[[[a]]]Task Planning in Cerebro.¶

Allocating an Executant[[[p]]]¶

The basic operation that you need to perform[[[q]]] in order to distribute work[[[r]]] is allocating executants to tasks.[[[s]]] When this needs to be done for a single task,[[[t]]] you can simply edit the value in the “allocated” column.[[[u]]] When you need to assign an executant to several tasks at once,[[[v]]] you first need to select the tasks in the table[[[w]]] so that you can edit the list in the task properties window.[[[x]]]

Let us repeat this operation as many times[[[y]]] as needed for other tasks and executants.[[[z]]] To make this easier, you may filter[[[a]]] the full list of employees[[[b]]] by the task’s activity or by user group.[[[c]]]

Once we have finished with allocations,[[[d]]] we will work with the tasks that[[[e]]] have been assigned to users using[[[f]]] the To-Do List, Calendar, and Plan tabs.[[[g]]]

To-Do List[[[h]]]¶

In the “To-Do List” window you can see[[[i]]] all tasks assigned to a specific user as a simple list.[[[j]]] By default, the tasks that are shown are those[[[k]]] assigned to the current Cerebro user;[[[l]]] to see other people’s tasks, one needs[[[m]]] to switch the viewing mode to have others’ tasks shown.[[[n]]]

Doing this makes the list of all users appear.[[[o]]] The list may be filtered based on a group or a task activity,[[[p]]] making it easier to find the correct employee.[[[q]]] Once we pick a user, a list of[[[r]]] all tasks assigned to this user is displayed.[[[s]]] However, unlike the navigator or the Gantt chart view,[[[t]]] this view shows only the list;[[[u]]] neither the task structure nor links between tasks are displayed.[[[v]]]

The tasks can be quickly filtered[[[w]]] by picking a project or a project section[[[x]]] from the project tree at the top of the window.[[[y]]]

Sorting the list by start time,[[[z]]] we will get the sequence of tasks, as scheduled,[[[a]]] so we can determine the start time of the closest task.[[[b]]] Sorting by status shows the current state:[[[c]]] What is already completed and what the person is currently working on.[[[d]]] Sorting by type of work will group the tasks[[[e]]] based on the type of work the employee is doing.[[[f]]]

After you pick a task from the list, you may visit its forum[[[g]]] or proceed to edit its properties.[[[h]]]

Calendar[[[i]]]¶

Another tool for operational planning,[[[j]]] the “Calendar” tab is perfect for[[[k]]] managing short-term tasks,[[[l]]] ones with duration of less than a day, or no more than several days.[[[m]]]

On the right side of the window, you can see a calendar-based chart[[[n]]] with tasks scheduled during one,[[[o]]] two, or three weeks, depending on your selection.[[[p]]] On the left, there is a list of users and tasks[[[q]]] similar to the one on the “To-Do List” tab;[[[r]]] however, instead of showing all of a user’s tasks,[[[s]]] it only shows those scheduled [[[t]]] during the range of weeks presented on the calendar.[[[u]]]

We can look at an employee’s workload[[[v]]] on a weekly basis and detect[[[w]]] overlapping tasks if any of them[[[x]]] are scheduled at the same time.[[[y]]] To change the start time or the duration of any task,[[[z]]] you can drag it around the calendar with your mouse.[[[a]]] In case you make a mistake, there is an Undo button.[[[b]]]

In addition, you can quickly add a new task[[[c]]] to the calendar by choosing a time interval[[[d]]] for it on the chart.[[[e]]] After you do that, the new task window will open,[[[f]]] with the selected time period prepopulated[[[g]]] and the executant allocated.[[[h]]]

Plan[[[i]]]¶

The Plan window shows a chart with tasks[[[j]]] assigned to multiple employees.[[[k]]] Visually, it resembles the Gantt chart,[[[l]]] but the main difference is that it shows[[[m]]] only the tasks assigned to users,[[[n]]] without nested structures or links.[[[o]]]

You can filter the list of users shown on the left[[[p]]] by group or task activity.[[[q]]] If a user has several tasks[[[r]]] within the selected time period,[[[s]]] you can expand the list of tasks.[[[t]]]

Different colors on the chart[[[u]]] help visualize employees’ workload:[[[v]]] Free time with no assigned tasks is highlighted in blue,[[[w]]] periods with one task scheduled during business hours in green,[[[x]]] and periods with overlapping tasks in red.[[[y]]]

Moving along the timeline, you can see[[[z]]] when each of the employees’ tasks is scheduled,[[[a]]] so you can immediately correct issues with[[[b]]] insufficient or excessive workload.[[[c]]]

Like the “Calendar” and the “Gantt chart”, the “Plan” view[[[d]]] lets you drag the task line with your mouse[[[e]]] or select a task and go to the property editor.[[[f]]]

In order to quickly locate a task on the timeline,[[[g]]] you can open the full list of the users’ tasks[[[h]]] on the right, select the task there, and access it[[[i]]] by using the right mouse button menu [[[j]]] or by moving it into the current time range.[[[k]]]