Task settings

In Task settings, you can see detailed information about the task, as well as set values and add data.

In particular, it is possible to:

• Check task path, creator, and date
• Change task color
• Change task name
• Delete task
• Set start and end date
• Assign tasks
• Set progress
• Set status
• Establish deadline
• Set priority
• Introduce estimation values
• Change task type
• Log time
• Set duration
• Add task description
• Attach files
• Establish task dependencies
• Add comments

There are several ways to open Task settings in GanttPRO simple Gantt chart creator: clicking on a settings icon 1 right to the name of the task; clicking on a three dots icon right to the task name 2 and then choosing Task settings.

Alternatively, you can do it by double-clicking on a task bar on a Gantt chart or in the Workload tabs or window, or by clicking on a task in the My tasks tab. 

Check task path, creator, and date

At the top of the Task settings window, you can find the information about the task path 1, as well as who 2 and when has created the task 3. 

Change task color

Click on a color icon 4 near the task name to set a new color for it on a Gantt chart. 

Note that you can also change task bar color straight from the Gantt chart. Just right-click on a corresponding task bar, select Choose a custom task color and then choose a color. Alternatively, click on the three-dots button for a particular task, also select Choose a custom task color and then choose a color.

Change task name

Click on the task name 5 to change it inside the Task settings. 

Delete a task

It is possible to delete a task from Task settings. For that, click on Delete 6 near the task name and confirm it.  

Next to these options, you will find settings that can be configured both within Task settings and Standard fields.

Those are: Start date and time, End date and time, Assigned to, Progress bar, Status, Priority, Task type, Duration, Estimation, and Time log.

Set start and end date

You can pick a date on a calendar or type it manually. And you can also set an exact start and end time for the task. Once you have selected the proper time and date, click on Apply. 

Gray days and crossed-out hours are those out of the project schedule, i.e. non-working days and hours.

Assign tasks

In the field Assigned to, you can choose an assignee for the task. An assignee is a resource that will be responsible for task completion.

The drop-down list displays team members and virtual resources invited to the project. If the project has many resources, you can quickly find the required one using the search bar in the drop-down list. Check all the necessary boxes and click on OK.

You can select as many resources as you need. If it is necessary to bring in other people apart from those in the drop-down list, click on +Add more people. This will lead you to the People section where you can invite other members to the project or add virtual resources.

Set progress

The progress bar shows the current progress for the task in percent. Drag the progress slider to scale it up or down.

Set status

In the drop-down list of the Status field, you can set four types of statuses: Open, In Progress, Done, and Closed. 

Statuses are connected with the Progress field:

• Open status is equal to 0% of Progress.
• In progress - the range from 1% to 99%.
• Done and Closed - 100%.

Therefore, changes in Progress or Status fields will be applied in both directions. If you change the progress, you will see the change in status too and vice versa. 

This option is useful for a Board view, as you can sort out the cards according to their status.  

Establish deadline

A deadline is a target date indicating when a task should be completed. It can only be established in Task settings for a particular task.

To fix a deadline for a task, simply turn on the toggle button. By default, the deadline date will be set according to the end date. However, in many cases, you may prefer to have a margin of some more days just in case. For that, you can pick a date on the calendar or type it manually. 

A missed deadline will be displayed as an exclamation mark icon on the project grid and the red flame icon on the chart. The delay time will be also displayed near a task bar on a chart.

This option can help you in managing risks at the right moment. For example, you may have deadlines for tasks set in three or more months. While you complete other tasks, their completion dates may extend, and the whole sequence of tasks may move. 

However, if you have the deadline option enabled and set to a particular date, you will see the risk of failed deadlines at the very early stage and will have time to take measures to prevent it. 

Set priority

In the drop-down list of Priority field, you can choose one out of five types of priorities: Highest, High, Medium, Low, Lowest. 

This option is useful for a Board view, as you can sort out the cards according to their priorities.  

Introduce estimation values

Estimation is the actual number of hours required for a task to be completed. While no one is assigned to the task, the estimation is zero.

Learn here how estimation is set and calculated.

Change task type

In the Type field, you can convert a task to a milestone and vice versa.

Log time

In this field, you can keep track of the time spent on the task. It is possible to indicate the exact number of hours spent on the task, select a date, and leave a comment. 

You can also start a timer and view the history of all recordings. These data help you to calculate the Actual costs for your project. 

You can find more information about Time log here. 

Set duration

If the Estimation is the actual number of hours required for a task to be completed, the Duration is the time span in which this task should be completed. In other words, the task may take 20 hours (estimation) in total, but it will be completed within a 20-day time span (duration). 

If you have already introduced start and end dates for the task, this field will automatically show the duration based on those dates. If you change the Duration value in this field, the task end date will be readjusted accordingly.

Different forms of workload calculations can alter the way duration is calculated. 

By default, Duration is calculated in hours. But you can change the duration step to days, weeks, or months in Project settings. 

You can use different units of time to introduce the duration values. Thus, you can add m for minutes, h for hours, d for days, w for weeks, and M for months. However, the duration will be displayed according to the duration step. 

So, for example, if your duration step is set to Days and you enter a number, let’s say 4, without any other indication, the duration will be set to 4 days. If you add w for weeks, the duration will be 4 weeks, but it will still be calculated in days based on the duration step.

Below the standard fields, you will find configurations that correspond to Custom fields in case you have created them in your project. For more details, please check the Custom fields section. 

Add task description

In the Description field, you can write down all the necessary information related to a task 1. 

Here, you also have basic text formatting tools 2 such as fonts, color, alignment, bulleted lists, etc. 

You can also insert links 3 when required or just paste them in the description area. This is another way of attaching files to a task, as you can insert links to Google docs, Google sheets, or files from any other cloud storage.  

Attach files

In Task attachments, it is possible to upload files from a computer or drag & drop them into the task settings window. You will see a date and time when someone added this file, the name of the team member, and the size of the attachment. 

You can also attach your documents from Google Drive. That will require you to log in to your account. 

In case you add a Standard field with Attachments, every task attachment will be displayed as a paperclip icon on a project grid near the task name. You can click on this icon and it will bring you straight to the attached file. 

If you don't need this option, you can always turn it off in the Standard fields menu, unchecking the box for Attachments.

Note that you can also see all the attachments to the ongoing projects in one place and open them at the bottom of the app window or add more files directly to the task.

Establish task dependencies

In addition to the possibility to work with dependencies on a Gantt chart, you can also manage dependencies that have already been established or create new ones in the Task dependencies field from Task settings. 

To create a new dependency directly from Task settings, сlick on Add new link. After that: 

1 Select one out of four dependency types

2 Select a task to link to

3 Specify lead or lag time if necessary.

4 Click on Add. 

Add comments

The comments field in Task settings is a place where team members can communicate. Here, you can leave comments, edit, and delete them. It is also possible to use mentions in the comments.

For a more detailed explanation on how to work with comments, check this article.  

Also, in case you add a Standard field with Comments, every task with a comment will have a corresponding icon on a project grid near the task name. You can click on this icon to open the comment. 

For the tasks without comments, you can hover over the task name and see the comments icon. Click on it to leave a comment for the task.

If you don't need this option, you can always turn it off in the Standard fields menu, unchecking the box for Comments.

Note that you can also see all the comments for the ongoing projects in one place and open them at the bottom of the project grid or add comments directly to the task.