Teams and Task Types are ManagePH’s way of helping you organize work, track time more accurately, and understand where your team’s effort is being spent. Think of Teams as your project buckets, and Task Types as the specific activities within those projects. Here’s how to set them up effectively.
Why Teams and Task Types Matter
Before diving into setup, understand what these features accomplish:
- Teams = Projects, clients, or departments (e.g., “Website Redesign”, “Client ABC”, “Marketing”)
- Task Types = Specific activities (e.g., “Development”, “Design”, “Client Communication”, “Research”)
- Time Tracking: Employees can select both when clocking in, giving you detailed breakdowns
- Payment Tracking: Invoices can be organized by team/project for clearer billing
- Analytics: See where time is actually being spent vs. where you think it is
Setting Up Teams First
Step 1: Navigate to Team Settings
- Go to Settings in your left sidebar
- Click the Teams tab
- Click New Team to create your first team
Step 2: Team Creation Form
Required Fields:
- Team Name: Keep it clear and specific
- ✅ Good: “Website Redesign Q1”, “Client – Acme Corp”, “Social Media Management”
- ❌ Avoid: “Project 1”, “Stuff”, “Miscellaneous”
Optional but Recommended Fields:
- Team Lead: Name of the person responsible (not a system user, just a text field)
- Description: Brief explanation of what this team/project covers
Step 3: Team Strategy Examples
- By Client
- Team Name: Client – TechStart Inc
- Team Lead: Sarah Johnson
- Description: All development and support work for TechStart’s mobile app
- By Project
- Team Name: Website Redesign Q1
- Team Lead: Mike Chen
- Description: Complete company website overhaul including design, development, and content
- By Department
- Team Name: Marketing Operations
- Team Lead: Lisa Park
- Description: Social media management, content creation, and campaign execution
Setting Up Task Types
Step 1: Navigate to Task Settings
- In Settings, click the Tasks tab
- Click New Task Type to create your first task
Step 2: Task Type Creation Form
Required Fields:
- Task Name: Specific activity types your team performs
Optional Fields:
- Assign to Team: Link this task type to a specific team, or leave as “General Task”
Step 3: Task Type Strategy Examples
General Tasks (No Team Assignment):
- Administrative Work
- Email & Communication
- Learning & Training
- Team Meetings
Team-Specific Tasks:
- Website Redesign Q1: Frontend Development, Backend Development, UI/UX Design, Content Writing, Client Reviews
- Client – TechStart Inc: Bug Fixes, Feature Development, Code Review, Client Communication, Testing & QA
Best Practices for Organization
Start Simple, Expand Later
Begin with 2–3 teams and 5–6 task types. You can always add more as you understand your workflow better.
Week 1 Setup Example:
- Teams: “Client Work”, “Internal Projects”
- Tasks: “Development”, “Design”, “Communication”, “Planning”, “Admin”
Naming Conventions That Work
- Be Consistent: If you use “Client – CompanyName” format, stick to it
- Avoid Abbreviations: Choose “Development” or “Dev” and stay consistent
- Date Important Projects: “Website Redesign Q1 2024” helps with historical tracking
Team vs Task Type Decision Framework
Use Teams for:
- Different clients
- Major projects with multiple people
- Distinct departments
- Budget/billing boundaries
Use Task Types for:
- Different activities within the same project
- Skill-based work categories
- Billable vs non-billable distinctions
- Granular time tracking needs
How Employees Use Teams and Tasks
During Time Tracking
When employees clock in, they can optionally select:
- Team (if applicable to their work)
- Task Type (what kind of work they’re doing)
- Both, one, or neither — it’s flexible
During Payment Requests
When submitting invoices, employees can:
- Specify which team/project the hours were for
- Auto-calculate hours based on time tracking data
- Organize their work for clearer billing
Employee Experience Example:
- Team: Website Redesign Q1
- Task: Frontend Development
- Time: 9:00 AM
Managing Teams and Tasks Over Time
Editing Existing Items
- Teams: Can be edited anytime — changes don’t affect historical data
- Task Types: Can be disabled rather than deleted to preserve time tracking history
- Historical Data: Past time entries keep their original team/task associations
When to Create New vs Edit
- Create New When: Starting a different project, client changes significantly, or billing changes
- Edit Existing When: Clarifying names, updating leads, or making small scope adjustments
Disabling vs Deleting
- Disable Task Types when projects end — preserves history and reporting accuracy
- Delete only if you want to permanently remove all historical associations
Common Setup Scenarios
Scenario 1: Agency with Multiple Clients
- Teams: Client – RetailCorp, Client – TechStartup, Internal – Business Development, Internal – Admin
- Tasks: Strategy & Planning (General), Development (per client), Design (per client), Project Management (General), Client Communication (General)
Scenario 2: Product Company
- Teams: Product Development, Customer Support, Marketing, Operations
- Tasks: Feature Development → Product Development, Bug Fixes → Product Development, Customer Tickets → Customer Support, Content Creation → Marketing, Social Media → Marketing, Administrative → Operations
Scenario 3: Consulting Business
- Teams: Project Alpha, Project Beta, Business Development
- Tasks: Research & Analysis, Client Workshops, Documentation, Presentation Prep, Travel Time
Monitoring Usage and Analytics
Watch For:
- Unused teams/tasks → Remove or consolidate
- Generic time entries → If employees aren’t selecting, ask why
- Billing clarity → Do invoices match your intended structure?
Red Flags:
- All time going to “General” tasks (too vague)
- Too many micro-categories (overly complex)
- Team names that don’t match client billing
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“Employees aren’t selecting teams/tasks”
- Make selections optional at first
- Provide clear guidance on usage
- Keep the list short and simple
“Too many options, employees confused”
- Start with 3–5 total options
- Use jargon-free names
- Group related work under broad categories
“Time tracking doesn’t match how we bill”
- Align team names with billing
- Match task types to service offerings
- Consider billable vs non-billable task distinctions
Next Steps
Once you have teams and task types set up, your employees can start using them during time tracking. This gives you richer data about where work is happening and makes client billing more transparent and accurate.
💡 Pro Tip: Start lean and expand based on actual usage patterns. It’s easier to add categories than to get people to use overly complex ones.