Grouping similar event tasks in events
Summarize
Summary of Grouping similar event tasks in events
In Business Continuity Management (BCM) release 9.0.x and later, the Similar tasks groups feature helps ServiceNow customers reduce redundant event tasks when the same plan is activated multiple times. It automatically groups duplicate tasks from multiple plans addressing similar scenarios, streamlining event task management and minimizing duplicated work during complex events or exercises.
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How Similar Tasks Group Works
- Task Grouping: Tasks with similar recovery task references are automatically grouped together, while tasks with internal dependencies or those triggering related plans have restrictions on grouping.
- Original vs. Duplicate Tasks: Within each group, one task is designated as the original and is set to the Open state. Duplicate tasks are placed On hold and are not assigned to users.
- Task Progression: The first task entering On hold is marked as original. The original task moves to Open only after all duplicates are On hold. When the original task is closed, duplicate tasks automatically transition to Closed duplicate.
- Modification and Control: Duplicate tasks cannot be modified directly; to act on them, they must be unlinked from their group. Users can unlink tasks or remove them from event tasks, giving flexibility in task management.
- Reporting and Metrics: Time and state data roll up from the original task only. Duplicate tasks’ time is excluded from the Total effort on activated plans and assets.
- Re-triggering: If an original task is re-triggered, its duplicates remain in the Closed duplicate state, unaffected by the original task’s status change.
Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
- Eliminates redundant task execution during repetitive plan activations, improving operational efficiency.
- Provides clear task progression and state management, preventing confusion over duplicate work.
- Enhances control by allowing unlinking or removal of tasks from groups as needed.
- Ensures accurate effort tracking by consolidating time reporting to original tasks only.
- Supports complex event coordination by grouping similar tasks across multiple plans.
In BCM, when the same plan is activated multiple times, it can result in multiple redundant tasks. Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, the Similar tasks groups tab in events helps you to eliminate redundant tasks by grouping duplicate tasks from multiple plans for similar scenarios. This functionality streamlines event task management and reduces duplication of efforts.
Progression of original and duplicate tasks
The Similar tasks group functionality enables event users to group similar tasks from multiple plans aimed at resolving specific situations. The system automatically designates an original task within a group and the duplicate tasks are moved to the On hold state. Upon completing the original task, event users mark it as closed. The duplicate tasks are then marked as Closed duplicates.
The progression of both original and duplicate tasks is as follows:
- Initial task state
- When a task is part of a group, it initially moves to the On hold state instead of the Open state. The first task to enter the On hold state is automatically designated as the original task.
- Transition to the Open state
- The original task in a group is then moved to the Open state when all the other tasks are moved to the On hold state.
- Handling duplicate tasks
- Duplicate tasks remain on hold until the original task is closed and are not assigned to users. When the original task is completed, the duplicate tasks in the group are automatically marked as Closed duplicate.
- Modifying duplicate tasks
- Duplicate tasks cannot be modified directly; to take any action on them, you must first remove them from their associated group.
- Reporting and time calculation
- For duplicate tasks, the original task's state and time fields are used to roll up to the activated plans and assets. The time taken by duplicate tasks is not included in the Total effort field on the activated plans and assets.
- Re-triggering original tasks
- If the original task is re-triggered, the duplicate task remains in the Closed duplicate state, unaffected by the change of status of the original task.
- Task grouping rules
- Tasks with similar recovery task references are automatically grouped together by the system. Tasks that have internal dependencies cannot be grouped together, but they can be added to different groups. Tasks that trigger related plans cannot be added to the Similar tasks group.
Flexibility and control
You can unlink tasks from a similar task group or remove tasks from the event tasks.
By eliminating redundant task execution and enhancing task management, this feature significantly improves operational efficiency during complex exercises or events.