Troubleshoot tasks

Some tasks may temporarily be hidden based on the filter used to see the tasks. To see all of the tasks, remove the filter.

1. On the View menu, point to Arrange By, point to Current View, and then click Customize Current View.

2. Click Filter.

3. In the lower-right corner, click Clear All.

Did you create the assigned task from an existing task in your task list? If so, and you cleared the Keep an updated copy of this task on my task list check box in the task request, Microsoft Outlook deleted the copy of the task from your task list. You can create another task to assign, or ask the new owner of the task to send you a copy of it. Either way, if you want status information about the first task you assigned, you must request it from the owner of the task.

Microsoft Outlook periodically checks the Inbox for task update messages. When a task update message appears, Outlook updates the task in your task list and deletes the message in Inbox for you. The new task information is saved with the task in your task list, so no information is lost.

When you filled out the task request, you might not have selected the Send me a status report when this task is complete check box. To receive status reports for this task, send a mail message to the task owner and ask that person to send you a status report.

If you created an unassigned copy of the task and then assigned the copy to someone else, you and everyone who formerly received updates to the original task won't be able to keep an updated copy of it in your task list. The original task will stay in the task list of the person you first assigned it to. If you request a status report for that task, you will receive the report when the original owner marks the task complete. You won't receive updates or status reports for the copy you assigned.

After someone declines a task assignment, you have to reclaim ownership of the task by adding it back to your task list.

1. Open the message that contains the task request that was declined.
2. On the Actions menu, click Return to Task List.

The Skip Occurrence command (on the Actions menu) isn't available if you select Regenerate new task in the Task Recurrence dialog box. When you select Regenerate new task, a new occurrence of the task won't appear in your task list until you mark the previous occurrence as complete. So you don't need to skip an occurrence of this task.

You cannot create an unassigned copy of a task when:

• You created the task and are the owner of the task.
• The task was assigned to you by another person and you are the owner of the task.
• You already created an unassigned copy of the task.

By default, 8 hours equals 1 day and 40 hours equals 1 week in Microsoft Outlook. Therefore, if you enter 12 hours of actual work, Outlook converts that to 1.5 days. However, you can change the number of hours Outlook uses to calculate a day or week.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Other tab.

2. Click Advanced Options.

3. To set the number of hours that Outlook uses to calculate a day, type a number in the Task working hours per day box.

4. To set the number of hours that Outlook uses to calculate a week, type a number in the Task working hours per week box.

By default, Microsoft Outlook displays overdue tasks in red and completed tasks in gray. However, you can change these colors.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click Task Options, and then select the colors you want.

By default, Outlook doesn't show the TaskPad.

• In Calendar, from the View menu, click TaskPad.

You may have enlarged one or more of the elements in the Calendar window, causing the TaskPad to disappear. To make the TaskPad reappear, try any of the following:

• Hide or resize the Navigation Pane if it is visible. To hide the Navigation Pane, click the View menu, and then click Navigation Pane. To resize the Navigation Pane, point to the border on the right side of the Navigation Pane scroll bar. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border to the left.
• Resize the appointment area. Point to the border on the right side of the appointment area scroll bar. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border to the left.
• Resize the Date Navigator if more than two months appear. Point to the border below the Date Navigator. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border up.
• Maximize the window by clicking Maximize .
• If you are using Microsoft Exchange Server, you may be able to view another person's Calendar folder, but not have permission to open the person's Tasks folder. Ask the person who granted you access to verify the permission granted to you by doing the following: on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Delegates tab. Select the delegate's name in the Delegates list, and then click Permissions.
• The Personal Folders file that contains this Calendar folder may not have a Tasks folder.