Attaching a Task to a Service Item

An inventory item classified as a Service item is an important component when associating the task to a sales order or invoice. The service item is used to prompt the user to create a task from an invoice or proposal. The service is also the link that translates the billable time to the sales order or invoice. Complete the following steps to attach a task to a service item:

1. Open an existing inventory item that is classified as Service as shown below:
   
   Review the Using the Inventory Items > Inventory Module for Non-Inventory Items > Using Inventory Items to Identify Service Items section within the Inventory Documentation for more details on creating a service inventory code.

2. The Estimated Hours entry is used as the ratio between the billable hours and the sales order. A value of ‘1’ should be entered if the billable hours is to equal the quantity within the sales order. For example, if a time and materials work order or task is billed by the hour enter a value of 1 into the Estimated Hours entry. Each time the time is changed in the task the quantity would be updated using the Estimated Hours value.

1. If the task is created from the sales order the Billable Hours within the billing tab = Quantity in SO * the Estimated Hours within the inventory item. Review the Creating a Task from an Invoice section for more details.

2. If the sales order is created from the task the sales order quantity = Billable Hours divided by the Estimated Hours value within the task. Review the Getting Started >  Time and Material tasks vs. Contract Tasks section for more details on creating sales orders from tasks.

3. Enable the Enter task for this item option to prompt the user to create a task when this item is entered into an invoice or proposal. The prompt to create tasks will be when the invoice is saved or a sales order is created from the proposal screen.

4. Select the Default Task Type. The new task wizard will default to the selected Default Task Type.

The service items that have a task type attached will prompt the user to create tasks when a sales order is created from a proposal or when the service item is inserted into a sales order. Review the Creating a Task from a Proposal or Quote or Creating a Task from an Invoice for more details.

Review the Inventory Items > Using the Inventory Module for Non-Inventory Items > Using Inventory Items to Identify Service Items section of the Inventory Documentation, for more details on items classified as service items.