Chats (Basic): Client tasks

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Client tasks are checklists you provide clients with inside your chats.

When you add tasks to a chat, they are conveniently displayed as to-do items with checkboxes. Once all the to-dos are checked off by the client, you get an email notification. Clients conveniently mark their tasks completed from the notification on their dashboard. Also, these could be used in pipeline automations.

In some cases, it would be more convenient to use client requests for similar purposes. So, consider the difference:

• Client tasks are the best as non-urgent to-do lists. Since they work as checklists, they can help you and your client clarify the scope of tasks and understand how the work is going. 
• Client requests are an easy and fast way to send an inquiry with direct questions that need to be answered ASAP.

Add client tasks

Tasks can be added either: 

• While creating a chat thread OR
• Inside any existing thread

To add a client task from the new chat creation page:

1. Click the Add client task link at the bottom of the page. A field where you can add the name of the task will appear.
2. Type in the field. You can also paste any link either from the Internet or to a shared Wiki page. 
3. Click Add client task to create more to-do items for the client.

To add a client task from an existing chat:

1. Click the + Add client tasks link on the right to open the Client tasks section. 
2. Select the + Add task button so that the field where you enter the task name appears. 
3. Type in the field. You can also paste any link either from the Internet or to a shared Wiki page. 
4. Click + Add task to create more to-do items for the client or select Resend client tasks to send the tasks directly to the chat thread.

You can close the Client tasks section anytime, by clicking on the X or the Hide client tasks link.

Once a task is completed, you or the client can check off the box next to the task. 

You can also:

• Change the order of tasks by using the six-dot icon to the left of each client task
• Edit tasks using the pencil icon on the right
• Delete items in a client’s to-do list using the trash can icon on the right

Remind clients about tasks

You've got three simple options for reminding your clients of their tasks:

• Resend client tasks to the thread
• Include client tasks in email notifications
• Set up automated reminders

Resend client tasks to the thread 

Have your client tasks sent again in a few clicks:

1. From the chat thread with the client tasks about which you want to send a reminder, click Show client tasks to the right.
2. Click on the Resend client tasks button. The task list will be sent directly to the thread.

Include client tasks in email notifications

Your clients always receive email notifications about new messages and client tasks. By default, message content along with client tasks is not displayed in the email body (the client will need to navigate to their portal to see it). However, if the content is not sensitive, you can decide to show it in the email. This setting can be changed by a firm owner or admin.

Here’s how:

1. Navigate to Settings > Firm Settings.
2. In the System-Generated Emails section, toggle on Show message context in client facing notifications.

This is how the email notification will then appear to the client:

How do I know someone has updated their tasks?

Client task updates and messages with the list of created and completed tasks are sent to the same chat thread. Adding new tasks to the same chat thread will update the previously created task list (if any).

Also, you or the team members assigned to a client receive a notification in your Inbox+ whenever someone makes any changes to a client task. You’ll see whether it was the client or a team member. By expanding the message notification, you’ll also be able to see the current status of the task. Read more about how message notifications work.

The status of a client’s tasks is displayed in the Communication section of their account profile. 

• The first number to the right of the chat name shows how many tasks in the thread are completed, the last one shows the total amount of tasks. 
• The numbers of incomplete tasks are highlighted in blue, and those completed in grey. 

When you have the Communication tab open, you’ll see the tasks updates. When someone makes changes to tasks, the chat list is immediately updated.

View all threads with tasks

You can track all of the to-do items for a client using filters.

Open the client account profile, and go to the Chats subtab of the Communication tab. Click on the Filter button to the far right and select:

• Incomplete: To view all the chat threads in which the client still has tasks to complete.
• Completed: To view all the chat threads with checked-off to-do items.
• All: To view all the chat threads with client tasks added.

By default, all the chat threads are displayed, whether or not they contain client tasks.

How do clients see chat threads with tasks

Clients view and respond to a message you’ve sent by clicking the notification on their dashboard, clicking the link in an email notification, or going to the Chats & Tasks section of their portal. Inside the notification, client tasks are displayed as to-do items with checkboxes.