Custom task types

Task types structure workflows, bundle fields and statuses, and define how tasks are created and handled.

The Administration → Workspace settings → Task settings → Task Types section forms the backbone of task organization in Leadtime.

This is where all elements that determine a task’s behavior and information—statuses, custom fields, work activities, and templates—come together in a complete task type.

A task type therefore defines which kind of ticket is created, which information must be recorded, and how it moves through the workflow.

What task types do

In a ticket system, task types clearly distinguish different kinds of work.

Not every task has the same purpose or lifecycle. A software bug is handled differently from a management task or a security review.

A task type defines:

• What the ticket represents: for example, a bug, request, support case, audit, or maintenance task.
• What information is required: such as the risk level, affected systems, due date, or person responsible.
• Which statuses it passes through: for example, New → In progress → Feedback → Done.
• Which activities can be assigned: for example, development, testing, or management.
• How the description is structured: through a standard template that organizes the input.

This creates a repeatable, controlled workflow in which every task is automatically equipped with the appropriate fields, statuses, and forms.

Benefits for the company

Task types provide structure, efficiency, and traceability.

• Clear workflows: Each task type follows a defined process with consistent statuses and fields.
• Complete data: Required fields ensure that no relevant information is missing.
• Better analysis: Consistent fields and status transitions support precise analysis and reporting.
• Customizability: Teams can define types for their own processes without changing the overall system.
• Clarity in project management: Different task types immediately show what kind of work is involved.

Interaction with other settings

The Task Types section links the different parts of the system:

• Work activities determine which activities users can record time against.
• Status options define the phases a task can enter.
• Custom fields add the additional information your process requires.
• The task template ensures consistent communication.

Together, these settings make each task type a complete, reusable framework for a particular task category.

Learn more about task templates

Structure of a task type

In Leadtime, a task type consists of several building blocks:

Icon and name: A recognizable symbol and name, for example, “Server crash”.

Base type: A choice between Feature (value-adding work) and Bug (error correction, not billable).

Status options: Define the task’s lifecycle. You can use existing statuses or add your own. Custom task statuses

Custom fields: Capture additional structured data beyond the standard fields, such as SLA level or affected component. Custom fields

Required fields: Ensure that users do not omit specific information.

Work activities: Specify which kinds of time entries, such as testing or development, are allowed. Custom work activities

Task template: Prepopulates new tickets with a text structure that makes data collection easier for users. Task templates

These settings collectively determine how tasks of this type are created, documented, and processed in the system.

Example: “Server Crash” task type

An IT company wants server outages to be documented and analyzed consistently.

It creates a dedicated “Server Crash” task type for this purpose.

Settings:

• Derived from type: Bug

• Status options: New, In Progress, Feedback, Closed, Parked

• Custom fields:

  • Time of occurrence
  • Affected components or services
  • SLA level
  • Impact on operations

• Required fields: SLA level, impact on operations

• Template: Brief problem description with information about the cause and initial actions

Benefit:

Every server crash is documented in the same format, with clear responsibility, structured data fields, and a traceable workflow.

Learn more about ticket system configuration