5.3 Action Items

WHAT IT IS: A place to assign and track tasks and action items.

HOW TO GET THERE: There are two ways to get to the action items:

1. On My Desktop, click on Tasks (Figure 5-35) or the task Subject link.



Figure 5-35. Resources: Action Items: Task Link on My Desktop

2. Select Action Items from the Resources drop-down menu (Figure 5-36).



Figure 5-36. Resources: Action Items: Selecting Action Items from the Resources Drop-Down Menu

HOW IT WORKS: Action items are stored in a database. All members can create and view action items, but only the assignor, assignee, root users, and administrators can edit the action item.

5.3.1 Assigning an Action Item

1. On the action items screen (Figure 5-37), click on (Add New Task).



Figure 5-37. Resources: Action Items: Add New Task

2. Use the drop-down menus and text fields on the Add New Task screen (Figure 5-38) to create and assign the action item. The button opens a calendar you can use to select dates. The Send a copy of the task to assignee check box will send an email to the assignee letting them know they've been assigned a task. The Send me (the originator) a status when completed check box will send you an email when the task record is updated.



Figure 5-38. Resources: Action Items: Add New Task Screen

3. Click Save to enter the task in the task items database or Cancel to cancel creating this task.

5.3.2 Responding to (Editing) an Action Item

1. Go to the action items screen by clicking on the Subject link on My Desktop (Figure 5-39) or selecting Action Items from the Resources drop-down menu.



Figure 5-39. Resources: Action Items: Action Item Subject Link

2. Click on (Edit) (Figure 5-40) to open the database record for the action item.



Figure 5-40. Resources: Action Items: Edit Link

3. Use the Action Taken text field (Figure 5-41) to describe what actions you've taken to close the action item. Use the Percent Complete drop-down menu to estimate how complete the action items is.



Figure 5-41. Resources: Action Items: Edit Action Item

4. When done, click on Save to update the database record or Cancel to return to the main action items screen.

5.3.3 Closing an Action Item

To close an action item:

1. Edit the action item (see paragraph 5.3.2) and set the Status to Closed using the drop-down menu (Figure 5-42).



Figure 5-42. Resources: Action Items: Closing an Action Item

2. Set the Percent Complete to 100% using the drop-down menu (Figure 5-43).



Figure 5-43. Resources: Action Items: Closing an Action Item

3. Enter any final Actions Taken (Figure 5-44) and click on Save.



Figure 5-44. Resources: Action Items: Closing an Action Item

Once an action item is closed, it will be listed in the Closed Tasks (Archive) section of the main action items screen (Figure 5-45).

Figure 5-45. Resources: Action Items: Closing an Action Item

5.3.4 Searching Action Items

To search within the action items database (for example, to find all open action items or action items assigned to a specific member):

1. Click on (Search) on the main action items screen (Figure 5-46).



Figure 5-46. Resources: Action Items: Search Action Items

2. Enter your search criteria on the Search Tasks screen, then click on the search button (Figure 5-47).



Figure 5-47. Resources: Action Items: Search Tasks Screen

3. The search results screen (Figure 5-48) will list all tasks that match your search criteria.



Figure 5-48. Resources: Action Items: Search Results Screen

5.3.5 Action Items: Root User and Administrator Functions

If the web group has been set up to support Enhanced Action Items (see paragraph 5.6), root users and administrators can create Action Item Access Groups and assign member groups and individual members to the Action Item Access Groups. It's similar to creating a folder in the library and assigning read/write privileges.

Action Item Access Groups restrict which members can view action items. Normally, all action items can be viewed by all members of the web group. With Action Item Access Groups, only members of the Access Group can view action items assigned within the Access Group.

To create an Action Item Access Group:

1. From the main action items screen, click on (Edit Access Groups) (Figure 5-49).



Figure 5-49. Action Items: Root User and Administrator Functions: Edit Access Groups

2. On the Task Access Groups screen (Figure 5-50), click on (Add new Access Group).



Figure 5-50. Root User and Administrator Functions: Add Access Group

3. On the Access Group screen (Figure 5-51), enter a Topic title (Access Group name) and description. Click on Save to create this Access Group and go to the group-based Privileges screen.



Figure 5-51. Action Items: Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Groups Name and Description

4. On the group-based Privileges screen (Figure 5-52), click on the name of the member group that you want to add to this Action Item Access Group, and use the button to move the member group name to the right-hand column. Click on Done to add this member group to the Action Item Access Group or click on Cancel to return to the Task Access Groups screen (Figure 5-50) and add members to this Access Group later.



Figure 5-52. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Adding Member Groups to Action Items Access Group

5. To add individual members to the Access Group:
• On the Task Access Groups screen (Figure 5-53), click on (edit user permissions).



Figure 5-53. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Edit User Permissions

• Click on the member's name (your can also shift-click and CTRL-click to select multiple members) and use the button to move the member's name to the right-hand column (Figure 5-54). Click on Save to add this member to the Access Group.



Figure 5-54. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Adding Individual Members to Action Items Access Group

To edit an Action Item Access Group:

1. From the main action items screen, click on (Edit Access Groups) (Figure 5-55).



Figure 5-55. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Edit Access Groups

2. From the Task Access Groups screen (Figure 5-56), click on (edit Access Group).



Figure 5-56. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Edit Access Group

3. On the Access Group screen (Figure 5-57) you can change the Access Group name (Topic title) or description (Topic description). Click Save to save your changes or Cancel to return to the Task Access Groups screen.



Figure 5-57. Root User and Administrator Functions: Access Group: Editing Access Group

NOTE: To delete this access group, click on (Delete this Access Group).