Template Tasks

Template Tasks help you standardize common, recurring tasks that staff create frequently. Instead of manually entering the same task details each time, templates pre-fill the subject, description, assignee, deadline, and tags with just one click.

Example Use Cases:

• "More Towels for Room" - Front desk creates tasks for Housekeeping with automatic 10-minute deadline

• "Guest Complaint" - Pre-tagged with #GuestIssue and notifies GM

• "LED Upgrade" - Maintenance task with detailed instructions in description

Key Features

• One-Click Task Creation: Create fully-configured tasks instantly from any wall or tag page

• Smart Visibility: Templates appear only where relevant (specific departments or tag types)

• Pre-filled Details: Subject, description, assignee, and deadlines are all configured

• Automatic Tagging: Tasks created from room pages automatically include the room tag

• Timing Control: Set start delays and deadlines relative to creation time

• Bulk Creation: Generate tasks for multiple rooms/tags at once

Getting Started

Accessing Template Tasks

Navigate to Staff > All Tasks > Templates tab.

The templates list shows:

• Name: Template identifier shown in the dropdown

• Appear for department: Which department walls show this template

• Appear for tag: Which tag pages show this template

• Status: On/Off toggle

• Actions: Edit or Delete

Creating a Template Task

1. Click + New Template

2. Fill in the basic fields:

Basic Fields

Advanced Options

Click Advanced Options to expand additional settings:

Visibility Settings: Control where this template appears in the "+ Template" dropdown:

Hint: Tips for staff on when to use this template. Appears as helper text in the template dropdown.

Timing:

3. Click Add Template

Using Template Tasks

From a Department Wall

1. Navigate to any task wall (e.g., Front Desk, Housekeeping)

2. Click + Template dropdown in the toolbar

3. Select a template from the list

4. A new task is created with all pre-filled details

5. Modify any fields if needed before saving

From a Tag Page (Room, Equipment, etc.)

1. Navigate to a tag page (e.g., Room 101)

2. Click + Template dropdown

3. Select a template

4. The task is automatically tagged with that room/tag

5. Task appears on the assigned department's wall

Creating Tasks for Multiple Tags

You can generate tasks from a template for multiple rooms/tags at once:

1. Go to the template's page or use bulk actions

2. Select multiple rooms or tags

3. One task is created for each selected tag

4. All tasks use the template's settings

Visibility Examples

Understanding visibility settings helps you organize templates effectively:

"None" vs "All":

• Department = All: Template appears on every department wall

• Department = None: Template never appears on department walls (only tag pages if configured)

• Tag Type = All Tags: Template appears on all tag pages

• Tag Type = None: Template never appears on tag pages (only walls if configured)

Common Use Cases

Best Practices

Naming Templates

• Use clear, action-oriented names: "Call Shuttle", "Request Towels", "Report Issue"

• Include context when helpful: "More Towels for Room" vs "More Towels" (tag-based)

• Keep names concise - they appear in dropdown menus

Configuring Visibility

• Set Department = None for templates that only make sense on tag pages

• Set Tag Type = None for templates that only appear on department walls

• Use Specific tag sparingly - usually Tag Type is sufficient

Using #Tags and @Mentions

Include hashtags and mentions in the description for automatic categorization:

Please address guest concern immediately.

#GuestIssue #Complaint
@GM @Owner

Timing Guidelines

• Immediate tasks: Leave "Start after" empty

• Scheduled tasks: Use "Start after" (e.g., "2 hours" for follow-up calls)

• Urgent deadlines: Short duration (e.g., "10 minutes" for towel requests)

• Flexible deadlines: Longer duration (e.g., "1 day" for maintenance)

• No deadline: Leave "Deadline after" empty for informational tasks

Troubleshooting

"Template doesn't appear in dropdown"

Cause: Visibility settings don't match current context

Solution:

1. Check the template's Department setting

2. Check the Tag Type setting

3. Ensure Status is "On"

4. Verify you're on a matching wall or tag page

"Template appears on wrong walls"

Cause: Department visibility set to "All" instead of specific department

Solution:

1. Edit the template

2. Expand Advanced Options

3. Set Department to the specific department or "None"

"Tasks aren't getting the room tag"

Cause: Using template from wall instead of room page

Solution:

• Navigate to the room page first, then use the template

• Or use bulk creation to select specific rooms

"Deadline not appearing on created tasks"

Cause: "Deadline after" field empty or using invalid format

Solution:

1. Edit the template

2. Enter deadline in natural language: "30 minutes", "2 hours", "1 day"

3. Save and test

Difference from Checklists

When to use Template Tasks:

• Quick, single-action items (towels, shuttle, callbacks)

• Staff-initiated ad-hoc requests

• Simple escalations

When to use Checklists:

• Multi-step procedures (room inspection, shift handoff)

• Recurring scheduled tasks (daily cleaning, maintenance)

• Items requiring verification/sign-off

Related Articles

• Checklists

• Creating Tasks with HelloShift

• How To Use Tags & Mentions

• Organizing Notes & Tasks