Creating Tasks

In this article, you will learn what a task is and how to populate one into Onfleet! 

You'll learn:

• What is a Task?
• Create a Task Manually
• Edit, Clone or Delete a Task
• Edit a Task Status
• Create a Task From the Map
• Task Statuses

What is a Task?

A task is the core unit of work to be completed by drivers. To put it simply, a task is a pickup or a delivery. 

Create a Task Manually

While all PoS, Premium Site, BloomNation Marketplace orders will flow through to your OnFleet Delivery Tracking automatically, Quick Charge orders will not. If this is a service you’d like to offer on your Quick Charge purchases, we recommend submitting orders through the “Delivery” option in the BloomNation PoS. To manually enter orders that do not automatically feed through to your Delivery Tracking dashboard, create a task manually by:

Clicking the "+" button in the toolbar and select New Task.

Tips:

• Use the keyboard shortcut T.
• You can also create a task from the map.

After you click window will appear with required fields to designate a recipient (or none), the type of task (dropoff or pickup), as well as a destination. Optional fields such as recipient notes, task details and a delivery time window are also available.

Recipient

If the task includes a recipient, the name and phone number are required. If this recipient has been created before, the phone number will be recognized and the name and notes will fill automatically. To remove a recipient, suppressing all notifications for this task, simply check the box labeled No recipient.

Recipient notes should be used for specific instructions that help the delivery driver, such as:

• Door codes
• Special drop-off locations
• Warnings

Recipient notes will remain attached to this recipient and will appear on all their tasks until overwritten or deleted.

Details

Optional details can be added to describe the work to be performed, the items to pickup/deliver, or even a link to an external document, website or app.

Destination

A destination address must be entered and selected from the available drop-down options. If your address cannot be found or is invalid, you will need to correct it and select from the drop-down to continue.

Note: Only addresses with a street name and number are considered valid. Addresses without a street name and number or more generally described (e.g. "Pier 4") will not be accepted.

Geocoding can be skipped during task creation by entering coordinates for the task destination in the dashboard. Destination details must be input to be displayed to drivers and dispatchers, but will not be used in geocoding. 

Alternatively, you can also create a task from a specific location on the map. Destination coordinates will be captured through the map at the exact location where the task has been created. 

Time Window

If your tasks follow a schedule or you offer an estimated delivery time, such as Timed Delivery, use the time window section to establish a Complete After and Complete Before time.

Route Optimization Constraints

Use Route Optimization to specify a task's quantity and individual service time to be considered during route optimization. See Define a Task's Quantity and Service Time.

Assignment

Assignment of the task to a driver (or a Connected Organization) can be performed now, or you can do it after task creation via the sidebar or map.

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Edit, Clone or Delete a Task

You can edit all attributes of a task until it has been started by the assigned driver, and most attributes can also be edited after the task has started (with the exception of the phone number and address). To edit a task, simply double-click it in the sidebar (or on the map), and click the Edit button.   

 

Clone a Task

To create a new task with all the same details as another task, right-click on the task in the sidebar to open the context menu and select the Clone option:

Alternatively, you can also open the task by double-clicking it on the map or sidebar and select Clone at the bottom left corner.

Next, select which data you would like to copy to the cloned task.

Note that the recipient and destination are always retained. Complete After/Before times are also carried over if that time hasn't already passed.

Finally, all metadata associated with the original task will also be carried over when that task is cloned.

Your newly cloned task will appear in the unassigned section of the sidebar.

 

Delete a Task

You can delete tasks up until they are started by a driver. Deleted tasks will be immediately removed from the dashboard and driver app and cannot be recovered. You can delete tasks several ways:

Select a task or tasks to be deleted from the sidebar. Right-click and choose Delete… from the context menu.

Or, double-click it in the sidebar and click Edit, and scroll to the bottom > Delete Task

 

Delete all Uncompleted Tasks (Advanced Users Only)

If you would like to delete all tasks which are uncompleted (both unassigned and assigned for all time) you can do so from within the Admin account by using the keyboard command: CTL + ALT + SHIFT + C

Add a Previous Recipient to a Task

If the recipient of a task you are creating has already been a recipient in the past, the fields will auto-complete based on the phone number you enter in the first field, once you de-select that field.

If you would like to update the recipient name associated with a phone number that you have already entered, you may do so. This will update that name within your Onfleet dashboard database for any instances of that phone number moving forward.

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Edit a Task Status

To edit a task's completion status, click the 'Status' field in any task that has been completed. Update the task completion status and/or failure reasons, and click 'Done' to make the change.

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Create a Task From the Map

To create a task from the map, right-click on any location on the map which best corresponds to the delivery address, and select Create New Task Here

A window will appear with required fields to designate a recipient (or none) and the type of task (Dropoff or Pickup).

The recipient's destination coordinates will be captured through the map at the exact location where the task has been created. If you'd like to edit or verify the destination details, click the Edit Destination Details button below the destination coordinates. If a street address can be derived from the coordinates, it will appear here and can be edited further. Keep in mind that the Destination Details are for display purposes only and the coordinates will be used to place the pin and to navigate the driver.

Optional fields such as recipient notes, task details, a delivery time window, and assignment to a driver are also available. For a detailed walk-through about manual task creation through the dashboard, please see here.

If the recipient of a task you are creating has already been a recipient in the past, the fields will auto-complete based on the phone number you enter in the first field, once you de-select that field.

If you would like to update the recipient name associated with a phone number that you have already entered, you may do so. This will update that name within your Onfleet dashboard database for any instances of that phone number moving forward.

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Task Statuses

Task status is displayed with a color in the sidebar, the map and inside the task detail sheet as a map marker ("pin") or dot icon.

• Unassigned: Task has not been assigned to a driver and cannot be executed. Unassigned tasks will appear in the top section of the sidebar and on the map as a grey pin.
• Assigned: Task has been assigned to a specific driver and is available for execution. Assigned tasks will appear beneath their assigned drivers in the sidebar and on the map as a purple pin.
• In Transit: Task is being executed with active notifications and recipient location tracking. In transit, tasks will appear beneath their executing drivers in the sidebar and on the map as a blue pin.
• Succeeded: Task has been completed successfully. Succeeded tasks will appear as a green pin on the map only.
• Failed: Task has been completed unsuccessfully. Failed tasks will appear as a red pin on the map only.

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Next Steps

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