Tasks Frequently Asked Questions

One of my users cannot see any tasks, why?

A user can only see tasks assigned to them. A supervisor can see all the tasks that they supervise.

Will the tasks be canceled if my reservation is canceled?

Yes, the task will automatically be canceled if the reservation is canceled unless the task was modified from the Mobile App.

Will the task title change when the reservation dates are modified?

Yes, the task title will automatically be updated based on reservation date changes.

Will the tasks schedule be modified if my reservation dates change?

Yes, the task will automatically be updated based on reservation date changes unless the task was modified (smart task) from the Mobile App.

It's expected behavior for auto-tasks created from a reservation to be in sync with the check-in/check-out times of the related reservation, the start and end time of the task should update automatically based on the reservation check-in and check-out changes.

However, whenever an auto-task is updated manually on the start/end times it will no longer sync with the reservation check-in/check-out changes:

Manual changes on the start/end time of an auto task, then the reservation start/end time changing, will NOT update the task
Manual changes on an auto task other than the start/end time, then the reservation start/end time changing, will update the task

Are all tasks visible in the calendar?

Tasks that are linked to reservations are visible in the calendar. If a task is created from an Auto-task, it will be visible in the calendar. Tasks that are linked to a listing with a scheduled date are visible in the calendar. For that, you should go to Calendar and select Show "All Tasks". Tasks are symbolized by a black barrel.

Tasks that are not linked to a reservation (Manual Task) or a listing, even if it has a scheduled date, will not be displayed in the calendar. Archived tasks will not be displayed in the calendar.

Can I add a Checklist to a Task/Auto-task? Can it be managed from the Mobile App as well?

Yes. The Checklist can be added from the Dashboard and the Mobile App and any modification will be displayed on both platforms.

Additionally, added or modified checklists to an existing auto task will only apply to new tasks it generates.

Can I add an attachment to a Task/Auto-task? Can it be managed from the Mobile App as well?

Yes. Attachments can be added to a Task and Auto-tasks and they will be displayed on the tasks generated after the change. The attachments and any modifications will be displayed on both the Hostaway Dashboard and the Mobile App.

Can I assign the Task to a user/supervisor/user group? Can it be managed from the Mobile App as well?

Yes. Task assignment is supported by the User, Supervisor, and User group. It can be managed from the Dashboard and the Mobile App and any modification will be visible on both platforms.

What is the purpose of Custom Fields in Tasks?

When you add information to the Hostaway software, this information is shown in fields. This way, you have a field "guest_name", "country", etc.

When you need to store additional information in the software, you can use the "Custom fields" option. For example, you can add a custom field "Toilet paper rolls" to tasks so your cleaner knows how many rolls are needed to be in the apartment. To learn more go to Manage Custom Fields.

What do Task statuses mean?

Accepted: indicates that someone has agreed to work on the task, but has not yet started working on it
In progress: someone has started working on the task
Done: the work has been completed
Archived: similar to Gmail, a task can be archived so that it is no longer visible on the board.

How can I change the status of a task on the Dashboard and in the Mobile App?

In the Dashboard:

Manually entering the task detail and changing the status based on the dropdown
Manually dragging the task from one column to another

In the Mobile App:

Manually entering the task detail and changing the status based on the dropdown

If I change the status of a task on the dashboard, will I see it on the mobile app? Or vice versa?

Yes, any modification on either platform will take place on the other.

How do I know if it is a task of an Auto-task?

Any task in the dashboard that is a task of an Auto-task will have an icon to indicate it was created based on an Auto-task. To identify which Auto-Task that was, just hover over the icon and you will see the title of the Auto-task.

Can I deactivate an Auto-task? Will it affect the existing tasks?

Yes, from the Auto-task directly. Deactivating will not affect any existing tasks. However new tasks will not be created after a deactivation.

Can I modify an Auto-task? Will it affect the existing tasks?

Yes, from the Auto-task directly. However, the modification will not affect any existing tasks. But new tasks will be created based on the modification.

What is the Time Report?

Time report will provide information on the total time spent on tasks in a period, per assignee. Time report reports back on each task, on the period tasks spent in "In Progress" status. If the task was not put into "In progress" status the tracking will show zero for that task.

What do all the filter options mean on the board?

View: previously saved filters can be accessed directly under the "View" filter
Listing: filter for a specific listing to see all tasks associated with the listing
Channel: filter for a specific channel to see all tasks associated with the channel, or all tasks associated with a reservation from the selected channel
Assignee: filter by assignee to see all tasks assigned to the user
Starts after: using the date selector, you can filter for all tasks that start after the selected date
Starts before: the date selector allows you to filter for all tasks that start before the selected date
Deadline after: Use the date picker to filter for all tasks due after the selected date
Deadline before: Use the date picker to filter for all tasks that are due before the selected date.

How will the different user types view the feature in the Mobile App?

Users and Account logins can equally manage tasks:

They can change the status of the tasks
They can put the status "In progress"
Users will see the "Start" button, clicking on it will also set the task "In progress"

Who has permission to change the statuses of the Tasks board?

All users have permission to change the status of a Task, including the account owner. Except if the User has view-only permission.

Can we set up a task in the past?

Yes, the schedule will show the task should have started already.

Can users set up a deadline that is earlier than the start date?

No, only dates and times in the future (compared to the start date and time) can be set up.

Can I duplicate an Auto-task without creating it from scratch?

Yes, it is possible to duplicate Auto-task. You will find a “copy” icon next to each Auto-task.