Specifying Tasks


Overview

Tasks

Included with

Tivoli Change Management user

Overview

What is a task

In Tivoli Change Management, a task is an assignment a user or group performs to implement a change.

The Tasks dialog box

Use the Tasks dialog box to define and track tasks required to implement a change. You can specify the following information:
  • General information
  • Resources
  • Assets
  • Operating system commands
  • Timing of related tasks

The Tasks dialog box contains these tabs:

Tab Function
General You specify a name and description for the task. You can also specify planned and actual dates and times for the task to start and finish. Finally, you can attach files. See Specifying a task.
Resources You specify the users or groups who are responsible for completing the task. You can also track each resource as well as the estimated and actual time spent on the task. See Adding a resource for a task.
Assets You can define how an asset relates to a task. See Associating an asset with a task.
Commands You can execute operating system commands before or when a task is completed. See Associating an operating system command with a task.
Relations You can define the timing of one task to one or more other tasks. See Relating one task to another task.

To access the Tasks dialog box:


Tasks

Specifying a task

You can specify the following information for a task:
  • Planned and actual date and time
  • A description of the task
  • A percentage complete value

In addition, you can attach files that clarify the tasks, such as a checklist.

To specify a task:

  1. From the Change dialog box, choose the Tasks tab.
    Result: The Tasks tab appears.
  2. Choose Add.
    Result: The Tasks dialog box appears.
  3. In the Name box, type a name for the task.
    Note: The task name is required and must be different from any other task name in the schedule for this change.
  4. Under Planned and Actual, do one or both of the following:
    • If known, type the planned start date and time and the planned end date and time.
    • If the task is in progress, type the actual start date and time and the end date and time.
  5. In the % Complete box, type the percentage of the task that is complete.
  6. In the Description box, type a description of the task.
  7. Do one or both of the following:

Adding a resource for a task

Resources are users or groups who are responsible for completing tasks. You can track each resource as well as the estimated and actual time spent on the task. You can add a user, a group, or a user and a group. If you choose a user or a group, you can select the matching group for a user or users that are members of the group.

To add a resource for a task:

  1. From the Tasks dialog box, choose the Resources tab.
    Result: The Resources tab appears.
  2. Do one of the following:
    If you ... then ...
    know the name of the user you want to add as a resource type the name of the user in the box below the User list.
    know the name of the group you want to add as a resource type the name of the group in the box below the Group list.
    do not know the name of the user you want to add as a resource choose the Browse button below the User list and select a user from the User dialog box.
    do not know the name of the group you want to add as a resource choose the Browse button below the Group list and select a group from the Work with Groups dialog box.

Note the following:

  • If you add a user and then add a group, and the user is not a member of the group, a message appears, then you can choose to clear the box below the Group list.
  • If you add a group and then add a user, and the user is not a member of the group, a message appears, then you can choose to clear the box below the User list.
  1. In the box below the Hours list, type the estimated number of hours you expect this resource to spend on the task.
  2. In the box below the Actual Hours list, type the actual number of hours spent on the task by this resource to-date.
  3. Choose Add.
    Result: The resource and estimated hours are added to the Resources list.

Associating an asset with a task

Assets, such as equipment and furniture, are often associated with tasks. For example, if you create a task to ask for and receive estimates on upgrading the computers in your department, you could associate the current computers (assets) with the task. The asset information is then a part of the task and easily accessed.

Note: Asset information and the Assets tab are available only if you use Tivoli Asset Management with Tivoli Change Management. You must also add the assets as assets effects by choosing Add from the Assets tab of the Change dialog box before you can associate an asset with a task.

To associate an asset with a task:

  1. From the Tasks dialog box, choose the Assets tab.
    Result: The Assets tab appears.
  2. From the Available Assets box, select an asset.
  3. Choose Add.
    Result: The asset is copied to the Selected Assets box.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as necessary to associate other assets.

Associating an operating system command with a task

You can execute operating system commands before or after the task is marked 100% complete. For example, as part of a change involving the installation of new computers, you can schedule a command to distribute software to the computers over the network. Or, you can run a version control command for each asset affected by the change.

Note: All Tivoli Change Management operating system commands must be defined by the system administrator.

To associate an operating system command with a task:

  1. From the Tasks dialog box, choose the Commands tab.
    Result: The Commands tab appears.
  2. From the Commands list above the Replace button, select a command.
  3. Under Execute, select an execute option:
    Option Description
    At Beginning Executes the command at the beginning of the task
    At End Executes the command at the end of the task
  4. Choose Add.
    Result: The command and execution option appear in the Commands table.

Relating one task to another task

You can define how the timing of a task relates to other tasks. In the table, the task you are creating or editing is task A. Task B is the task for which you create a relationship with task A. There are four types of relationships:
Relationship Definition
Finish-to-Start (FS) Task B cannot start until task A finishes
Start-to-start (SS) Task B cannot start until task A starts
Finish-to-Finish (FF) Task B cannot finish until task A finishes
Start-to-Finish (SF) Task B cannot finish until task A starts

When you specify a task relationship, Tivoli Change Management uses the planned dates for the task to determine whether the relationship is valid and then verifies each relationship.

To relate a task to other scheduled tasks:

  1. From the Tasks dialog box, choose the Relations tab.
    Result: The Relations tab appears.
  2. Under Available Tasks, select a task.
  3. Choose the appropriate relationship button:
    • S-F>>
    • F-S>>
    • S-S>>
    • F-F>>
      Result: The task appears under Related Tasks.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to as necessary to add other task relationships.