Tasks

After a requisition is submitted, tasks may be processed by the repository.  Most tasks perform a function, and when completed, will change specimen data in the main database.  Some generic tasks do not change any specimen data in the database and can be used for record keeping for the repository.

General Functionality of Tasks:

• Tasks can be added to a requisition at any stage of processing.  Tasks may be applied to requested specimens in a Pending requisition but may only be begun or completed after the requisition has been submitted to the repository for processing.
• Information and instructions specific to a task are contained in the Task Properties and are set when the task is first added but can be edited, if necessary.  Destination information for Ship and Transfer tasks is set in this dialog also.
• Specimen task data can quickly and easily be viewed from the Specimen Task Properties dialog. See Specimen Task Properties.
• Tasks are processed by changing the task status from the task column header menu. For certain tasks in which field values need to be entered, the Check Errors button located on the right pane will display both L1 and L2 errors in the Requisition Task dialogs. The requisition status will change to Completed when all tasks within the requisition are completed or denied.
• The Task View Level for a task can be changed to display the assigned task specimen order; the current label for a specimen that has been shipped; or the data, formatted or graphic icon of the task's status.
• The default view can be saved to show the default fields in requisition task editors.
• For some tasks, users have the option of scanning to complete the task.
• Once the task is completed, Specimen Task Property field Completed by gets populated with the username of the user completing the task for the specimen.
• Reports that are specific to a task can be generated from that task's column header menu.
• Any task may be applied to a reserved child specimen in a requisition. Until the task which resulted in the creation of the child specimen(s) is completed, the children will remain reserved and no tasks applied to them may be completed.
• Outgoing packages can be tracked from the task menu of a Ship or Transfer Out task if a tracking number has been associated with the task.

Add a Task

Tasks may be added to a requisition at any stage of processing.

To add a task to a requisition:

1. Select Add Task from the Edit menu or the Add Task button.  The Select a Task Type dialog will open.
2. Highlight the task to be added by clicking on it.  Select OK to open the Task Specification dialog or Cancel to exit without adding a task.
3. The Task Specification dialog will open for the task selected.  Enter the task properties.  Select OK to add the task or Cancel to exit without adding the task.  

After being added to a requisition, task properties can be edited by selecting Edit Task Properties from the column header menu for that task.

Delete a Task

To delete a task in the requisition editor select Delete Task from the task's column header menu.  

A task may not be deleted if it has one or more vials with a task status of Begun or Completed.  A task may be deleted if it has vials with a task status of Applied, Denied or Redo.

If it is necessary to delete a task that has previously been completed or begun for some vials, the status may be changed to Redo or Denied for most tasks before deleting the task. Before changing the task status to Redo or Denied consider:

• Aliquot and Process tasks that have a status of Begun can be marked as Denied.  Any child vials that were reserved will be removed from the requisition.

• Aliquot and Process tasks may not be marked as Redo or Denied once they have been completed and child vials have been created.  If the child vials should not have been created and must be deleted, a Data Entry Delete batch must be used.

• A completed Transfer Out task may not be marked as Redo.  Once a Transfer Out task has been completed, the vials belong to the repository they were transferred to.

• A completed Relabel task may be marked as Redo, however the Current Label field will NOT be changed back to its value before the task was completed.

Task Status

After a task is added to a requisition, the task status indicates the current stage of processing.

• Applied - Represented by an open black circle.  This is the initial status for processing any task.  A task must have this status before any further processing of the task can take place.

• Begun - Represented by a black circle that is half-filled.  The first phase of the task has been completed but requires additional processing before it can be completed.  See Aliquot and Process tasks for more information on this stage of processing.

• Completed - Represented by a solid black circle.  Processing of the task is complete.  Any modifications to specimen data associated with the task have been made in the database.

• Redo - Represented by a solid red circle.  This status indicates that the task previously had a status of completed.  This status will function in the same way as an Applied task.

• Denied - Represented by an open red circle with a diagonal line through it.  The task can not be marked as completed.

• Intermediate - Represented by an open green circle.  This status is only used for child specimens that are part of a Begun Aliquot or Process task.  A task with an Intermediate status cannot be completed.  The task status will change from Intermediate to Applied when the specimen becomes a 'real' specimen.

Changing the Task Status

Tasks are manipulated in the Requisitions Editor by changing the task status for the vials included in the requisition from the task's column header menu.  Depending on the type of task, different options will be available on this menu.

When changing a task's status from the task's column header menu, you can: Apply a task, Unapply a task, Create Child Vials, Mark as Completed, Scan to Complete, Mark as Redo, or Mark as Denied.

Apply a Task

Before a task can be completed for a specimen, it must first be applied.  A task status of Applied is represented by an open black circle.  Users can apply a task to a specimen only if the specimen has an include status of Requested, Overridden or Included.  Users can also apply a task to a partially created child vial (denoted by an Include status of Reserved Child), but the task status will be Intermediate.

There are two ways to apply a task to specimens in the Requisitions Editor:

• Apply the task to selected specimens when adding the task by checking the "Allocate this task to selected specimens" checkbox (Checked by default).

• Apply the task to selected specimens from the task's column header menu.

To apply an existing task to specimens in the Requisitions Editor:

1. Select the specimens that are to have the task applied.
2. Click on the column header for the task to open the column header menu.
3. Hover over the Change Status option to open the sub-menu and select Apply. 
   • The task status for the selected specimens will change to Applied unless the task has already been applied to the specimen or the specimens are child specimens for an aliquot or process task that has not been completed.
   • The task status for child specimens that are part of an aliquot or process task will have a task status of Intermediate - represented by an open green circle.  When the aliquot or process task has been completed, and the specimens become 'real', the task status will automatically change from Intermediate to Applied.  See the section on Aliquot for more details on completing an aliquot.

Complete a Task

Selecting this item allows the user to complete a task for the specimens that they have selected. The task will only be completed for specimens that are Included and have a task status of Applied, Redo, or Begun; all other selected specimens will be ignored. In the case of Aliquot and Process tasks, only a task status of Begun may be completed. In the case of a Return To Inventory task, only specimen(s) that have no other tasks that are Applied or Begun may be completed. When a user chooses to mark a task as completed, what happens depends on which task they are completing.

Scan to Complete a Task

This feature allows the user to scan specimens as a method of completing a task. In the Scan to Complete Task dialog, the default value in the Scanned column is No.

To complete a task using the Scan To Complete Task dialog:

1. Select Scan to Complete in the task column header menu.
2. The Scan to Complete Task dialog will open, displaying vial and sample data for the vial(s).
1. For Ship tasks, the dialog will also display the following fields: Box Layout, Box Label, Row and Column. The fields will be prepopulated with the currently assigned shipping box data and are user editable.
3. To scan specimens, click the Scan Specimens… button. The user is presented with two options:
1. Scan Specimens
2. Scanning with Translations
4. Use the Scan Wizard to set barcode fields and other options before scanning.
5. After scanning the specimen(s) into the editor, the Scanned column value will change to Yes.
• If the Unmatched scans count as errors box is checked and specimens that are not in the dialog are scanned, errors will be added to the error pane. If the box is not checked, unmatched scans will not be shown as errors in the error pane.
6. When scanning is complete, press the OK button to close the Scan to Complete Task dialog to mark the task for all of the scanned specimens as Complete. This task will only be marked as Complete for specimens that have a Yes in the Scanned Column in the Scan to Complete Task dialog.
7. Press the Cancel button to return to the requisition editor without saving any changes made.
• If any specimens are scanned, a Confirm Scan Dialog Exit dialog appears. Press the OK button to return to the requisition editor, or press Cancel to return to the Scan to Complete Task dialog.
• If no specimens are scanned, the Scan to Complete Task dialog closes without any changes being made.

Unapply a Task

Unapplying a task will change the task status back to blank.  Vials with a task status of Applied, Intermediate or Denied can be unapplied in the Requisitions editor.  If a task that has been Completed, Begun or marked as Redo by mistake needs to be unapplied, the status will first have to be changed to Denied.  In the case of a task that has been Completed, before the task status can be changed to Denied, it must first be changed to Redo.  Aliquot, Process and Transfer Out tasks cannot be changed to a task status of Redo after they have been completed.

To Unapply a task:

1. Select the vials in the Requisitions Editor that are to have the task unapplied.
2. Click on the column header for the task to open the column header menu.
3. Hover over the Change Status option to open the sub-menu and select Unapply.  The selected vials will have their task status removed.

Deny a Task

When marking a task as Denied, it applies to all selected specimens that have a task status of Applied, Intermediate, Begun or Redo. The task status is changed to Denied and the task can no longer be completed.  If a user marks an Aliquot or Process task as Denied and it has Reserved Children, those children are removed from the requisition and their BSI IDs are no longer reserved.

To change at specimen's task status to Denied:

1. Select the specimen in the Requisitions Editor to mark as Denied.
2. Click on the column header for the task to open the column header menu.
3. Hover over the Change Status option to open the sub-menu and select Mark as Denied.  The selected specimens' task status will be changed to Denied.

Redo a Task

When you choose Mark As Redo it only applies to the specimens that users have selected which are Included and have the task marked as Completed.  When a task is marked as Redo it is not automatically re-completed. Instead the task status changes to Redo and it is now treated as if it had a task status of Applied.

Any task can be marked as Redo with the exception of:

• Transfer Out task - If there is a mistake in a Transfer Out task, the repository that now owns the specimen must be contacted so that they may complete a Transfer Out task to transfer it back to the user's repository.  
• Return to Inventory task - If there is a mistake in a Return to Inventory task, the specimen must be re-requested in the Requisitions editor.  A specimen can be re-requested from the Include column header menu.

When marking a task of Aliquot or Process as Redo:

• Users will only be successful if no children were created for the selected specimen(s) by the task.
• If the task did create children for a selected specimen AND YOU ARE SURE THOSE CHILDREN DO NOT EXIST AND ARE NOT BEING USED BY ANY OTHER REQUISITION then you can go to Data Entry, create a Modify batch to change the children's Vial Status to "In", and then create a Delete batch for those children.
  • Once this batch is committed those specimens will be removed from the requisition and you will be able to mark the task as Redo.
  • CAUTION: If a user commits a Delete batch they should be extremely careful that they enter the correct information. Delete batches remove all history of a record existing.

To change a specimen's task status to Redo:

1. Select the specimens to mark for Redo.
2. Click on the column header for the task to open the column header menu.
3. Hover over the Change Status option to open the sub-menu and select Mark as Redo.  The selected specimen's task status will be changed to Redo.

Note: There are some tasks that when completed may change the status of the specimen. These tasks are Ship, Returned, Empty, Lost, Broken/Destroyed, Destroy and Hold.  If a user marks one of these tasks as Redo then a dialog will be displayed which will allow them to select the status that the specimens had before the task was completed.