Tasks and the Task dimension
Related information
Related topics
The Task dimension simplifies the process of capturing task data for projects as you enter transactions. A task is bound to a specific project. This means you must first identify a project to be able to select a task.
If you're not familiar with dimensions, watch this video: What are dimensions and how do they work?
Best practices
- Enable the Task dimension when there are few active projects or a limited number of open billing charges. Pick a specific point when your transactions are as clean as possible, such as at month-end, quarter-end, or year-end.
- If you enable the Task dimension, reports will not combine or include transactions for both task and class dimensions on the same report. If you enable the task dimension, report data reflects only transactions from that time going forward. For prior transaction information, refer to reports generated prior to enabling the task dimension.
- Implement a unique Task ID numbering scheme to identify which transactions occurred before and after the date you enabled the Task dimension.
- The Task dimension is dependent on the Project dimension. A unique task, regardless of its ID or name, exists only within the construct of a specific project. To enforce task consistency across projects and to simplify reporting on tasks, consider using the Standard task catalog.
Construction and the Task dimension
The Construction subscription enables the Project, Task, and Cost Type dimensions. While use is optional, you cannot disable these dimensions.
A project is independent of tasks or cost types. Tasks are unique to a specific project; and cost types depend on the existence of the project and task dimensions. The uniqueness of a cost type is bound to a specific project and task, meaning you cannot select a cost type without first identifying the project and task in that project.
| Subscription |
|
|---|---|
| User type |
Business user with admin privileges Construction Manager Project Manager |
| Permissions |
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| Previous step | Configure Projects |
Enable the Task dimension
Once enabled, the task dimension applies to new transactions only. Existing (historical) task transactions are not updated.
The following procedure shows you how to enable the Task dimension. For more information on projects dimensions, see Projects applications and dimensions.
- Go to General Ledger > Setup > Configure.
- Under the Dimension Settings section, select Task.
- Select Save.
You can use the task dimension with the following applications:
Reporting considerations for the Task dimension
- The Financial Report Writer (FRW) treats each task individually.
To group tasks together, you can use Task dimension groups. - The Custom Report Writer (CRW) and the Interactive Custom Report Writer (ICRW) can group tasks automatically based on task ID or task name.
Frequently asked questions
Before the availability of the task dimension, you could capture collected hours for tasks only on timesheets. To categorize and summarize tasks on timesheets, you could associate the class dimension with tasks.
Using the task dimension enables you to capture financial transaction data in addition to the hours data currently captured on timesheets.
If what you are doing now works for your organization, you can continue to use the class dimension exactly the same way without making any changes. The task dimension doesn't replace your existing functionality or configuration.
Before changing your configuration, understand your current workflow and reporting needs. Contact your Sage Intacct Corporate Account Manager (CAM) or account partner for their insight on how changing your current configuration may impact your environment.
Yes. After you enable the dimension in the General Ledger, you can select tasks in any module where you enabled the Task dimension, including:
- Accounts Payable
- Accounts Receivable
- Inventory Control
- Order Entry
- Projects
- Purchasing
- Time
- Expenses
No. Once the Task dimension has GL transactions associated with it, you are not allowed to deactivate the dimension.
No. If your organization already associates the Class dimension with task, you can continue to work exactly the same way without any changes.
However, if you need to use the Class dimension for another purpose, consider using the Task dimension to track task transactions.
Before changing your configuration, understand your current workflow and reporting needs. Contact your Sage Intacct Corporate Account Manager (CAM) or account partner for their insight on how changing your current configuration may impact your environment.
Yes. You can associate the Class dimension with tasks and enable the new Task dimension at the same time.
Reports will not combine or include transactions for both Task and Class dimensions on the same report. If you enable the task dimension, report data reflects only transactions from that time going forward. For prior transaction information, refer to reports generated prior to enabling the task dimension.
No. Enabling the Task dimension is a manual go-forward approach that applies to new transactions only; existing (historical) task transactions are not updated.
Yes. This option continues to work as it has before. Enabling the Task dimension does not affect it.
Yes. Tasks are unique to a specific project. Class applies to all projects. If your current configuration uses the autofill option, you can continue to use that option with the Task dimension enabled. The class name is derived from the task name in a display-only field.
Yes. This option enables users to link a class with tasks or leave the class empty for tasks they don't want to track, such as overhead or indirect project tasks.
Yes. Enabling the Task dimension in other modules makes tasks more accessible. But, no matter how you add tasks to a project (from the standard task catalog or not), every task has a unique Task ID within a project. All project tasks behave exactly the same within a project whether you enable the Task dimension or not.
