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Level 10
March 15, 2018
Question

Notifications to start a task

  • March 15, 2018
  • 16 replies
  • 3035 views
Hi I am pulling my hair out about Notifications. I've been through the list a dozen times and I can't find what I want to do. I know this is simple, I just can't find the right combination of Notifications. I'm wondering if my problem is in the personal setups vs the system setups. I can't figure it out. Nobody has yet adjusted their own notifications, so they are set to the default. #1 We are getting notifications when a task is complete and it shows the dependent tasks, whether they are "my tasks" or someone else's tasks. Nobody cares about other people's tasks, only which of MY TASKS are now due? We are not getting a notification that the dependent task is complete and now MY TASK has to start. What am I doing wrong? #2 The second thing is that when a project goes "current" every task is sent out in a separate email, even those that have due dates in a long time, and still have to wait for dependent tasks. I can't figure out how to turn those off. What should go out is a summary of all the MY TASKS that will be coming up. Then, when the dependent task is done, a new notification should go out that says you are ready to start your task. (see #1)#1 As usual, thanks for your help!! Jill Jill Ackerman
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16 replies

Level 10
June 28, 2018
Hi Tara, It could be your settings, but you have a lot of scenarios here so it's tough to tell without seeing the settings and the examples. If you haven't already it would certainly be worth the time to thoroughly review the email notification settings. As you can see it can be confusing if you don't know what is turned on and what isn't. We did our at implementation with our WF consultant and that was extreeeeemely helpful as not all the settings are intuitive. So you might walk through them with a WF person to ensure you get what you want. On the scenario when the Project email (Planning to Current) is not getting to some people (even though they're assigned), could it be that those people have a Reviewer license. Reviewer's don't get assignment emails in WF. And yes, when you assign a task after it is Current, the assignee should be notified (unless they're a Reviewer or you don't have that setting turned on). Hope that helps a little. Vic Alejandro, PMP, CSM | IT Program Manager Denver Water | t: (303-628-7262) | c: (303-319-6473) "http://www.denverwater.org/"> http://www.denverwater.org INTEGRITY | VISION | PASSION | EXCELLENCE | RESPECT
JillAcAuthor
Level 10
June 29, 2018
After I went through this a few months ago I can update you as to what we are now doing. Notifications are very limited in customization. People can turn theirs off and so you never know who's getting what. Some people get so many they stop paying attention, and the "ready to start" notification is the worst one of all, it lists the role instead of the name of what tasks are starting (this is by design, not a mistake) and in big giant font and the headline says which predecessor task was complete, but the task that's ready to start (and the reason why you are getting the notification) in tiny small font at the bottom. Plus, if there are many tasks ready to start, they are all lumped together so people are getting start notifications that include other tasks that they don't care about one whit. Plus plus, yours may not even be listed on the notification ("click for more"), so it's not intuitive, especially for visual people, to easily absorb the meaning. I've been advising that if they see notifications they don't understand, instead of trying to decipher, go to Home to find out what's what. That seems to have helped encourage them to go to Home more frequently and start using it as their primary source. But now that Home is about to change with the next release, I'm bracing myself for a revolt because it's going to look different. What they like is was how clean it is in the left rail, super easy to understand, but the new release is separating tasks by week so you have all this noise instead of a simple list in due date order. Sigh ... Jill Ackerman
Community Advisor
August 28, 2019
This Idea Exchange idea looks like something that would help - needs a few more votes! Create or customize email templates for any notification type to include custom form data Sheri Whitten Gordon Food Service
January 28, 2020
i'm new to using workfront and we have whittled down the notifications and i find it not very helpful. as mentioned above...the title of the email is "Your task is ready to start: ((the task just completed is shown here))" the majority of the emails refers to the task just completed and it's in large type. then at the bottom is what the recipient cares about...their task that is ready to start. is there any way to change this notification? it's super confusing and not helpful.
Level 2
January 29, 2020
My organization just met with Workfront reps about this last week after being very frustrated. They confirmed there is NO way to get the notification you're looking for. They don't allow custom templates to be used for event notifications, which is what you're looking for, based on completion of all predecessors. You are able to have a reminder notification, but the rules can only be based on the task being late, and these are sent out every 24 hours, not immediately. Our tasks need to happen a lot quicker than that so this approach wasn't an option. See below for the screen on how to do this if it could work for you. but please continue to upvote this!! Clearly people want this and the logic is there, they're just not using it correctly (or that email template needs to just be switched in hierarchy/size of the text! Laura O'Malley Operations Manager precisioneffect Boston, MA
TamBou
Level 5
August 1, 2024

"We are getting notifications when a task is complete and it shows the dependent tasks, whether they are "my tasks" or someone else's tasks."

 

This just started with me this week (w/o 7.29.24) without me changing any Notification settings for myself nor for my organization. My roles and access:

  • System Admin
  • Traffic Manager
  • Resource Manager
  • Project Owner for some projects, but not the ones I'm being notified on
  • Sometimes Proof Owner