In theory, both Requests and Tasks are essentially Tasks, work carried out on behalf of a Client. But having a distinction between the two gives more control over your work flow.
Requests
We consider a Request to be a once-off, like when a Client calls you, emails you or texts you to do something.
For example: “Can you please change the phone number of our website..?”
In this example, the Client is making a Request for you to do something.. You carry out the request and you finish the request. Requests are usually short and quick, like sending a support ticket when you need some help or need something done, a Request would be the same as a Ticket, we just call them Requests.. ticket sounds a bit lame.
When you have finished a Request, thats it! it’s billed and gone into the ether.
Tasks
While Requests are once-off, Tasks make up a Project. Tasks, Sub-Tasks & Milestones all belong to the creation of a Project. Clients will send Requests of what they need done, Admins & Managers will add Tasks of what they are going to do. Tasks can stretch and become long term, a single task may last weeks.
There are many people who use Clientrol for the Request features, they don’t want to create Projects every time their client needs something done and using Requests means they can work jobs and close them quickly.
Why can’t my Client add Tasks?
Good question, the reason is that if you give clients the ability to add tasks to a project, it becomes a free for all. You and your business have your way of doing things, giving your client access to add Tasks any way they like will send the project off track.
Imagine working as a chef in a restaurant and allowing the guests to come into the kitchen and start adding what they want to the meal? its not going to work. Also Clients may have restrictions on their plan to add Tasks.
Is there a way for my Client to contribute to a Project?
Yes there is – there is a method for you to convert a Request to a Task and add it to a Project. If your Client wants to add tasks, they can do so simply by sending a Request and the admin can convert the Request to a Task, this gives the admin full control over the task if it is something that needs to be added or not.
My Client wants full access to the Project
If sending a Request and converting it to a task doesn’t work – Another solution would be to add your Client as a Manager, this way they can have no restrictions in adding Tasks to a Project. You can set restrictions so they can view or add/edit (just to note if they are add/edit, they can also delete tasks!)
In Conclusion
Requests and Tasks are essentially both the same thing, both are a piece of work to be done or undertaken, but in Clientrol land, we treat them differently. Some users like to create Monthly Projects and add their client requests as Tasks as a method of keeping them organised so they can send a report to their client showing how much work was done each month. Others just like to use Requests to manage their workflow.
Clear as Mud.
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