for this sub task. The Create sub task screen ends with an Allocation section that allows you to determine the allocation of this question. When you have made all the appropriate changes so that this question can be worked on as a new separate question, click Submit to save any changes and implement the Allocation you have chosen.