Using Tasks

Overview

Tasks in Practifi help ensure that every client-facing activity, compliance requirement, and internal operation gets completed and documented. Whether you’re managing quarterly reviews, tracking new account openings, or following up after client meetings, tasks provide your team with clear assignments, due dates, and accountability throughout your workflows. This article explains how to create, view, and manage tasks in Practifi to support your firm’s operations. For information about building automated task workflows, see Understanding Tasks and Processes.

• Creating a Task
  • Global Actions Menu
  • Processes & Tasks Section
• Viewing Tasks
  • Home Page Task Tiles
  • Viewing Tasks From Entity Records
• Working With Checklist Items
  • Viewing and Completing Checklist Items
  • Adding Ad Hoc Checklist Items
  • Deleting Checklist Items
• Creating Repeating Tasks
  • When to Use Recurring Tasks vs. Repeat Tasks
  • Using Recurring Tasks
  • Creating a Recurring Task
  • Deleting Recurring Tasks
  • Editing Recurring Tasks
  • Using Repeat Tasks
  • Creating a Repeat Task
  • Understanding Repeat Task Behavior
• Using Task Templates
  • Creating a Task From a Template
• Completing Tasks
  • Understanding the Complete Task Workflow

Creating a Task

Tasks can be created from multiple locations in Practifi. When you create a task from a specific record page, the task is automatically related to that record, ensuring your work is connected to the right client, deal, or other entity. You can also create standalone personal tasks from the Global Actions menu.

Global Actions Menu

To create a task using the Global Actions menu:

1. Click the Global Actions icon in the upper right-hand corner of Practifi.
2. From the Global Actions menu, select New Task.
3. Enter the task information in the displayed fields. To attach the task to a Client, Deal, or other record, enter the record name in the Related To field.
4. Click Save to create the task.

Please note: If you leave the Related To field empty, the task will be created as a personal task that is not associated with any record.

Processes & Tasks Section

Creating tasks directly from a record page ensures they’re automatically connected to the right entity, making it easier to track all work related to that record.

To create a task from the Processes & Tasks section of an Entity record:

1. Navigate to the record where you want to create the task.
2. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
3. Click the New Task button in the upper-right corner of the Processes & Tasks section.
4. Enter the task information in the displayed fields.
5. Click Save to create the task.

Viewing Tasks

There are multiple ways to view tasks in Practifi to help you and your team stay organized and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Home Page Task Tiles

The Home page displays task tiles for open tasks you created or are assigned to. These tiles give you quick visibility into your most important work without leaving the Home page.

Click any tile to open the full task list. From there, click a task to view its complete record, including all details, checklist items, and history.

Viewing Tasks From Entity Records

To see all tasks associated with a specific Client, Deal, or other record:

1. Navigate to the record.
2. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
3. The Open Tasks view displays all incomplete tasks related to the record, regardless of who created them. This helps your entire team understand what work is pending for each client.
4. To view completed tasks and a full task history, click the Task History subtab.

Working With Checklist Items

Checklist items provide structured steps within tasks, ensuring consistent execution and proper documentation of your firm’s procedures. They’re particularly valuable for complex workflows, such as account openings or annual reviews, where multiple steps must be completed in sequence.

Viewing and Completing Checklist Items

If a task includes pre-configured checklist items, they appear in the Checklist area on the right side of the Task record page. Check off items as you complete them to track your progress.

Please note: If a checklist item is marked as required, only the task owner can mark it complete. This ensures accountability for critical steps.

Adding Ad Hoc Checklist Items

You can add your own checklist items to any task as needed:

1. From the Checklist panel, click New.
2. Enter a description for the item.
3. Click the Save icon to add the item to the list.

Deleting Checklist Items

You can delete checklist items that were added while the task was open. Pre-configured checklist items from process tasks or task templates cannot be deleted and will not display a delete option.

Please note: If your administrator modifies the pre-configured checklist items on a process task or task template, those changes will not apply to tasks that are already open.
 

Creating Repeating Tasks

Practifi offers two distinct approaches to repeating tasks, each designed for different workflow needs. Understanding when to use each option helps ensure your team has the right tasks at the right time without overwhelming users with unnecessary future tasks.

When to Use Recurring Tasks vs. Repeat Tasks

Recurring Tasks generate all task instances upfront based on a fixed calendar schedule. Repeat Tasks create only the next task when the current task is due or completed. Use the following table to determine which approach best fits your workflow needs:

Task Type	Best Used For
Recurring Tasks	Tasks that must occur on specific dates regardless of completion timing (monthly compliance reviews, quarterly reporting deadlines, annual regulatory filings) Situations where your team needs visibility into all future tasks for planning purposes Schedules driven by external deadlines or regulatory requirements
Repeat Tasks	Task timing that should be flexible based on when work is completed (follow-up calls after meetings, periodic maintenance tasks) Situations where you want to avoid cluttering home page tiles with numerous future tasks Workflows where the next task depends on completing the current one

Using Recurring Tasks

Recurring tasks are ideal for compliance-driven activities and regular reviews that must happen on a predictable calendar schedule.

Please note: The Feed feature in recurring tasks is affected by a known Salesforce limitation. To create a Feed post for a recurring task, navigate to the individual task record.

Creating a Recurring Task

1. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
2. Click the New Task button.
3. Enter the task information in the displayed fields.
4. Scroll down to the Recurrence section and select a frequency from the Frequency field. Additional fields are displayed based on your selection:

• Daily Frequency Options:
  • Repeat: Select Every Day, Every Other Day, or Custom
  • Every: If you select Custom, enter a number between 1 and 30 to specify the interval (for example, Every 10 Days)
• Weekly Frequency Options:
  • Repeat: Select Every Week, Every Other Week, or Custom
  • Every: If you select Custom, enter a number between 1 and 30 to specify the interval (for example, Every 6 Weeks)
  • Repeat On: Select which day of the week the task should repeat on
• Monthly Frequency Options:
  • Repeat: Select Every Month, Every Other Month, or Custom
  • Every: If you select Custom, enter a number between 1 and 30 to specify the interval (for example, Every 3 Months)
  • When: Select Specific Days or Relative Days
  • Day: If you select Specific Days, enter a number between 1 and 31. If you select Relative Days, select First, Second, Third, Fourth, or Last
  • Repeat On: Select a day of the week or the Day option
• Yearly Frequency Options:
  • When: Select Specific Date or Relative Date
  • Day: If you select Relative Date, select First, Second, Third, Fourth, or Last
  • Repeat On: Select a day of the week or the Day option
  • Month: Select a month

5. In the Start Date field, enter when this recurrence series should begin.

6. In the End Date field, enter the date when the last task should be created. You can click the Calculate Latest Date hyperlink to select the latest possible end date.

7. Leave the Recurrence Interval field untouched. The system automatically populates this field when you save. Clicking into this field prevents proper calculation.

8. Leave the Repeat This Task field set to its default option of None.

9. Click Save to create the recurring task series.

Please note: The Recurrence Interval field is calculated using calendar days, not business days.

Deleting Recurring Tasks

You can delete individual recurring tasks or the entire series at once.

To delete a single recurring task:

1. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
2. On the Open Tasks subtab, click the checkbox next to the name of any recurring task in the series.

3. Click the Delete button.

   

4. Click the Delete button in the confirmation message.

To delete a recurring task series:

1. On the Processes & Tasks page, click the name of any recurring task in the series.
2. Click the caret in the upper-right corner, then click View Series.

3. On the series record, click the caret, then click Delete Series.

   

4. Click the Delete Series button in the confirmation message.

Editing Recurring Tasks

You can edit individual recurring tasks or the entire series. Keep these guidelines in mind:

• Changes to a single recurring task do not affect other tasks in the series.
• Changes to the Subject or Comments on the series record will update all tasks in the series.
• Changing the Start Date, End Date, or Frequency on the series can delete other tasks and break links. Instead of editing these fields, we recommend deleting the series and creating a new one.

To edit a single recurring task:

1. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
2. On the Open Tasks subtab, click the caret next to the task, then click Edit.
3. Make your changes and click Save.

To edit a recurring task series:

1. On the Processes & Tasks page, click the name of any recurring task in the series.
2. Click the caret in the upper-right corner, then click View Series.
3. Click the Edit button on the series record.
4. Make your changes and click Save.

Please note: Editing the Start Date, End Date, or Frequency of a recurring series can delete tasks and break links. We recommend deleting the series and creating a new one instead.

Using Repeat Tasks

Repeat tasks are ideal for workflows where timing depends on completing the previous task rather than adhering to a fixed calendar schedule. This approach keeps your team focused on current work without cluttering their task lists with future items.

Creating a Repeat Task

1. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
2. Click the New Task button.
3. Enter the task information in the displayed fields.
4. Scroll down to the Recurrence section and select an option from the Repeat This Task field:
   • After due date: The next task will be created based on the original due date
   • After date completed: The next task will be created based on when the task is completed
5. In the Recurrence Interval field, enter the number of days after the due date or completion date when the next task should be due.
6. Complete any remaining required fields, then click Save.

Understanding Repeat Task Behavior

Repeat tasks include smart scheduling features to prevent outdated tasks from cluttering your organization:

• If a task is set to repeat after its due date but you complete it late, Practifi skips past recurrences and creates the next task with a future due date. For example, if a task is due every 3 days after the due date, and you complete it 5 days late, the next task will be due tomorrow (2 3-day intervals from the original due date).
• If you complete a task before its due date, the next task is still scheduled based on the original due date interval.
• Tasks with Repeat This Task set to Task closed indicate they were closed as part of a repeating series, helping you identify them in reports.

Please note: Task attachments are not included on repeat tasks. To ensure files are available across the series, use the Notes & Files section for each task, or include URLs to shared drives in the task description.

Using Task Templates

Task templates help your firm standardize common activities and ensure consistency across your team. When you need to perform a frequently repeated task, such as preparing for a client review or processing a new account, templates pre-populate task fields, checklist items, and even trigger Active Forms to collect required information.

Templates are accessible from multiple locations in Practifi. The table below shows where task templates are available and which record types support them:

Access Method	Available On	Description
Global Actions	All pages	Create templated tasks from anywhere in Practifi. Tasks will not be automatically related to a record unless you specify one in the Related To field.
Page Actions	Assets, Client Entities, Contacts, Deals, Liabilities, Processes, Services	Create templated tasks directly from record pages. Tasks are automatically related to the current record.
Processes & Tasks Icon	Households, Organizations, Individuals, Divisions	Create templated tasks from the Processes & Tasks section. Tasks are automatically related to the current record.
Table Mass and Row Actions	Directory, Clients, Pipeline, Influence, Services, Processes (varies by app)	Create templated tasks for multiple records at once. Each task is related to its corresponding record.

Creating a Task From a Template

The process for creating templated tasks is consistent regardless of where you access the functionality:

1. Navigate to the location where you want to create the task (see table above for options).
2. Click the appropriate button or menu option to access New Task (from template).
3. Select the appropriate task group from the Task Group drop-down.
4. Select the template from the Task Template drop-down.
5. Click Next to proceed.
6. Review the pre-filled information from the template and make any necessary adjustments.
7. Click Next to create the task.
8. If the template includes an Active Form, enter the required information and click Next. If no Active Form is configured, you will proceed directly to the success message.
9. Click Finish when the success message appears.

Please note: When using table mass actions to create templated tasks for multiple records, one task will be created for each selected record with the same template settings.

Completing Tasks

When you finish a task, Practifi offers multiple options to mark it complete. The completion workflow can include time tracking, outcome selection, and reviewing Deliverables to ensure proper documentation of your work.

You can complete tasks from three main locations:

From the Home Page:

1. Click a task tile on your Home page to open the task list.
2. Check the box to the left of the task row and click the Complete Tasks button.

From an Entity Record:

1. Click the Processes & Tasks navigation icon in the record side panel.
2. On the Open Tasks tab, click the caret on the right side of the task row and click Complete Task.

From the Tasks Page:

1. Click the Navigation Menu and select Tasks.
2. Click the task's name to open the Task record.
3. Click the Mark as Complete button.

Understanding the Complete Task Workflow

When you mark a task as complete, Practifi displays a structured workflow to ensure proper documentation. The sections you see depend on how the task is configured:

Completion Details:

• Time tracking functionality to record hours spent
• Outcome selection picklist to categorize results
• Preview of task actions that will be triggered

Review What's Been Done:

• Active Form (if configured)
• Checklist items showing completion status
• Deliverables associated with the task

Once you've completed the required information, click Finish to complete the task. Practifi will execute any configured actions, such as creating follow-up tasks or updating record stages.