This article describes how to select the Task type and its impact in the context of advance scheduling.
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Skip Ahead to: Impact of Task Types on Schedule Examples of Changing the Task Types Working in a Hybrid Work Management Model using Hybrid Tasks |
Overview
Tasks in NimbleWork can be created with different task types based on how you want to plan, track, and manage work. Each task type is designed for a specific use case — such as standard project tracking, linking work across plans, or connecting with agile workitems. Selecting the right task type ensures that progress, effort, and status are tracked correctly. Some task types allow manual updates, while others automatically derive their progress and actuals from linked workitems or task plans.
Note: The Task Type option is only available in Advanced Scheduling.
How to Select the Task Type
You can select the task type while creating a task or update it later if needed.
- Navigate to your Task Plan
- Create a new task or locate the task you want to update.
- Locate the Task Type field, select the required task type from the drop-down list.
- Fixed Units – Keeps resource allocation fixed while effort or duration changes based on updates.
- Fixed Duration – Keeps the task duration fixed; effort adjusts when resources are changed.
- Fixed Work – Keeps the total effort fixed; duration or resource allocation adjusts accordingly.
- Fixed Dates – Keeps the start and end dates fixed regardless of changes to effort or resources.
- Hybrid – Derives progress, effort, and status from linked agile workitems instead of manual updates. Learn more.
- Linked Plan – Links a task to another task plan and rolls up progress from that plan into the current task. Learn more.
Note: The task type for a summary task is always set to Summary and cannot be changed.
- Select the required task type from the list
- Save the task.
Impact of Task Types on Schedule
When a project is scheduled, Advanced Scheduling looks at the task types to determine how the unit, work, duration, or date will behave. When you edit any of the elements (work, duration, unit), the scheduling of the task is recalculated. The below-given formula is used to relate the values of assignment units, duration, and work.
Duration = Work/Units
Here,
- Work – It is the total amount of work needed to complete a task. It is calculated in-person hour. For example, if a person takes 10 hours to write a document, then the work of writing the document would be 10 person-hours.
- Unit – It is the number of resources and the percentage of the resource time allotted to the task. In the above example, 1 person is allotting 100% of the time to write a document. Some other resources might be added to the same task and he might be assigned 50 percent of the work.
- Duration – Duration is the time taken to complete a task. In the above example, 10 hours are taken to complete writing the document.
If you set the type of a task, then one of the three values of the task becomes fixed or unchangeable. When you fix one of the values, then that value is put on priority and the project doesn’t change that value while the other two values are changed. This applies to both manually and automatically scheduled tasks.
Here is how the task type changes the schedule of your task plan –
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Task Type |
If you revise units |
If you revise the duration |
If you revise work |
| Fixed units task | Duration is recalculated. | Work is recalculated. | Duration is recalculated. |
| Fixed work task | Duration is recalculated. | Units are recalculated. | Duration is recalculated. |
| Fixed duration task | Work is recalculated. | Work is recalculated. | Units are recalculated. |
| Fixed date task | Work is recalculated.
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Duration is not editable directly. If you modify the Planned start and Planned finish date, then the duration is changed and work is recalculated. | Units are recalculated. |
| Hybrid task |
Changing the Planned Duration doesn’t impact its Actuals. Also, you cannot modify the Actual Start, Actual Finish, Actual Efforts, and Percent Work Complete as these are derived from the linked agile workitems. |
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| Linked plan |
Changing the Planned Duration doesn’t impact the its Actuals. Also, you cannot modify the Actual Start, Actual Finish, Actual Efforts, and Percent Work complete as these are derived from the another Task Plan. |
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Now, let us understand each task type in detail. By fixing one of the values in the task, you will get more control over your schedule. The below table shows how the schedule of the task plan is impacted by the task type –
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Task Type |
Impact on Schedule |
| Fixed Unit | In the Fixed Units tasks, it is assumed that you don’t want to change the number of resources assigned to the task (units) even if the duration of the task changes. If the work changes, the duration is recalculated by the project. And if the duration of the task changes, the project recalculates the work.
For example, if one person takes 2 hours to prepare a report and you want to spread this work over two days, then you can change the duration to 2 days without changing the number of people. |
| Fixed Work | In the Fixed Work tasks, the tasks are driven by the work involved. The work remains fixed even if you change the duration or add/remove people. If you change the duration, resource units are recalculated and if you change the resource units or add more people, the duration is recalculated.
For example, painting a room takes 30 hours. Now, if you want the room to be painted earlier then you have to assign more painters to this work. The duration of the work will reduce as you add more people to it. |
| Fixed Duration | In Fixed Duration tasks, the duration of the work remains unchanged even if you increase the resources or work. This means the task must be completed in the specified duration – no delay. |
| Fixed Date | In Fixed Date tasks, the duration of the task remains non-editable. If you revise the Planned start and Planned finish date, then the duration gets changed accordingly and work is recalculated. Fixed Date task types are considered the critical tasks in the project. |
| Hybrid Task |
Unlike the other task types, you can link a hybrid task type with agile workitems through the Parent-child link tab. When an agile workitem is linked with a Hybrid task type, then the percent work complete and actuals of the Hybrid task (including the percent complete, actual start, actual finish, and actual efforts) are derived from the linked cards. |
| Linked Plan |
Unlike the other task types, you can link a Linked Plan task type with another Task Plan through the Parent-child link tab. When an another Task Plan is linked with a Hybrid task type, then the percent work complete and actuals of the Linked Plan task (including the percent complete, actual start, actual finish, and actual efforts) are derived from the linked Task Plan/Work Package. |
Important:
The fixed duration is the default task type for summary tasks.
You can select the default task for your project using the “Default Task Type” preference at the project level. If you have not selected any value in the “Default Task Type” preference, then the fixed date is the default task type for tasks.
Examples of Changing the Task Types
Now let’s understand the controlling of the timing of the tasks with three scenarios.
Example 1: Let’s consider a task that requires 80 hours of effort and only one fixed unit (resource) is available (with 8 hours per day), then the duration of the task will be 10 days.
Duration = Work / hours X resource, so the duration will be 80/8 X1 = 10 days
Scenario 1: Changing other task types to fixed-work task type
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If You |
Project Changes |
| Add a full-time resource | If one more resource assists the resource, then the work is still the same but the resources have increased. Now, there will be two resources (16 hours a day) for the 80 hours of work so the duration will be 5 days.
duration (5 )= work (80) / hours (8) X resource (2) |
| Decrease the duration | If your duration is reduced than what was planned, let’s say 8 days instead of 10 days, then the project will recalculate the task’s resource unit. In this case, the currently assigned resource will be over-allocated (125%) to accommodate the increased duration as shown below.
duration (8) = work (80) / hours (8) X resource (1.25) In this case, you have to assign an extra resource to the task for the extra 25 % allocation |
| Change the work |
If the task takes additional work, let’s say 20 hours of extra work, then the total work is 100 hours. Now with one resource (8 hours a day), the project recalculates the duration as 12.5 days. duration (12.5) = work (100) / hours (8) X resource (1) |
Scenario 2: Changing another task type to a fixed-unit task type
If you make a task type a fixed-unit task type, that means the task must be completed with the specified units. Let’s understand this with the help of the below-given scenarios and continuing the Example1 –
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If You |
Project Changes |
| Add a full-time resource | If one more resource assists the existing resource, then there are two units of resources. However, the work remains the same, the duration is recalculated.
duration (5 )= work (80) / hours (8) X resource (2) |
| Modify the duration | If you need to complete the task earlier than planned, let’s say 8 days instead of 10 days, then the work will be recalculated.
duration (8 )= work (64) / hours (8) X resource (1) |
| Change the work | If the task takes additional work, let’s say 20 hours of extra work, then the total work is 100 hours. Now with one resource (8 hours a day), the project recalculates the duration as 12.5 days.
duration (12.5)= work (100) / hours (8) X resource (1) |
Scenario 3: Changing other task types to fixed-duration task type
If you make a task type a fixed-duration task type, then the task must be completed in the specified duration. Now, continuing the existing Example1 –
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If You |
Project Changes |
| Add a full-time resource | If one more resource assists the existing resource, then the allocated units are recalculated. Now, each resource will allot 50% of their time to complete the task in the same time (10 days).
duration (10) = work (80) / hours(4) X resource (2) |
| Modify the duration |
If you need to complete the work in 8 days instead of 10 days, then the work is recalculated. With 8 days of duration, and one resource (8 hours a day), the work is recalculated to 64 hours. duration (8)= work (64) / hours (8) X resource (1) |
| Change the work | If the task takes additional work, let’s say 20 hours of extra work, then the total work is 100 hours. Now with the same duration, the project recalculates the resource allocation as 125%.
duration (10)= work (100) / hours (8) X resource (1.25) So, you have to assign an extra resource to allocate the changes to the updated work. |
Scenario 4: Changing other task types to fixed-date task type
If you make a task type a fixed-date task type, then the task must be completed on the specified dates. The fixed date is the default task type in Simple Scheduling Plus. Now, continuing the existing Example1 –
|
If You |
Project Changes |
| Add full-time resource | If one more resource assists the existing resource, then the allocated units are recalculated. Now, each resource will allot 50% of their time to complete the task in the same time (10 days).
duration(10)= work(80) / hours(4) X resource (2) |
| Modify the duration | If you need to change the planned start and finish date, then according to the dates the duration of the task changes, and the work is recalculated.
For example, if the modified dates of the task change the task duration to 8 days then with one resource (8 hours a day), the work is recalculated to 64 hours. duration(8)= work(64) / hours(8) X resource (1) |
| Change the work | If the task takes additional work, let’s say 20 hours of extra work, then the total work is 100 hours. Now with the same duration, the project recalculates the resource allocation as 125%.
duration(10)= work(100) / hours(8) X resource (1.25) So, you have to assign an extra resource to allocate the changes to the updated work. |
Working in a Hybrid Work Management Model using Hybrid Tasks
A hybrid task helps you manage work that combines both Agile and Waterfall approaches within the same Task Plan. Use a hybrid as task type when your execution happens in Agile tools (such as epics or cards), but you still want to track overall progress in a project plan. A hybrid task does not track progress on its own. Instead, it gets all updates from the linked agile workitems.
For example, you can link multiple epics to a single hybrid task. The task then reflects the combined progress of those epics. Any updates made to the linked items, such as status, effort, or completion, are automatically reflected in the hybrid task.
This allows you to:
- Track Agile execution within a structured project plan
- Avoid manual updates to task progress
- Get a consolidated view of work across multiple agile items
In short, a hybrid task acts as a bridge between Agile execution and task-level tracking.
For example, if you want to link your task with agile workitems Epics, then the progress of the task (along with its actual start, actual finish, actual efforts, and percent work complete) is derived from the linked epics.
Link Agile Workitems to a Hybrid Task
Before a hybrid task can track progress, you must link it to one or more agile workitems (such as epics, user story or any card type).
To link agile workitems:
- Locate the task you want to update in Task Plan.
- In the Task Type field, select Hybrid.
- Click the Task ID to open task details.
- Navigate to the Linked Cards section in the task details.
- In the Hybrid task card, open More options (three dots), and select Link Existing Child. (To create a new card, select Link New Child.)
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Select the Project, and Card Type.
- Select the Epic cards to link to the Hybrid task.
- The selected epics are linked to the Hybrid task.
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Link additional cards to the epics as needed. Already linked cards are displayed automatically.
You can link multiple workitems to a single hybrid task.
How Hybrid Tasks Work
Once the agile workitems/cards are linked, the hybrid task automatically reflects their progress. The task does not track progress on its own. All updates come from the linked workitems.
- Actual Start: Based on the earliest start date among linked workitems (from logged time or % complete).
- Actual Finish: Reflects the completion date of the last linked workitem.
- % Complete: Reflects the overall progress of all linked workitems.
- Actual Effort: Reflects the total effort from all linked workitems
You cannot manually update these values in a hybrid task. Any changes must be made in the linked agile workitems. If all linked workitems are closed, the hybrid task is automatically marked as complete. If any linked item is reopened, the hybrid task is also reopened.
If the progress in the linked workitems does not appear updated in the hybrid task, you can manually refresh it. Click on the More options and select the Refresh Linked Tasks The system recalculates the task values based on the latest updates from the linked work items.
Important Points
Hybrid tasks follow a few key rules that are different from other task types.
- Resources cannot be assigned to a hybrid task.
- Progress cannot be updated manually. All progress, effort, and completion values come only from the linked agile workitems.
- You cannot close or reopen a hybrid task manually. The task status changes automatically based on the status of the linked workitems.
- You cannot convert a hybrid task into a summary task. It always remains a standalone task linked to agile work tems.
- You cannot copy a hybrid task.
- Hybrid tasks can exist in manual or timesheet-based tracking modes, but their progress is still controlled only by the linked work items.
Working with Linked Plan Tasks
A Linked Plan task allows you to track progress from another task plan within your current plan. Use this when work is managed in a separate task plan, but you want to monitor its progress without creating duplicate tasks or changing dependencies. The Linked Plan task does not track progress on its own. Instead, it reflects values such as actual start, actual finish, effort, and % work complete from the linked task plan.
This helps you maintain a single view of progress across multiple task plans while keeping execution independent.
How to Link a Plan
To link a task to another task plan:
- Locate the required task in your current task plan.
- In the Task Type field, select Linked Plan.
- Click the Task ID to open task details.
- Go to the Linked Cards section.
- In the task card, open More options (three dots), and select Link Existing Child.
- Select the required Project. The Card Type is set to Task Plan by default.
- Select the task plan to link to the master task plan, and click Save.
The selected task plan is linked to the master task plan.
How It Works
Once a task’s Task Type is set to Linked Plan, it reflects progress from a task in another task plan.
For example, in your Master task plan Axis Capital Development, you have a task AI Development marked as a Linked Plan. In the Linked Cards section of this task, you link it to a task from another plan, such as AI Form Builder (from another task plan).
For example, as shown in the screenshot, Axis Capital Development is the master task plan. The task TSK1 AI Development has its Task Type set to Linked Plan. In the Linked Cards section, this task is linked to a task in another task plan, such as AI Form Builder.
After linking:
After linking, the task derives its values from the linked task plan (AI Form Builder).
The following fields are synced from the linked task:
- Planned Start and Planned Finish
- Planned Hours
- Actual Start and Actual Finish
- Actual Hours
- % Work Complete and more
Any updates made in the linked task are reflected here and the main task (TSK1 – AI Development) cannot be updated directly.
What this means:
- Work is executed in the linked Task Plan (TASP50 – AI Form Builder).
- Progress is reflected in the main Task (TSK1 – AI Development).
- The task TSK1 updates then rolls up to the Master Task Plan (TSK0 – Axis Capital Development).
This helps track progress across task plans without duplicating work or changing how teams operate.
Important Points
The following are a few important points about Linked Plan:
- You can create links between task plans within the same project or across multiple projects.
- Tasks with Linked Plan will roll up into master task plan, consolidating actuals such as start and finish dates, actual efforts, and percent work complete at the master task level.
- You can only link one task plan to a task.
- You cannot assign resources directly to a Linked Plan, as its progress is derived from another task plan and not by its resources.
- You cannot modify the work, duration, or resources of a Linked Plan task.
- You cannot set dependencies between a Linked Plan task and other tasks of any task type.
- You cannot close or reopen a Linked Plan task as they are closed or reopened based on child tasks. If the child task gets closed, then the parent task also gets closed automatically.
- You cannot copy or duplicate a Linked Plan.
Updating the progress on Linked Plan Tasks
Once a task is set as a Linked Plan, you cannot modify its actuals, assigned resources, or percent work complete directly. The progress of child tasks may not update automatically in the Linked Plan task. To refresh the progress, click More Options and select Refresh Linked Tasks. This updates the progress of all Linked Plan and Hybrid tasks based on the latest data from their child task plans.