Overview
Every task in TeamTrace moves through a series of stages: it is created, assigned, worked on, tracked and finally completed. This article walks through the whole journey and shows what happens at each stage, who does what, and where to find the detailed steps.
The Lifecycle at a Glance
| Stage | What happens |
| 1. Set up | Create a task list and add the people who will work in it. |
| 2. Create | Add the task with its name, status and details. |
| 3. Assign | Give the task to a team member. |
| 4. Plan | Break the task into subtasks and set dependencies. |
| 5. Work | The assignee works on the task, logs time and updates the status. |
| 6. Track | Team members and managers follow progress and discuss the task. |
| 7. Complete | The task moves to its final status, and the task list can be completed. |
| 8. After completion | Review the history, reuse the task or archive the work. |
Stage 1: Set Up a Task List
Tasks live inside a task list, so you create the task list first.
- Click Task in the left panel, then click + Add Task List.
- Enter the task list name.
- Select the people and choose their access roles, then click Add.
- Click Save.
Access roles decide who can do what at each later stage:
| Role | Role in the lifecycle |
| Admin | Created the task list. Adds users and assigns roles, and can add, edit and delete tasks. |
| Manager | Adds, edits and deletes tasks. Can't add users or edit or delete the task list. |
| Viewer | Can only view tasks and comments. |
| Assignee | Views only their own tasks and runs the timer for them. |
See How to Create a Task List in TeamTrace.
Stage 2: Create the Task
- Open the task list and click + Task in the top right corner.
- Enter the task name and choose a status. Both are mandatory.
- Add optional details: description, customer and address, priority, assignees, start and end dates and times, tags, estimated time, repeat interval and attachments.
- Click Save.
A new task usually starts in the first status, such as To Do. See How to Create a Task in TeamTrace.
Stage 3: Assign the Task
You can assign a task while creating it, from the Assignee column in the list view, or by updating the task. Only members of the task list appear in the assignee list. See How to Assign a Task in TeamTrace.
Stage 4: Plan the Work
Subtasks
Break a large task into smaller pieces. Hover over the task in the list and click the + button, then type the subtask name and press Enter. See How to Add a Subtask in TeamTrace.
Dependencies (Projects only)
Link tasks that rely on each other, so work happens in the right order. A task that is blocked can't move forward until the task blocking it reaches the required state. Open the task, click the Related Tasks tab, choose the dependency type and pick the linked task. See Task Dependencies Explained in TeamTrace.
Stage 5: Work on the Task
- Run the timer: people with the Assignee role can run the timer for their tasks. Their time appears in the task's Work Log tab, which shows work logs for any month, broken down by user.
- Update the status: change the status as work progresses. In the board view, drag and drop the card to another column, or open the task and change the status from the top right corner of the detail panel.
- Edit details: use the three-dot menu and choose Edit (list view) or Update (board view). See How to Edit a Task in TeamTrace.
Statuses are fully customizable, and a status can be assigned to a role so only users with that role can apply it. See Task Statuses Explained in TeamTrace.
Stage 6: Track Progress and Collaborate
| Where | What it gives you |
| Comments tab | Discuss the task. Tag a user in the task list and TeamTrace emails them as a reminder. |
| History tab | A full log of every update: who did what and when. |
| Screenshots tab | Screenshots for users working on the task. Visible only to company admins or managers with the required permission. |
| Task list dashboard | Task distribution by status, overdue and due-today tasks, workload, upcoming deadlines and progress status per person. |
| Board and calendar views | The board shows tasks by status. The calendar shows tasks on their due dates. |
| Filters and My View | Filter by status, assignee, priority, date range and more, and save a filter as a named view. |
Stage 7: Complete the Task
- Check that any subtasks and blocking tasks are finished. A blocked task can't move to In Progress or Done until the blocking task reaches the required state.
- Move the task to the final status, such as Completed or Done. Do this by dragging the card to that column, or by changing the status in the task detail panel.
- If a status is marked Final, tasks moved to it automatically shift to the end of the board, which keeps active tasks at the front.
Completing a task list
When all the work in a task list is finished, open the three-dot menu next to the task list on the Active Tasks page and choose Mark as completed. Closed task lists can be viewed by selecting Closed Tasks from the drop-down at the top of the page.
Stage 8: After Completion
- Review: use the History and Work Log tabs to check what happened and how long it took.
- Reuse: use Clone from the three-dot menu to duplicate a task or subtask quickly.
- Move: use Move to to move a task to another task list, or a subtask to another parent task. Only the user who created the task can move it.
- Remove: use Delete only when a task is no longer needed, since it removes the task.
Notes
- Dependencies and editing statuses are available only in Projects, not in standalone task lists.
- Viewers can only view tasks and comments, so they can't move a task between stages.
- The Screenshots tab depends on permissions, so not every user sees it.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
| I can't add a task | Check that a task list exists, and that your role in it is Admin or Manager. |
| I can't assign a task to someone | The person must be a member of the task list. Add them with Manage People. |
| A task won't move to the next status | The task may be blocked by a linked task, or the status may be limited to a specific role. |
| A person can't run the timer | Check that they have the Assignee role. Managers and Viewers don't see the task list in their tracker. |
| I can't move a task | Only the user who created the task can move it. |
| I can't find a finished task list | Check Closed Tasks in the drop-down at the top of the Active Tasks page. |
Related Articles
Was this article helpful?
That’s Great!
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry! We couldn't be helpful
Thank you for your feedback
Feedback sent
We appreciate your effort and will try to fix the article