Task Manager 2010 (tm) Frequently Asked Questions




			Installation Q: What's my log-on user name and password? A: Initially log-on with user name SiteAdmin with a blank password. ______________________________ top Q: How do I install the trial program once I have downloaded it? A: Double-click the file you downloaded from Windows Explorer then follow the on-screen instructions. Once Task Manager 2010 is installed, view the online Getting Started Tutorial (approx. 8-10 minutes). ______________________________ top Q: I'm having difficulty downloading the trial version on my dial-up internet connection. What can I do? A: If you are experiencing difficulty downloading the trial version of Task Manager 2010: If you're not downloading from a close mirror site, do so; and/or Obtain a free download manager such as www.speedbit.com or getright.com which will allow you to resume downloading after a connection is lost and also to pause/restart downloading; and/or Note: Pages will open in a new browser window. External sites are not endorsed by Orbisoft. Contact support@orbisoft.com if you are still not able to download. ______________________________ top Q: How do I install Task Manager 2010 on a Network? A: You can install the 45-day trial version on an unlimited number of networked computers. If you want to install the full (purchased) version on a network you need to have the correct license version. Always install the program to a local (e.g. C:) drive, even when you intend to use it in a network environment. To share the same data with other users, look under the Task Manager 2010 Help Index for "Network". This help topic will tell you how to share data over a network. ______________________________ top Q: Can I keep the information I entered in the trial version when I install the full version? A: Yes. All data is stored in the live data file named Data.Mdb, normally located in the C:\Program Files\Task Manager 2010 folder. Note that the trial version Data.mdb file and the full version Data.mdb file are not compatible for task security reasons. If you want to transfer data from your trial period, you'll need to run an import process in the full version as described below. Alternately you may choose to simply start afresh with the new, full version database. To transfer data from the Task Manager 2010 trial version to the Task Manager 2010 full version: Before you install the full version of Task Manager 2010, copy the trial version Data.Mdb file to a separate folder, e.g., "C:\Backups" From Windows, select Start>>, Settings>>, Control Panel>>, Add/Remove Programs and remove the Task Manager 2010 trial version Use your full version installer file to install the Task Manager 2010 full version Select Tools>>, Options ... from the Task Manager 2010 top menubar Click the Local Options tab. In the Startup section of that tab, delete the value shown in the Got To: property, making it blank Click OK Close Task Manager Open Task Manager Select Tools>>, Import Data ... from the Task Manager 2010 top menubar Click Browse then change the Files of type to Task Manager 2010 Trial Data (Data.mdb) Select the trial Data.mdb file located in your backup folder then click Import After a successful import, click the Local Options tab. In the Startup section, set the value in the Got To: property to Tasks - Edit. ______________________________ top Q: Does the trial version have all of the features that the full version has? A: Yes. The trial version is fully enabled with all of the features of the full version. ______________________________ top Q: My Task Manager 2010 trial version has prematurely expired (before the 45 days are up). What can I do? A: The Task Manager 2010 trial version has an anti-tamper copy protection mechanism that is triggered if the trial version is re-installed on the same computer. Solution To keep using the trial version for 45 days, please email restore-trial@(remove-this)orbisoft.com ______________________________ top Q: Does Task Manager 2010 work on a Macintosh®? A: Yes, so long as you purchase Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac if you don't have it already. If you don't have it already and want Task Manager 2010, contact Orbisoft Sales for bundling discount prices. ______________________________ top




			General Use Q: How do I start using Task Manager 2010? A: If you haven't already done so, take a look at the online Getting Started Tutorial to help you get the most out of using Task Manager 2010. ______________________________ top Q: Can Task Manager 2010 be used over the Internet? A: Yes, Task Manager 2010 can be used over the Internet, with any of the following software: Note: Pages will open in a new browser window. Windows XP® Remote Desktop sharing Microsoft® Windows Terminal Server® Citrix Microsoft Virtual Private Networking OR the following remote control software: PC-Anyware® GoToMyPC LapLink Timbuktu ATT Win VNC and others... To setup Task Manager 2010 for multi-user Internet use, please follow http://www.orbisoft.com/kb/taskmanager/2010/Q/1180.htm. ______________________________ top

Task Entry

Q: How do I have a main project/client with many sub-projects/tasks?

A: Use the Task/Job Name field as the main project or client name and the Task Description field as the sub-project (or sub-task) name.

Example 1

	Task/Job Name			Task Description
	Project A			Sub-Task 1
	Project A			Sub-Task 2
	Project A			Sub-Task 3
	Project A			Sub-Task 4
	...			...
	.			.

Example 2

	Task/Job Name			Task Description
	Holiday Inn Dallas/Fort Worth			Replace Room 85 Light bulb
	Holiday Inn Dallas/Fort Worth			Fix Room 21 A/C
	Holiday Inn Dallas/Fort Worth			Final Inspection Room 47
	Holiday Inn Dallas/Fort Worth			Fix Room 511 A/C
	...			...
	.			.

After entering tasks into Task Manager in this way, create a Work Report having the Task/Job Name field as a grouping level with totals showing:

Select Reports>>, Work ... from the Task Manager top menubar
Click the New button (to create a new report)
Enter Tasks By Project or Tasks By Client in the Name property then press the ENTER key
Click the More>> button
Click the Copy button
Select the Open Tasks by Team Member report
Click the Copy button

Under the Sorting/Grouping section, enter the following information:

Sort Field	Sort Order	Separate Pages	Show Total
Task/Job Name	Ascending	No	Yes
Date Received	Ascending	No	No
(none)
(none)

Click OK

All sub-tasks for a main project or client will then be grouped together.

Example 1

Project A

Sub-Task 1	X	X	...
Sub-Task 2	X	X	...
Sub-Task 3	X	X	...
Sub-Task 4	X	X	...
...	___	___	___
Totals	XXX	XXX	...

Example 2

Holiday Inn Dallas/Fort Worth

Replace Room 85 Light bulb	X	X	...
Fix Room 21 A/C	X	X	...
Final Inspection Room 47	X	X	...
Fix Room 511 A/C	X	X	...
...	___	___	___
Totals	XXX	XXX	...

Filter

In addition to reporting by project or client, to quickly view and edit all sub-tasks relating to a particular project or client:

Select Tasks>>, Edit/View Existing....
Place the cursor in the Task/Job Name field.
Select Filter>>, By Example.

All tasks relating to the project shown in the Task/Job Name field will be displayed. To see a list of all such tasks, click on the Task ID drop-down.

Advanced Filter

You may also want to store an advanced filter for a particular project/client:

Select Filter>>, Advanced....
Enter a Name for the filter and any desired filter properties.

Alternate Main/Sub-Task Method

You may decide that you don't want to use the Task/Job Name field for the project or client name but rather would like to create a new user-defined field (e.g. called Project or Client) to hold project/client names. If you do, simply follow the same methodology as illustrated above, substituting the user-defined field (e.g. named Project or Client) for Task/Job Name.

See also:

Knowledgebase article Q1030: Generating Sub-Tasks Automatically.

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Q: Do I have to enter the year when I enter a date?

A: No, not unless you're entering a date which is in another year.

For example, if you enter "8-8" in a date field, Task Manager 2010 will automatically change the date entry to e.g. 08/08/2010 (while the system clock is at 2010) depending on your Windows control panel Short Date Setting.

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Q: Can I bring a task back once I have closed it?

A: Yes. Completed tasks can be viewed by clicking on the Show/Hide Completed Tasks button located on the right toolbar on the Edit/View Tasks screen.

To bring a completed task back to become a current task, simply erase the Date Completed.

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Q: Can I add my own fields and remove others?

You can add your own custom fields:

Select Setup User-Defined Fields from the second page of the Edit/View Existing Tasks screen.
You can remove all unwanted fields from Work Reports, including built-in fields:

STEP 1

Select Reports>>, Work Reports... from the Task Manager top menubar.

STEP 2

Select the Work Report from which you wish to remove a built-in field.

STEP 3

Click on More>> then click on Fields...

STEP 4

Highlight the row containing the field.

STEP 5

Either delete the row with the DEL key or by using the delete tool button (or Hide the field if it is required by a custom field that you have created).

On the task entry screen, all but the Task Description and Team Member fields can be left blank. Both of these fields can have default values assigned to them.

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Q: How can I have a 'pool' (e.g. 'backlog') of unassigned tasks which I can bring live when I want?

A: Two possible ways are:

Keep the Date Allocated field blank until a task is assigned:

Copy and amend relevant work reports to filter in or out Unallocated Tasks, i.e. by setting the field criteria for Date Allocated to:

<> Null

or

= Null

Change and save an unallocated report, prefixing the title with the word "Unallocated" or "Backlog".

Once the task is started, edit the task details filling in the date allocated field with the current date.
Create a team member called "UAL - Unallocated". A typical work report would then look like:

MS - Mary Smith
---------------

Task 1 ...
Task 5 ...
Task 8 ...
etc

JB - Joe Bloggs
---------------
Task 15 ...
Task 84 ...
Task 5 ...
etc

UAL - Unallocated
-----------------
Task 45 ...
Task 12 ...
Task 87 ...
etc

When the unallocated task is ready to be allocated, simply edit the task, changing the Allocated To person from UAL - Unallocated, to the appropriate person.

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Q: Why can't I enter any new data into a new user-defined field that I have just created?

A: You need to assign Field Permissions for that new user-defined field:

Select Tools>>, Security>>, Field Permissions... from the Task Manager top menubar.
Select the appropriate group or individual to whom you want to give the field permission to by using the Groups/Users selector. To give everyone permission to change data in your new user-defined field, select the Users group.
Tick the checkbox listed next to the user-defined field name listed in under Permissions.

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Reports

Q: The message: "The report contains no data" is displayed for a work report even though the criteria is broad

Solution

The team member selector needs to be initialized (this will only need to be done once). Click on the Selected... button in the Using Parameters option group. Click on Select All.

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Q: Can I have dated comments? For example can I have a report with task name, the most current comments and the date the comments were entered?

A: Yes. The following example illustrates how to do this.

STEP 1

Select Reports>>, Work Reports... from the Task Manager top menubar.

STEP 2

Create a new work report called Sample Comments:

Click on the New button
Type the words Sample Comments in the Name field
Press the ENTER key

STEP 3

Click on More>> then click on Fields...

STEP 4

Add the following three fields:

Task ID
Task/Job Name
øCustom 01

(Note the field "øCustom 01" can be selected from the drop-down box).

STEP 5

Insert the following data into the respective field properties:

Field	Title	Expand Vertically	Custom Source
Task ID		No
Task/Job Name		No
øCustom 01	Comments	Yes	IIf(Not IsNull([Notes]),Left([Notes],Instr([Notes],"*")))

STEP 6

You can also increase the Width property for the fields Task/Job Name and øCustom 01. Try 1500 and 3000 twips respectively.

STEP 7

Close the report. Go in to Add New Tasks and make a new task. For the Notes field, create a series of dated comments as below (remember to use SHIFT+F2 to zoom the Notes field). Always insert new notes at the beginning of the field.

21-JAN-2010 Found lost schedule. Able to continue. *

25-DEC-2004 Can't find schedule. On hold. *

11-NOV-2004 Decided to use schedule from Department A. *

STEP 8

Note the following keyboard shortcut keys that can be used in the Notes zoom window:

Action	Keyboard Shortcut
To zoom a field (e.g. Notes)	SHIFT+F2
To insert the current date	CTRL+SEMICOLON (;)
To insert the current time	CTRL+COLON (:)
To insert a new line	CTRL+ENTER

STEP 9

When run, the sample report will only display the latest notes.

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	task management software - easily manage and track all tasks for your teams and business groups	CPA software - ideal for managing day-to-day jobs of your staff. Keep client work under control
	job management - When a new job comes in to your office, assign it to an under-worked team member	accountant - manage IRS and 1080 work with ease
	lawyer software - give your practice management boost with effective job allocation	work management software - manage all work and team member assignment
	job scheduling - eliminate bottlenecks and under resourcing of jobs	job tracking - from start to finish and with milestones in between, use email reminders to track progress
	project management - mange and track projects from start to completion	workflow - organize process flows and associated tasks
	team management - whether you have a small team or large clusters of teams within various departments, use team management software to track all employee work	work scheduling - effectively plan for down-time, holidays, shifts and roster rotation

Technical Support: Task Manager 2010™
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			Miscellaneous Q: How much does Task Manager 2010 cost? A: Click on the "Buy" link located on the top navigation bar of this page to view pricing for Task Manager 2010. ______________________________ top Q: What can I do if my question is not answered in Frequently Asked Questions? A: Please search the Support Knowledgebase with your question or keywords. If you still can't find a solution, you may email an Orbisoft Support Engineer with your specific question. Email support@orbisoft.com ______________________________ top