Task List 

In the Manage module, at the top, click the Tasks button.

The task list interface may also be docked to the bottom or the right for all computers.  This option is set in the Misc Setup window at the bottom. If docked, use the splitter to drag it to a different size.  Right click on the splitter to change bottom docking to side docking or back again.

Task lists can be used for daily, weekly, or monthly check off lists, tickler lists, appointment lists, patient lists, and many other similar types of lists. A task list can have any number of nested task lists or tasks within it, much like the folder/file concept that everyone is familiar with.

Tabs

for User: Contains task lists that the user is subscribed to (see Subscriptions below).  This usually also includes the user's inbox.

New for User: If any task is edited or added to a task list that the user is subscribed to, it will show in this tab.  That way, users have one place to go to see all new messages.

Open Tickets: This tab is only visible if that option is checked in Misc Setup.  If a user created a task, and if the task is attached to a patient, then that user is responsible to follow up on that task until it's done.  All such tasks will show in the Open Tickets tab until they are done.

Main: This is the tab where ordinary task lists are stored.  It includes shared task lists, inboxes for all users, etc.

Repeating (setup): Only for setup.  Task lists that are stored here are like templates for the daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.

By Date/Week/Month:

Task List Edit

Add a task list or right click and edit properties:

You would probably never manually enter a Date.  If you enter a date type, then this task list will show in one of the three dated lists.  Dated tasks are underpowered.  They are NOT to remind you to perform a task on a certain date.  The only function (so far) is to allow creation of redundant checkoff lists.  For example, daily check off lists in the sterilization room.  Weekly check off lists for stocking supplies.  Monthly check off lists for equipment maintenance.  Such lists can be created once in the Repeating tab, and then many copies of them will show up under each of the proper tabs to the right.  The dates will have been automatically filled by the automation.

If you set the object type to Patient, then this task list will be available in the main Toolbar when you click the "To Task List" button . If you set the object type to Appointment, then this task list will be available in the Appointment Edit window at the lower right on the button that says, "To Task List".

Any task list that has New tasks inside it will show as orange.  It will show the number of new tasks in parentheses.

Task Edit

In the main tasks window, click Add a Task, or right click a task and Edit Properties.

A task starts out marked New.  A New task will show as an orange square in its task list.  Once you click on the orange square, it will turn to an empty square, indicating that is has been Viewed and is no longer New.  To mark it done, right click and select Done, which will also cause it to disappear from the list. To show finished tasks, check the box towards the top of the main window that says Show Finished Tasks.  You will be able to also select a date range.

The entry date and finished date should be automatic, but may also be quickly set by using the Now buttons.

You would probably not ever enter a date or date type.  Read the section further up regarding the use of dated tasks.  The date would always be filled in automatically.

The object type in a task has a very different purpose than the object type in a task list. Here, it attaches a specific patient or appointment to the task. You can change which patient or appointment by using the Change button. Or, clicking the Go To button will take you to that patient or appointment.

The repeating tab is a special place to store task lists and tasks which are considered to be templates. They will be duplicated many times in one of the three dated tabs. Only the parent task list can have a date and date type. All child task lists and tasks are to be left without a date and they will be copied over because they are children of the dated repeating task list.  The three dated tabs (by date, by week, and by month) are NOT to be used like a calender where you put things that you want to remember on a specific date.  They are only for repeating checkoff lists.  For example, a list of equipment that needs to be cleaned monthly.  The same check off list gets generated each month.  Or for training new staff, you could have them work off of a daily checklist.  Every day, they would check off the same items on a newly generated list.  If you want a place to put things that you want to remember on a specific date, then use a note in the Appointments module where you will see it.

When you are in the main Tasks window, you can also right click on tasks and task lists to perform certain actions like cut-copy-paste, edit properties, subscribe, and unsubscribe (see below).  One more option is Go To which works the same as the Go To button inside a task. It is only available if the task is attached to a patient or an appointment.

Subscribing
The first tab is always a special tab just for the current user.  To get task lists to show in the user tab, go to the Main tab, right click on a list or child list, and select Subscribe.  It will then show in the user tab, and all nested tasks and lists will also show.

For example, if you want each user to have a task list, then create a task list with each user's name in the main tab.  Have each user log in and subscribe to their own task list as well as to any other shared task lists.  An example of a shared task list might be one called "front desk" which three different users all subscribe to as well as to their own personal task lists.

You can only subscribe to task lists in the Main tab, not to task lists in one of the dated tabs. Because of this restriction, the subscription feature cannot be used for repeating checkoff lists.  But it does work very well for instant messaging functions and follow up lists. 

Inboxes
There is a Sent To button at the bottom of the task window.  There can also be a Reply button. Both of these buttons use Inboxes which need to be setup.  In the main Tasks window, there is a Setup button in the toolbar at the upper left.  The instructions below are also found in that window:

This is where you assign inboxes for each user.
1. Go to the Main tab of the Tasks window. Create a Task List for each user, naming it similarly to the user.
2. In the list below, assign each user one of the newly created Task Lists as their inbox.
3. Have each user log in and Subscribe to their inbox Task List by right clicking on it and selecting Subscribe from the menu.
The reason this setup is so involved is because users can also subscribe to any other Task Lists such as shared lists. So in addition to subscriptions, it is also necessary to assign inboxes. Note that subscriptions and inboxes are not suitable for repeating dated tasks.

Popups
Whenever a user is subscribed to a task list and a task is added, a popup window shows, along with a pleasant chime sound.  In a larger office with many shared lists, popups can become annoying.  Each user can block popups by pushing the BlockPopups button at the top of the task lists.  This preference will be remembered as the default on a per-user basis.  If popups are blocked, the chime is also blocked.  It will block popups for all subscribed lists except for the user's inbox. Tasks sent to the inbox will still popup.  To check for other new tasks, the user should use the New for User tab. The user can mark them read by clicking "read" next to the task. 

Tracking New by User
In Misc Setup, there is an option to track new/viewed status by individual user. If this option is turned on, the behavior for tracking new messages changes.  For any inbox, the new messages showing will be for that user rather than for the current user.  For any other task list that is not an inbox, the new message count will be for the current user only.  When the program is running in this mode, the task statuses of new/viewed are completely ignored and hidden.  The only status that will be seen on any task is the one that is specific to individual user/task combinations.