Purpose:
To improve clarity and accuracy in task scheduling by enabling date-based inputs within the Create New Task Template interface.
Currently, users can only define task timelines in terms of number of days (e.g., “3 days before submission”). This can lead to ambiguity, especially when multiple milestones and dependencies exist across projects.
Background and Current Limitation:
- In the current workflow, task templates use day offsets to determine due dates relative to key milestones (e.g., submission or review dates).
- Users must manually calculate actual dates based on the overall project schedule, which increases the likelihood of errors and misalignment with submission timelines.
- There is no direct visibility into specific calendar dates while setting up or reviewing task templates.
Proposed Enhancement:
Integrate date-based scheduling capabilities into the Create New Task Template workflow:
- Allow users to input or select specific dates (e.g., proposal submission date, internal review deadline) directly in the template.
- Automatically calculate and display the number of days remaining relative to the submission or milestone date.
- Provide a toggle or configuration option to switch between “Days Mode” and “Date Mode”, ensuring flexibility for different use cases.
Expected Outcomes:
- Improved Accuracy: Reduce manual calculation errors by linking tasks directly to specific dates.
- Enhanced Visibility: Give users immediate clarity on exact due dates instead of abstract day counts.
- Time Efficiency: Simplify task setup by automatically computing and displaying the days remaining for submission.
- Better Planning: Enable more reliable coordination across teams by aligning task templates with real project timelines.
- User Flexibility: Support both relative (days-based) and absolute (date-based) scheduling to cater to varied project needs.
