Using The Task's Subtasks Index Window
The Task's Subtasks Index Window is used to display a list of the Subtask records that
are
linked to a parent Task record.
If you know how to use the Tasks Index Window then you already know
how
to use the Task's Subtasks Index window.
Both windows perform the same database operations, and the only key differences between them are
couple
of panels displayed on the right hand side of the window.
Also, the Task's Subtasks Index Window only
displays the Subtask records that belong to a single Task record, while the Tasks Index Window displays
all the Tasks and Subtask records in the project.
The majority of the database operations this window provides have been written about in other help pages,
so this help page won't be covering them.
The Differences Between Task And Subtask Records
In case you're wondering about what the difference between Task and Subtask records is, Subtask records
are just Task records that store the ID number of the Task record that created them (their direct parent
task).
Subtask records can have Subtask records of their own, and you can create as many layers of subtasks as
you need.
Whenever a new Subtask record is created, it's linked to its parent task record first, and
then all of that parent task's, parent task records get linked to the new Subtask record as well.
How To Display A Task's Subtasks Index Window
To display the Task's Subtasks Index Window you need to be in a window that's working directly with
Task
records, such as the Tasks Index Window, or the Task Window, and then you click on the Display
Subtasks
hyperlink in that window.
If you're working in an "Index" type window, such as the Tasks Index Window (image below), you'll
need to
locate the parent task record first.
Then single click on it to select it, and then click on the Display
Subtasks hyperlink.
The image below shows a parent Task record selected in a Tasks Index Window.
The easiest way to get this
window to display only parent task records is to click on the Parent Tasks Only hyperlink in the
Sort
Tasks hyperlink panel.
Then keyword search or visually scan the list of parent tasks for the one you're
looking for.
After the Display Subtasks hyperlink is clicked, a window like the one show below, will display all
of
the parent task's, subtasks.
The Task's Subtasks Index Window Displays All The Subtasks Linked To A Parent
Task, Even Subtasks That Were Not Created By It
Sometimes, it's important to remember that Task and Subtask records can have many layers of subtasks
linked to them. When you create a task record, you can create subtask records for it. Then you can
create subtask records for any of those subtasks, and all of them are still going to be linked to that
top level parent task.
So, when you pick a parent task, and ask it to display it's list of subtasks, you're likely to see
subtasks that are directly linked to that task, and others that are not. The ones that are not, are
further down the task chain layers, but the task record you selected is one of their parent records,
just not their directly linked parent.
This image shows an example of this.
The Task's Subtasks Index Window is showing the 90 subtask records
linked to the parent Task record, whose ID is 35449781579206.
The first record entry card, shows that
this subtask record is linked directly to the parent task.
But the next two entry cards, show that the
Parent Task ID is completely different from the window's parent task.
But, those subtasks are still part
of that parent task records task chain, which is why it's linked to them, and aware of them.
Double Click Anywhere On A Record Entry To Display That Subtask In The Task
Window, Its Editing Window
If you double click anywhere on a record entry in this window, that entry's Subtask record will be
loaded
into a Task Window, its editing window, so you can modify it.
Or, you can single click on the record
entry and then click the Edit Selected Task hyperlink, to do the same thing.
The image shows the Task Window displaying the double clicked on record entry in the above image.
Changing The Parent Task Record's Estimated Completion Time
On the right hand side of the Task's Subtask's Index Window is the 'Parent Task's Relative Size'
panel.
You can use this panel to change the estimated amount of time that the parent task needs to complete
all
of its work.
You can also make this change from inside the Task Window.
This panel is here is because there are times when your working with a task's subtasks,
especially when you creating new ones for it, that you realize the parent task is going to take
longer
to complete than you thought.
So, this ability was added to this page as a convenience.
To change the parent task's relative size (estimated completion time), just click the down arrow on
the
combo box, and then click on one of the time estimate values in the list.
Then parent task will start
using that time estimate.