Create and assign tasks in eCourtDate to track follow-ups, deadlines, and action items across your agency. Tasks help you stay organized and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

### Overview

Tasks give your team a structured way to manage work tied to specific clients. Each task includes a description, due date, and status, making it easy to see what needs attention and who is responsible. You can filter tasks by status, track overdue items, and update progress as work moves forward.

Tasks are especially useful for agencies managing high volumes of cases, compliance deadlines, and client follow-ups. Instead of relying on spreadsheets or sticky notes, tasks keep your action items inside the same system where your client and case data lives.

### Prerequisites

Before creating and managing tasks, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate user account with access to your agency
- A role with permissions to create and edit tasks
- At least one client record created in the system (tasks are linked to clients)
- Due dates and assignment details ready before creating tasks

### How-To Steps

#### Creating a New Task

1. Click on **Clients** in the top navigation bar.
2. Search for the client you want to associate the task with and click the **Edit** button to open their profile.
3. Locate the **Tasks** section on the client's profile page.
4. Enter a clear, specific description of the task in the **Description** field (for example, "Follow up on missed check-in from 02/10/2026").
5. Select a **Due Date** for when the task should be completed.
6. Select a **Status** for the task. New tasks typically start as **Open**.
7. Click the **Create** button to save the task.

#### Updating a Task

1. Navigate to the client's profile where the task is assigned.
2. Scroll to the **Tasks** section to view all tasks linked to that client.
3. Click on the task you want to update.
4. Modify the **Description**, **Due Date**, or **Status** as needed.
5. Click **Save** to apply your changes.

#### Filtering Tasks by Status

1. Navigate to the **Tasks** section on a client's profile or use the tasks view if available.
2. Use the **Status** filter to narrow results. Available statuses include:
   - **Open** for tasks that have not been started
   - **In Progress** for tasks currently being worked on
   - **Review** for tasks pending supervisory review
   - **Completed** for finished tasks
   - **Canceled** for tasks that are no longer needed
3. Click **Search** to display tasks matching the selected filter.

#### Identifying Overdue Tasks

1. Navigate to the **Tasks** section of a client's profile.
2. Look for tasks highlighted or flagged as overdue. Tasks past their due date are automatically highlighted to draw your attention.
3. Review overdue tasks and update their status or due date as appropriate.
4. Add a comment to the client record if the delay requires documentation (see [How to Add Notes and Comments to Records](/how-to-add-notes-and-comments-to-records)).

### What to Expect

After creating a task, it appears immediately in the **Tasks** section of the associated client's profile. The task displays its description, due date, and current status. As you update the status, the task reflects the change in real time.

Overdue tasks are automatically highlighted so you can prioritize them during daily reviews. Completed tasks remain on the client's profile for historical reference and audit purposes.

### Best Practices

- **Write specific descriptions.** Include enough detail so any team member can understand the task without additional context. Reference case numbers, dates, or specific actions required.
- **Set realistic due dates.** Account for weekends, holidays, and staff availability when assigning deadlines. Overly aggressive dates lead to chronic overdue tasks that lose their urgency.
- **Review tasks daily.** Build a habit of checking open and overdue tasks at the start of each workday. This helps your team stay ahead of deadlines rather than reacting to missed ones.
- **Use status updates consistently.** Move tasks through statuses (Open, In Progress, Review, Completed) as work progresses. This gives supervisors an accurate picture of workload and progress.
- **Link tasks to the right client.** Always create tasks from the relevant client's profile so the task history stays connected to the correct record for audits and compliance reviews.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I assign a task to a specific staff member?**
A: Tasks are linked to client records and visible to all staff members with access to that client. Your agency can use the task description to note the responsible staff member (for example, "Assigned to J. Smith").

**Q: What happens when a task passes its due date?**
A: Overdue tasks are automatically highlighted in the **Tasks** section to indicate they need attention. The task remains active until you manually update its status to **Completed** or **Canceled**.

**Q: Can I create multiple tasks for the same client?**
A: Yes. You can create an unlimited number of tasks for any client. Each task has its own description, due date, and status, so you can track multiple action items independently.

**Q: Are completed tasks deleted from the system?**
A: No. Completed tasks remain on the client's profile for reference and auditing. You can filter by **Completed** status to review past tasks at any time.

**Q: Can I change the due date of an existing task?**
A: Yes. Open the task from the client's profile, update the **Due Date** field, and click **Save**. The new due date takes effect immediately.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Task does not appear after clicking **Create**.
**Symptoms:** You fill in the task form and click **Create**, but no task appears in the **Tasks** section. No error message is displayed.
**Solution:**

1. Refresh the page and check whether the task now appears in the list.
2. Verify that all required fields (description and due date) were filled in before submission.
3. Confirm your role has permission to create tasks by checking with your agency administrator.
4. If the issue persists, sign in to eCourtDate and create a support ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

**Issue:** Overdue tasks are not highlighted.
**Symptoms:** Tasks with past due dates appear the same as current tasks with no visual distinction.
**Solution:**

1. Confirm the due date was set correctly on the task. Open the task and verify the date.
2. Refresh your browser to ensure the latest data is loaded.
3. If highlighting still does not appear, clear your browser cache and try again.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)