Anyone Know How To Create Automated Task Lists For Event Types?

[kylegroger]

Are there any apps out there that can generate a series of tasks based on a decision? I have to set activities that need to be done by fixed people at a fixed proximity to an event. The only thing that will change is what kind of event.

E.g. For event type 'Small Event', I always need the following to happen:
- 4 weeks before the event, person X must create something.
- 3 weeks before the event, person Y must do something.
- 2 weeks before the event, person X must do something.

Obviously there will be a more complicated task list, but I'm sure you get the idea. I need to automatically generate the task list based on what type of event it is.

Does anyone know of anything that can help?

[pinkyboyid]

If I understand your requirement correctly, you have a series of events that you know will occur on fixed calendar dates and you are seeking to trigger a message to inform a designated person to perform a set task 'x' number of weeks prior to that event occurring.

If so and assuming you have a Microsoft Windows based system, you could use the Windows 'Task Scheduler' system to create a task for each desired event date.

How to go about creating a task and set a trigger, such as display a pop-up screen message or send an email to someone, there are some instructions available here:-

http://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-create-task-basic-task-wizard

[bednobs]

could microsft project help?

[kylegroger]

@pinkyboyid It doesn't seem to have smart dating. I can't set it to figure out whether this is an event type A, B or C, and then off the back of that create to-do items for a list of certain people at various given proximity's to that event. Have I missed something?

@bednobs Could you tell me more?

[pinkyboyid]

I was assuming that for each event A,B or C which you know in advance will occur on a specific date, you create a Task for each event.

When that task event triggers it would send a message to an email-group that contains the list of persons emails designated for that task to receive the message.

[bednobs]

i'm afraid i can't - i don't have the project software, but it sounds like it could do what you wanted

[ll_billym]

If it was me I would simply use Excel. You could do it all one one sheet if you are good at programming Excel but if not then make a task list per event type with the relevant time offsets in number of days.

Put a box a the top to fill in the variables (e.g. people's names, and most importantly the date of the event (event date cell).

Look up how to add to, and subtract days from dates and just use the relevant formulas in the cells containing the dates for each task to update the dates based on the date in the 'event date' cell.

So you would end up with something like this (formula):

PersonA=Amy
PersonB=Bill
Event Date=31/12/2015

The formulas will look like:

PERSON DATE TASK
'person A' ='Event Date Cell' -20 Task 1
'person B' ='Event Date Cell -10 Task 2

The calculated list will look like

PERSON DATE TASK
Amy 21/12/2015 Task 1
Bill 11/12/2015 Task 2