Power of Automation :: Automatic Task Status Handling for Users

Power of Automation :: Automatic Task Status Handling for Users

Hello Everyone,


A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate complex tasks and calculations. 


Below is the use case ::

Each user may have only one task in the “In Progress” status at any given time.

When a new task is set to “In Progress,” any other task currently in the same status for that user shall be automatically updated to “On Hold.”

The Hold Reason field should be automatically populated with a message indicating the new task ID, for example “Automatically placed on hold because Task #123456 was set to In Progress.”

This functionality can be implemented using Custom Functions. First, establish a connection with the Zoho Projects service using the scopes 'ZohoProjects.tasks.ALL'.

Make sure to set the connection link name to ‘projects’ in the code provided below. The screenshot of Arguments & Task Workflow Rule is attached for reference.

projectsV3APIEndPoint = "https://projectsapi.zoho.in/api/v3";
projectsAPIEndPoint = "https://projectsapi.zoho.in/restapi";
statusName = "On Hold";

if(taskOwnerDetails.get(0).get("full_name").equalsIgnoreCase("Unassigned User")) {
return "Owner not assigned";
}
ownerId = taskOwnerDetails.get(0).get("zpuid");
usersParam = Map();
usersParam.put("user_type","active");
taskParam = Map();
// Create a custom view with all the open tasks that are not in "On Hold" status and replace it in the view_id variable below
viewId = "337480000003148137";
taskParam.put("view_id", viewId);
taskParam.put("filter",{ "criteria": [ { "field_name": "owner", "criteria_condition": "is", "value": [ownerId] } ], "pattern": "1" });
getAllTasks = invokeurl
[
url :projectsV3APIEndPoint + "/portal/" + portalId + "/tasks"
type :GET
parameters:taskParam
connection:"projects"
];
info getAllTasks;
if(getAllTasks.containsKey("tasks") && getAllTasks.get("tasks").size()>0) {
statusId = null;
/*  Close all tasks */
//Fetch task layouts
taskLayoutDetails = invokeurl
[
url :projectsAPIEndPoint + "/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/tasklayouts"
type :GET
connection:"projects"
];
// info taskLayoutDetails;
if(taskLayoutDetails != null && taskLayoutDetails.get("status_details") != null)
{
statusDetails = taskLayoutDetails.get("status_details");
for each  status in statusDetails
{
if(status.get("name").equalsIgnoreCase(statusName))
{
// Fetch task status id based on status name
statusId = status.get("id");
info status.get("name") + " : " + statusId;
break;
}
}
}
if(statusId != null)
{
taskIds = list();
for each  task in getAllTasks.get("tasks")
{
projectId = task.get("project").get("id");
taskId = task.get("id");
if(taskId.equals(currentTaskId)){
info "Skipped";
} else {
/*Update task status to On Hold*/
updateTaskMap = Map();
updateTaskMap.put("custom_status",statusId);
updateTaskResponse = zoho.projects.update(portalId,projectId,"tasks",taskId,updateTaskMap,"projects");
/*Add comment*/
addCommentMap = Map();
taskURL = projectsEndPoint+portalName+"#zp/task-detail/"+currentTaskId;
addCommentMap.put("comment","Moved to Hold automatically because Task <a href="+taskURL+">"+task.get("prefix")+"</a> was set to In Progress");
addComment = invokeurl
[
url :projectsV3APIEndPoint + "/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/tasks/" + taskId + "/comments"
type :POST
parameters:addCommentMap.toString()
connection:"projects"
];
}
}
}
else
{
return "Status not found";
}
}
return "success";
Creating custom functions in Zoho Projects is straightforward and well-documented. Zoho provides a range of built-in functions that you can use as a starting point, and you can also easily define your own functions using Zoho's scripting language, Deluge. Give it a try and see how it can save your time and boost your productivity!

Watch this space for more such custom function codes.

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