Out Of Office: turning it on, and the calendar on your Task Wall

Summary This module shows how to turn on Out Of Office (OOF) and what it changes. While you are out of office, nobody can give you a task due in that time, most escalations wait until you are back, and recurring tasks due in that time are rejected so the assignor can close or reassign them. It also shows the Out Of Office calendar on your Task Wall, where you mark time away and see the tasks that fall in it. It has two parts: “Turning on Out Of Office from your profile”, then “Using the Out Of Office calendar on your Task Wall”.

See also: How managers can turn on OOF for their staff, for managers.

Turning on Out Of Office from your profile

Summary Turn on Out of Office (OOF) from your profile. While you're OOF, nobody can give you tasks due in that period, most escalations wait until you're back (WSOL escalations don't), and recurring tasks due in that period are rejected so the assignor can close or reassign them. To set it, open your profile, go to system, choose Manage Out of Office (OOF) and drag the oof tile onto the calendar for your dates.

Step 1

First, know what Out of Office (OOF) does while it is on: - Tasks: users can't assign you tasks with deadlines that fall within your OOF period. - Escalations: most escalations (from modules, audits or tasks) pause until PaT finds a deadline outside your OOF period, which may cause delays. The exception is WSOL escalations: because of their critical nature, they continue whatever your OOF status. - Recurring tasks: recurring tasks with deadlines during your OOF period are automatically rejected, and the assignor is asked to either close the task or reassign it.

Step 2

Click your photo, at the top centre of the screen between your Certification and Integrity percentages. Your profile opens in a my Profile tab.

Step 3

Click system, the last of the tabs along the top of your profile, at the right.

Step 4

Click Manage Out of Office (OOF), the long button on the right, below the Block Tasks on tick boxes for each day of the week. A calendar opens, with the oof tile at its top left.

Step 5

Drag the oof tile, below Refresh, onto the calendar to activate Out of Office, then set your OOF period (the days you'll be away) in the calendar. Each OOF period shows on the calendar as a grey Out of office bar.

Using the Out Of Office calendar on your Task Wall

Summary Your Task Wall has an Out Of Office view: a calendar where you mark the time you'll be away, a reminder of what being out of office (OOF) does, and two lists of the tasks that fall in that time.

Step 6

On your Task Wall, click Out Of Office, at the top right, next to To Do, To Manage and To Team.

Step 7

A calendar opens. Use today and the arrows to move between dates, and day, week or month to change the view.

Step 8

To mark time away, drag the oof tile on the left onto the calendar. The tip under it reads: "Drag the above OOF tile onto the calendar to activate an OOF period".

Step 9

What does OOF do?, under the tile, explains what changes while you're out of office: - Tasks: nobody can give you a task with a deadline in that time. - Escalations: most escalations (modules, audits, tasks) wait until PaT finds a deadline outside that time, so they may be delayed. WSOL escalations still go ahead, because they're serious. - Recurring tasks: any that fall due in that time are rejected automatically, and the assignor is asked to close them or give them to someone else.

Step 10

On the right, Tasks I can delay and Tasks I can Reassign list your tasks that fall in your out-of-office time. They show "No tasks in OOF" when there are none.

Step 11

Each task in those lists shows its title, due date and assignor. Click its Negotiate the deadline icon to ask for a new deadline. Tasks in Tasks I can Reassign also have a change the assignee or assignor icon.

Step 12

Click Refresh, above the tile, to reload the calendar.

Step 13

You can also manage your out-of-office time from your profile, as in the first part of this module. Managers can set it for their staff: the How managers can turn on OOF for their staff module covers it.