Table of Contents
For Counselors: Create and assign Tasks
Updated
by Customer Support
Tasks are great tools for counselors, allowing them to assign work or learning opportunities, keep track of progress for reporting, and provide extra guidance as students navigate their college prep and career readiness journey. If you have any thoughts about the direction we're taking Tasks, please share feedback!
For quicker navigation, use the table of contents on the right to jump to a specific section 👉
Accessing Tasks
On the Tasks tab in Assignments, tasks are arranged in a table view, providing quick access to key details like title, topic, the Plan the task belongs to, assignees, dates, and status.
From the Tasks tab, you can:
- Create, edit, and delete tasks. You can also archive tasks that are no longer a priority or have remained incomplete for a long time to maintain an organized and manageable task list for students and parents.
- Filter tasks based on start date, due date, topic, and status
- Send reminders to those assigned to tasks
- Preview tasks to see their details and assignees
- If this task is associated with a Plan, you can access it from the Plan column
- Export tasks along with the corresponding student/parent information as a CSV file (we recommend using filters to narrow which assignees are included in the export file)
What does each task status mean?
Pending - This either means you've assigned a start date that has not been met yet or no one has been assigned to it yet.
Active - This status lets you know the assignment is underway. The start date has passed, students/parents have been assigned to it, but they have not yet completed it, and the due date has not been reached.
Overdue - This means the due date has passed, and assignees haven't finished the assignment.
Complete - Good news! 🎉 Everyone assigned this task have completed it.
Archived - This means you've chosen to archive or hide this task from your default view of tasks and from the assignees' list of incomplete tasks.
Active - This status lets you know the assignment is underway. The start date has passed, students/parents have been assigned to it, but they have not yet completed it, and the due date has not been reached.
Overdue - This means the due date has passed, and assignees haven't finished the assignment.
Complete - Good news! 🎉 Everyone assigned this task have completed it.
Archived - This means you've chosen to archive or hide this task from your default view of tasks and from the assignees' list of incomplete tasks.
Creating a Task
Creating and managing assignments requires the Student Counselor role.
- Go to Assignments > Tasks
- Click +Add Task
- In the dialog box, enter the details of your task like title, description, start date, and due date
Tasks with a start date won't appear on the student's dashboard until that date is met.
- Expand the Task details section to add a new or existing topic to help categorize your task, include a form to collect information, a video link, and attachments. (Supported video providers: YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, SoundCloud, Streamable, Vimeo, Wistia, Mixcloud, DailyMotion, Kaltura, Loom)
- Once you've added the details, click Save
Your new task will now be listed in the table. Click on the title to view a preview of your task!
Related resource: For Counselors: Using Forms
Assign a Task to students and/or parents
Before assigning a task, please review its content for accuracy as tasks cannot be edited while assigning. If you assign students or parents to a task that does not have a specified start date, it will become immediately available on their dashboard.
For instructions on how to edit a task, head to the Editing/Deleting a Task section below.
For instructions on how to edit a task, head to the Editing/Deleting a Task section below.
- Go to your student roster and select the students you want to assign the task to, or whose parents you’d like to assign the task to. Use filters as needed to narrow down your list
- Click on the Manage Assignments icon above the roster
- Choose whether you'd like to Assign New Task or Assign Existing Task:
- For new tasks, follow the steps listed above in the Creating a task section above.
- For existing tasks, select one of your premade tasks
- From the Assign to dropdown, choose to assign the task to Students, Parents, or both. (Note: Assigning to parents creates a separate assignment for each parent. For example, If a student has two parents, both will receive an assignment. Likewise, parents with multiple students will receive an assignment for each child selected)
- Once you've entered all your details, click Assign
Now you can see and manage your assignment from the Tasks tab. Use the status column to keep track of progress.
Ways to assign Tasks to an individual student or their parents
There are three other options to to assign a task to an individual student and/or their parents:
Assign from the task preview
The task preview gives you a quick overview of the details and lets you manage who’s assigned. You can add or remove students and un-assign parents, but you can't assign parents from here
To assign from the task preview:
1. Go to the Task tab and click on any assignment to open its preview
2.In the Student Assignments section, you can see all assigned students. To add or remove students, click Manage Students, make your changes, and then click Save
3. To unassign parents, scroll to the Parent Assignments section, click the three dot icon to the right of the parent’s row, and select Unassign
Your changes will be reflected in the task preview.
To assign from the task preview:
1. Go to the Task tab and click on any assignment to open its preview
2.In the Student Assignments section, you can see all assigned students. To add or remove students, click Manage Students, make your changes, and then click Save
3. To unassign parents, scroll to the Parent Assignments section, click the three dot icon to the right of the parent’s row, and select Unassign
Your changes will be reflected in the task preview.
Assign from the student preview
1. From the student roster, click Preview next to the student's name to open the preview.
2. Select Assign New Task or Assign Existing Task.
a. For new tasks, you'll be prompted to create a task.
b. For existing tasks, select one from the dropdown.
3. From the Assign to dropdown, choose if you’d like to assign this task to this student, their parents, or both
4. Click Assign
This task is now assigned to this individual student and/or their parents.
2. Select Assign New Task or Assign Existing Task.
a. For new tasks, you'll be prompted to create a task.
b. For existing tasks, select one from the dropdown.
3. From the Assign to dropdown, choose if you’d like to assign this task to this student, their parents, or both
4. Click Assign
This task is now assigned to this individual student and/or their parents.
Assign from a student's profile
1. From a student's profile, click on Assignments on the left-hand side menu.
2. Select Assign New Task or Assign Existing Task.
a. For new tasks, you'll be prompted to create a task.
b. For existing tasks, select one from the dropdown.
3. From the Assign to dropdown, choose if you’d like to assign this task to this student, their parents, or both
4. Click Assign
This task is now assigned to this individual student and/or their parents.
2. Select Assign New Task or Assign Existing Task.
a. For new tasks, you'll be prompted to create a task.
b. For existing tasks, select one from the dropdown.
3. From the Assign to dropdown, choose if you’d like to assign this task to this student, their parents, or both
4. Click Assign
This task is now assigned to this individual student and/or their parents.
Editing, deleting, or archiving a Task
Delete a task or make changes to it's information even after the task has been created.
You also have the option to archive a task, which will remove it from both your default view of the task table and your students' lists of incomplete tasks. Even after archiving tasks, you can still access them using the Archived filter and students/parents can view them using the Show archived assignments toggle on their dashboard. And don't worry, you can still report on archived tasks, and assignees can continue to mark them as complete or incomplete.
- Go to the Tasks page and click on the (...) icon to the right of the task row. Alternatively, click on the (...) icon in the task preview
- Select Edit Task, Delete Task, or Archive Task
Tasks cannot be unarchived at this time.
- When editing a task, you can modify all aspects of a task. However, the start date cannot be altered once it has passed, and a form cannot be added or removed once the task has been assigned to students/parents
- Click Save
Your changes will apply to everyone assigned to the task.
Additional ways to manage Tasks
From the Student Roster, counselors can:
• Filter students by those who have incomplete, completed, or overdue assignments
• Add columns for incomplete, completed, or overdue assignments, displaying the count of each type
• Add columns for incomplete, completed, or overdue assignments, displaying the count of each type
From the Assignments section of the student preview or profile, counselors can:
• Send a reminder to a specific student about a task
• Assign and un-assign a task
• View the associated Plan for a task, if it has one
• Mark tasks as complete or incomplete
• Access Form responses tied to a task
•Use the Show archived tasks toggle to view archived tasks
• Assign and un-assign a task
• View the associated Plan for a task, if it has one
• Mark tasks as complete or incomplete
• Access Form responses tied to a task
•Use the Show archived tasks toggle to view archived tasks
From the task preview, counselors can:
• Send reminders to individual assignees or to everyone assigned to this task
• Edit or delete a task
• View the associated Plan for a task, if it has one
• Assign and unassign a task
• Mark tasks as complete or incomplete
• Edit or delete a task
• View the associated Plan for a task, if it has one
• Assign and unassign a task
• Mark tasks as complete or incomplete
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special permissions to create tasks?
Yes, only staff with the School Counselor role can create and manage tasks.
Are tasks automatically assigned to students or parents?
No, counselors must assign tasks to each student/parent who needs to complete it. Tasks without a start date will be automatically visible to assignees. Tasks with a start date become will be visible once the start date is met.
Can I assign tasks to parents directly from the parent roster?
No, counselors cannot assign tasks to parents directly from the Parent Roster. Tasks can only be assigned to parents through the Student Roster, Student Preview, or Student Profile.
Can I assign additional students or parents to a task?
You have the flexibility to assign additional students or parents to a task. These newly assigned individuals will share the same start and due dates as the original task.
How can I view all students or parents assigned to a task?
To view everyone assigned to a task, go to the Tasks tab under Assignments and click on the task to open the preview. Here, you'll be able to see all assigned students and parents.
Can tasks be repurposed?
You can assign more individuals to a past task, but they'll see it as overdue. For a future deadline, create a new task instead.
What do tasks look like for students and parents, and when do they become visible to them?
Both students and parents have a dedicated section in their dashboard for Assignments. From there, they can view and complete their tasks.
Tasks assigned without a start date will be automatically visible to asignees. Tasks with a start date become visible once the start date is met.
Tasks assigned without a start date will be automatically visible to asignees. Tasks with a start date become visible once the start date is met.
How will students and parents be notified about their tasks?
Both will receive emails when counselors assign new tasks or send reminders about incomplete tasks.
For new assignments, emails will be sent every hour to prevent overload. Within each hour, new assignments will be consolidated into a single email, indicating the count of new tasks. If an assignment has a future start date, assignees will receive an email at 8 am local time on that day.
Reminders will be sent immediately to students/parents via email.
For new assignments, emails will be sent every hour to prevent overload. Within each hour, new assignments will be consolidated into a single email, indicating the count of new tasks. If an assignment has a future start date, assignees will receive an email at 8 am local time on that day.
Reminders will be sent immediately to students/parents via email.
What happens if a new student is rostered?
Any new students that are rostered to the school are not automatically added to active tasks. Tasks are manually assigned and new students will need to be assigned any relevant tasks.
Are there any differences between task without a form and a task with a form?
Yes! Once a form has been included in a Task, students will see a Go to Form button when viewing assignments. Students can review the form and submit their responses. Once they click submit on the form, the task will be marked complete and those responses become visible to counselors. Students or counselors still have the ability to mark these tasks complete or incomplete separate from form submission.
Can parents see student tasks?
Parents do not have any access to student accounts and won't be able to view any tasks at this time.
When should I consider archiving tasks?
We recommend archiving a task in the following situations:
- It is no longer relevant to the assignees who have not yet completed it
- The task has been open for an extended period
- It should not appear on a student’s or parent's default view of incomplete assignments
- The students are ready to move on to new tasks
- It is no longer relevant to the assignees who have not yet completed it
- The task has been open for an extended period
- It should not appear on a student’s or parent's default view of incomplete assignments
- The students are ready to move on to new tasks
What does archiving a Task look like for counselors and students?
For students & parents:
- Once a task is archived, it no longer appears on their list of incomplete assignments, but they can still access archived tasks using the Show Archived Tasks toggle on their dashboard
-They can mark archived tasks as complete or incomplete, and the status (complete or incomplete) is still accurately reflected
For counselors:
- When a task is archived, its status is updated to "Archived," indicating that it’s no longer active
- Once archived, tasks do not appear on the Tasks page's default view or in the student profile's Assignments section. Use the Archived filter or turn on the Show archived tasks toggle to view them. Archived tasks are also not shown in the student preview on the student roster.
- Counselors can still generate reports on the completion status of archived tasks
- Once a task is archived, it no longer appears on their list of incomplete assignments, but they can still access archived tasks using the Show Archived Tasks toggle on their dashboard
-They can mark archived tasks as complete or incomplete, and the status (complete or incomplete) is still accurately reflected
For counselors:
- When a task is archived, its status is updated to "Archived," indicating that it’s no longer active
- Once archived, tasks do not appear on the Tasks page's default view or in the student profile's Assignments section. Use the Archived filter or turn on the Show archived tasks toggle to view them. Archived tasks are also not shown in the student preview on the student roster.
- Counselors can still generate reports on the completion status of archived tasks
Why can't parents see their assignments?
If a parent created their account through a student invitation, they must be linked to both the student and the school before you can assign tasks. You'll see the parent labeled as 'Pending Review' if they're only linked to the student and not yet to the school.
For accounts created via a school invitation, the parent also needs to be linked to both the student and the school to view tasks and receive notifications. Counselors can set up tasks before linking but must invite the parent to connect with the school. Once the parent accepts the invitation, they'll start seeing their tasks and receiving notifications.
See this article for more troubleshooting tips: Why can’t parents access surveys, scattergrams, forms, or other school data?
For accounts created via a school invitation, the parent also needs to be linked to both the student and the school to view tasks and receive notifications. Counselors can set up tasks before linking but must invite the parent to connect with the school. Once the parent accepts the invitation, they'll start seeing their tasks and receiving notifications.
See this article for more troubleshooting tips: Why can’t parents access surveys, scattergrams, forms, or other school data?
