Task Assignments

Proper task assignment is critical for renovation project success. Clear assignments ensure everyone knows exactly what they're responsible for, reducing confusion and preventing important work from falling through the cracks.

• Establishes accountability:

  When tasks have clear owners, team members take greater responsibility for completion.

• Prevents duplication of effort:

  Clear assignments prevent multiple people from working on the same task unnecessarily.

• Ensures nothing is overlooked:

  With every task assigned, there's no ambiguity about who handles what aspects of the project.

• Optimizes resource allocation:

  Matching tasks to people based on their skills, availability, and role ensures work is done efficiently.

• Facilitates better communication:

  When you know who's responsible for each task, you know exactly who to contact with questions or updates.

Follow these detailed steps to assign tasks effectively:

Assigning a Task During Creation

1. Create a new task:

   Follow the standard process to create a task as outlined in the "Adding Tasks" guide.

2. Locate the assignee field:

   In the task creation form, find the "Assigned To" dropdown menu.

3. Select the appropriate person:

   Click the dropdown and choose from available team members. The list includes:

   • You (the project owner)
   • Family members and co-owners you've added
   • Contractors with project access
   • Designers and consultants
4. Add assignment notes (optional):

   Include specific instructions or expectations in the task description field.

5. Save the task:

   Complete the task creation process. The assigned person will receive a notification about their new task.

Changing Task Assignments

1. Open the task details:

   Click on the task you want to reassign to open its detail view.

2. Click the current assignee's name:

   This will open the assignee selection dropdown.

3. Select the new responsible person:

   Choose the team member who should now be responsible for this task.

4. Add a reassignment note (recommended):

   In the task comments, explain why the task is being reassigned for better context.

5. Save the changes:

   Both the original and new assignees will receive notifications about the change.

Bulk Task Assignment

For efficient assignment of multiple tasks:

1. Select multiple tasks:

   In list view, check the boxes next to each task you want to assign.

2. Click "Assign" in the bulk actions menu:

   This appears at the top of the task list when multiple tasks are selected.

3. Select the assignee:

   Choose who will be responsible for all selected tasks.

4. Confirm the assignment:

   Review your selection and click "Assign Tasks" to complete the process.

Use these strategic approaches to optimize how you assign tasks:

Match Tasks to Skills and Expertise

• Identify core competencies:

  Assign tasks based on each person's primary skills and experience. For example:

  • Assign technical electrical tasks to licensed electricians
  • Delegate design decisions to team members with strong aesthetic sense
  • Assign documentation tasks to detail-oriented organizers
  • Give coordination tasks to those with strong communication skills
• Consider certification requirements:

  Ensure tasks that require professional licensing or certification are only assigned to properly qualified individuals.

• Balance learning opportunities:

  For family projects, consider assigning some tasks as learning experiences, paired with more experienced team members when needed.

Balance Workloads Appropriately

• Check current assignments:

  Before assigning new tasks, review each person's existing workload in the Assignments Report.

• Consider time constraints:

  Take into account each team member's availability and other commitments when assigning tasks.

• Distribute high-priority items:

  Avoid assigning too many critical-path tasks to any single person, as this creates project vulnerability.

• Create balanced sequences:

  Structure assignments so team members have a steady workflow rather than periods of overload followed by idle time.

Group Related Tasks

• Assign by trade or specialty:

  Group similar tasks under the same assignee to maximize efficiency and reduce context-switching.

• Consider task relationships:

  When possible, assign interconnected tasks to the same person or team to ensure coherence.

• Organize by location:

  Assign tasks in the same physical area to the same person to reduce movement and setup time.

• Group by timing:

  Assign tasks that occur in the same timeframe to a single owner when appropriate.

Effective task assignment with contractors requires special considerations:

Setting Up Contractor Access

1. Invite the contractor to your project:

   Go to Project Settings > Team Members > Add Member and enter their email address.

2. Select the appropriate role:

   Choose "Contractor" as their role for the right permission preset.

3. Customize access permissions:

   Adjust what they can see and modify. Typical settings include:

   • Access to their assigned tasks only
   • Limited budget visibility (only their relevant sections)
   • Ability to upload photos and documentation
   • Access to relevant documents and plans
4. Send the invitation:

   Include a personalized message explaining how you'll be using the system to manage tasks.

Creating Effective Contractor Tasks

• Be extremely specific:

  Include all details a contractor needs to complete the work correctly:

  • Exact materials to be used (with brands and model numbers)
  • Installation methods or techniques required
  • Referenced building codes or standards to follow
  • Specific measurements and dimensions
  • Quality expectations and acceptance criteria
• Attach reference documents:

  Include relevant plans, specifications, or photos to clarify expectations.

• Set clear deadlines:

  Specify both start and end dates that align with your contract terms.

• Link to related tasks:

  Connect the task to preceding and following work so contractors understand the sequence.

Managing Contractor Task Completion

• Establish verification procedures:

  Create clear steps for how work completion will be verified and approved.

• Require photo documentation:

  Ask contractors to upload photos of completed work, especially for elements that will be hidden.

• Link tasks to payments:

  Connect task completion to payment milestones in your contract.

• Monitor progress regularly:

  Check the status of contractor tasks frequently and follow up on any that are behind schedule.

• Provide timely feedback:

  When contractors mark tasks complete, review and respond promptly with approval or correction requests.

Stay on top of who's doing what with these monitoring techniques:

Using Assignment Reports and Views

• Assignments Dashboard:

  Access the dedicated assignments dashboard by clicking "Assignments" in the project navigation menu. This shows:

  • Tasks grouped by assignee
  • Progress percentage for each person's assignments
  • Upcoming deadlines highlighted by urgency
  • Overdue tasks flagged for attention
• Filtered Task Views:

  Create saved filters to quickly see tasks assigned to specific people:

  1. Go to the Tasks section and click "Filter"
  2. Select "Assigned to" and choose a team member
  3. Add any other criteria (like date range or status)
  4. Click "Save View" and give it a name like "John's Tasks"
• Workload Timeline:

  View assignments across a timeline to identify scheduling conflicts or overallocation.

• Weekly Progress Reports:

  Generate automated reports showing each person's completed and upcoming tasks.

Monitoring Assignment Status

• Status Updates:

  Encourage team members to update task status regularly:

  • Not Started
  • In Progress (with % complete)
  • Waiting On Something
  • Complete
  • Issues/Blockers
• Task Comments:

  Use the comments feature on tasks to maintain a record of communications about specific assignments.

• Activity Feed:

  Monitor the project activity feed to see task status changes, comments, and other assignment-related updates.

• Automated Alerts:

  Set up notifications for important assignment events:

  • Tasks becoming overdue
  • Status changes to "Blocked" or "Issue"
  • Tasks completed and ready for verification
  • New comments or questions on assignments

Handling Assignment Issues

• Addressing missed deadlines:

  When tasks go overdue:

  1. Contact the assignee to understand the delay
  2. Update the task with a new realistic deadline
  3. Document the reason for the delay in task comments
  4. Adjust dependent tasks if necessary
• Reassignment protocol:

  If a task needs to be reassigned:

  1. Have a direct conversation with both the original and new assignees
  2. Document the handoff in task comments
  3. Ensure all relevant information is transferred
  4. Update any related documentation or contracts if necessary
• Managing quality issues:

  When completed work doesn't meet standards:

  1. Change the task status from "Complete" back to "In Progress"
  2. Add detailed comments with photos documenting the issues
  3. Set a reasonable deadline for corrections
  4. Schedule a follow-up inspection