Default Task Options

Default Task Options in the Administration section is where the most commonly used options for tasks are set so they don't have to be set for each individual task.

There is also a tab to set default options for projects. See Default Project Options for more information.

Accessing Default Task Options

Navigate to Administration > Projects > Default Project & Task Options > Default Task Options tab

How Default Task Options Work

These settings will apply to your Projects/Tasks throughout PI unless you have specific Task Settings enabled on the Project or Task level. 

• These settings are applied automatically to new projects except where you create a project from a template
• If a project is created from a template, then the settings from the template are used instead of these defaults

Apply to All Projects & Tasks

All of the options on the form have a check box:

• Apply to all projects
• Apply to all projects & tasks

Default Task Options

Auto-Populate Work from Duration When Work is Not Set

The 'Auto-populate work from duration when work is not set' feature will pre-fill any null (blank) work values on the task based on a default value of one resource assigned to the task with 100% allocation. For example, entering a five day duration will pre-fill 40 work hours in a task which has no previously assigned value in the work field. The work field can be manually changed from 40 hours to any other value, but it will default to 40.

Auto-Populate Duration from Work When Duration is Not Set

The 'Auto-populate duration from work when duration is not set' feature will pre-fill any null (blank) duration values on the task based on a default value of one resource assigned to the task with 100% allocation. For example, entering 40 work hours will pre-fill five days of duration in a task with no value in the duration field. It can be manually changed from five days to any other value, but it will default to five.

Enables the Task to Capture Time

This feature turns on the ability for Users to capture time on Tasks - see Time Tracking for Tasks for more information. 

Enable the Billable Flag Checked by Default When Entering Time for the Project or Task

Enables the billable flag to be checked by default when entering time for the project or task.

Enable a Task Resource the Ability to Toggle Billable Flag When Entering Time for the Project or Task

Enables the resource the ability to toggle the billable flag when entering time for the project or task. Each time entry will have an equal hours value in the 'Billable Hours' to the 'Actual Hours' entered by the resource if the flag is set on (Billable box checked), and a value of 0 'Billable Hours' regardless of the 'Actual Hours' value if the flag is set off (Billable box not checked). This option should only be allowed if the resources entering time are highly dependable in determining which time entries should and should not be billed.

Enables the Task to Capture Expenses

If resources are expected to track expenses to most of the tasks in most projects, you will want to set this option as the default so that tasks entered in the project are automatically set to allow expense entries. This value may be changed individually for each task on a task-by-task basis during the task add or edit process to differentiate those tasks which should have expense entries from those which should not.

Enable the Billable Flag Checked by Default When Entering Expenses for the Project or Task

Enables the billable flag to be checked by default when entering expenses for the project or task and will set all of the expense entries on this task to billable by default.

Enable a Task Resource the Ability to Toggle the Billable Flag When Entering Expenses on the Project or Task

Enables the resource to toggle the billable flag when entering expenses for the project or task' and will allow the resource to switch the billable flag on or off while entering expenses. Each expense entry will have an equal monetary value in the 'Billable Expense' to the 'Actual Expense' entered by the resource if the flag is set on (Billable box checked), and a value of 0 'Billable Expense' regardless of the 'Actual Expense' value if the flag is set off (Billable box not checked). This option should only be allowed if the resources entering expenses are highly dependable in determining which expense entries should and should not be billed.

Enable Resources to Edit Custom Fields on Tasks

Enables a task resource to edit custom fields for tasks on the task display form and sets up existing custom task fields for editing in the resource task update form. Custom task fields are configured by system administrators, while control as to whether or not the resources can edit these fields for tasks assigned to them is maintained by the project manager for each project. The project manager may choose to allow the resources to update custom field data or maintain control of the custom fields by only allowing the project managers access to editing the data in the custom fields.

Allow Task Owner to Set Actual Start and End Dates

Task owners may update actual start and end dates for their tasks with this option.

• PMs can see actual performance dates for tasks, which may differ from those dates on the schedule
• The actual and planned scheduled dates are maintained in separate data fields so that changes to the actual dates do not have to force changes to the schedule

Automatically Calculate Task Schedule Based on Actual Start and End Dates

This feature enables the Resources Actual Start/End Dates to take place of the Scheduled Start/End Dates for the task - See the article Automatically Calculate Task by Actual Start and End Dates for more info. 

The Actual Start Date Can Be Set When the % Complete is Set to 0% Complete

Enabling 'The Actual Start Date can be set when the % complete is set to 0% complete' will allow the user to place an Actual Start Date value even if the % complete is set at 0. Thus, this bypasses the default setting which will not allow a user to set an Actual Start Date if the percent complete for a task is not greater than 0.

Work Status by Individual Task Assignment

Enables the Work Percent Complete to be calculated by individual task assignment and allows each resource to update % complete - see Individual Task Assignment to Work Status documentation. 

Task Actual Start Date Auto-Population Type

Each task has an actual start date (which is the date it actually started versus the date it was scheduled to start).

• PMs can change or enter the actual start date and if the option Allow Task Owner to set the actual start and end dates is checked (see above) then the task owner can also enter or change this date
• Tasks can also have the actual start date automatically populated in different ways
• See Task Actual Start Date Auto-Population Type article for more info

Task Actual End Date Auto-Population Type

Each task has an actual end date (which is the date it actually ended versus the date it was scheduled to end).

• PMs can change or enter the actual end date and if the option Allow Task Owner to set the actual start and end dates is checked (see above) then the task owner can also enter or change this date
• Tasks can also have the actual end date automatically populated in different ways
• See Task Actual End Date Auto-Population Type article for more info

Default Task Adjustment Type

See Task Adjustment Types to see how to use these calculations.

"Apply to all Projects & Tasks" will make this change globally for all projects and tasks already in your workspace.

Saving the Settings

Click Save to save your settings and update any existing tasks you clicked Apply to all Tasks. Note* Clicking Save will also save any changes that were made on the Default Project Options tab.