FieldKo enables you to assign specific tasks to each visit so that field representatives know exactly what actions to take when they arrive on site. Tasks in FieldKo are individual action items or to-dos (for example, “Clean up display shelf” or “Meet with store manager”). They can stand alone or be linked to a survey for capturing detailed information.
In this article, we’ll cover how to create and assign tasks to visits using the FieldKo desktop planning interface, how reps interact with those tasks on the mobile app (including creating their own follow-up tasks), how tasks are linked to visits, and who can manage them. We’ll also share some best practices for structuring tasks to keep your field operations running smoothly.
Assigning Tasks During Visit Planning (Desktop)
Most task assignment is done by managers or planners on the FieldKo desktop interface as part of visit planning. Typically, you will either create a visit and add tasks to it, or use a visit template that already contains predefined tasks. Here’s how to assign tasks step-by-step on desktop:
Open the Visit Plan: Navigate to your Visit Planning page or calendar in FieldKo (within Salesforce Lightning). Locate the visit you want to add tasks to. This could be:
A visit you are scheduling in the future (e.g., next week’s visit to Store ABC), or
An existing visit that’s already scheduled (maybe you want to add an extra task to tomorrow’s visit). If a visit isn’t created yet, first add a new visit to the calendar for the appropriate date, time, and account (customer/site). Once the visit exists, you can add tasks to it.
Edit Tasks for the Visit: When viewing the details of the visit (often a sidebar or pop-up in the calendar, or a Visit detail page), find the Tasks section. FieldKo visits can have multiple tasks (and surveys) listed. There should be an option like “Add Task” or a + button in that Tasks section – click that to create a new task for the visit.
Enter Task Details: A form will prompt you to enter details for the task:
Task Name: This is a short title of the task. Make it descriptive enough for the rep to understand at a glance. For example: “Check promotional display compliance”, “Stock count – dairy fridge”, or “Collect competitor pricing info”.
Description/Notes: You can usually add more details or instructions in a description field. For instance, for “Check promotional display compliance,” you might write: “Ensure the October promo display is set up as per guidelines and all products have the correct promo tags.” This helps the rep understand exactly what to do. (Not all tasks need a long description if the name is self-explanatory, but the field is there if needed.)
Due Date/Time: By default, tasks on a visit are due by the end of that visit (essentially the same day). In most cases you won’t need to set a separate due time because the task is part of a scheduled visit. However, if the visit spans a long time or you want to indicate sequence, you could mention timing in the description (e.g., “Do this first upon arrival”). FieldKo doesn’t typically force an order, but you can guide via instructions.
Priority/Category: FieldKo may allow you to tag a task with a priority (e.g., High, Medium, Low) or a category label. If so, use these to highlight critical tasks. For example, mark a task as High Priority if it’s something that absolutely must be done (like a compliance check), versus a Low priority for a nice-to-have task. Categories could be things like “Merchandising”, “Maintenance”, “Audit”, etc., which help group tasks conceptually.
Attach a Survey (Optional): One of FieldKo’s powerful features is linking surveys to tasks. If this task involves a questionnaire or checklist to fill out, you can attach a survey template. For example, if the task is “Conduct safety audit”, you would attach the “Safety Audit Checklist” survey you’ve created. The rep will then see this task and, when they tap it on mobile, the survey will open for them to complete. Attaching a survey ensures structured data collection for that task.
Assignee: The task will, by default, be assigned to the same user who is assigned to the visit (usually the field rep responsible for that store). If the FieldKo setup allows multiple attendees per visit or if you as a manager are adding tasks for yourself or others, ensure the Assigned To field is set to the intended person. In most cases, you won’t need to change this because each visit is owned by one rep, and tasks inherit that assignment.
Save the Task: After filling in the necessary details, save the task. It should now appear in the task list for that visit. If the planning interface shows tasks immediately, you’ll see the task name listed under that visit, often with an icon or indicator if there’s a survey attached or if it’s high priority.
Add Additional Tasks: Repeat the “Add Task” process for each task you want to assign to this visit. There’s no hard limit to tasks per visit, but remember to keep it reasonable (more on best practices later). As you add tasks, you might see them numbered or bulleted on the visit. You can usually drag-and-drop tasks to reorder them if the sequence is important (this is purely for the planner’s organisation; on mobile, tasks might just list in the order added or sorted by priority).
Using Visit Templates for Tasks: If you find yourself adding the same set of tasks to many visits, leverage Visit Templates:
Visit Templates allow you to pre-define a collection of tasks (and surveys) once, and then apply them whenever you schedule that type of visit. For example, you might have a template for a “Weekly Store Visit” that always includes tasks like “Check inventory levels”, “Capture shelf photo”, and “Meet store manager for feedback”.
To create or edit a template, go to the Visit Templates section on desktop. Select a template (or create a new one), and add tasks to it in a similar way as above. You’ll specify the task names, descriptions, and any attached surveys that should always be included.
Save the template. Now, when scheduling new visits, if you apply this template, all those tasks will auto-populate into the visit. This saves time and ensures consistency. You can still add extra one-off tasks to individual visits if needed, even when using a template.
Example: Suppose every store visit should include the task “Update pricing in system” as a reminder. Instead of manually adding it each time, put “Update pricing in system” in your standard visit template. All visits scheduled with that template will come with that task ready for the rep.
Notify or Communicate (if needed): FieldKo will sync these task assignments to the reps’ mobile apps. However, if a task is particularly urgent or added last-minute, you might want to inform the rep (perhaps via a message or call) to ensure they notice it. This isn’t a system requirement, just a good practice when managing a team.
At this point, tasks have been assigned to the visit in the system. They will be available to the field user when they carry out the visit. Next, we’ll look at the mobile experience for tasks.
Field Rep Workflow: Completing and Creating Tasks on Mobile
When a field representative is out in the field using the FieldKo mobile app, tasks guide their visit activities. Here’s what happens on the rep’s side:
Viewing Assigned Tasks: Once the rep checks in to a visit on their mobile app (or opens a scheduled visit), they will see all the tasks (and surveys) that were assigned to that visit. Typically, there’s a list or checklist interface showing each task name. The rep can tap on a task to see details if any were provided (like a description or attached survey).
Completing Tasks: For each task, the rep will perform the required action and then mark the task as complete. How they mark completion can vary by task type:
If it’s a simple task (no survey attached), it might be as straightforward as ticking a checkbox when done or selecting “Complete” on that task in the app. For example, after they “Meet with the store manager,” they check off that task.
If the task has a survey attached, tapping the task will open the survey form on their mobile screen. The rep will fill out the survey (answer questions, take photos, etc.) and submit it. Upon submitting, FieldKo will usually automatically mark the related task as completed (since the survey fulfillment is the completion of the task). In some cases, the rep might be returned to the task list and then manually tick it off – but generally the system links it.
If the task involves capturing a photo or file (and not through a formal survey), the mobile app will prompt the rep to take a photo or upload a file as part of completing that task. For instance, a task “Capture photo of endcap display” might directly open the camera and attach the photo to the task.
Adding Comments or Details: Reps can often add a note or comment to a task even if not explicitly required. For example, if a task was “Clean display shelf”, the rep might mark it done and optionally add a note “Shelf cleaned and old promo materials removed.” These notes sync back and can be viewed by managers for context.
Reordering/Status: The mobile app might allow reps to reorder tasks or mark them in the order they choose to do them. FieldKo doesn’t force a strict sequence; reps have the flexibility to complete tasks in the order that makes sense at the site. The important part is by the end of the visit, all tasks should be done (or if not, left unchecked which signals incomplete).
Creating New Tasks on the Fly: FieldKo recognises that not all tasks can be foreseen by managers. Reps in the field might encounter unexpected issues or need to create a follow-up. The FieldKo mobile app lets reps create what you can think of as ad-hoc tasks or follow-up tasks:
During a visit, the rep can usually tap an option like “Add Task” or “Next Visit To-Do”. “Next Visit To-Do” is a special feature that allows the rep to note something that should be addressed in the next visit to this location. For example, if they notice the store is low on brochures but they don’t have extras with them, they create a next-visit task: “Bring additional brochures”.
When the rep creates a new task on mobile, they will enter a task name and maybe a note, similar to how a manager would on desktop. The difference is that this task might not be meant for right now. It could either be something they plan to do later in the same visit (less common), or more often, something that needs scheduling for the future.
FieldKo will sync this new task back to the system. It becomes visible to managers/planners. Typically, a “Next Visit To-Do” created by the rep will be associated with the account or visit series, and the manager can then make sure it gets added to the next scheduled visit for that store. It’s a way for reps to flag work that requires follow-up.
If a rep creates a task that is meant to be done during the current visit (for instance, they add “Check backroom freezer” because they just remembered it), it will show up in their current visit tasks and they can mark it complete like the others. However, usually managers try to include all known tasks ahead of time, and reps would rarely need to add tasks on the fly except for follow-ups or notes.
Completing the Visit: After the rep has finished all tasks (and surveys) and any additional notes, they will check out or complete the visit in the app. At check-out, FieldKo often prompts if there are incomplete tasks:
If tasks were left unchecked, the rep might have to confirm that those weren’t done or provide a reason. For example, maybe a task couldn’t be completed because the store manager was absent – the rep can note that. This info is valuable to the manager so they can reschedule or follow up.
All completed tasks along with their data (survey responses, photos, notes) are synced back to the FieldKo cloud (Salesforce) for reporting and record-keeping.
In summary, the mobile workflow for tasks is straightforward: reps see what to do, do it, and check it off. They also have the flexibility to raise new tasks for future attention. Now, let’s discuss management and editing of tasks after assignment.
Managing and Editing Tasks (After Assignment)
Once tasks are assigned to visits, you may need to update them or even remove them as situations change:
Editing a Task (Desktop): If you need to change a task’s details (perhaps you made a typo, or instructions need clarification), you can edit it on the desktop:
Go to the visit (or template) where the task resides, find the task in the list, and click an edit option (this might be a pencil icon or by opening the task record).
Make your changes (e.g., tweak the wording, adjust priority, or even attach a different survey).
Save the task. If the assigned rep has not yet synced or started the visit, they will get the updated info on their device. If they are mid-visit and online, the changes might sync in real-time; if not, you may need to communicate the change.
Example: You assigned a task “Check inventory” but forgot to specify it should be for a particular section. You edit the task to “Check inventory – dairy section” so the rep knows to focus on dairy. This update will reflect on their app when synced.
Removing a Task: Sometimes a task is no longer needed. Maybe a last-minute change in plan or you accidentally added a duplicate:
On desktop, open the visit’s task list, and use the delete option on the task (often a trash bin icon). Confirm deletion. The task will be removed from that visit.
If the rep has already downloaded the visit info, they might still see the task until they sync again. It’s good to inform them if you remove something important. However, removing unnecessary tasks helps keep their list clean.
Important: You generally should not remove tasks after a visit has been completed, especially if the rep did it, because you would lose the record of it. Removal is mostly for before the visit (or if the visit was cancelled).
If a visit is cancelled or postponed, you might remove tasks or move them to a new visit date accordingly rather than leaving them hanging.
Who Can Edit/Remove: Only managers or admins (like those who plan visits) should be editing or removing tasks through the desktop interface. Field reps on mobile cannot delete tasks that were assigned to them, and they cannot edit the task names/descriptions set by managers. They have control only over marking completion or adding their own notes/new tasks as discussed. This separation ensures data integrity (reps can’t just delete a task they don’t want to do; they’d have to discuss with a manager if something is truly not doable).
Handling Incomplete Tasks: If a task was not completed during a visit (either the rep skipped it or ran out of time), it remains marked incomplete. What next?
As a manager, review the notes or talk to the rep to understand why it wasn’t done. In FieldKo, you might see an incomplete task in the visit report.
You can reschedule that task by assigning it to a future visit. For instance, you could create a task in the next visit saying “Follow-up from last time: [task name]”.
Alternatively, you might manually mark it as closed if it was decided to skip permanently. FieldKo might allow you to mark a task “N/A” or you just acknowledge it in reporting.
Recurring Tasks & Templates: If you update a task in a template, remember it affects all future visits that use that template, but not visits already scheduled. For example, if you have a template task “Collect competitor pricing” and you edit it to “Collect competitor pricing (min 3 products)”, all new visits made with the template will have the updated text. Visits that were already created prior to the change won’t automatically update – you’d have to edit those individually if needed.
In essence, FieldKo gives managers control to adjust tasks up until the point of execution. After that, the focus shifts to reviewing outcomes.
How Tasks are Linked to Visits
Understanding the relationship between tasks and visits is key to using FieldKo effectively:
Tasks exist within Visits: In FieldKo, tasks are always tied to a visit (or a visit template). You don’t generally create free-floating tasks without associating them to a specific visit or account. This keeps tasks contextual – there’s always a “where and when” attached.
When a Visit is scheduled, tasks follow: If you reschedule a visit to a different date or assign it to a different rep, all its tasks and surveys go along with it. They’re attributes of that visit. For example, if a visit with 5 tasks planned for Monday gets moved to Tuesday, those same 5 tasks are now due on Tuesday for that rep.
Cancelling Visits: If a visit is cancelled or deleted from the plan, its tasks are effectively cancelled as well (since they had no other existence). FieldKo might remove them entirely or mark them as void. If you just skip a visit (without formally cancelling in the system), the tasks would remain incomplete – so best practice is to update the schedule in FieldKo to keep things tidy.
One Task, One Visit: A single task in FieldKo isn’t typically shared across multiple visits or users. If you have the same task that needs to be done at 10 stores, FieldKo will treat that as 10 separate tasks (one per visit/store), often generated via templates. This is good because each instance can be completed and tracked individually.
Task Completion Records: Once a visit is completed, the tasks (with their completion status and any data) become part of the visit record. You can look back at a visit and see “Task A – completed, Task B – completed, Task C – not completed” along with timestamps or any notes. This historical data is useful for accountability and reporting (though we won’t delve into reporting here).
Link to Accounts: Since visits are linked to Accounts (or stores/customers in Salesforce terms), tasks indirectly link to those accounts too. You could pull up an account and see all recent visits and tasks done there. For instance, for Store #123, you might see that in January’s visit these 5 tasks were done, in February’s visit these 5 tasks were done, etc. This can help identify patterns, like a store often has the task “Replace damaged signage” incomplete – maybe that’s an ongoing issue at that location.
No Standalone Tasks: It’s worth reiterating: if someone asks “Can I just assign a task to a rep without a visit?” – in FieldKo’s paradigm, the answer is essentially no, because the rep’s actions are expected to be grouped into visits (which have date, time, and place). A “task without visit” would just be a visit with no other content except that task. So generally, always plan a visit when something needs to be done at a location, even if it’s a quick task.
Best Practices for Task Structuring and Assignment
To get the most out of FieldKo tasks and ensure your field team is effective, consider these best practices:
Be Clear and Actionable: Write task names that start with a verb and clearly state the action. For example, “Take photo of competitive display” or “Collect customer feedback form”. This makes it obvious what needs to be done. Avoid vague titles like “Display” – instead say “Inspect front display for compliance”.
Avoid Overloading Tasks: Don’t cram multiple independent actions into one task. “Clean shelf and update pricing and take photo” should likely be three separate tasks (“Clean shelf”, “Update pricing labels”, “Take shelf photo”) unless they are minor steps of a single larger action. Smaller tasks are easier to track completion and reason about if something wasn’t done.
Use Surveys for Detail: If a task outcome requires several pieces of information, pair it with a survey rather than making a long task description. For instance, instead of a task “Audit store (fill form)”, have a task “Conduct Store Audit” with an attached survey that has all the detailed questions. The survey will capture the data neatly, and the task simply ensures it’s done.
Prioritise Important Tasks: If FieldKo or your process allows, indicate priority on tasks. Reps typically will attempt all tasks, but if time gets cut short, they should know what not to skip. Marking something as high priority or even adding “[High Priority]” in the task name can communicate this. Just use sparingly – if everything is high priority, nothing is.
Timing and Sequence: While FieldKo doesn’t enforce sequence, you can number tasks in the name or use sections in templates to suggest an order (e.g., prefix with 1., 2., 3. or categorize like “Opening Tasks” vs “Closing Tasks”). Reps often appreciate when it’s clear if something should be done at the start or end of a visit. For example, a task “Check in with manager (upon arrival)” hints this should happen first.
Leverage Templates: Standardise recurring visits with templates as much as possible. This ensures no important task is forgotten from one visit to the next. It also means reps going to different locations get a consistent experience if the visit type is the same. You can have different templates for different visit types (e.g., a convenience store vs a supermarket might have different task sets due to size).
Keep the List Manageable: It’s tempting to assign 20 tasks “while you’re at it,” but think from the rep’s perspective and the time they have. If a visit is scheduled to last one hour, giving 5-7 focused tasks (some of which might have surveys) is reasonable. Giving 20 tasks might be unrealistic. If you truly have that many things to cover, consider breaking the visit into two visits or a longer visit duration, or prioritise which are done every time versus periodically.
Train Reps on Using Tasks: Ensure your field team knows how to use the FieldKo app to view and complete tasks, and how to add notes or new tasks. A well-trained rep will fully engage with the task list (checking them off as they go, adding comments, etc.), which gives you better visibility. Encourage reps to not just mark done, but also report any issues via task comments or by creating follow-up tasks.
Follow Up on Open Tasks: After a day of visits, quickly review if any tasks were left incomplete or had notes indicating problems. Prompt follow-up can prevent issues from lingering. For example, if a rep notes “Couldn’t complete task X because store was closed,” you might reschedule that visit or task for another day.
Collaborate on Improvements: If field reps consistently give feedback that a certain task is unclear or unnecessary, take that into account. FieldKo is a tool to facilitate field work, so the tasks defined should evolve with input from those doing the work. Maybe a task needs rewording or maybe an additional task would actually help them (e.g., reps might say “We always end up doing Y, but it’s not listed as a task – please add it so we can record it”). Use that feedback to refine your templates.
By carefully assigning and managing tasks in FieldKo, you ensure that each field visit has clear objectives and nothing critical falls through the cracks. Tasks provide structure to visits, and when used effectively, they help drive consistent execution across all your field reps and locations. Combine tasks with well-crafted surveys for data collection, and you have a powerful system to manage field operations from planning through to execution.
Remember, the goal of task assignment is not to micromanage the reps’ day, but to give them a clear roadmap of what’s expected and capture the results of their work. With the right balance, FieldKo tasks will keep your team organised and your field activities aligned with your business goals.