Sub tasks are useful for recording follow-up work or breaking a large piece of work into more manageable pieces. Sub tasks are often created automatically based on your responses to an online questionnaire. You can also create your own sub tasks manually.
This guide covers the following:
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🎥 Video guide to creating a sub task
- Step by step guide to creating a sub task manually
- Importing sub tasks in bulk
- Troubleshooting sub task imports
Video guide to creating a sub task
Step by step guide to creating a sub task manually
Sub tasks are often created automatically based on your responses to a questionnaire, however you can also create your own sub tasks manually.
1. First you will need to locate the task which you would like your sub task to be added to. You can locate the task list by selecting Tasks from the header bar (#1 in the screenshot below).
2. Search for the task within search bar (#2 in the screenshot below) and open it by clicking on the title of the task (#3 in the screenshot below).
2. Clicking on the task title will open the task page. To add sub tasks, click on the Sub Tasks button located on the menu bar (#4 in the screenshot below).
3. The 'Sub Tasks' panel will appear below 'Attachments', (#5 in the screenshot below).
4. To create your sub task, click in the box where it says "What needs to be done?" and type the details of your sub task. As you type in the box, two buttons will appear to the right - The save button (#6) will save your sub task and the clear button (#7) will cancel it if you decide not to save it. Alternatively, you can press the 'enter/return' button to save the sub task and 'escape' to clear or cancel.
5. Your sub-task will now be listed, (#8 in the screenshot below).
6. At this point, you should assign an urgency level to the sub task, by selecting the 'None' button (#9 in the screenshot below) and choosing the appropriate level of urgency from the dropdown list (#10 in the screenshot below).
7. You can see how many sub-tasks you have in the small blue box to the right of 'Sub Tasks' (#11 in the screenshot below).
8. From the Tasks list, the number of open sub tasks can also be seen at a glance, (#12 in the screenshot below). In addition, a warning triangle indicates that whilst the task itself is not due, it has sub tasks outstanding (#13 in the screenshot below).
Importing sub tasks in bulk
Sub Tasks can be added to SafetyToolbox online building profiles in bulk by uploading a CSV file, containing instructions on which Sub Tasks to create.
You will need to prepare a CSV file to upload, please see our dedicated guide on how to prepare a CSV file for importing tasks into SafetyToolbox online. Please follow the guidance carefully to ensure that your CSV file is prepared correctly for the upload.
1. To begin uploading your sub tasks, first locate and open the task which you are uploading your subtasks into.
2. From the task page, click on the three dots (#1 in the screenshot below) which will open a drop-down menu.
3. Then select Import Subtasks (#2 in the screenshot below).
4. You will then be prompted to select a file from your device. Select 'Choose File' (#3 in the screenshot below). Locate and select the CSV file from your device and then select Open.
5. The imported file's name should now be shown next to the Change File button (#4 in the screenshot below). If the wrong file has been selected, there is the option at this point to change the uploaded file by selecting 'Change File' (#4 in the screenshot below).
6. When you are happy to proceed, select 'Import Tasks' (#5 in the screenshot below).
7. SafetyToolbox will automatically validate the file, and if successful, will show a green banner to confirm the tasks have been imported (#6 in the screenshot below). Verify that all tasks and associated information are correctly reflected in the system.
Troubleshooting sub task imports
Should there be any problems with the sub task import, a red banner will show instead. If there are any issues with one sub task it will reject the entire file, and no sub tasks will be imported.
We recommend the following troubleshooting steps:
- Verify that the spreadsheet is a CSV file type (Microsoft Excel Comma Separated Values File).
- Verify that your CSV file adheres to the formatting guidelines provided by SafetyToolbox. Ensure correct column order, accurate column headings, and proper data types.
- Double-check the data entries in your CSV file. Ensure that mandatory fields, such as "title," are filled for all sub tasks.
- Ensure that there are no unexpected special characters, symbols, or extra spaces in your CSV file that might be causing parsing errors.
- Ensure that your spreadsheet software is up-to-date. Sometimes, compatibility issues arise due to outdated software versions.
If the error persists or if you are unable to identify the issue, reach out to SafetyToolbox support at support@safetytoolbox.co.uk. Please provide details of the error message and any specific steps you've taken.