This article includes information about tracking and configuring user tasks. For information about viewing and completing user tasks in your Vault, see Working with User Tasks. For information about workflow tasks, see Accepting & Completing Workflow Tasks.
A user task is an object record with the User Task object class applied. A user task represents an individual unit of work. For example, a Clinical Research Associate at VeePharm may create user tasks to represent the work involved with bringing a site up to compliance after a site visit.
A user task is a record for any object with the User Task class applied. Your can configure multiple user task objects, for example, User Tasks and Follow-Up Tasks.
Configuring a User Task
Your Vault includes a standard User Task object, which Vault uses when you create tasks from the Create menu. However, you can configure multiple User Task-class objects in your Vault to meet your organization’s process needs. For example, you could create a user task for ad hoc follow-up tasks and another for site initiation.
User Task Object Relationships
Objects with the User Task class applied can have a single parent relationship and multiple reference relationships. However, user tasks do not support inbound relationships.
User Task Object Lifecycle
Objects with the User Task class are automatically associated with the standard User Task Lifecycle object lifecycle. You can customize the lifecycle as needed. Note that the Open and Complete lifecycle states are required for user tasks. Vault maps the Open state to the Initial lifecycle state type and the Complete state to the Complete state type by default.
Assigning a User Task
Once you have configured any necessary objects, you can begin assigning user tasks to members of your Vault.
- Create a new object record in your chosen user task object from one of the following locations:
- Create > User Task in the navigation bar
- A related User Task object section on an object’s Details page.
- Business Admin > Objects > User Tasks
- Enter a Name for your user task. This name appears in the default notifications and should be understandable to the assignee.
- Optional: Select a user to complete the task in the Assigned To field.
- Select No from the Completed field.
- Click Save.
The user you selected for Assigned To receives a Vault notification that you assigned them a task. The user task now displays in that user’s My Tasks view.
You will receive a notification once that user completes the task.
Reassigning a User Task
To reassign a user task:
- Navigate to the user task.
- Click Edit.
- Choose a different user in the Assigned To field. Vault send a notification to the previous Assigned To user that the task has been reassigned to another user.
- Click Save.
Note that this notification occurs for reassigned user tasks. Different notifications occur for reassigned workflow tasks.
Tracking Tasks (Activity Object)
The Activity object is a system-managed, read-only Vault object that tracks user tasks and workflow tasks in your Vault. Vault creates new Activity object records each time a user in your Vault saves a user task or a workflow task. You can view Activity records from Business Admin > Objects > Activities or a custom object tab. You can also use the Activity object in a report. Note that the Activity object does not support parent relationships, and so you cannot create an Activity report with up objects.
Notifications
Vault sends notifications related to user tasks in the following situations:
| Occurs | Recipient | Object Message |
| On task creation, on task reassignment | User Task Assignee | User Task Assignment (user_task_assignment__v) |
| On task reassignment | Previous User Task Assignee | User Task Reassignment (user_task_reassignment__v) |
| On task completion | User Task Owner | User Task Completed (user_task_completed__v) |
If you want to disable specific notifications, you can set the related object message to Inactive. To learn about editing notification message templates, see Email & Messages Administration.
User Tasks & Workflow Tasks
Whether you should use user tasks or workflow tasks depends on your organization’s needs, processes, and the specific task.
Best Practices
If the unit of work is part of a broader, defined business process with a specific sequence, approvals, and branching decisions, configure a workflow task. If the unit of work is simply assigning and completing, or it is a set of activities related to another object record, consider using user tasks.
Comparing User Tasks & Workflow Tasks
The table below compares user tasks and workflow tasks:
| Function | User Task | Workflow Task |
| Name, Description, Status, Due Date, Task Owner | ✔ | ✔ |
| Support for Object Types | ✔ | |
| Outbound Relationships to Custom Objects | ✔ | ✔ |
| Multiple Outbound Relationships | ✔ | |
| Notifications and Listed on Vault Home Tasks Views | ✔ | ✔ |
| Consolidated Reporting Across Tasks | ✔ | |
| Displays in Tabs and Pages | ✔ | |
| Reminders | ✔ | |
| Cascade Delete | ✔ | |
| Deep Copy | ✔ | |
| Notification for Task Creator when Assigned To User Completes the Task | ✔ | ✔ |
| Different Permissions by Task Type | ✔ | |
| Create from Template (needs app specific footnote) | ✔ |