In this article, find all the information related to the configuration of a recurrent task.
Summary
1. The register
🔎 Recurrent task registers (runbooks) allow visualizing all tasks to be performed on a regular basis and documenting their successful completion or not.
A registry also provides an additional level of reporting.
Several alternative views are offered:
Calendar View Representation
In the calendar view, task completion is represented by colored squares:
- light gray for tasks in the future
- yellow for overdue tasks
- blue for tasks to be completed in the current period
- dark gray for tasks marked as not applicable
- green for tasks completed (operations) or completed OK (control)
- blue for tasks completed KO (control)
- red for tasks not completed
- blue hatched for tasks pending approval
- blue hatched yellow for rejected tasks to be reviewed
Completed tasks with evidence (attachment or link) are identified with a blue dot:
At the top of the grid, buttons allow selecting the time granularity.
From the menu at the top right, it is also possible to:
- add a group of recurrent tasks
- send a reminder to users who have not yet entered the completion of their associated tasks. It will send a reminder to every person responsible for a recurring task in the runbook.
- modify the run book
2. Create a Recurrent Task
2.1. Inapp
To add a recurrent task, click on the button at the top right of the register:
You can also directly add a task to a group by clicking on the button next to the group name:
The add form allows you to specify the basic information for the task. You can associate attachments (implementation instructions, for example) and metrics later after creation.
Measure
A task is necessarily associated with a measure in run.
Workload
The workload of completing a period allows planning the necessary resources.
Mandatory Proof
It is possible to make the attachment of evidence (usually proof of completion) mandatory.
Allow NA
It is also possible to allow indicating that a completion period is Not Applicable.
🔎 Non-applicable can also be useful if you want to perform a recurrent task every 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years: you can use weekly, monthly, and annual periodicities and indicate 1/2 of the recurrent task as Not Applicable.
Nature
The nature of the task allows distinguishing operational tasks from control tasks.
Operational tasks correspond to security operations (SecOps) and are necessary for the proper functioning of measures. They are performed or not (their performance can be measured through indicators) and contribute to the operational score of the measures.
Control tasks correspond to permanent or periodic control and allow measuring the proper functioning of operational processes. They are performed or not, and when performed, they can be positive (OK test) or negative (KO test), contributing to compliance.
🔎Control tasks have 3 types of done status : Done OK, Done KO and Not done.
The "Done KO" status means the RT has been done but the result was not the one expected.
Those recurring tasks can be used to set up a control plan. This article shows you how to do it.
Start Date and periodicity
Weekly and monthly tasks are aligned with the calendar; the actual start date will be the start of the period (week or month) incorporating the selected start date. For example, a monthly task with a start date of 12/01/2024 will actually start on 01/01/2024.
Quarterly, semi-annual, and annual tasks can be calendar or not, depending on the chosen start date.
🔎 By default, when a frequency is selected, Tenacy sets the date at the beginning of the current calendar period. Another date can be chosen, and the operation is as follows:
- If the start date corresponds to a calendar period, for example, 01/01/2024 for an annual task or 01/10/2024 for a quarterly task, the task will be calendar, and it will be possible to modify the start date to another valid calendar date.
- If the start date is not a calendar period, for example, 01/04/2024 for an annual task or 15/09/2024 for a "quarterly" task, then the task will be non-calendar, to be entered before its anniversary date - 1 day, for example, between 01/04/2024 and 31/03/2025 for the first iteration of the previous annual example, and the start date cannot be modified.
Execution Window
💡The execution window is the number of days before the end of the period. It is in this interval that you can fill in the recurrent task.
If no completion window is specified, a task can be marked as completed from the beginning of its period. For example, for a monthly task, it is possible to indicate it as done for the current period from the 1st of the month.
If a window is specified, then the task cannot be filled in before the start of this window, and the completion date must be within the defined window. The window is calculated as [<end date of the period> - number of days, <end date of the period>]. For example, for an annual task, if the window is 30 days, the task cannot be entered before the last month of the year.
Approval
You can decide that the task requires approval by selecting a user or group in the Approver field:
- If there is no approver, then a task marked as completed goes directly into the completed state.
- If there's an approver, a task marked as completed goes into the approval pending state
- If the task awaiting approval is accepted, it is completed.
- If the task is rejected, it goes back and must be resubmitted after correction.
🔎 Approval also applies to the Not Applicable status.
Registers
As a local pilot, "hidden" registers may appear. These are the registers to which the recurrent task belongs but are outside the scope of the local pilot. Therefore, the local pilot cannot see or modify them.
Once the recurrent task is saved and created, new tabs appear: History, Metrics, Files, and Activities.
History Tab
In this tab, you can see the different occurrences of recurrent tasks and whether they have been completed or not, by whom, and when. In this tab, you can indicate whether a recurrent task is done or not.
Metrics Tab
You can associate metrics with your recurrent tasks: thus, when entering your task, you can directly enter the associated metrics.
🔎 You can read this article to understand how to link a metric to a recurrent task.
You can also simply consult the metrics associated with recurrent tasks from this tab.
Files Tab
In this tab, you can view the different files deposited in the task but also add them.
Activity Tab
Like elsewhere in the solution, the "Activity" tab allows you to see the different steps of the task, add comments, images, links...
2.2. Via Import (Export / Import)
You can also import/export your recurrent task registers and also generate a PDF report.
3. Perform a Recurrent Task
To record the completion (or non-completion) or consult the history, click on a square of this task.
You can then:
- specify the performer of the task
- choose whether the task was Done, Not done, or Not Applicable (if allowed)
- specify the completion date
- add a comment
- attach a file or a proof or information link (for example, a list of deleted accounts).