Managing Task Assignments

You can assign tasks from your Outlook task list to other people within your organization (and other people can assign tasks to you). When you assign a task, Outlook sends a task request, similar to a meeting request, to the person you designated. He or she can accept or decline the task assignment by clicking the corresponding button in the Reading Pane or in the task window header. You can't assign tasks you have created from other Outlook items; you can assign only those you create as tasks.

Tip 

You can assign a task to a person using Outlook on a Microsoft Exchange Server domain other than yours or using other e-mail programs. When you assign the task, the designated person receives a message that they can respond to manually. Until you change the task status, it is Waiting For Response From Recipient, rather than Assigned.

When you assign a task, you can choose whether to keep a copy of the task on your own task list or transfer it entirely to the assignee's task list. Either way, the task remains on your own task list until accepted, so you won't lose track of it. (If the recipient declines the task, you can return it to your task list or reassign it.)

Outlook indicates assigned tasks in your task list by an outstretched hand on the task icon, similar to that of a shared folder in Windows Explorer.

After you assign a task to someone else, ownership of the task transfers to that person, and you can no longer update the information in the task window. (The assignee becomes the task owner and you become the task originator.) If you keep a copy of the task on your task list, you can follow the progress as the assignee updates the task status and details, and you can communicate information about the task to the owner by sending status reports. Unless you choose otherwise, Outlook automatically sends you a status report on an assigned task when the assignee marks the task as complete.

To delegate a task to another Outlook user:

1. Create the task you want to delegate.

2. In the task window, on the Task tab, in the Manage Task group, click the Assign Task button.

3. In the To box that appears, type the e-mail address of the person you want to assign the task to.

   

   Note that the Keep An Updated Copy Of This Task On My Task List and Send Me A Status Report When This Task Is Complete check boxes are selected by default.

4. If you want Outlook to display a reminder for the task, in the Options group, click the Follow Up button.

   You can designate when you want to be reminded by clicking an option in the list that appears.

5. In the task header, click the Send button. If a message box notifies you that the task reminder has been turned off, click OK.

   Outlook sends the task request, and notifies you when the assignee accepts or declines the task.

To reclaim a declined task:

1. Open the Task Declined message.

2. In the message window, in the Manage Task group, click the Return to Task List button.

Follow Up and Return to Task List buttons to be reprocessed

You can view the status of tasks you have assigned to other people by displaying your task list in Assignment view.

To update the status of tasks assigned to you by other people:

1. Open the task window.

2. In the % Complete list, type or select (by clicking the arrows) the percentage of the project you estimate as complete.

   Outlook changes the Status to reflect your selection. Tasks that are 0% complete are Not Started, tasks that are 1% to 99% complete are In Progress, and tasks that are 100% complete are Completed.

3. If you want to manually change the task status, for example to Waiting on someone else or Deferred, click that option in the Status list.

4. On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click the Save & Close button.

   Outlook updates the task both in your own task list and in the task originator's task list.

To send a status report about a task:

1. Open the task window.

2. On the Task tab, in the Manage Task group, click the Send Status Report button.

   Outlook generates an e-mail message with the task information in the Subject field and message body.

3. Address the message to the people you want to send the report to, and then send the message.