Delay Tasks

Delay tasks can be used to stop the workflow for a specified duration. Delay tasks are always automated. The delay can be set to affect the planned or actual time of a task in a workflow.

You can also set the date and time on which the next task in the workflow should be run. When you select this option, a date and time field is displayed. You can set the date and exact time at which the next task should begin.

Creating a Delay Task

  1. Search for the Request Details window, if it is not already on screen.
  2. Select the Update Dependencies explorer option on the Request Details window, or the button from the toolbar. The Task Dependencies window appears with icons for task entity types displayed below the toolbar.

    3. If the workflow template you have used to create the request already has tasks defined in it, you will see these tasks here. You can open them and change their details such as dates, assignment, or expenses. You can add new tasks or delete them from the current request without affecting the template.

  3. ClosedAdd the Delay task to the Dependency Diagram.

    Select the icon from the task palette and drag it to position. Alternatively, right-click in the window, and from the menu that is displayed, select New and then the Delay task entity type. Then link the task to the previous task in the workflow.

  4. On the dependency diagram, double-click the icon to view the Delay Task Details window.
  5. If needed, take action on the task in order to edit the details.
  6. Complete the common task fields on this task.
  7. Configure the delay settings.

    8. Planned Start This is the planned start date of the next task in the workflow. Use this parameter if you want to delay the next task based on its planned start date.
    Actual Start

    This is the actual start date of the next task in the workflow. Use this parameter to delay the next task in the workflow based on its actual start time. The actual time is calculated using the end time of the previous task, that is, the task before the Delay task. The Delay task calculates the time for the next task to run based on the actual time of its previous task.

    The actual time cannot be set at template level. It must be set by the request manager when each request is created.
    Days/Hours/Minutes

    This field is only displayed when you select the Planned Start, Actual Start or Request Time Field radio button.

    Specify the number of days, hours, and minutes by which you want to delay the next task.
    Actual Time

    The date and time on which the next task in the workflow should be run. When you select this option, a date and time field is displayed. You can set the date and exact time at which the next task should begin.

    If you include a delay task in a workflow template, you cannot set the actual date and time because the information is not known at that point. The actual date and time can be specified only on the task that is part of a request.
    Request Time Field

    Select this option to specify a request date field as reference for the delay tasks to complete. A drop-down list of all of the request date fields is displayed. Select which field to use and the date indicated in this field in the request will be used by the Delay task as a completion date. If no date is specified in the referenced field, the task completes instantly.

    You can also use the Days/Hours/Minutes fields to set up an offset duration on top of the date specified in the selected request date field in the drop-down list.
    Child Requests Closed This criterion sets the Delay task to only complete when all the child requests linked to the current request have been closed.
    Parent Request Closed Select this option to allow the Delay task to only complete when the parent request linked to the current request has been closed.
    Calculate Delay Time Using Working Hours

    This field is only displayed if the Planned Start, Actual Start or Request Time Field radio button is selected.

    Select this option to specify that the delay task must use the hours definition selected in the SLA attached to the request, on which this delay task has been created. If there is no SLA attached to the request, the delay task will instead use the default hours definition specified on the Hours Definition window.

    If this option is cleared (the default setting), then the delay task will not use the hours definition selected in the SLA attached to the request or the default hours defined.

  8. Save the details.