Create and track assigned tasks in Outlook 2010

Applies to: Microsoft Outlook 2010



About assigning tasks

After you create a task and assign it to someone, you might want status reports and updates on the progress of the task. Also, if the person to whom you assign the task declines it, you can reassign the task to someone else.
To assign a task, you first create the task, and then send it as a task request to someone. The person who receives the task request becomes the temporary owner of the task. This person can decline the task, accept the task, or assign the task to someone else. If the task is declined, it is returned to you.

 Note    Even though a declined task is returned to you, the task remains owned by the recipient until you reclaim ownership by returning the task to your own task list.

If the recipient accepts the task, that person becomes its permanent owner. If that person later assigns the task to someone else, the new assignee becomes the owner. The owner is the only person who can make changes to the task. When an owner updates a task, all copies of the task — the copy with the person who originally sent the task request, and all copies with all other prior owners of the task — are updated. When the owner completes the task, a status report is automatically sent to the person who originally assigned the task, all other prior owners, and anyone else who requested a report.

 Note    If you assign a task to more than one person at a time, you cannot keep an updated copy of that task in your task list. Therefore, to assign a project that involves more than one person and track its progress in Outlook, divide the project into separate tasks and assign each task individually. For example, to track a report to be written by three writers, create three separate tasks named Write Report: Writer 1, Write Report: Writer 2, and Write Report: Writer 3, and assign each individual task to the appropriate writer.


Assign a task to someone

  1. Create a new task or open an existing task.
  2. On the Task tab, in the Manage Task group, click Assign Task.



  1. In the To box, enter the name or e-mail address of the person to whom you want to assign the task.
To select the name from a list, click the To button.


  1. In the Subject box, type a name for the task.
 Note    For an existing task, the task name appears in the Subject box.
  1. Enter the Start date and Due date.







  1. In the Priority list, you can change Normal to High or Low if you want.
  2. Select or clear the Keep an updated copy of this task on my task list check box and the Send me a status report when this task is complete check box.
  3. If you want the task to repeat, on the Task tab, in the Recurrence group, click Recurrence, select the options that you want, and then click OK.

  1. In the body of the recurring task, type any information that you want to include about the task.
  2. Click Send
  Note    If you assign a recurring task, a copy of the task remains in your task list, but it never updates. If you select the Send me a status report when this task is complete check box, you receive status reports for each completed occurrence of the task.



Forward a task to someone else to track

  1. Open the task that you want to send.
  2. On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click Forward.
Keyboaqrd shortcut    To forward a task, press CTRL+F.
  1. Enter recipient names or e-mail addresses in the To and Cc boxes.
  2. In the body of the task, type any message that you want to include. To send more than one task, drag the additional tasks from the task list to the body of the task that you are forwarding.
  3. Click Send
 

Reclaim a declined task assignment

  1. Open the e-mail message that contains the task request. This message is usually in your Sent Items folder.
  2. On the Task tab, in the Manage Task group, click Return to Task List.
You can also reclaim the task from the declined task message. Open the message and then in the Manage Task group, click Return to Task List.

Track tasks that you have assigned

There are three ways to track the tasks that you have assigned to other people:
  • Automatically keep copies of tasks that you assign, and receive automated status reports   
  1. Click the File tab.
  2. Click Options.
  3. Click Tasks.
  4. Under Task options, select the Keep my task list updated with copies of tasks I assign to other people check box.
  5. Select the Send status report when I complete an assigned task check box.
  • View tasks that you have assigned to others   
  1. In the Navigation Pane, click Tasks.
  2. On the View tab, in the Current View group, click Change View, and then click Assigned.
  • View the list of people who receive updated copies of an assigned task   
  1. Open the assigned task for which you want to view the list.
  2. On the Task tab, in the Show group, click Details to view the names in the Update list box.

Accept or decline a task assignment

  1. Open the task request and on the Task tab, in the Respond group, click Accept or Decline.
 Tip    In the Reading Pane, you can click Accept or Decline.
  1. Do one of the following:
    • Click Edit the response before sending, type your comment in the message, and then click Send.
    • Click Send the response now.

Send a status report or a comment about a task assignment

  1. Open the task for which you want to send a status report or comment.
  2. Make sure that the Status and % Complete is current.
  3. On the Task tab, in the Manage Task group, click Send Status Report.
  4. Enter recipient names or e-mail addresses in the To and Cc boxes.
  5. In the body of the message, type any information that you want to include in the status report.
  6. Click Send


Change the display order of tasks

Sort all tasks in the task list

  1. In Tasks, on the View tab, in the Current View group, click View Settings.


  1. Click Sort.
  2. In the Sort items by list, click a field name.
 Note    If the field that you want is not in the Sort items by list, click a different field set in the Select available fields from list.
  1. To specify the sort order, click Ascending or Descending.
  2. To sort by an additional field, click a field name in the Then by list.
 Tip    If you are in a table view type, such as List view or Phone view, you can click a column heading to sort by that column.

Move individual tasks up or down in the task list

  1. In Tasks, on the View tab, in the Current View group, click View Settings.

  1. Click Sort.
  2. Click Clear All, and then click OK.
  3. Click Group By, click Clear All, and then click OK twice.
  4. Drag a task up or down in the task list. As you drag the task, a red line with arrows indicates where the task will be placed when you release the mouse button.

Move individual tasks up or down in the To-Do Bar task list

  1. Select an item in the To-Do Bar task list.
  2. Click and drag the item to the position that you want.
As you drag the task, a red line with arrows indicates where the task will be placed when you release the mouse button.


Move individual tasks up or down in the Daily Task List

  1. In Calendar, in the Day or Week view, select an item in the Daily Task List.
  2. Click and drag the item to the position that you want.
As you drag the task, a red line with arrows indicates where the task will be placed when you release the mouse button.

Prioritize your tasks

If you want to sort your tasks by priority order, you must first specify a priority level for each task. By default, tasks are set to the Normal priority level.
  1. Open the task for which you want to change the priority level.
  2. In the Priority box, click a priority level.



Change the number of tasks displayed

You can change the number of tasks you see in the To-Do Bar and the Daily Task List by making more or less room for them.

In the To-Do Bar

Do either of the following:
  • On the View tab, in the Layout group, click To-Do Bar, and then click Date Navigator, Appointments or Quick Contacts to clear the check mark indicating the feature is on. This removes the feature from the To-Do Bar. To turn the feature back on, click to restore the check mark.
  • Point to the bar between the Appointments section and Task List. When the pointer becomes a 
 , drag it up or down to increase or reduce the size of the sections.
When you release the mouse button, the number of tasks shown will increase or decrease to fill the available space. You can do the same with the bar between Tasks and Quick Contacts.

In the Daily Task List

  • Point to the bar between the calendar and the Daily Task List. When the pointer changes, drag it up or down to increase or reduce the size of the Daily Task List. The number of tasks shown will increase or decrease to fill the available space.

Show or don't show completed tasks

By default, when you mark an item as complete, it remains on your task list with a strikethrough line. The exception is the To-Do Bar, where by default, completed tasks are not shown. You can choose whether to display your completed tasks in various views.

Task list in Tasks

  • In Tasks, on the Home tab, in the Current View group, click Active, Today, Next 7 days, or Overdue to exclude tasks that are marked as complete.
All other selections include items that are marked as complete.

Task list in the To-Do Bar

To show completed tasks in the To-Do Bar, do the following:
  1. Right-click Arranged By and then click View Settings.

  1. In the Advanced View Settings: To-Do List dialog box, click Filter.
  2. Click Clear All.
  3. Click OK twice.
If you changed the advanced filter in the To-Do Bar to show completed tasks, and now you want to return to the default view of showing only the active tasks, do the following:
  1. Right-click Arranged By, and then click View Settings.
  2. In the Advanced View Settings: To-Do List dialog box, click Filter.
  3. On the Advanced tab, click Field, point to All Task fields, and then click Complete.
  4. In the Condition list, click Equals, and in the Value list click No, and then click Add to List.
  5. Click OK twice.

Daily Task List

  1. In Calendar, in the Daily Task List, right-click Show tasks on.
  2. Clear or select the Show Completed Tasks check box.

Change the color of an overdue task

  • In the task list in Tasks view     
    1. Click the File tab.
    2. Click Options.
    3. Click Tasks.
    4. Under Task options, click to open the Overdue task color list, and then click the color that you want.
  • In the To-Do Bar    
  1. Right-click Arranged By, and then click View Settings.
  2. Click Conditional Formatting, and then under Rules for this view, click Overdue tasks. Do not clear the check box, or overdue tasks will not appear in the To-Do Bar.
  3. Click Font and then under Color, click the arrow to open the list and then click the color that you want.
 Note    In Calendar, in the Daily Task List, the color of overdue items cannot be changed.

Change the color of a completed task

  1. Click the File tab.
  2. Click Options.
  3. Click Tasks.
  4. Under Task options, click to open the Completed task color list, and then click the color that you want.

Change the font, size, or color for overdue or completed tasks


You can customize the font, size, or color of overdue or completed tasks so that they stand out in the Tasks view.
 Note    The appearance of task items in the To-Do Bar cannot be changed.
  1. In the Navigation Pane, click Tasks.
  2. On the View tab, in the Current View group, click View Settings.
  3. In the Advanced View Settings dialog box, click Conditional Formatting.

A set of default rules appears.
  1. Do any of the following:
  • To change the appearance of overdue tasks, click Overdue tasks, and then click Font.
  • To change the appearance of completed and unread tasks, click Completed and Unread tasks, and then click Font.
  • To change the appearance of completed and read tasks, click Completed and Read tasks, and then click Font.
 

Create tasks and to-do items


Create a task

  1. In Tasks, on the Home tab, in the New group, click New Task.

Keyboard shortcut    To create a new task, press CTRL+SHIFT+K.
  1. In the Subject box, type a name for the task. You can add more detail in the task body.
  2. On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click Save & Close.


Create a task from an Outlook item

You can create a task out of any Outlook item, such as e-mail message, contact, calendar item, or note.
Do one of the following:
  • Drag an e-mail message to the To-Do Bar
The To-Do Bar must be arranged by Start Date or Due date to use these procedures.
  1. Drag the item to the task list section of the To-Do Bar.
  2. When you see a red line with arrows at each end positioned where you want to put the task, release the mouse button.


  • Drag an item to Tasks
When you drag an item to Tasks in the Navigation Pane, you can use all the features of a task item. The contents of the item, except attachments, are copied to the body of the task. Even if the original item is later deleted, the task is still available, including the copied contents of the item
  • Drag the item to the Tasks tab on the Navigation Pane.
 Tip    To add the item as an attachment to the task instead of pasting the text into the task body, right-click the item and drag it to the task list, and then click Copy Here as Task with Attachment.


Create a task in the To-Do Bar

The To-Do Bar appears in all Outlook views by default.
To create a task, do one of the following:
  • In the To-Do Bar, click the Type a new task box, and then enter the task description. Press ENTER to finish. The task appears in your To-Do list with today's date.
  • In the To-Do Bar, double-click the Type a new task box to open a task in a new window. You can enter more detail about the task.
 Tip    To turn on or off the To-Do Bar, on the View tab, in the Layout group, click To-Do Bar and click Normal, Minimized, or Off. This changes the To-Do Bar only in the current view, not in all views.


Create a task in the Daily Task List in Calendar

The Daily Task List appears only in the Outlook Calendar day and week views.
 


 
 
  1. Rest your pointer in the Daily Task List under the day that you want.
  2. Click Click to add task.
  3. Type a subject for the task, and then press ENTER.
By default, the start and due dates are set for the day under which you inserted the task. To change the start date or due date of the task, drag the task to the day that you want. To manually change the start or due date, right-click the task and then click Open.
 Note    To turn on or off the Daily Task List, in Calendar, on the View tab, in the Layout group, click Daily Task List, and then select Normal, Minimized, or Off.

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