Creating a One-Off Task

This article explains how to create and manage one-off tasks for work that does not fit into recurring project schedules. You will learn how to define, assign, and track these tasks effectively within the Xenia Nexus application.

1. Define One-Off Tasks

1. What Is a One-Off Task?

A one-off task is a manual, non-recurring work assignment created directly in Xenia — not generated by a project. It's for work that doesn't follow a fixed schedule: something that came up today, a specific issue that needs to be resolved, a request that needs to be tracked.

Projects handle recurring work — the daily opening checklist, the weekly store walk, the monthly audit. One-off tasks handle everything else — the specific refrigerator that needs repair, the vendor callback that needs to happen today, the one-time staff meeting that needs to be confirmed.

You create a one-off task when:

Something comes up that isn't covered by an existing project
A manager needs to assign work to a specific person for a specific reason today
You want to track the resolution of a non-recurring issue with a formal record
A checklist needs to be completed on demand, outside of the regular schedule

2. One-Off Tasks vs. Ad-Hoc Template Submissions

2. One-Off Tasks vs. Ad-Hoc Template Submissions

There's a related option worth knowing: ad-hoc template submissions (submitting a template without a task attached). The key difference:

Ad-hoc submission — the employee opens a template and submits it directly, with no task record. Good for forms that need to be filled out on demand (incident reports, vendor issue forms). No due date, no task status tracking.
One-off task — creates a formal task record that can be assigned, tracked by status (Open → In Progress → Completed), and optionally have a checklist attached. Good when you want accountability that the work was done, not just that a form was submitted.

Use a one-off task when you need the tracking layer. Use an ad-hoc submission when you just need to capture information.

3. Navigate To Add New Task

3. How to Create a One-Off Task

On web:

Go to Tasks & Work Orders
Click Add Task or the + button
Fill in the task fields (see below)
Click Create

On mobile:

Tap the + button (usually visible on the home screen or Work tab)
Select Create Task
Fill in the fields
Save

Navigate To Add New Task

4. Click Add New Task Button

Click the Add New Task button to start creating a one-off task in Xenia.

Click Add New Task Button

5. Select Task Title Field

Task Title (required): Be specific. "Fix the broken door seal on Walk-in Cooler B" is better than "Refrigerator issue." The title appears in the task board, in reporting, and in the notification the assignee receives. It should immediately communicate what needs to be done.

Select Task Title Field

6. Show Additional Task Options

Description: Add any additional context the assignee needs — what exactly is wrong, where it is, what outcome is expected, any relevant background. The description is visible when the assignee opens the task.
Priority: Set the urgency level — None, Low, Medium, High, or Critical. Priority affects how the task appears in the task board and helps the assignee know what to work on first.
Category: Optional, but useful for reporting. Categories let you group and filter tasks by type — Cleaning, Maintenance, Safety, Training, etc. Use whatever categories make sense for your operation.

Show Additional Task Options

7. Open Role Selection

Assignee: Assign to a specific user, a role at a location, or a team. If you're assigning to a role, the task will be visible to all users in that role at the specified location. If you're assigning to a specific person, only they see it.

Open Role Selection

Select Assignee Role

8. Open Location

Location: Tag the task to the location where the work needs to happen. This is important for reporting and for ensuring the task appears in the right location's data. If no location is tagged, the task appears in the workspace but won't filter correctly in location-based reports.

Open Location Selector

9. Set Task Recurrence

Click One-Time (Does not repeat) to specify that this is a one-off task.
Start Date: Optional. If the task isn't relevant until a future date, set a start date. The task won't appear prominently for the assignee until the start date arrives.
Due Date and Time: Set when the task needs to be completed. The assignee receives a notification at assignment and another if the task goes overdue. No due date = no deadline tracking.

Set Task Recurrence

10. Attach Template To Task

Attach a Template (optional): You can attach a checklist template to a one-off task. When the assignee opens the task and completes it, they fill out the attached checklist as part of completing the task. Use this when the work requires structured documentation — a maintenance form, an inspection checklist, a safety verification.

Attach Template To Task

Attach Checklist Template

Confirm Template Attachment

11. Click Create Button

Click the Create button to save and submit the one-off task in Xenia.

Click Create Button

. What Happens After You Create the Task

The assignee receives a notification immediately (if their notification settings allow it)
The task appears on the assignee's home screen or Work tab
The task is visible in the Tasks & Work Orders board for anyone with the right permissions
The task status moves through: Open → In Progress → Completed as the assignee works on it
Once completed, the task record and any associated checklist submission are stored in reporting

Need Help?
Reach out to our Support Team at Support@xenia.team

Creating a One-Off Task

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Creating a One-Off Task

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