Task Manager for Editorial Tasks

The Task Manager feature allows Editors with permission to assign and receive editorial tasks for submissions that are still in the editorial workflow. (Assigning and accepting these editorial tasks works much like assigning and accepting production tasks in the system.) Editorial tasks may be assigned for a submission only before production is initiated and before a final disposition is set.

If your role has been granted permission to work with Task Manager, you may see Task Manager labels in the EM interface (rather than "production" terminology). The Tasks Menu (Tasks tab) includes a View All Submissions in Task Manager folder. This folder contains all submission with active Task Manager status.

Other folders on the Tasks Menu include:

• Submission Tasks Assigned to Me: Contains submissions for which you have been assigned an editorial task.
• Submission Tasks I Have Assigned: Contains submissions for which you have assigned an editorial task to another user.
• View All Tasks with Authors: Contains submissions for an editorial task has been assigned to the Corresponding Author.

To assign an editorial task:

Editors with permission to assign tasks see an action link, Assign Editorial Task, for submissions whose Article Type has been associated with a Task Manager workflow. The link appears in folders on the Main Menu (Editorial tab) in the Editor 'To-Do' List section that contain submissions on which the Editor can take action. The link also appears in folders on the Tasks tab containing submissions on which the Editor can take action.

1. Click the Assign Editorial Task link to open the Assign Task page.
2. Select the task to assign from the drop-down list.
3. Click Proceed with Select Task.
4. Select the person to receive the task from the "Task Assigned to" drop-down list. (If the task is configured for assignment to a role held by only one user, e.g., Corresponding Author, the name appears in place of a drop-down list.)
5. Enter a due date.
6. Customize the letter to notify the task recipient.
7. In the Submission Files section, check the box next to any files you want to allow the task recipient to download.
8. If permitted: In the Companion Files section, click the Upload New Companion File to add files.
9. Click Assign Task and Send Letter. (A task may be configured to allow assignment without a letter: Click Assign Task without Sending Letter.)

To reassign a task:

Depending on task configuration and your role permissions, you may have the option to reassign a task. A Reassign Task link will appear in the Action column.

1. Click the Reassign Task link to open the Reassign Task page.
2. Select the person to receive the task from the "Task Assigned to" drop-down list. (If the task is configured for assignment to a role held by only one user, e.g., Corresponding Author, the name appears in place of a drop-down list.)
3. Enter a due date.
4. Customize the letter to notify the task recipient.
5. Click Assign Task and Send Letter. (Depending on configuration, you may have the option to proceed without a letter; click Assign Task without Sending Letter.)

To batch assign a task:

Editors with permission to search submissions and to assign tasks can batch assign tasks from results pages for searches performed from the Editorial tab. A Batch Actions menu appears next to the Quicklinks menu on the Search Submission Search Results (and Simple Submission Search Results) page.

1. Click the Batch Actions menu and choose Batch Assign Editorial Task. A Select column appears on the search results grid and a Batch Assign Editorial Task button appears at the bottom of the page.
2. In the Select column, check the box next to submissions to be included in the task assignment.
3. Click the Batch Assign Editorial Task button to open the Batch Assign Task page.
4. Select the task to assign from the drop-down list (if more than one available).
5. Select the person to receive the task from the "Task Assigned to" drop-down list (if more than one available).
6. Click Proceed with Selected Task.
7. Enter a due date.
8. Customize the letter to notify the task recipient.
9. In the Assignment Files section, check the box next to any files you want to allow the task recipient to download.
10. Click Assign Task and Send Letter. (Depending on task configuration, you may have the option to proceed without a letter; click Assign Task without Sending Letter.)

To manage tasks you have assigned:

Click Submission Tasks I Have Assigned (on the Tasks Menu). Several Action links may be available for each submission (depending on configurations and role permissions):

• Cancel Assignment: Appears if the user has permission to cancel assignments. Click the link to open the Cancel Task Confirmation page, where you may customize the cancellation letter.
• Reassign Task: Follow instructions above.
• Task Manager Details: Shows the Task Manager version of the submission Details page.
• History: Shows activity history for the submission.

To access a task assigned to you:

Click Submission Tasks Assigned to Me (on the Tasks Menu). Several Action links may be available for each submission (depending on configurations and role permissions):

• View Assignment Letter: Opens the letter sent with your task assignment.
• Assignment Files: Allows you to view (or download) files that the task assigner has made available to you.
• Submit Task: Allows you to submit files and accompanying letter. See details below.
• Reassign Task: Appears if the task is configured to allow the recipient to reassign. Click the link to open the Reassign Task page and follow steps 4-8 above (in To assign an editorial task).
• Assign Editorial Task: Appears if you have permission to assign tasks. For details, see To assign an editorial task section above.
• History: Shows activity history for the submission.

To submit a task:

1. Click the Submit Task link to open the Submit Task page.
2. Enter text in the Letter Body field (may be optional).
3. If including files, click Upload File to open a pop-up window.
   1. Select the Item from the drop-down list.
   2. Enter a description in the text box.
   3. Click Choose File to select a file from your local drive.
   4. Click Upload this File. (An uploaded file may be removed, using the Remove link on the main Submit Task page.)
4. When finished, click Submit Task.

To assign a follow-on task:

Depending on the configured workflow, an Editor (with appropriate permission) may have the option to assign a follow-on task immediately after submitting an editorial task. The option appears after clicking the Submit Task button as described in step 4 above. The user has the option not to assign a follow-on task (click Done) or to assign a follow-on task:

1. Click Assign Follow-on Task button to open the Assign Follow-on Task page. (This page also displays the Task History for the submission.)
2. Select the task from the drop-down list.
3. Click Proceed with Selected Task.
4. Follow steps 4-8 above (in To assign an editorial task).

To end Task Manager:

Editors with permission to assign tasks in Task Manager see an action link, End Task Manager, for submissions in the View All Submissions in Task Manager folder and in Search Submissions results. This link enables Editors to end Task Manager manually.

Click the link to end the Task Manager workflow. (The submission will no longer be accessible via the View All Submissions in Task Manager folder.)

This link appears only when there are no open editorial tasks associated with the submission.

(In addition to allowing Editors to end Task Manager manually, publications may configure Task Manager to end automatically when production is initiated and/or when final disposition is set.)

Note: If a submission is still in the editorial workflow when Task Manager is ended either manually or automatically, permissioned users will still see the Assign Editorial Task link. A new task may be assigned and Task Manager reopened until production is initiated or final disposition is set.

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