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Create a Periodic Task Template

Learn how to create a Periodic Task Template in AroFlo Office

Updated on November 12th, 2024

Table of Contents

Periodic Detail Extras Frequency Details Standard Frequency Dynamic Frequencies Variable Service Templates Rest of tabs Archive a periodic template Delete a periodic template

Periodic Settings

The settings that control the behavior of periodic templates are found in Site Admin - Periodic Settings.

 

Periodic task templates are used to automatically generate tasks for scheduled maintenance or other recurring services.

To create a periodic task template, click Workflow > Periodic > Create. The New Periodic window opens.

Complete the fields as if you were creating a task, but in the:

  • Due Date & Time fields, enter the date on which AroFlo should generate the task for the first time
  • Periodic Task field, select the frequency at which the task should be generated, e.g. weekly, quarterly, yearly. 

    Custom frequencies 
    If necessary, you can add your own custom frequencies in Site Admin. See Frequencies.

     

Click Create Periodic. The Periodic Task Template opens.

You can also create a periodic task template from a Task or Quote worksheet via the Create button > Periodic Template. This method will auto-populate the Client, Location, Task Type, Priority, Description and Reported By/Contact fields on the template using the information within the task/quote. Set the Due Date to when the task is next due, then select a frequency option for how often the task should generate.

 

 

Periodic Detail

Once you have created the periodic task template, fill out the relevant information in the Details section on the left side of the screen.

Explanation of fields

Field/Button Description
Review Date* Used to record the review date of a contract (if applicable).
Start Date* Used to record the start date of a contract (if applicable).
Expiry Date

Used to record the expiry date of a contract (if applicable).

  • If you enter an expiry date, the periodic template will not generate any tasks after that date.
  • If you leave the expiry date field blank, the periodic template will generate tasks indefinitely.

Periodic task templates with an expiry date will trigger an alert on your home screen's message board two weeks before expiry.

To remove the alert from the message board, either extend or delete the expiry date on the periodic task template. The alert will disappear overnight.

 
Custom Fields

If you're using custom fields, they will appear with the 'Update field from task' checkbox.

When ticked, the next generated task will be pre-filled with the value found on the most recent task.
View Checklist Click this button to view, create or edit checklists for a periodic task. Checklists added to the periodic task template are specific to the periodic task only.
Generated Task Status Used to pre-set the task status for all tasks generated from this template. The default statuses are Not Started, In Progress, and Pending.
Generated Task Substatus Works in conjunction with the Generated Task Status and is used to pre-set the task substatus for all tasks generated from this template.
Template Status Used to activate or archive (deactivate) the periodic task template. See Archive a periodic template below for more information.
Delete

Delete a periodic template that has never generated a task. See Delete a periodic template below for more information.
* These dates are for review purposes only and do not affect the generation of tasks from periodic templates.
 
 

Periodic Task Owner

For businesses with multiple business units, users in the Management and Supervisor pre-built permission groups (and others with permission) can change the Owner (i.e. business unit) when they create a periodic template. 

Managers can also edit the Owner field on existing periodic templates.

Custom permission groups

For custom permission groups, Site Administrators can enable users to both create periodic templates and edit the Owner field via:

  • Permission Groups > Business Units > List (set to ticked)
  • Permission Groups > Tasks > Types > Periodic Templates> (All options ticked)
  • Permission Groups > Tasks > Fields > Business Units > View and Edit (both set to ticked)
 
 

The Owner can only be changed if all the data that made up the template (i.e. task type, client, assigned users, assets, materials, compliance forms and priorities, both in the main template and in the Extras section) is also available in the business unit you want to switch to.

After a new Owner is selected, all fields that depend on the business unit will show data for the selected destination business unit. 
 
 
 
 

Extras

Once you've filled out the Periodic details, fill out the tabs on the right side of the screen.

 

Frequency Details

Use this tab to set the frequency at which you want the periodic task to generate. When the task generates, the frequency will be appended automatically to the task name.

Show this

 
 

 

 

Standard Frequency

Explanation of fields

Option
Description
Frequency, Baseline Date

These fields together determine when each instance of a periodic task will be generated.

  • Frequency defaults to the value you entered when you created the periodic task template. To change the frequency, click in the field and make another selection.
  • Baseline Date defaults to the Due Date you entered when you created the periodic task template. To change the Baseline Date to something other than the original Due Date, click into the field and make a selection from the calendar pop-up.

About the Baseline Date

The Baseline Date drives the generation of all instances of the periodic task and allows for necessary variations (e.g. weekends, short months). Once you've set the Baseline Date, avoid changing it. If you need to change the date of a particular instance of a periodic task, go into the Details section of the periodic task template and alter the Due Date.

 
Set Day of the Month

Set Day of the Month allows you to select which day of the month the periodic task should occur on, e.g. first Monday in the quarter.

This field only appears for month- or year-based frequencies.

 
Generated By

This determines whether the periodic task is generated automatically or manually.

  • Select System (Overnight) if you want the periodic task to generate automatically.
  • Select Manual if you want to manually control when the periodic task is generated.
  • Select both options (default) if you want the periodic tasks generated automatically but would also like the option to generate them manually.
Next Due Date Calculated Using

This field allows you to tell AroFlo to amend the next due date based on certain conditions.

  • Due Date (default). Select this option to generate the next periodic task based on the scheduled due date.
  • Due Date (Do Not Generate if Open Task Exists). Select this option to generate the next periodic task on the scheduled due date, only if the previous periodic task has been completed.   

    If you choose this option and a task is open when the next periodic task is due, AroFlo will process that periodic task template and update the Due Date in that template without generating a task. This will prevent the generation of a new task until the current task is closed and the next Due Date arrives. This can be overridden if needed by manually generating the task.

     
  • Last Completed Date. Select this option to generate the next periodic task based on when the last periodic task was completed.
 
 

 

Dynamic Frequencies

Dynamic frequencies allow you to add a date range. If the next due date of the periodic task falls within that date range, the frequency will change to the one selected in the date range.

 

Variable Service Templates

See Set up Variable Service Templates.

 

Rest of tabs

Schedule

Use the Schedule tab to set a schedule for the upcoming periodic tasks to be shown in the scheduled resources calendar.

  • Baseline Schedule - Sets the default schedule for this periodic task template.
  • Next Due Schedule - Displays the schedule for when the periodic task is next due to generate. You can modify this without affecting future schedules. Change this when you need to reschedule a periodic for the next instance only, and not for all future schedules.
  1. In the Baseline Schedule, click Add Schedule.
  2. Select the resources and times and enter schedule notes as required.
  3. Save.

To see upcoming scheduled tasks in your calendar, you must enable Show Periodic Tasks in your calendar settings. For more information, see Calendar Settings. You can then account for upcoming periodic tasks as you schedule your work.

 

More info on scheduling periodics

 
 

Material

Use the Material tab to automatically add materials to the periodic task when it is next generated. For example, if your periodic task is for a standard servicing procedure that always requires a replacement filter, you can add the filter to the Material tab. This saves Field users from having to manually add materials to the task each time.

To add material to a periodic task template, click Material > Add Line Item. 

Hover over Multi-Search for access to your inventory list, assemblies and so on.
 
 
 

Assets

Use the Assets tab to select the assets specified within a service contract.

When you create a periodic task template, you can only add one asset (a primary asset) onto the template at that time. After creation, you can use the Assets tab to add all of the assets that are required for this periodic task.

  1. Click Assets.
  2. Click Add Assets.
  3. Select the required assets from the asset list

    Search window tips

    - The search window will display assets assigned to the selected client. To view all assets, delete the client name from the search box and search by category or asset name, etc, using the fields at the top of the list.

    - If you have several assets added to the task, click Columns to enable the Added column to easily see if assets have already been added to the task.

    - You can also create or edit an asset from the search window.

     
     
  4. Close the Search Assets window.
  5. Select a Service Action Group (if configured). 

    What's a service action group?

    Service actions allow Field users to quickly add documents, materials and compliance forms to tasks based on predefined services in a group. They can be linked to assets and/or task checklists. For information on how to configure a service action group, see Service Actions.

     
     
  6. Enter the equipment location into the Description field (optional).
  7. Save.

Settings

Setting Description
Status Labels The status labels can be changed by clicking into the field and changing the values from their default: Pass, Fail, N/A to whatever you need, e.g. Y / N / N/A.
Update Template Assets from Task Click this checkbox if you want to update your periodic task template with assets that have been added to an individual task.

Click Save Periodic to save your changes.
 
 
 

Notes

The Notes tab is used for recording notes about the periodic template for internal reference purposes.

 
 

Task Notes

The Task Notes tab is used for recording any job-related notes that you want to appear on generated tasks.

 
 

Documents & Photos

Documents and photos can also be added to periodic task templates so that they are automatically added to tasks when generated. Either upload from a device or link to documents in the Document Directory.

 
 

Sequence

You can use the Sequence tab to keep track of the number of periodic tasks that have been generated when there is a set limit required. For example, you may have a contract that defines 10 periodic services. In this case, you would set the:

  • Sequence No to 1
  • Sequence Target to 10.

This will append a sequence number to the Task ID each time the periodic task is generated.

Here's an example using the Task ID '12 Maroondah Hwy':

Periodic task instance
Task ID
First 12 Maroondah Hwy 1
Fifth 12 Maroondah Hwy 5
Tenth 12 Maroondah Hwy 10
  • Neither the Sequence No. nor Sequence Target can be set to 0, so it's a good idea to start at 1.
  • Periodic tasks will still be generated after the Sequence Target number has been reached. This field is for informational and tracking purposes only. To stop the periodic tasks being generated, archive the periodic task template.
 
 
 

Compliance

You can add compliance forms to the Compliance tab on the periodic task template to allow your Field users to quickly and easily access the correct forms for the type of service they are performing.

  1. Click Compliance tab.
  2. Click Add Compliance Form.
  3. Double-click the compliance forms you require.
  4. Close the Search Compliance Form window.
  5. Save.

 

Add compliance forms to periodic assets

Compliance forms can also be linked to each asset listed on the periodic task template. This allows your Field users to quickly and easily access the correct form for each asset they are servicing.

  1. On the periodic task template, click the Assets tab.   
  2. If you haven't already, add your assets
  3. Beside each asset you want to add forms to, click Forms.
  4. Click View Forms.
  5. Click Add Asset Compliance Form.   

    Asset compliance forms

    This list will only display the compliance forms that are linked to the asset on the asset card. If there are no compliance forms in this list, you can click the asset name to access the asset card and add the required compliance forms. For more information, see Create an Asset.

     
  6. Double-click the compliance forms you require.
  7. Close the Select Compliance Form window.
  8. Save.

How do Field users find periodic asset forms?

When the task is generated for the periodic service, Field users will be able to access these compliance forms via More > Assets > options button on the asset > Forms > View Forms > Spec Forms > Periodic Asset Forms.

Breakdown of available forms in this image

 Heading 
Description
Periodic Asset Forms Compliance forms linked to the selected asset, on the periodic task template.
Asset Forms Compliance forms linked to the asset card of the asset you have selected.
Periodic Forms Compliance forms added to the Compliance tab of the periodic task template.
Linked Forms Compliance forms that have been linked to the task type.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Archive a periodic template

You can archive a periodic template to remove it from your list of active periodic templates.

  • Archived periodic templates will no longer generate tasks.
  • Tasks previously generated by an archived template will be unaffected.

To archive a periodic template, set the Template Status to Archived and click Save. 

To reactivate an archived periodic template:

  1. Go to Workflow > Periodic and set the dropdown filter in the top right to Archived. 
  2. Click the Task name to open the template.
  3. Set the Template Status to Active.
  4. Save.
 

 

Delete a periodic template

You can only delete a periodic template that has no tasks linked to it, i.e. the template has never generated a task, or you have deleted any tasks that it did generate. To delete the template, simply open it and click Delete Periodic > OK.

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Periodic Tasks - Overview
Create a Periodic Task Template
Periodic Task Template Checklists
Schedule a Periodic Task
Set up Variable Service Templates