TrakDate 5 toc - cli-usa.com · December 03/15 09/15 These global tasks are assigned a Template of work steps, such as the template for processing tax returns outlined above. Global

TrakDateTask and Due Date Tracking

from The Time & Billing Specialists

Commercial Logic, Inc.Post Office Box 331Hanover, NH 03755 ■ 603 /643-1900 ■ FAX /643-6116

Reference Manual

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TD52003519WEE

TrakDate Reference Manual Table of Contents

Contents:

1 Overview ..................................................................................... 1

2 Master Files ................................................................................ 6Templates ........................................................................................................................ 8Tasks & Due Dates ....................................................................................................... 10Task Groups .................................................................................................................. 18

3 TrakDate Preferences .............................................................. 20

4 TrakDate Utilities ...................................................................... 24Generate Default Tasks ................................................................................ 24Reset Task Due Datest .................................................................................. 25Generate Next Year’s Tasks ......................................................................... 26

Task Update and Inquiry ......................................................... 28Overview ........................................................................................................ 28Project Tasks Maintenance ........................................................................... 28Recurring Master Tasks ................................................................................ 30Add Global Master Task ............................................................................... 31Current Tasks Maintenance ......................................................................... 32Edit Task Steps ............................................................................................. 33Checking Off the Next Step .......................................................................... 33Extending to the Next Due Date .................................................................. 33Adding a Task-Specific Note ......................................................................... 34Printing Task Steps and Notes ..................................................................... 34

Task Displays and Reports ..................................................... 36All Tasks Tab ................................................................................................. 36Filters ............................................................................................................ 36Display Options ............................................................................................. 37Incomplete Task Features ............................................................................ 37Edit Task Steps ............................................................................................. 38Task Steps Features ...................................................................................... 40TrakDate Reports .......................................................................................... 41

TrakDate Reference Manual Overview

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TrakDate OverviewTrakDate Benefits TrakDate is CLI’s due date and project management system. Its

purpose is to aid the company to:

1. Track multi-step tasks to successful completion

2. Keep promises to clients by providing up to the minuteinformation on work in progress prior to its due date;

3. Manage complex tasks by tracking each stage as it is startedor completed.

Project Triage On April 14 the question is not only what 1040 tax forms are incom-plete, but how near to completion are they? With information fromTrakDate, management can perform a triage, extending some returns,signing and mailing the almost complete, and concentrating re-sources on returns that need a special effort to make the deadline.

Multi-dimensional due dates TrakDate takes due date tracking to a new level. Many real worldtasks have not one but several potential due dates. For example aform 1040 has a due date of 4/15, but also extension dates to 8/15and 10/15. Further, these are the due dates for those with fiscal yearsending in December, but do not apply to those with other fiscal yearends. A matrix of 36 due dates is required to describe all the due dateand extension possibilities of the form 1040. TrakDate provides thiscapability so that the user assigning a 1040 to a client does not haveto remember the correct due date for a client with a fiscal year endingin October. Similarly, when the return needs to be extended, thecorrect extension dates for that year-end are already present forimmediate and accurate assignment.

Multiple steps to completion A tax return is a complex task requiring planning, informationgathering, preparation, review, assembly, signature, mailing, billing,and more. Each firm manages this process a little differently. TrakDateprovides your firm with the ability to define a standard set of steps forthe completion of a tax return. Employees then check off these stepsas they complete them, providing an audit trail of progress towardcompletion. This has two important benefits:

1. You can answer the question, “Who’s got the Framus return?”online in real time.

2. You can answer the question, “What’s it going to take tocomplete this by the next due date?”

TrakDate expanded The original TrakDate system was built to handle these needs formanagement of tax returns, but the same principles apply to othercomplex tasks undertaken by accounting and consulting firms. Auditsor multi-phased projects can be setup and tracked in the samefashion. This ability is new to TrakDate 5.

Once TrakDate is licensed, projects defined in PowerPM may beassigned an unlimited number of tasks, each with its own due datesand steps required for completion. Tasks may be assigned asrecurring or one-time, either from a list of globally defined task anddue dates or setup specifically for this project.

TrakDate is a real-time system designed for onscreen operation.Printed reports are available from the onscreen displays.

Overview Commercial Logic, Inc.

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TrakDate Operation In PowerPM, time and expense transactions are entered to client/files. TrakDate uses the same client/file structure, but additionallypermits the assignment of multi-step tasks (for example, the stepsrequired to complete a tax return) to the client/file. The entry ofcompletion information for each step of the task as work progressescreates TrakDate transactions.

Work Templates Begin by thinking how you plan to use TrakDate. The most commonuse is tracking the progress of tax returns through the office, but thisis by no means the only use. For sake of example, think of thegeneral stages of income tax returns, such as:

1. Get Client Info2. Prepare3. Assemble4. Review5. Sign6. Deliver7. Completed

This list of steps is called a Work Template. An unlimited number ofWork Templates may be created using the Template tab of the MasterFiles program. The final step (Completed) is assigned by the system.There is one system-generated template called Default, which hasonly the Completed step.

Steps may be required or not. Required steps must be signed-offbefore subsequent steps; that is Required steps may not be skipped.

Tasks & Due Dates Tasks and due dates of general interest (such as federally mandateddue dates for tax returns) may be entered into the Tasks & Due Datestab of the Master Files program. Tax returns, of course, may have notonly an initial due date but extension dates as well. These may or maynot depend on the fiscal year end of the client. For example, here isthe matrix of due dates and extension dates for the 1120 CorporateIncome Tax Form:

FY End Due Date ExtensionJanuary 04/15 10/15February 05/15 11/15March 06/15 12/15April 07/15 01/15May 08/15 02/15June 09/15 03/15July 10/15 04/15August 11/15 05/15September 12/15 06/15October 01/15 07/15November 02/15 08/15December 03/15 09/15

These global tasks are assigned a Template of work steps, such asthe template for processing tax returns outlined above. Global tasksmay be Annual or Quarterly and based either on the client’s fiscalyear or on the calendar year. Global tasks and due dates may beassigned to projects, either as recurring or one-time tasks.


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Edit Task Steps Once assigned to a project, a task is easily accessed and the stepsmay be checked off with a date completed and the person signing off.The task may be extended (within the limits of extension dates) andnotes may be added. Notes are automatically given a date/time anduser ID stamp. A note is automatically created for an extension (or forcancellation of an extension). See above.

Overview Commercial Logic, Inc.

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The Incomplete Task Grid The heart of the management of tasks is the Incomplete Tasks grid,which allows users to filter and organize the tasks for which they areresponsible. Questions like

What’s due right now?What’s stuck?Where is the return for client ABC?

are easily answered and changes to task steps can be made directlyfrom this screen. A sample of this screen is provided above.

The grid is sorted based on the leftmost columns. The order ofcolumns can be changed by simply dragging them into place.TrakDate remembers the column order associated with theworkstation and restores in that order next time. As can be seen fromthe various filters on this Incomplete Tasks screen, it can be used toorganize your task data in any way that seems right to you.

The fields above the grid are filters that allow the operator to focus inon a set of tasks of interest.


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The Task Steps Grid This complements the Incomplete Tasks grid, allowing users to defineexactly which steps they want to review and providing completioncounts for each step displayed.

Optional Display Columns Many of the columns actually displayed on both grids are optional.The selection of optional columns on these two grids is controlled inTrakDate Preferences on the PowerPM Setup Menu.

Sort Order The order of tasks displayed on these two grids is dynamic andcontrolled by the position of the columns. The rows are sorted firstaccording to the values in the leftmost column, then in the nextcolumn, etc. The user controls the sort by dragging the columnheading into the desired position.

Master Files Commercial Logic, Inc.

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TrakDate Master FilesOverview Master files are the building blocks that allow the user to manipulate

the information in standard pre-defined ways. In PowerPM client,projects, employees, and work codes are all examples of master fileinformation that must be pre-defined before time and expense informa-tion can be entered. TrakDate has three sets of master file information:

Templates These define the steps that the firm wants to track in the completion ofa certain class of tasks. For example the steps for completing anincome tax return are different from those useful in tracking theprogress of an audit.

Tasks and Due Dates These are known compliance dates that do not vary from client toclient. For example the due dates for form 1040 are not subject tonegotiation between the client and the firm but are set by the federalgovernment. Once setup, this matrix of due dates and extensions canbe applied to any client/project and the actual due dates for thatproject will depend on the fiscal year end month already assigned.

Task Groups This allows the automatic assignment of up to six tasks to a projectbased on the Task Group code assigned to the project. For example, ifyou define a code to indicate the project is for a New York Citycorporation, you can automatically assign the federal return, the statereturn, and the city return with that one code.

PowerPM Master Files Program PowerPM 5.1 incorporates the setup of these items into the MasterFiles program already extant under the File menu. Three new tabscorrespond to the functions above. The TrakDate tabs are only visible ifthe company using PowerPM has licensed TrakDate. The Master Filesprogram with TrakDate tabs is illustrated on the facing page.

TrakDate Reference Manual Master Files

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Templates

TrakDate Templates The above screen shows the Templates tab with the drop down list ofdefined templates displayed, along with the actual steps assigned totemplate TAX. Templates work as follows:

1. Users may assign up to 20 steps to a template, including thelast step, which is required and used to indicate completion.

2. Steps are numbered in entry order by the system. Creation ofsteps out of sequence is not permitted.

3. Steps may be Required or Optional. Required steps must bechecked off in order. That is, you cannot check off step 3 ifstep 2 is required and not yet checked off.

4. The system automatically creates the Default template, whichhas just the one step to it.

5. These templates and steps are used dynamically throughoutthe TrakDate system. Hence, changing a step on this screenchanges it for all tasks that use this template. If you havebeen using step 3 (for example) to mean “To Assembly” andchecking off that meaning for some time, you want to becareful about changing it to mean something completelydifferent (such as “Quality Review”).


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6. Steps previously entered may be deleted, but only if they havenot yet been checked off in a live task.

7. New Steps may be added after initial creation if the finalCompleted step has not yet been used. If it is necessary toover-ride this constraint (and the similar restriction on deletingsteps), right-click on the grid to obtain the Template LockOverride. See above. Clearly this is not a procedure that islightly undertaken. See discussion under item 5 above.

8. A template may be inactivated, which means it no longerappears in lists for assignment to tasks on the Tasks and DueDates tab. It will still provide step descriptions to the project-level tasks to which it was already assigned.

9. A template may be renamed by clicking the Change buttonand typing a new name into the name field. This will not affectthe previous assignment of this template to project-level tasksor to global master tasks.

Templates


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TrakDate Tasks & Due Dates This tab controls the creation and management of global matrices ofdue dates, which may then be used in similar tasks for many differentclients and projects. For example, the above screen shows the matrixof due dates for form 1040. The last line shows the traditional due dateand extensions for most individuals; lines 1-11 show the due dates forthose with non-December year-end months.

These globally defined tasks are useful for due dates that are widelyagreed upon -- such as tax return due dates. A date that is a matter ofnegotiation between the firm and the client should be assigned at theproject level as a project-specific task and due date. For easy ex-ample, you would not want to make a reminder to send a birthday cardto a specific customer a globally defined task!

Note also that TrakDate supports not just one due date for a task, buta whole matrix of due dates, depending on fiscal year end and exten-sions.

When a globally defined task is assigned to a project, the appropriateset of due dates is copied to the project-assigned task record. Thus ifa due date is changed in this program it does not affect existing tasksalready assigned to a project. There is a utility available (Reset TaskDue Dates) to propagate such changes to existing tasks.

Tasks & Due Dates


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Tasks & Due DatesTask Type One of five choices:

1. Annual Fiscal Year-based2. Annual Calendar Year-based3. Quarterly Fiscal Year-based4. Quarterly Calendar Year-based5. Monthly Calendar Year-based

A calendar year-based task has the same due date regardless of thefiscal year end of the client. For example, payroll taxes are quarterlytaxes that are independent of fiscal year end. In contrast, estimatedtax payment dates depend on the fiscal year end of the client.

When assigned to a project, a quarterly task will place up to four duedates in the open list of tasks for that project. Similarly, assignment ofa monthly task to a project will place up to 12 due dates in the list.


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Tasks & Due Dates

Adding a globally-defined Task Clicking on the Add New Task button brings up the Add Task dialog.

Task ID Enter a task id of up to 12 letters, mixed case, A-Z, a-z, 0-9 with nospaces or punctuation (in this case we have used “Payroll”)

Type Since these are payroll tax filings, select Quarterly – Calendar Based

Template We will use the <Default> template that has only the single step“Completed.”

Due Dates Then enter the due dates for each quarter in the four spaces provided.Use mm/dd format. Notice we have entered “4/30” in Due Date 1 and“1/31” in Due Date 4. This is because 4/30 is the due date for the 1stquarter and 1/31 is the due date for the fourth and last quarter.

Click the Ok button to save the changes. This produces the result onthe page following.

The onscreen calendar is for the reference convenience of the user andhas no data management function.


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Note that the matrix of quarterly due dates is the same regardless ofthe fiscal year end month, which is as it should be for payroll taxfilings.

Due dates may be edited via the Change Due Dates button or clearedand re-generated via the Clear Due Dates and Fill Due Dates buttons.

Entry of fiscal year end based due dates differs from calendar baseddue dates in that the user enters an offset in months from the fiscalyear end, rather than a month and day. The day for fiscal year endbased dates is always 15, which may be changed by editing thematrix after generation.

Tasks & Due Dates


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Tasks & Due Dates

Clear Due Dates Clicking this button brings up the above warning. Clearing the duedates from the matrix will NOT affect existing tasks, but will make itimpossible to assign this task to other projects until new dates arefilled in. Once you have cleared the dates you have three options:

1. You may proceed to fill in new dates using the Fill Datesbutton. This will allow the task to be assigned to newprojects using the new dates. Projects that already have thistask assigned will will retain their original dates until you runthe Reset Task DueDates utility, which applies the new datesto existing tasks.

2. You may delete this global task record altogether. ThisDOES affect existing tasks with this internal number as theTask ID for each project level task is obtained from this globalrecord. You should NOT delete a global task so long as youhave it assigned to projects.

3. You may leave the task with no due dates. This preserves thetask ID for use in existing project-level instances of this task,but disables it for assignment in the future.

Note that you cannot create a task, assign it to projects, delete it, re-enter a new global task with the same name, and hope to have thataffect the old tasks with that name. It doesn’t work that way.


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Tasks & Due Dates

Deleting the global task record Once you have cleared the due dates, the above dialog is displayed,allowing you the option to delete the task record itself. As indicatedabove, this will orphan existing project-level tasks with this ID.

Clicking the No button preserves this task so that existing tasks willnot be orphaned and allows use of the Fill Due Dates button to enternew due dates, if that is the intention.

Again, this is a better practice than deleting the task, then re-enteringit with the same name but different due dates. That approach will leaveexisting project-level tasks without names (orphaned).


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Tasks & Due Dates

Fill Due Dates Clicking the Fill Due Dates button after clearing the due dates bringsup the above screen. The Task, Type, and Template fields are disabled,but the due date fields are available for new entry. Enter the new datesfor each quarter and click OK.

Note that the due dates are entered for April, July, October, and thenJanuary. This is the correct order for a given tax year. That is, thepayroll tax filing for the first quarter is due in April and the filing for thelast quarter is due in January of the following year.


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Tasks & Due Dates

Fill Due Dates (completed) We have entered the same dates that we originally had.


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Task Groups

Task Groups The above screen shows the Task Groups tab, the third and lastmaster files screen for TrakDate. A task group code requires a numberbetween 1 and 99 (assignment in sequence is not required), a groupname, and the assignment of one to six tasks using a pick list ofavailable tasks.

Once created, codes may be assigned to projects through ClientUpdate or through Task Update. Project update rights are required.

The simple assignment of the code to a project does not immediatelyadd the associated tasks to the project. To accomplish this step, thereare three alternatives:

1. Click the Generate button on the Project tab for a given project.2. Click the Generate button on the Project Tasks tab for a project.3 Run the Generate Default Tasks utility from the Utilities menu. This

will generate default tasks for all projects that lack the tasksassigned by the task group for the remainder of the calendar year.

Task Group codes may be deleted, which may orphan codes alreadyassigned to projects.

Add Button This allows the user to add a new task group code. The numbers donot need to be sequential but may be any unused number between 1


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and 99. The task group code name may be up to 30 characters. Thetask fields are filled in by pick lists of available global tasks. Click theSave button when complete.

Change Button This allows you to change the name or the task list of a selected taskgroup code. The number may not be changed. Click Save whencomplete.

Delete Button Select a task group code line and click Delete.

Note: existing code assignments at the project level are unaffected bychanges here until the Gen Default Tasks utility is run.

Task Groups

TrakDate Preferences Commercial Logic, Inc.

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TrakDate PreferencesOverview As for other PowerPM modules, TrakDate has its own set of prefer-

ences. Currently, these preferences solely affect the operation of theAll Tasks tab though provision is made for items that may affect futureTrakDate reporting.

Operation Access TrakDate Preferences from the Setup Menu

.

TrakDate Preferences

Reporting Tab

Substitue Report Labels Only the substitute labels for Management-n are operational. The usermay enter up to five characters of substitute label. For example, MGT-1 may be replaced by Ptnr. Currently, these substitutions only affectthe column headings on the All Tasks tab.

Treat Missing Stepsas Completed This option, a residual from TrakDate 3, has no current effect on

reporting.

TrakDate Reference Manual TrakDate Preferences

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Incomplete Tasks TabDisplay Columns These settings control what columns appear on the Incomplete Tasks

display. Checked items will be displayed, while those unchecked willbe suppressed.

This is used to eliminate columns that are of no interest to the firm.While less interesting columns may always be scrolled off to theright, all columns in the list will be displayed and printed on reports.The display of more columns than necessary will produce a reportthat is less readable than it could be. We recommend using thispreference to limit the Incomplete Task display to just those columnsthat you really need.

These settings are global, which means they affect all users ofTrakDate. The sort order of the columns, however, is an individualpreference that is retained for each workstation by the system.

Note the presence of the substitute labels for MGT-1 through MGT-4. Ifthese items are selected for display, the columns would be headed bythe substitute labels.

Show Tasks for Inactive Projects If this box is checked, the Incomplete Task display will include Inactiveprojects; otherwise not.

TrakDate Preferences Commercial Logic, Inc.

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Task Steps TabDisplay Columns As for Incompete Tasks, these settings control what columns appear

on the Task Steps display. Checked items will be displayed, whilethose unchecked will be suppressed.

This is used to eliminate columns that are of no interest to the firm.While less interesting columns may always be scrolled off to the right,all columns in the list will be displayed and printed on reports. Thedisplay of more columns than necessary will produce a report that isless readable than it could be. We recommend using this preferenceto limit the display to just those columns that you really need.

These settings are global, which means they affect all users ofTrakDate. The sort order of the columns, however, is an individualpreference that is retained for each workstation by the system.

Note the presence of the substitute labels for MGT-1 and MGT-2. Ifthese items are selected for display, the columns would be headed bythe substitute labels.

TrakDate Reference Manual TrakDate Preferences

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Other Options TabAllow Inactive Staff to

Complete a Step Checking this box allows persons logged into PowerPM with InactiveStaff ID’s to update TrakDate steps.Otherwise, operators with InactiveStaff login ID’s will have read-only access TrakDate.

IT & CS grid printing Font Allows users to control the size of the font they use for printing theIncomplete Tasks and Task Steps reports. This is a global setting,changeable only from this window.

TrakDate Utilities Commercial Logic, Inc.

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TrakDate UtilitiesOverview There are three utilities that are run infrequently to accomplish various

global changes in the TrakDate data.

Since utilities potentially make a great many changes throughout thedatabase, always make a backup before running so that if the resultsare not as you had expected or intended, you may reverse the effectof the utility by reloading from backup.

Note: this is the only way to reverse the effect of a utility!

Operation Access the TrakDate Utilities from the Utilities Menu.

.

Generate Default Tasks

Generate Default Tasks This utility assigns tasks to projects based on the Task Group codeassigned to the project. If you have not created Task Groups andassigned them to various projects, this utility is of no use to you.

TrakDate Reference Manual TrakDate Utilities

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Reset Task Due Dates

Reset Task Due Dates When a global task is assigned to a project, the appropriate duedates are copied from the global due date matrix to the task recordat the project level. Subsequently, if there is a need to change oneor more of these dates, the change can be made at the global tasklevel and this utility may be used to correct the date in existing tasksat the project level.

Reset Due Dates for Task: The utility only works on one globally-defined task at a time, whichmust be selected by the user.

If Initial Due Date is after: Skip those tasks whose initial due date precedes the date in this box.This allows the utility to affect only relatively current items.

Recomputed Due Dates: If the IRS were to change the due date of 1040’s from April 15 to May15 you would want 04/15/2003 to become 05/15/2003 rather than 05/15/2002 and thus your response would be After. The program couldprobably guess right in most situations, but this clears up anypotential ambiguities.

Tasks for which due dates areno longer valid will be deleted! If the corrected global task date matrix no longer has dates for a June

year end, for example, and there are some projects with this task anda June year end, those tasks have nowhere to go and will be deleted.

TrakDate Utilities Commercial Logic, Inc.

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Generate Next Year’s Tasks

Create Next Year’s Current Tasks Tasks may be assigned to projects as recurring master tasks or asone-time tasks. If tasks are assigned as recurring, they appear in theRecurring Master Task grid. Recurring master tasks lack a due dateyear and cannot be edited, checked off, or extended. They existsimply to inform the system that these tasks need to be renewedfrom year to year. This is the utility that renews them for the nextcalendar year.

Note that the utility is driven by the calendar year in which a due datefalls rather than the tax year.

We recommend running this utility in September or October of eachyear. Note that recurring tasks assigned after that date would tend toautomatically create a current task in the ensuing year anyway.

Template Selection You may create new current tasks for all templates or limit theutility’s operation to just one. Normal operation would be to roll themall.

TrakDate Reference Manual TrakDate Utilities

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Year Selection The utility will default to next calendar year, but you may choose up totwo years in the future or one year in the past. Note that if a currenttask already exists for the selected year, it is simply skipped by theutility, so there is no harm in running this utility more than once for thesame year.

Inactive Projects Normally, inactive projects are skipped by this utility, but checking thisbox will cause them to be considered.

Task Update and Inquiry Commercial Logic, Inc.

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Task Update and InquiryOverview This is where the work gets done. The program offers two tabs:

Project Tasks and All Tasks. Project Tasks allows the user to review,assign, and manage tasks on a project-by-project basis. All Tasksallows the user to review and manage tasks by selection of due daterange, project management, stage of completion, etc.

Task Update allows changes to the data. Task Inquiry, like ClientInquiry, is read-only.

Operation Access Task Update from the File Menu and Task Inquiry from theDisplay Menu. The TrakDate button on the launcher bar will default toyour highest level of rights, hence Task Update if you have suchrights. The TrakDate functions are also available within Client Inquiry/Update.

A typical Task Update/Project Task screen is displayed below.

Project Tasks The purpose of this tab is the maintenance of task data at the projectlevel. It offers three grids of task information: Recurring Master Tasks,Current Tasks, and Completed Task History. Clicking the large down-arrow at the right of the grid may expand each grid. In addition, a boxof project information relevant to task management is displayed in theupper right. Users with Project Update rights may edit these fields inTask Update.

TrakDate Reference Manual Task Update and Inquiry

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Generate This button will generate the default recurring and current tasks forthis project as assigned by the Task Group code. No tasks aregenerated if these already exist or if no Task Group is assigned. Thesame function exists in Client Update/Projects.

Client/Project This button displays relevant Client and Project information, such asthe management fields. The information is not editable from thisdisplay. An example is shown below.


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Recurring Master Tasks When a task is assigned to this grid, a counterpart is automaticallycreated in Current Tasks. The item in Current Tasks is then availablefor tracking and completion. The presence of the task in the Recur-ring grid simply signals to the system that this task occurs every year.Note that tasks in the Recurring grid lack a due date year, as well asother items that would apply to a specific due date.

There are three available functions on the Recurring Tasks grid,accessed via right-mouse menu. A user may:

Add a Global TaskAdd a Project-specific TaskDelete a Task

A global task is one already defined in Master Files/Tasks & DueDates (e.g. form 1040). A project-specific task is just that: a task thatis relevant in scope and due date to this project only and thereforenot pre-defined in Master Files. For example, the project-specific taskmight be to send a birthday card to the president of the company.

When a task is created in the Recurring Tasks grid, it is automaticallycreated in the Current Tasks grid for the next available due date(s) inthe current year. If this is not sufficient, the same task for an addi-tional year may be added to the Current Tasks grid. In the examplesbelow, we have added a new task to the Recurring Task grid and itscomplementary Current task is also created.


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Add Global Master Task The list is supplied from Master Files/Tasks & Due Dates. Select thedesired task and click Okay. Only tasks that are valid for the project’scurrently defined year-end are displayed.

The result is displayed below. Note the presence of 1065 in both theRecurring and Current grids and that the due date is 4/15/03.


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Current Tasks Maintenance Current tasks are tasks with real due dates that are as yetincomplete. Once a current task is completed, it is moved to theCompleted Tasks grid as history. This allows users to focus on thework in progress.

The Current Tasks grid also has a right-mouse menu, with thefollowing options:

Add Global TaskAdd Project-specific TaskEdit TaskDelete TaskComplete Next StepExtend to next Due Date

Completing the Next Step and Extending the Task can also beaccomplished by double-clicking on a task, which brings up thefollowing task edit screen. Selecting Edit Task does the same thing.

Note: If the login User ID is not the Staff Id of a valid active staffperson, Complete Next Step and Extend to next Due Date will not beaccessible, as these items require the entry of a Staff ID. Other menuitems may also be disabled based on the user’s data access rights.


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Edit Task Steps The are a number of functions available from this screen:

Checking off the next stepExtending to the next due dateAdding a task-specific notePrinting task steps and notesEditing task step information

Checking off the next step This is done simply by clicking the appropriate check box. If stepshave been set up as Required, they must be done in order.

If the logged user ID is also an active staff ID in the PowerPM data-base, the user is filled into the checked step automatically; otherwisethe user must select an active staff member from a pick list. The staffindicated in the check-off does not have to be the individual loggedinto PowerPM, but this clearly improves the efficiency of the process.

The date defaults to today’s date, but may be modified.

If Complete Next Step is selected from the right-mouse menu on theprevious screen, the logged staff ID (if active in the database) andtoday’s date are automatically added to the next available stepwithout going to the above edit screen.

Extending to the next due date The user may extend this task to the next due date built into the datematrix by clicking the Extend button. Only pre-defined extensiondates may be used. A Note is automatically generated.


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This advances the due date of the task (if extension dates areavailable) and writes a task-specific note, including date, time, and IDof employee extending the date.

If Extend to next Due Date is selected from the right-mouse menu onthe previous screen by an active logged staff ID, the task is automati-cally extended to the next extension date.

Adding a task-specific note Click the Add Note button. This will place a date-time-staff stamp inthe notes file and allow subsequent entry of text. New notes will addto the top of the file. These notes are task-specific and may beviewed or modified on this edit screen or within Client Inquiry/Update.The presence of notes for a task is indicated by a bold Yes in theNotes field on the Project Tasks tab.

Printing task steps and notes Clicking the Print Steps button with Include Notes checked producesthe following print preview:


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This is useful for those occasions that require a hard copy. Somefirms find it useful to file such a copy when the task is complete,preserving the record of who worked on it and when it was doneagainst future questions.

Task Displays and Reports Commercial Logic, Inc.

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All Tasks Tab The principal means of reviewing tasks from many projects are thetwo grids available under the All Tasks tab of Task Update/Inquiry.Incomplete Tasks shows the last completed step of each taskselected while Task Steps shows the status of all the steps. Thesedisplays allow managers to track the progress of their current (andcompleted) tasks.

The grids are sortable by drag-and-drop and provide two levels ofoptional subtotals. These supply counts of tasks according to the sort.An export feature allows the user to drag a selected block of cellsfrom either grid into Excel. The grids may be previewed and printed.

Filters Filters are available to limit the tasks displayed by due date, bymanagement, by office, by task or template, or by ranges ofsteps.Except for step ranges these work the same for each grid.

Task Show items for a single globally defined task or for any task.

Template Show items for a single work template or any template. If Any Tem-plate is selected, then the steps displayed in the step range will notbe named, as different templates have differently named steps.

Management Select Any Staff or limit the display to tasks of projects associatedwith a single staff ID for a selected management level. Note that theuser-defined labels for management 1-5 are operative here (e.g.Prtnr instead of Mgmt-1).

TrakDate Reference Manual Task Displays and Reports

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Filters (continued)

Office Limit the display to the tasks of projects belonging to a single office orshow items for projects for all offices.

Due Date Set the range of due dates for displayed tasks. “Due date” in thiscontext means the latest date to which a task has been extended.

Step Range (Incomplete Tasks) Two options: you may limit tasks to

1. Those whose last completed step lies in the chosen range2. Those with skipped steps in the chosen range

The purpose of the first option is to allow the user to focus on a tightrange of steps -- for example, those tax returns for which the clientinformation is still incomplete.

The purpose of the second option is to allow the user to reviewskipped steps that may need completion -- for example, an audit mayhave begun without the signed engagement letter from a client.

Step Range (Task Steps) The sole option is to choose the range of steps for display in columnsof the grid report.

Display Options

Export Mode When checked, export mode allows the operator to select a block ofcells, click on a corner of the block, and drag and drop the block intoan open Excel spreadsheet.

Turning on Export Mode disables click-through editing of task itemsand printing.

Counts The grids have three subtotal optons:

Total Count Only (no subtotals)Total Column One (one level of subtotals)Total Coumn One & Two (Two levels of subtotals)

The totals function counts numbers of tasks within selected levels.

Display Selection Incomplete Tasks or Task Steps.

Grid Color Selection A right-mouse click on the grid brings up a color selection chart thatcontrols the background color of the grid.

Incomplete Tasks Features The selected tasks are automatically sorted by the first five columnsof the grid. You can change the sort by clicking on the column headand dragging a column into a different position. In this case the grid issorted by Due Date and Partner, but the different ways to sort andpresent the information are limited only by imagination. For example,dragging the Last Step column to the first position would allow you toanalyze the tasks by the stage of development.

TrakDate remembers the column order and saves it for each work-station for the next time you use the program.

TrakDate only shows those columns selected on the TrakDatePreferences screen. Review those preferences to make sure you areseeing all the columns you want. While the sort order of the columns


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is an individual preference, the columns displayed per TrakDatePreferences is a system-wide selection. Some columns may requirescrolling to be viewed.

Edit Task Steps Double-clicking on a task from the IncompleteTask grid accomplishesthe same thing as double-clicking on a task in the Current Tasks grid:it brings up the Edit Task Steps screen, allowing the user to completesteps, extend the due date, or add notes. On Okay or Cancel fromthat screen, the user returns to the Incomplete Task grid withchanges updated.

Note that editing task steps is disabled in Export Mode.

TrakDate remembers the last project you chose to edit from the gridand positions the Project Tasks screen at that project when you nextselect Project Tasks.


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Task Steps Features Incomplete Tasks focuses on the last completed step while TaskSteps is concerned with the status of all the steps in the selectedrange. It is usually more useful to display Task Steps for one templateat a time, as the mixing of templates will replace the descriptiveheadings with numbers.

The selected tasks are automatically sorted by the first five columnsof the grid. You can change the sort by clicking on the column headand dragging a column into a different position.

TrakDate remembers the column order and saves it for each work-station for the next time you use the program.

TrakDate only shows those columns selected on the TrakDatePreferences screen. Review those preferences to make sure you areseeing all the columns you want. While the sort order of the columnsis an individual preference, the columns displayed per TrakDatePreferences is a system-wide selection. Some columns may requirescrolling for display.

The user may double-click on a task to edit.

Using Subtotals The subtotals offered by the Counts list box provide a powerfulmeans of managing the progress of tasks through the office. Forexample, in the display on the following page, the user can seeexactly how many returns in each category and how many haveprogressed to each step.


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TrakDate Reports While all information concerning specific tasks is reported on thesegrids there is provision in the standard reporting system to report onthe master file elements that make up the building blocks of thesetasks: Work Templates, Global Tasks and Due Dates, and TaskGroup Code assignments. The report may be found in the Special listand provides the following setup options:

Documents

TrakDate 5 toc - cli-usa.com · December 03/15 09/15 These global tasks are assigned a Template of work steps, such as the template for processing tax returns outlined above. Global