Motadata Docs

Planning a Project

In the planning stage, you store the high level details about the project. For example: the project schedule, tasks, different milestones achieved, list of activities, and summary of tasks. Also, one should be aware about the plans and the impact before initiating the project.

Planning Tab and Starting the Plan
Planning Tab and Starting the Plan

In the system, you can store the planning details to record schedule and plans. When planning is complete, no one can edit these details. Before initiating the planning process, the assignment of a Project Owner is mandatory. Only when you assign an owner, the process of planning can be taken ahead.

Here, before planning for a project, first you need to assign the respective members associated for the project for faster process. For more details, refer to the link Manage Project Members.

Once you are done with creating a project, editing of a plan can be initiated.

Edit Planning of the Project
Edit Planning of the Project

To edit the plan, click the Edit Planning button, and the below page appears. Here, you can update the project start and end date, manage various tasks, summary tasks, milestones, and successive activities related to the project. Once added, you can also re-arrange the tasks by dragging and dropping them at the desired places.

Edit Planning Page
Edit Planning Page

Add Task

Adding tasks provide a basis for estimating, scheduling, executing, and controlling the project work. Also, the ordering is very critical, which is basically driven by date, duration, and dependency.

To add a task, follow the below steps:

  1. Click the Edit Planning button and the Edit Planning page appears.
  2. Click the Add Task button and a popup appears.
Add Task option
Add Task option
Adding Task
Adding Task
  1. Enter the following details:
    • Subject: Enter the desired task name.
    • Assigned to: Select the technician to whom the task is to be assigned.
    • Task Type: Select the task type.
    • Technician Group: Select the group to associate with the task.
    • Duration (days): Mention the duration of the task in days.
    • Start Date: Select the start date of the task.
    • Completion: Set the completion percentage for the task using the slider.
    • Status: Select the current status of the task. The values are Open, In Progress, Pending, Resolved, and Closed.
    • Priority: Select the priority of the task. The values are Low, Medium, High, and Urgent.
    • Notify Before: Enter the number of days, hours, or minutes before which a notification should be sent for the task. For example, if you wish to get notified before 6 hours of the task completion, a notification will be sent for the same.
    • Description: Enter the description about the task.
    • Attach Files: Attach the reference files if any for the task.
  2. Once all the details are filled, click Add, and the task gets added. You can also view other details like start date, end date, duration, estimates, due in, etc. from the list as shown below.
Tasks List View
Tasks List View
  1. To edit the task, click the Edit icon, and a popup appears as shown below.
  2. Make the required changes and click Update.
Edit Task
Edit Task

Update Task

To update the task,

  1. Click on the task name and a popup appears.
  2. In the Details tab, you can update the Status, Priority, Task Type, Assigned to, and Technician Group.
  3. The green clock symbol at the right-hand side corner displays the total time left to due in. When the duration exceeds the end date, the symbol turns into red color, and displays the total time the task is overdue by.
Click on the Task Name
Click on the Task Name
Update Task Details
Update Task Details
  1. In the Comments tab, you can add comments if any. Also, you can search or sort the comments if large in number.
Comments Tab
Comments Tab
  1. In the Work Log tab, you can log your work details. To add Work Log, click the Add Work Log button, and a popup appears.
    Enter the following details:

    • Technician: Select the technician for whom the work is to be logged.
    • Time Taken: Displays the duration as per the start and end date selected.
    • Start Date: Select the start date and time of work.
    • End Date: Select the date and time when the work ended.
    • Description: Enter the details of the work done.

    Once all the details are filled, click Add, and the entry appears in the list as shown in the below-right figure. Here, you can edit or delete the entry using their respective icons.

Adding Work Log
Adding Work Log
Work Log List
Work Log List
  1. In the Check List tab, you can manage the checklists for tasks.
    To add a checklist,

    • Click the Add Check List link.
    • Specify the name.
    • Click Save and the checklist appears in the list. Here, you can edit and delete the required checklists using their respective icons. Also, you can select, and update it to the tasks.
Adding Checklist
Adding Checklist
List of Checklists
List of Checklists
  1. The Audit Trail tab displays the activity logs related to the task.
Audit Trail Tab
Audit Trail Tab

Adding Predecessors or Successors

Predecessor is the first task, and it controls the start or end date for all the related successor tasks. Where as, a successor is the task whose start or end date is controlled by the predecessor.

These both the tasks are basically the dependency tasks for the particular milestone or task.
To add a Predecessor,

  1. Click the Options icon.
  2. Select Add Predecessors and a popup appears.
  3. Select the task(s) to add as a predecessor.
  4. Click Add.
Note: Until the Predecessor task is completed, the Successor task cannot be started. i.e Till the status of the successor does not change, you cannot close the Predecessor task.
Add Predecessors Option
Add Predecessors Option
Adding Predecessors
Adding Predecessors

To add a Successor,

  1. Click the Options icon.
  2. Select Add Successors and a popup appears.
  3. Select the task(s) to add as a successor.
  4. Click Add.
Add Successors Option
Add Successors Option
Adding Successors
Adding Successors

Once the predecessors and successors are added, you can view them from the tasks list by clicking the Predecessors and Successors icon as shown below.

Predecessors and Successors List icon
Predecessors and Successors List icon
Viewing the Predecessors and Successors
Viewing the Predecessors and Successors

Set Color Code for Tasks

You can set different colors for tasks. These colors are visible in the Gantt Chart for classification.
To set the color:

  1. Click on the round symbol at the left-side of the Assignee name and a color pallet appears.
  2. Select the desired color or enter the color code.
  3. Click Done.
Click the Round Symbol
Click the Round Symbol
Select the Color
Select the Color

Add Summary Task

Project summary tasks are used when the nature of the work to be performed is unique to a portion of a project and are typically linked to the development of a specific major deliverables. It includes tasks that are grouped by sequence in the timeline, by functional, or business area which is performing the tasks, or any other method that suits the project needs. Total duration, timeline, and completion of summary task is derived based on the underlying tasks.

To add a Summary Task:

  1. Click the Add Summary Task button and a popup appears as shown below.
  2. Enter the subject and click Add. The Summary Task gets added.
  3. If required, you can also edit or delete the task using their respective icons.
Add Summary Task button
Add Summary Task button
Adding Summary Task
Adding Summary Task

Once a Summary Task is added, you can add a task or milestone to it as shown below. The task will be dependent on the Summary Task, i.e. if a Summary Task is deleted, all the related tasks and milestones will also get deleted.

To add a task, refer to the above Add Task section.

Adding Task or Milestone
Adding Task or Milestone

Add Milestone

Milestones are used to represent major points, goals, or important deadlines in the project. They are like tasks but have only 2 statuses either open or completed. They can be independent or grouped in a Summary Task. Milestones highlight important deadlines or stage in the project execution. They provide an overview to the management team about the progress of the project.

To add a Milestone,

  1. Click the Milestone button at the top-right corner and a popup appears.
Add Milestone
Add Milestone
Adding Milestone
Adding Milestone
  1. Enter the following details:
    • Subject: Enter the desired task name.
    • Assigned to: Select the technician.
    • Task Type: Displays the task type as Milestone.
    • Technician Group: Select the desired technician group.
    • Duration (days): Enter the number of days till which the milestone is to be achieved.
    • Start Date: Select the start date for the Milestone.
    • Completion: Set the completion percentage for the Milestone using the slider.
    • Status: Select the current status of the milestone.
    • Priority: Select the priority of the milestone.
    • Notify Before: Set the time, when a notification should be sent for the Milestone. For example, if you wish to get notified before 6 hours of the Milestone achieved, a notification will be sent for the same.
    • Description: Enter a short description about the Milestone.
    • Attach Files: Attach the reference files if any for the Milestone.
  2. Once you are done with filling up the details, click Add, and the new Milestone appears in the tasks list.
Milestone Added
Milestone Added
  1. Once a Milestone is added, similar to tasks you can also add predecessors or successors to it.
  2. To edit the Milestone, click the Edit icon and a popup appears as shown below.
  3. Make the required changes and click Update.
Updating the Milestone
Updating the Milestone
  1. To view and update the Milestone details, click on the Milestone name, and a popup appears. Similar to tasks, it displays the following tabs: Details, Comments, Work Log, Check List, and Audit Trail. For more details, refer to the above Update Task section.