home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Hall of Fame
/
HallofFameCDROM.cdr
/
misc3
/
tskpro22.lzh
/
READ.ME
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1990-10-19
|
16KB
|
375 lines
TASK-PRO
QUICK USERS' GUIDE
INTRODUCTION
TASK-PRO v2.2 is a PC program that allows the user to track, prioritize,
sort and report on tasks under way. TASK-PRO was specifically designed
with the needs of middle management in mind. As such, more emphasis is
placed on the organization, representation and status of tasks under way
than on the interrelationships of tasks. TASK-PRO is general purpose in
that it allows the user to track virtually any type of activity, from
work-in-progress to telephone inquiries to trouble reports.
Under the TASK-PRO system the user maintains any number of tasks in one
or more task files. The user may choose to keep all tasks in a single
file or to maintain a separate task file for each major project. Tasks
may be moved between task files (or between computer systems) through use
of the IMPORT and EXPORT facilities built into TASK-PRO. The user is
allowed to record detailed information for each task, and is provided
with the ability to also enter a free text memo file giving a detailed
description of those tasks which require such a description. Within a
task file tasks may be sorted by priority, the name of the person
assigned to the task, the deadline assigned to the task, the date the
task was entered, or the systems affected by the task. A flashing red
indication is provided for all tasks which have exceeded their deadlines.
TASK-PRO was designed to target the needs from middle management on down
in the corporate world. The IMPORT and EXPORT capabilities allow an
entire organization to use TASK-PRO effectively through the dessemin-
ation of export files.
TASK-PRO incorporates a state-of-the-art keyboard interface which makes
excellent use of color, sound, text windows and context-sensitive
hypertext help at the touch of the F1 key.
The unregistered version of TASK-PRO is fully functional and loaded
with features, but lacks some of the deluxe features of the registered
version. The additional features provided with this registered version
are:
o The ability to move tasks between task files and
PC's using IMPORT and EXPORT.
o A 'Timecard Interface' which allows the quick and
easy entry of timecard information into the TASK-
PRO database.
o The ability to tag or untag all tasks with a
single keystroke.
o The ability to close all tagged tasks with a
single keystroke.
o The ability to delete all tagged tasks with a
single keystroke.
All data files produced with the unregistered version are totally compatable
with the registered version.
To become a registered user of TASK-PRO simply run the unregistered
version on a PC equipped with a printer and select the "REGISTER" option
from the TASK-PRO main menu (you might first read section 6 below
concerning data entry). You may optionally obtain registration infor-
mation by selecting the INFO option from the TASK-PRO main menu.
1.0 Required Equipment
TASK-PRO runs on IBM PC's and compatables with 256k of system memory
and CGA, EGA or VGA graphics adaptors. TASK-PRO may work with other
equipment configurations.
2.0 INSTALLATION
TASK22.ZIP is contains the entire TASK-PRO program, along with a
set of sample task and memo files. Create a directory specifically
for TASK-PRO on your machine and unZIP these files into this
directory. You may then run TASK, as described in this document,
and practice with the sample data provided. When you are satisfied
with your expertise you may delete every file except TASK.EXE and
TSK.HLP and begin using TASK-PRO for real.
3.0 RUNNING AND QUITTING TASK-PRO
To run TASK-PRO simply enter 'TASK -C' for a color system or 'TASK -M'
for a monochrome system from the DOS prompt. The user will then be
presented with the main menu screen of TASK-PRO.
To quit TASK-PRO and return to DOS simply hit the ESC key from the
TASK-PRO main menu, or select the Quit option from the pull-down
menu associated with the FILES option of the TASK-PRO main menu.
4.0 GETTING HELP SCREENS
You can always get a help screen describing what you are doing by
depressing the F1 key. This help text is completely context-
sensitive, and allows you to jump to the help screens for related
topics by highlighting the text associated with the topics within
the help window (through use of the arrow keys of the numeric keypad)
and depressing the ENTER key. You may exit the help system and return
to TASK-PRO by depressing the ESC key.
5.0 THE MENU SYSTEM
The TASK-PRO main menu is the bar menu that appears across the top of
the screen at all times that TASK-PRO is running. You may move between
the items of this menu with the left and right cursor control keys,
and any associated pull-down menus will automatically appear. You may
also move between main menu items by depressing the hot key for the
item (highlighted in yellow) while holding down the ALT key (this is
simply a shortcut for the experienced user).
For main menu options that do not have an associated pull-down menu
the option is activated by depressing the ENTER key once the option
is highlighted. If such an option has been selected with the short-
cut ALT-hotkey keystroke then the option is activated automatically.
For main menu options that have pull-down sub-menus, the sub-menu
option is activated by highlighting the desired option with the up and
down cursor control keys and depressing the ENTER key. Alternatively
the option may be activated by hitting the highlighted hot key in the
sub-menu (without depressing the ALT key).
Help information about any sub-menu option may be obtained by high-
lighting the option and depressing the F1 key.
6.0 DATA ENTRY WINDOWS
Data entry windows allow the user to enter data into the TASK-PRO
system. The up and down cursor control keys, as well as the TAB
key, allow the user to move between data entry fields. The left
and right cursor control keys allow the user to move within the
field. The insert key toggles text entry between insert and over-
strike mode. The delete key deletes characters under the cursor.
The return key successfully ends the data entry into the form and
the ESC key aborts the data entry process. Help for any field is
available by depressing the F1 key while the cursor is positioned
within the field.
7.0 The FILES menu option
The FILES menu option has an associated pull-down sub-menu which offers the
options PICK, OPEN, DELETE, IMPORT, EXPORT and QUIT.
Selecting PICK brings up a window that contains a list of all existing task
files. To open one of the task files for work simply cursor over until the
name of the file is highlighted and depress the ENTER key. To exit PICK
without opening a new task file just hit the ESC key.
Selecting OPEN brings up a data entry window in which you may enter the name
of the new (or existing) task file to be opened. This option allows you
to create new task files. Just enter the name of the new task file. You
may cancel this operation by leaving the field empty and depressing the
ENTER key or by depressing the ESC key at any time.
Selecting DELETE, like PICK, brings up a window that contains a list of all
existing task files. To delete one of the task files (along with all assoc-
iated memo files) simply cursor over until the name of the file is highlighted
and depress the ENTER key. To exit DELETE without deleting a task file just
hit the ESC key.
Selecting IMPORT brings up a data entry window in which you may enter the
name of a previously EXPORTed file to import into the currently opened task
file. Just enter the name of the file (without extension), and all tasks
(and memos) it contains will be imported into the current task file. You
may cancel this operation by leaving the field empty and depressing the
ENTER key or by depressing the ESC key at any time. The IMPORT option is
only available on the registered version of TASK-PRO.
Selecting EXPORT brings up a data entry window in which you may enter the
name of an export file to create. All TAGGED tasks in the currently
opened task file, along with associated memo files, will be written into
this file for IMPORTing into another task file (possibly on another machine).
Enter the name of the destination file (without extension). You may cancel
this operation by leaving the field empty and depressing the ENTER key or
by depressing the ESC key at any time. The EXPORT option is only available
on the registered version of TASK-PRO.
Selecting QUIT
Selecting QUIT causes TASK-PRO to terminate immediately and return the
user to DOS.
8.0 The EDIT main menu option
Selecting the EDIT option from the TASK-PRO main menu brings up a formatted
list of all opened tasks in the lower portion of the display. The user may
user the up and down cursor control keys to highlight the various tasks.
This window scrolls up and down as necessary to accommodate a large number
of tasks.
One important feature of the EDIT window to be aware of is the ability to
edit a memo file for the highlighted task by depressing the F10 key. Keep
in mind that the F1 key will provide you with detailed context-sensitive
help at all times.
The command keystrokes available from within the edit window are:
'T' - Tag/Untag Highlighted Task
'+' - Add a New Task
'-' - Delete the Highlighted Task
CTL F5 - Begin Searching Database for String Match
F5 - Continue Search Started with CTL F5
CTL K - Auxilliary Keystrokes
CTL S - Re-Sort
CTL T - * Tag all tasks
CTL F - Change the task display format
CTL P - * Produce A Report/Listing
CTL U - Untag all tasks*
CTL C - * Close all tagged tasks
CTL Y - * Delete All Tagged Tasks
Up Arrow - Highlight Next Task Line
Down Arrow - Highlight Prev Task Line
PgUp - Scroll Up One Page
PgDn - Scroll Down One Page
Home - Go to First Task In List
End - Go to End of List
F10 - Edit Memo File for Highlighted Task
Enter - View and Edit the Highlighted Task
ESC - Return to Task-Pro Main Menu
* - Only available in the registered version of TASK-PRO
9.0 The DEFAULTS main menu option
Selecting the DEFAULTS option of the TASK-PRO main menu brings up a data
entry window in which the user can pre-fill various fields that will
usually be the same when a new task is being added. These fields will
then be pre-filled with this data whenever a new task is added. Any
entry into the DATE ENTERED field will be ignored when a new task is
added, however, as the computer's system date is entered into this field
each time a task is added.
10.0 The REPORTS main menu option
The REPORTS option of the TASK-PRO main menu has a pull-down sub-menu
with a list of the available reports. These reports are BRIEF #1,
BRIEF #2, BRIEF #3, ABBREVIATED and FULL PAGE. Selecting one of these
options will cause the user to be subsequently prompted for a sorting
order and a task selection criteria within additional pop-up menus,
and then the report will be sent to the system printer. Depressing
the ESC key during this process will cancel the report and return the
user to the TASK-PRO main menu.
Although the names of the BRIEF reports appearing in the menu are not
extremely descriptive, depressing the F1 key will a report name
highlighted within this menu will provide a good detailed description
of the report.
All brief reports, when sorted by the name of the person assigned to
perform the task, will automatically insert page breaks whenever the
name changes. This is a handy method of producing status reports
for individual employees.
The full page report contains all imformation on each task, including
the contents of the memo file. This report is actually a series of
work orders.
BRIEF REPORT #3 is designed such that employees may fill in the
hours worked on a project each week, month ... and return them to
management for updating of the TASK-PRO database through the
timesheet interface. The output of BRIEF REPORT #3, when sorted
by the name of the employee assigned to the task, can actually
replace the timecards used by many organization. Be sure to read
section 14, the TASK-PRO timecard interface, to understand how
employee timesheet data can easily be fed back into the registered
version of TASK-PRO.
11.0 The PRINTER main menu option
The REPORTS option of the TASK-PRO main menu has a pull-down sub-menu
with a list of printer options. Selecting the PROPRINTER option will
configure TASK-PRO to send font selection control sequences to the
printer following IBM PROPRINTER conventions. Selecting the EPSON
option will configure TASK-PRO to send font selection control sequences
to the printer following EPSON conventions. Selecting the NULL option
will cause TASK-PRO to use whatever fonts are currently set on the
printer with no control sequences being passed. Selecting the
CUSTOMIZE option will bring up a data entry window in which the user
can specify exactly the hexadecimal escape sequences to be used to
select compressed and normal fonts. Depressing F1 from within this
window will provide detailed information on this data entry with
examples.
Once you have selected a printer configuration, it will be in force
until it is specifically changed, even if you quit TASK-PRO, return
to DOS, and run TASK-PRO at some time in the future.
12.0 The REGISTER main menu option
Selecting the REGISTER option from the TASK-PRO main menu brings up a
data entry window that allows the user to enter data into a form to
order the registered version of TASK-PRO from Business Technologies.
After the data has been entered a filled-out order form is printed
on the system printer. The F1 key provides context-sensitive help
throughout this process.
13.0 The INFO main menu option
Selecting the INFO option from the TASK-PRO main menu brings up a
window containing some information about the TASK-PRO product and
ordering information.
14.0 The TASK-PRO Timecard Interface
This option is only available on the registered version of TASK-PRO.
The TASK-PRO Timecard Interface allows for the quick and easy entry
of updates to the HOURS WORKED field for any task without going into
the user interface of TASK-PRO. This is achieved through a command
prompt which understands the following commands:
FILE <name of task file to update>
ADD <id of task for which hours worked are to be added>
SUB <id of task for which hours worked are to be subtracted>
SET <id of task for which hours worked are to be set>
HELP
QUIT
To bring up the timecard interface simply enter 'TASK -U' from the
DOS prompt. The following dialog with the timecard interface would
add 5 hours to the hours worked field of task 7 in the file DEFAULT
and set the hours worked field of task 3 in the file TESTS to a value
of 50.
->FILE DEFAULT
DEFAULT-> ADD 7 5
DEFAULT-> FILE TESTS
TESTS-> SET 3 50
TESTS-> QUIT
Note that the command prompt contains the name of the currently opened
task file.