---
sourceDocument: Australia Strategic Portfolio Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-business-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Strategic Portfolio Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itbm

bundleId :

    - itbm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Demand tasks

# Demand tasks {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated September 10, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
Summarize  
![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI  
This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Demand tasks

Demand tasks are units of work used within a demand record in ServiceNow to organize and track early-stage planning activities.
They help plan and prepare before converting a demand into a work entity such as a product, feature, or enhancement.
Unlike project tasks that focus on execution and completion, demand tasks concentrate solely on the planning phase.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Purpose:** Support initial activities like gathering requirements, conducting reviews, validating feasibility, completing business case analyses, and performing assessments related to security, compliance, or impacts.
* **Resource Assignment and Effort Tracking:** Resources can be assigned to demand tasks and log time via time cards, enabling tracking of actual effort and cost during planning. However, these assignments and tracked efforts do not transfer when the demand converts into a work entity; reassignment is required.
* **Cost Calculation:** Actual cost for demand tasks is calculated using hourly resource rates based on the rate model, default labor rate, or system properties. The total effort and cost roll up to the associated demand record.
* **Limitations Compared to Project Tasks:** Demand tasks do not support planned, actual, or original dates, nested tasks, task constraints, or execution types like Agile or Waterfall. The due date on demand tasks is only a target and does not impact workflows or completion dates.

## Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

Use demand tasks to effectively manage and track early planning stages of demands without mixing execution details. They provide visibility into resource effort and cost during planning but require transitioning resources and cost tracking when demands convert into work entities. Understanding the functional differences from project tasks helps set proper expectations and ensures accurate workflow management in ServiceNow.  
Demand tasks are units of work within a demand. Use them to plan and organize initial activities before converting the demand into a work entity such as a product, feature, or enhancement.

## Demand task overview {#demand-tasks__section_purpose_scope}

Demand tasks organize and track early-stage planning activities within the demand record. Use them before converting a demand into a work entity such as a feature, product, or enhancement. Unlike project tasks, which track execution and drive project completion dates, demand tasks focus on planning and preparation. This difference shapes what demand tasks can do and how you use them.

Examples of demand tasks include:

* Gathering and documenting requirements from stakeholders
* Conducting design or architecture reviews
* Validating technical feasibility or dependencies
* Completing business case analysis or ROI assessment
* Conducting security, compliance, or impact assessments
* Assigning resources for discovery or planning phases

{#demand-tasks__ul_s45_2t2_rjc}

Demand tasks aren't appropriate for execution work. After the demand is approved and converted into a work entity such as a project or feature, execution work moves into project tasks.

## Assigning resources and tracking effort {#demand-tasks__section_fqd_t3b_f3c}

You can assign resources to demand tasks using the standard assignment fields. Resources assigned to demand tasks can submit time spent on them using a time card, enabling you to track actual effort and cost during the planning
phase.

Resource assignments on demand tasks aren't transferred to the work entity created from that demand. If you later convert the demand into a project or work item, you must reassign resources in the new work entity. Similarly, the time
and cost tracked on demand tasks remain within the demand record and don't transfer to the resulting work entity.

The actual cost for the demand task effort is derived from the hourly resource rate defined in the rate model, default labor rate, or default system property. The actual cost and effort for all demand tasks roll up to the associated
demand. For more information, see [Actual cost and effort calculations for demands](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/yJQ7mzOkqVmRisTTn1I_oA "Actual cost and effort represent the realized cost and time spent on demands and demand tasks. Values are calculated from approved time cards and hourly rates.").

## Differences from project tasks {#demand-tasks__section_x23_f3b_f3c}

Because demand tasks are used for early-stage planning and not execution tracking so they don't support some features that project tasks do:

* Planned dates, actual dates, and original dates aren't supported in demand tasks.
* The due date indicates when the task is targeted for completion and doesn't affect the demand workflow. Project tasks affect project completion dates when planned dates and actual dates are changed.
* Nested demand tasks aren't supported.
* Task constraints such as Start ASAP and Start on a specific date aren't supported.
* Execution types such as Agile, Waterfall, or Hybrid aren't supported.
{#demand-tasks__ul_mns_m3b_f3c}