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Task Management

Convert problems into trackable tasks, assign them to team members, and manage your incident response workflow.

Premium Feature

Task Management is available on Premium subscription plans.

What is Task Management?​

Task Management in MapZ allows you to convert Zabbix problems into actionable tasks that can be assigned to team members, tracked through completion, and documented with notes and updates. This creates a structured workflow for problem resolution and improves team collaboration.

Benefits​

Accountability

  • Clear ownership of problems
  • Track who is responsible for resolution
  • Monitor workload distribution

Workflow

  • Structured problem resolution process
  • Status tracking from creation to closure
  • Historical record of problem handling

Collaboration

  • Team communication through task comments
  • Visibility into ongoing work
  • Coordination across team members

Metrics

  • Track resolution times
  • Identify recurring issues
  • Measure team performance

Creating Tasks from Problems​

From the Problems Sidebar​

  1. Click the problems indicator in the map toolbar to open the Problems sidebar
  2. Find the problem you want to convert to a task
  3. Click "Update Problem" next to the problem

Problems Sidebar

  1. In the Update Problem dialog, check "Assign as Task"

Assign as Task

  1. Fill in the task details:

    • Assignee: Select the team member to handle the task
    • Priority: Set the task priority (Low, Medium, High, Critical)
    • Due Date: When the task should be completed
    • Notes: Additional context, instructions, or information

  2. Click "Update" to create the task

From the Problems Page​

  1. Navigate to Manage → Problems in the sidebar
  2. Find the problem in the list
  3. Click "Update Problem"
  4. Follow the same steps as above to assign as a task

Problems Page

Task Creation Details​

When you create a task:

  • The assignee receives a notification
  • The task appears in the Tasks page
  • The problem remains linked to the task
  • Task status is set to "Open"

Viewing Tasks​

Your Tasks​

View tasks assigned to you:

  1. Navigate to Tasks in the sidebar
  2. By default, you see tasks assigned to you
  3. Tasks are grouped by status

My Tasks

All Tasks (Admin/Manager)​

Administrators and team managers can view all tasks:

  1. Navigate to Tasks in the sidebar
  2. Click the "All Tasks" tab
  3. View tasks across the entire organization

Task List Features​

Filtering:

  • By status (Open, In Progress, Resolved, Closed)
  • By priority (Low, Medium, High, Critical)
  • By assignee
  • By due date

Sorting:

  • By creation date
  • By due date
  • By priority
  • By status

Search:

  • Search by task description
  • Search by problem name
  • Search by assignee name

Task Statuses​

Tasks progress through defined statuses:

Open​

  • Meaning: Task has been created but work hasn't started
  • Who can set: Automatically set on creation
  • Next steps: Assignee should review and start work

In Progress​

  • Meaning: Work is actively being done on the task
  • Who can set: Assignee
  • Next steps: Continue work toward resolution

Resolved​

  • Meaning: Work is complete, awaiting verification
  • Who can set: Assignee
  • Next steps: Reviewer should verify the solution

Closed​

  • Meaning: Task is complete and verified
  • Who can set: Task creator, admin, or reviewer
  • Next steps: None - task is complete

Managing Tasks​

Opening a Task​

  1. Click on a task in the task list
  2. The Task Detail dialog opens

Task Detail

Updating Task Status​

  1. Open the task

  2. Click the Status dropdown

  3. Select the new status:

    • Open → In Progress: Starting work
    • In Progress → Resolved: Work complete
    • Resolved → Closed: Verified and complete
    • Resolved → In Progress: Issue not fully resolved

  4. Add a comment explaining the status change

  5. Click "Save"

Adding Task Notes/Comments​

Document your work and communicate with the team:

  1. Open the task
  2. Scroll to the Comments section
  3. Type your comment in the text field
  4. Click "Add Comment"

Task Comments

Comment Best Practices:

  • Document what you've done
  • Explain findings or discoveries
  • Ask questions if you need help
  • Provide status updates
  • Link to relevant resources

Reassigning Tasks​

Transfer a task to another team member:

  1. Open the task
  2. Click the Assignee dropdown
  3. Select the new assignee
  4. Add a comment explaining the reassignment
  5. Click "Save"

The new assignee receives a notification about the assignment.

Updating Priority​

Adjust task priority as needed:

  1. Open the task
  2. Click the Priority dropdown
  3. Select the new priority level
  4. Click "Save"

Priority Levels:

  • Low: Can be addressed when time permits
  • Medium: Normal priority, address in regular workflow
  • High: Important, should be addressed soon
  • Critical: Urgent, requires immediate attention

Changing Due Date​

Extend or adjust the task deadline:

  1. Open the task
  2. Click the Due Date field
  3. Select the new date
  4. Add a comment explaining the change
  5. Click "Save"

Task Workflow​

Standard Workflow​

graph TD
    A[Problem Detected] --> B[Create Task]
    B --> C[Assign to Team Member]
    C --> D{Assignee Reviews}
    D --> E[Set Status: In Progress]
    E --> F[Work on Resolution]
    F --> G{Issue Resolved?}
    G -->|No| F
    G -->|Yes| H[Set Status: Resolved]
    H --> I{Verification}
    I -->|Failed| F
    I -->|Passed| J[Set Status: Closed]
    J --> K[Task Complete]

Escalation Workflow​

For tasks that need escalation:

  1. Initial Assignment

    • Task assigned to first-level support
    • Status: Open

  2. Investigation

    • Assignee investigates
    • Status: In Progress
    • Comments document findings

  3. Escalation Decision

    • If issue is complex, reassign to specialist
    • Add comment explaining escalation
    • Update priority if needed

  4. Resolution

    • Specialist resolves issue
    • Status: Resolved
    • Documents solution in comments

  5. Verification

    • Original assignee or manager verifies
    • Status: Closed

Notifications​

Team members receive notifications for:

Task Assigned​

  • When a task is assigned to you
  • When a task is reassigned to you
  • Includes task details and priority

Status Changes​

  • When a task you created changes status
  • When a task you're assigned to is updated
  • Includes new status and comments

Comments Added​

  • When someone comments on your task
  • When someone mentions you in a comment
  • Includes comment preview

Due Date Approaching​

  • 24 hours before due date
  • On due date
  • When task becomes overdue

Notification Settings​

Configure your notification preferences:

  1. Go to User Settings → Notifications
  2. Toggle notification types on/off
  3. Choose delivery method (email, in-app, both)
  4. Set quiet hours if needed

Task Metrics and Reporting​

Individual Metrics​

Track your own performance:

  • Open Tasks: Current workload
  • Completed Tasks: Tasks closed this week/month
  • Average Resolution Time: How long tasks take
  • Overdue Tasks: Tasks past due date

Team Metrics (Admin/Manager)​

Monitor team performance:

  • Task Distribution: Tasks per team member
  • Resolution Times: Average time to resolve
  • Status Distribution: Tasks in each status
  • Priority Breakdown: Tasks by priority level
  • Overdue Tasks: Team-wide overdue count

Accessing Metrics​

  1. Navigate to Tasks → Metrics
  2. Select time range (week, month, quarter)
  3. Filter by team member, priority, or status
  4. Export reports as needed

Task Metrics

Best Practices​

Creating Tasks​

  1. Provide Context

    • Include problem details
    • Add relevant host information
    • Link to related documentation
    • Attach screenshots if helpful

  2. Set Realistic Due Dates

    • Consider problem severity
    • Account for assignee workload
    • Allow buffer time for complex issues
    • Adjust as new information emerges

  3. Choose Appropriate Priority

    • Critical: System down, major impact
    • High: Significant impact, needs attention soon
    • Medium: Normal issues, standard workflow
    • Low: Minor issues, can wait

Working on Tasks​

  1. Update Status Promptly

    • Set to "In Progress" when you start
    • Set to "Resolved" when complete
    • Don't leave tasks in limbo

  2. Document Your Work

    • Add comments as you progress
    • Explain what you tried
    • Document the solution
    • Note any preventive measures

  3. Communicate Issues

    • If blocked, add a comment immediately
    • Request help when needed
    • Escalate if beyond your expertise
    • Update due date if delays occur

Managing Tasks (Admin/Manager)​

  1. Monitor Workload

    • Check task distribution regularly
    • Rebalance if someone is overloaded
    • Identify bottlenecks
    • Provide support where needed

  2. Review Resolved Tasks

    • Verify solutions are complete
    • Ensure documentation is adequate
    • Close tasks promptly
    • Provide feedback to assignees

  3. Track Metrics

    • Monitor resolution times
    • Identify recurring problems
    • Recognize high performers
    • Address performance issues

Integration with Problems​

Problem-Task Relationship​

  • Each task is linked to a Zabbix problem
  • Closing the problem doesn't close the task
  • Task can remain open for documentation/follow-up
  • Multiple tasks can be created for the same problem (if it recurs)
  1. Open a task
  2. Click "View Problem" link
  3. See the original Zabbix problem details
  4. Check current problem status

Task Impact on Problems​

  • Creating a task acknowledges the problem in Zabbix
  • Task comments can be synced to problem acknowledgments
  • Closing a task can optionally close the problem

Troubleshooting​

Cannot Create Tasks​

Possible Causes:

  • Not on Premium subscription
  • Insufficient permissions
  • Problem already has a task

Solutions:

  • Upgrade to Premium plan
  • Contact administrator for permissions
  • Check existing tasks for the problem

Task Not Appearing​

Possible Causes:

  • Filtered out by current view
  • Assigned to different user
  • Status filter hiding the task

Solutions:

  • Clear all filters
  • Check "All Tasks" view
  • Search by problem name

Notifications Not Received​

Possible Causes:

  • Notifications disabled in settings
  • Email delivery issues
  • Browser notifications blocked

Solutions:

  • Check notification settings
  • Verify email address
  • Enable browser notifications
  • Check spam folder

Examples​

Server Outage Task​

Title: Critical - Web Server Down
Priority: Critical
Assignee: John (DevOps Lead)
Due Date: Today + 2 hours

Initial Notes:
- Web server web-prod-01 is not responding
- Last seen: 14:23
- Impact: Customer-facing website offline
- Estimated users affected: 5000+

Comments:
[14:30] John: Investigating. Server is pingable but HTTP not responding.
[14:35] John: Apache service crashed. Checking logs.
[14:40] John: Found memory leak in custom module. Restarting with module disabled.
[14:45] John: Service restored. Monitoring for stability.
[15:00] John: Stable for 15 minutes. Setting to Resolved.
[15:30] Manager: Verified. Site is operational. Closing task.

Status: Closed
Resolution Time: 1 hour

Network Performance Task​

Title: High - Slow Network Performance Building A
Priority: High
Assignee: Sarah (Network Admin)
Due Date: Tomorrow

Initial Notes:
- Users reporting slow network in Building A
- Started around 10:00 AM
- Affects approximately 50 users

Comments:
[10:15] Sarah: Checking switch statistics.
[10:30] Sarah: Found broadcast storm on VLAN 10. Investigating source.
[11:00] Sarah: Identified misconfigured device. Isolating port.
[11:15] Sarah: Port disabled. Network performance restored.
[11:30] Sarah: Working with user to reconfigure device.
[14:00] Sarah: Device reconfigured and reconnected. Monitoring.
[16:00] Sarah: No issues for 2 hours. Resolved.

Status: Resolved
Pending verification by manager.
tip

Use tasks to create a knowledge base of problem resolutions. Well-documented tasks become valuable references for handling similar issues in the future!