Task Manager Component

What is the Task Manager Component?

The Task Manager component is a System Component that enables end users to view, monitor, and trigger scheduled tasks directly from your live application. Unlike the builder interface where you configure tasks, the Task Manager component provides a user-friendly interface for your app users to interact with tasks based on their permissions.

With the Task Manager component, you can empower your users to:

• View all available tasks in the application
• See task details including schedules, descriptions, and execution history
• Manually trigger on-demand tasks with a single click
• Monitor task execution status and history
• Track upcoming scheduled task runs

This component is particularly useful when building applications where users need to initiate data processing workflows, generate reports, send batch notifications, or perform other automated operations without accessing the builder.

Key Features

Task Viewing and Organization

The Task Manager component displays tasks in an organized, easy-to-navigate interface:

• Task List View: Displays all tasks the user has permission to access
• Task Folders: Shows tasks organized by folders (if configured in the builder)
• Search and Filter: Users can search for specific tasks by name or filter by data table
• Task Status: Visual indicators show whether tasks are enabled or disabled
• Schedule Information: Displays when scheduled tasks will run next

Task Details View

When users click on a task, they can view comprehensive information including:

• Task Name and Description: What the task does
• Data Table: Which data table the task operates on
• Trigger Type: Whether the task runs on a schedule or on-demand
• Schedule Pattern: For scheduled tasks, the frequency (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, etc.)
• Next Run Time: When the task is scheduled to run next
• Last Run Status: Success or failure status of the last execution
• Execution History: Complete log of past task runs with timestamps and record counts

Task Triggering

For on-demand tasks or when users need to run scheduled tasks immediately:

• Run Task Button: A one-click button to trigger task execution
• Permission Control: Only users with appropriate permissions can trigger tasks
• Real-time Feedback: Users receive immediate feedback when a task is queued
• Execution Tracking: Users can monitor the task's progress in the execution history

Adding the Task Manager Component

You can add the Task Manager component to any page in your application where you want users to manage tasks.

Step 1: Navigate to Page Builder

Open the page where you want to add the Task Manager component in the Page Builder.

Step 2: Add the Component

Click on the Add Component button within an existing column or section. Then select Task Manager from the list of System Components.

Step 3: Configure the Component

After adding the component, you can configure various settings to control how tasks are displayed and which tasks users can access.

Component Settings

General Settings

Customize the basic appearance and behavior of the Task Manager:

• Component Title: Set a custom title for the component (e.g., "My Tasks", "Scheduled Operations", "Data Processing")
• Show Search: Enable or disable the search functionality for filtering tasks
• Show Folders: Display or hide task folder organization
• Default View: Set whether to show all tasks or only tasks from a specific folder by default

Task Filters

Control which tasks appear in the component:

• Filter by Data Table: Show only tasks associated with specific data tables
• Filter by Folder: Limit display to tasks within certain folders
• Filter by Status: Show only enabled tasks, disabled tasks, or both
• Filter by Trigger Type: Display only scheduled tasks, on-demand tasks, or both

Permission Settings

Manage user access and capabilities:

• View Permissions: Control which user roles can see the component
• Run Permissions: Specify which user roles can trigger task execution
• View History Permissions: Control who can see task execution history

Important: Task execution permissions can also be controlled at the API level. Users must have both component-level permissions and API-level permissions to trigger tasks. Check your plan settings to ensure task API execution is enabled.

Using the Task Manager Component (End User Perspective)

Viewing Tasks

When users navigate to a page with the Task Manager component, they see a list of all available tasks displayed in a clean, organized interface.

The task list shows:

• Task Name: A descriptive name for the task
• Description: A brief explanation of what the task does (if configured)
• Data Table: Which table the task operates on
• Type: Schedule or On-Demand
• Occurrence: How often the task runs (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, etc.)
• Next Run: When the task is scheduled to run next
• Status: Enabled or Disabled indicator

Searching and Filtering

Users can quickly find specific tasks using the built-in search and filter features:

• Search by Name: Type in the search box to find tasks by name
• Filter by Data Table: Use the dropdown to show only tasks for a specific data table
• Filter by Folder: Select a folder to view only tasks in that folder
• Filter by Status: Toggle to show enabled, disabled, or all tasks

Viewing Task Details

Clicking on a task opens the detailed view, which provides comprehensive information about the task configuration and execution history.

In the details view, users can see:

• General Tab: Task name, description, data table, trigger type, and schedule configuration
• History Tab: Complete execution history with:
  • Start and end timestamps
  • Execution status (Success, Failed, In Progress)
  • Number of records processed
  • Trigger source (Schedule, Manual, API, Component)
  • Error details (if the task failed)
• Queue Tab (if available): Currently running tasks and their progress

Triggering a Task

For on-demand tasks or when immediate execution is needed, users can trigger tasks directly from the component:

1. Click on the task to open the details view
2. Click the "Run Task" button at the top of the details panel
3. Confirm the action if prompted
4. The task is queued and begins executing immediately
5. View the execution in the History tab to monitor progress and results

Tip: When a task is triggered manually, it appears in the execution history with the trigger source marked as "Manual" or "Component", making it easy to distinguish from scheduled executions.

Common Use Cases

1. User Dashboards

Add the Task Manager component to user dashboards so team members can:

• Trigger daily report generation
• Manually run data synchronization tasks
• Generate export files on demand
• Monitor scheduled task execution status

2. Administrator Control Panel

Create an admin page with the Task Manager component allowing administrators to:

• View all application tasks in one place
• Manually trigger maintenance tasks
• Monitor task execution history for troubleshooting
• Run urgent batch processes outside of scheduled times

3. Customer-Facing Operations

For applications where customers need to initiate processes:

• Allow customers to generate their monthly invoices
• Let users request data exports
• Enable customers to trigger report generation
• Provide self-service batch operations

4. Workflow Management

Integrate Task Manager into workflow pages where:

• Project managers trigger project-specific tasks
• Team leads initiate batch notifications
• Supervisors run data cleanup tasks
• Managers generate periodic summaries

Task Manager vs. Scheduled Tasks Builder

It's important to understand the difference between the Task Manager component and the Scheduled Tasks builder:

Feature	Scheduled Tasks Builder	Task Manager Component
Purpose	Configure and manage task definitions	View and trigger tasks in live app
Access	App builders and administrators only	End users based on permissions
Create Tasks	Yes - full task creation and editing	No - view and trigger only
Edit Task Settings	Yes - configure all task parameters	No - tasks must be configured in builder
View Task Details	Yes - all technical details	Yes - user-friendly summary
Trigger Tasks	Yes - via "Run Task" button	Yes - via "Run Task" button
View History	Yes - detailed execution logs	Yes - execution history and status
Permission Control	Builder access required	Configurable per user role

Best Practices

1. Clear Task Naming

When configuring tasks that will be displayed in the Task Manager component:

• Use descriptive names that clearly explain what the task does
• Add detailed descriptions to help users understand task purpose
• Organize related tasks into folders for easy navigation
• Use consistent naming conventions across similar tasks

2. Appropriate Permissions

• Only grant task triggering permissions to users who need them
• Consider the impact of task execution before allowing user access
• Use role-based permissions to control task visibility
• Document which roles should have access to which tasks

3. User-Friendly Interface

• Place the Task Manager component on pages where users naturally need it
• Add descriptive component titles that match user terminology
• Enable search and filters for applications with many tasks
• Consider using multiple Task Manager components filtered for specific purposes

4. Monitoring and Feedback

• Ensure users can view execution history for transparency
• Configure email notifications for important task completions
• Regularly review task logs to ensure successful execution
• Set up alerts for task failures

Troubleshooting

Task Manager Component Not Showing Tasks

If the Task Manager component is not displaying tasks:

• Check component filters - ensure tasks match the filter criteria
• Verify user permissions - the user may not have access to view tasks
• Confirm tasks exist - at least one task must be created in the builder
• Check task status - disabled tasks may be hidden depending on settings

Run Task Button Disabled

If users cannot click the "Run Task" button:

• Verify user has task execution permissions in component settings
• Check if the task is enabled (disabled tasks cannot be run)
• Ensure the user's plan includes API task execution rights
• Confirm the task has been saved (unsaved tasks cannot be triggered)

Task Not Executing

If a task is triggered but not executing:

• Check task queue for errors or stuck tasks
• Verify the task configuration is correct in the builder
• Review task execution history for error messages
• Check plan limits to ensure task execution is not restricted
• Confirm the data table and conditions are correctly configured

Plan Features and Limitations

The Task Manager component functionality is tied to your Tadabase subscription plan:

• Scheduled Tasks Availability: Not all plans include scheduled tasks feature
• API Task Execution: Task triggering via components requires API task execution rights
• Task Execution Limits: Plans have different execution time limits (5-60 minutes)
• Task Frequency: Minimum task intervals vary by plan
• Number of Tasks: Some plans limit total number of tasks you can create

Check Your Plan: Visit your subscription page to confirm which task features are available on your current plan. Contact support if you need additional task capabilities.

Advanced Integration

Combining with Other Components

The Task Manager component works well alongside other Tadabase components:

• Detail Components: Show task details alongside record details for context
• Table Components: Display data tables with task buttons for record-specific processing
• HTML Components: Add custom instructions or documentation about available tasks
• Menu Components: Create navigation to dedicated task management pages

Conditional Display

Use display rules to conditionally show or hide the Task Manager component:

• Show only to specific user roles
• Display based on user data table values
• Hide during specific times or conditions
• Show different task sets based on user properties

Related Articles

• Scheduled Tasks: Learn how to create and configure tasks in the builder
• Automation Overview: Understanding all automation features
• System Components Overview: Learn about other system components
• REST API: Triggering tasks via API
• Task Logs and Monitoring: Understanding task execution logs

Summary

The Task Manager component bridges the gap between task configuration in the builder and task execution in your live application. By adding this component to your pages, you empower your users to view, monitor, and trigger automated tasks without requiring builder access. This creates a more autonomous, user-friendly experience while maintaining proper security and permission controls.

Whether you're building internal dashboards, customer-facing applications, or complex workflow systems, the Task Manager component provides the interface your users need to take control of automated processes in your Tadabase application.