> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trellistech.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tasks

> Create, assign, schedule, and track work for cleaning, maintenance, inspections, and guest requests

## What this helps you do

Tasks keep operational work moving from request to completion. Use them for cleaning, maintenance, inspections, supply work, owner requests, guest issues, and anything your team needs to track.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create clear work" icon="clipboard-list">
    Add the property, due date, priority, instructions, checklist, and photos your team needs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Assign the right person" icon="user-check">
    Assign work to teammates, vendors, departments, or a scheduled visit.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Track progress" icon="calendar-check">
    Use list, calendar, mobile visit, and status views to see what is done and what is blocked.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Keep costs visible" icon="receipt">
    Track time, supplies, no-charge work, and task history for clean records.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Before you start

* Add your properties and team members.
* Set up departments or vendors if your team routes work by group. Common departments include Cleaning, Maintenance, Inspection, and Front Office.
* Create task templates for repeat work, such as turnovers, inspections, and repairs.
* Connect inventory if you want tasks to update supply usage.

<Tip>
  Add a short description to each department so Trellis and your team know what belongs there. For example, "Pool Care" can cover pool cleaning, chemicals, and pool equipment repairs.
</Tip>

## Create a task

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Tasks">
    Choose **Tasks** from the main navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new task">
    Add the title, property, due date, priority, and details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign the work">
    Pick a teammate, vendor, department, or leave it unassigned until you know who should take it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add instructions">
    Add checklist items, photos, supply needs, notes, or a task template.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the task">
    The task appears in the list and on the calendar when it has a scheduled date.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Task stages

Most tasks move through the same simple path:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open">
    The task exists, but it may not be assigned or scheduled yet.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Scheduled">
    The task has a date and an assignee, so it can appear on the calendar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="In progress">
    The assignee has started the work, updated checklist items, added notes, or uploaded photos.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Completed">
    The work is done. If your workspace requires approval, a manager reviews it before it is final.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Task templates

A task template is a saved blueprint for work you repeat across properties. Common examples include a turnover clean, a pre-arrival check, or a seasonal filter change.

When you create a task from a template, Trellis fills in:

* Title and description
* Department and priority
* Estimated time and number of people
* Checklist
* Default supplies and costs

That way, a new task takes a few clicks instead of a few minutes.

You can start any task from a template. This works everywhere tasks are created: by hand, on the mobile app, in automations, and in workflows.

<Note>
  **How the pieces fit together.** It helps to picture the model before you build one:

  1. A **template** holds the task defaults and a **checklist**.
  2. A checklist is split into **sections**. A section is either a **room-type section** (Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen) or a **custom section** (Amenities, Exterior, Final Walkthrough).
  3. Each section holds **checklist items**, the steps a worker does. You can link an item to a property **element** (pool, grill, hot tub) so it only shows where that element exists.
  4. Each **property** has its own **rooms** and **elements**. When you create a task, Trellis reads them and adjusts the template's checklist to match. See [How templates adapt to each property](#how-templates-adapt-to-each-property).
  5. You can also set **per-property overrides** for a template's time, people, supplies, and costs.

  The result: one template can cover every property. Each property gets the right rooms, steps, and defaults on its own.
</Note>

Common templates teams set up:

| Template             | Department  | Typical use                                     |
| -------------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Standard Turnover    | Cleaning    | Guest checkout cleaning with standard checklist |
| Deep Clean           | Cleaning    | Quarterly or seasonal deep cleaning             |
| Pre-Arrival Check    | Inspection  | Quick walkthrough before guest arrives          |
| HVAC Filter Change   | Maintenance | Scheduled seasonal maintenance                  |
| Post-Stay Inspection | Inspection  | Detailed review after guest checkout            |

### Where to find templates

In the left navigation, open **Tasks**, then choose **Templates** under the **Operations** group. This opens the Task Templates screen, where you can search templates, filter by department, and create, edit, duplicate, or delete them.

<Note>
  You can also reach this screen from **Settings**. The Settings shortcut redirects to **Tasks > Templates**, so both paths land in the same place.
</Note>

### Create a template

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the templates screen">
    Go to **Tasks > Templates** and click **New Template**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name and describe it">
    Add a **Template Name** (required) and an optional **Description** that tells the team when to use it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the department and priority">
    Choose the **Department** that owns this work (Cleaning, Maintenance, Inspection, and so on) and a default **Priority** (Low, Normal, High, or Urgent).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the estimated duration">
    Enter how long the task usually takes. Keep it **Fixed for all properties** to use the same time everywhere, or switch to **Varies per property** so each property can set its own time (see [Per-property template settings](#per-property-template-settings)).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the number of people required">
    Choose how many people should be assigned (1 to 5). This also has a **Fixed for all properties** / **Varies per property** toggle.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the checklist">
    Add sections and checklist items. Each item can have a title, description, step type, reference photo, and photo requirements. See [Checklists](#checklists) for the full breakdown.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add default supplies and costs">
    Optionally pre-fill the supplies (with quantities and a warehouse) and cost lines (amount, currency, and who to bill) that should appear on every task from this template.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    The template is now available when creating tasks, on mobile, in automations and workflows, and in each property's Templates panel.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **Let the AI build it for you.** Instead of building a template by hand, describe what you need to the AI agent, such as "create a bathroom deep clean checklist with photo requirements." The agent knows your departments, room types, and property elements, and builds the template with sections, steps, element links, and photo settings. Review and adjust it before using it widely.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  **Work in more than one language?** Open a template and use **Translate template** to have the AI translate the name, description, and checklist items into another language, so field teams see the steps in the language they prefer.
</Tip>

### Apply, switch, or clear a template on an existing task

You do not have to choose a template when the task is created. Open any task, find the **Template** picker in the Details panel, and apply, switch, or clear it at any time.

<Warning>
  Switching or clearing a task's template **rebuilds the checklist from scratch**. Every existing checklist item is removed first, including completed checkmarks, item notes, uploaded photos, and AI photo-check results. Only do this when you want a fresh checklist. The task's comments and activity history are not affected.
</Warning>

* **Apply a template** to a task that had none. Trellis generates the template's checklist and fills in its default supplies and costs.
* **Switch to a different template** if you picked the wrong one or the work changed. The current checklist is cleared and rebuilt from the new template.
* **Clear the template** (the **X** in the picker) to remove it. The checklist is cleared and the task is left with no template checklist.
* **Re-selecting the same template** does nothing, so you can open the picker without risk of wiping work.

Switching a template does not overwrite the task's title, priority, or department. If the new template has a different description, Trellis asks before replacing the task's description.

### Templates from connected integrations

If you connect an integration like Breezeway, the template picker groups templates by where they came from so you can tell them apart:

* **From Breezeway** (or another connected provider) - templates imported from that account. Choosing one keeps the checklist and requirements aligned so they carry over when the task syncs back to that system.
* **From Trellis** - templates you built in Trellis. These work for tasks managed entirely in Trellis, but their checklists do not appear on the connected provider's side.
* **PMS templates** and **Custom templates** headers may also appear, depending on your connections.

Only active templates appear in the picker.

## Checklists

A checklist breaks a task into clear steps so the person doing the work knows exactly what to do and what "done" looks like. You can add a checklist to a single task, or build it into a template so every task of that type starts with the same steps.

Each checklist item can include:

* A **title** and an optional **description** with instructions
* A **step type** that controls how the worker responds. Common types are a simple done check, yes/no, a number or count, a rating, a short text answer, and a photo step.
* A **reference photo** that shows what a finished step should look like
* **Required photos** (for example before, after, an issue photo, or a general photo) the worker must capture
* **AI photo verification**, which flags photos that look wrong, missing, too dark, or hard to verify so a manager can review before the task closes

### Checklist sections

Checklist items are grouped into sections so the team can work through them in a logical order. There are two kinds of section:

* **Room-type sections** are tied to a kind of room, such as Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen, or Living Room. These adapt to each property (see [Room fan-out](#room-fan-out) below).
* **Custom sections** are free-form groupings such as Amenities, Exterior, or Final Walkthrough. These always appear as written.

Within a section, an item can also be **linked to an element** (like a grill or hot tub) so it only appears at properties that have that element.

When a worker opens the task, the checklist is grouped by section so they can move through it room by room.

### How templates adapt to each property

This is what makes one template work for a whole portfolio. Instead of building a separate template per property, you build one template and Trellis adapts its checklist to each property using that property's **rooms** and **elements** (set up on the [property detail page](/platform/properties#rooms-and-elements)).

#### Room fan-out

When a checklist item is in a room-type section (such as Bedroom or Bathroom), Trellis creates one copy of that step for each matching room at the property.

<Note>
  A single "Clean Bedroom" step becomes "Bedroom 1," "Bedroom 2," and "Bedroom 3" at a 3-bedroom property, and just "Bedroom" at a 1-bedroom. If the property has no rooms of that type, the step is skipped entirely.
</Note>

So one "Deep Clean" template with a Bedroom section works everywhere:

* A studio gets no bedroom steps
* A 2-bedroom condo gets "Bedroom 1" and "Bedroom 2"
* A 5-bedroom villa gets "Bedroom 1" through "Bedroom 5"

Where the room count comes from:

* If the property has **detailed rooms** set up in its Rooms tab (often imported from a connected system), Trellis uses those rooms, including their names and photos.
* If it has no detailed rooms, Trellis falls back to the property's **room counts** (bedrooms, bathrooms, and similar) from the property record.

#### Element-aware steps

A checklist item can be linked to a specific property element, such as a grill, hot tub, pool, or washer. When a task is created, Trellis checks the property:

* **The element is present and active** - the step appears on the task.
* **The element is missing or marked inactive** - the step is skipped.

<Note>
  A "Clean the grill" step only appears for properties that actually have a grill. Properties without one never see it, and you never have to edit the template per property.
</Note>

You maintain one template, and each property automatically gets only the steps that apply to it.

#### Set up rooms and elements first

Room fan-out and element-aware steps only work if each property's rooms and elements are set up. You do this on the property, not on the template:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the property">
    Go to **Properties**, open a property, and select the **Details** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Rooms tab">
    Open the **Rooms** tab and add a room for each physical space (one record per room). If you imported from a connected system, rooms may already be there.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Elements tab">
    Open the **Elements** tab and add or confirm amenities like pool, hot tub, grill, washer, and dryer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mark what is present">
    Use each element's **Active** toggle to show whether the property has it. Inactive elements are skipped when checklists are generated.
  </Step>
</Steps>

See [Rooms and elements](/platform/properties#rooms-and-elements) for the full setup steps.

### Per-property template settings

Even with automatic room and element adaptation, some properties need different defaults than others. The **Templates** section on each property lets you override a shared template for just that property, without creating a separate template.

To override a template at a property:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the property's Templates section">
    Go to **Properties**, open the property, and select the **Templates** section. You will see the workspace's active templates.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Expand a template">
    Click a template to open its per-property settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set your overrides">
    Change the values you want to differ at this property. For supplies and costs, click **Edit** to start from the template's defaults, then adjust. Use **Reset** to return to the template defaults.
  </Step>
</Steps>

What you can override per property:

| Setting                | What it does                                                                                                                 |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Estimated duration** | How long the task should take at this property. A larger home might need 4 hours for a turnover instead of the template's 2. |
| **Required assignees** | How many people to assign. A big property might need 2 cleaners instead of 1.                                                |
| **Default supplies**   | Different supply items, quantities, or warehouse for this property, such as extra chlorine for a property with a pool.       |
| **Default costs**      | Different cost lines or amounts, such as a higher cleaning fee, and who to bill (the property or your company).              |

<Note>
  If the template creator set duration or required people to **Fixed for all properties**, that field is locked on the property and shows a lock icon. Switch the template to **Varies per property** in the template editor to allow per-property values.
</Note>

<Note>
  Per-property overrides apply only to **new** tasks created from that template at that property. Tasks that already exist keep the values they were created with.
</Note>

## Schedule and assign work

* **List view** is best for scanning work by status, assignee, property, priority, or due date.
* **Calendar view** is best for daily schedules, visit planning, and moving work between days.
* **Mobile visits** help field teams see the work grouped by property and date.
* **Unassigned work** should be reviewed often so nothing sits without an owner.

### Visits

When the same person has more than one task at the same property on the same day, Trellis can group those tasks into a visit. This gives the field worker one trip to follow instead of several separate cards.

On mobile, field workers can open **My Visits** to see upcoming and past visits, task progress, property details, and assigned work. If a visit needs to move, use **Reschedule** on the visit so every task in that visit moves together.

### Calendar planning

Use the calendar when you need to plan a day, week, or month:

* Use **Visits** mode to plan trips to properties.
* Use **Tasks** mode to see each task by itself.
* View the calendar by property when you are checking coverage at each home.
* View the calendar by team member when you are balancing workloads.
* Drag work to another day, property, or team member when plans change.

The **Unassigned** row stays easy to find in the team-member calendar, so managers can quickly spot work that still needs an owner.

### Mobile task work

Field teams can create and update tasks from mobile. When creating a mobile task, they can choose a property, date, department, priority, assignee, and template. If the property has bookings shown in Trellis, the calendar helps the team avoid scheduling work during a guest stay.

Admins can also update assignees and dates from the mobile task detail page.

## Communicate on a task

Each task has an activity feed for comments and updates. Use it to keep notes, questions, photos, and manager decisions in one place.

Type **@** in a comment to mention a teammate. Mentioned teammates receive a focused notification, even if they are not assigned to the task.

Team members can manage how they receive task comment notifications in their own notification settings.

If your team works in more than one language, task auto-translation can show titles and descriptions in each teammate's preferred language while keeping the original text.

## Track time, supplies, and cost

Use time tracking when you need to know how long work took. A field worker can start time tracking while working on a task, and managers can later compare planned time with actual time.

Use supply tracking when cleaners or technicians use items from inventory:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add expected supplies">
    Add the supplies the worker is likely to use, such as filters, batteries, towels, or cleaning products.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm what was used">
    Before closing the task, confirm the actual quantity used.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review inventory">
    Trellis updates stock for supplies that are tied to a warehouse.
  </Step>
</Steps>

If your team stores supplies in more than one place, use warehouse transfers in [Supplies](/platform/supplies) to move items from one warehouse to another and keep counts accurate.

Mark work as **no-charge** when the cost should stay in your records but should not be billed onward. You can use no-charge for one task or for a whole visit, depending on what should be excluded.

## Export and report on tasks

Use filters to narrow the task list, then export tasks when you need a spreadsheet for owners, accounting, or internal review. Large exports show progress while the file is prepared, then download when ready.

Common filters include status, date, property, assignee, department, priority, and vendor.

## Use live tracking responsibly

If location tracking is enabled for your workspace and your team has given permission, managers can use the live map to see active workers and route work more clearly.

Location sharing depends on the worker's permission and device settings. If a worker denies location permission or ends their shift, tracking stops.

<Note>
  Use live tracking for dispatch and safety, not surprise monitoring. Make sure your team understands when location sharing is on.
</Note>

## Keep connected systems aligned

When a connected property system supports task updates, Trellis can help keep work status and related notes aligned. What syncs depends on the integration and your workspace settings.

## How to check it worked

* The task appears in the list with the right property, assignee, due date, and status.
* The calendar shows scheduled work on the expected day.
* Checklist items, comments, photos, supplies, and time entries appear in the task history.
* Visits group same-day property work correctly.
* Exports include the tasks that match your current filters.
* Closed tasks show who completed the work and when.

## Common problems

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A teammate cannot see a task">
    Check the task assignee, department, property access, and the teammate's role in **Settings > Permissions**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A task is on the wrong day">
    Open the task or calendar view and update the scheduled date. If it belongs to a visit, check the visit date too.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A checklist step is missing for a property">
    The step may reference a room type or element that the property does not have. Open the property detail view, check the **Rooms** and **Elements** panels, and make sure the relevant room or element exists and is marked as active.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A checklist step appears but should not">
    The property may have an element that should be inactive. Open the property detail view, find the element in the **Elements** panel, and toggle the **Active** switch off. Future tasks will skip that step.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Supplies did not update">
    Make sure the task has supply items attached and that usage was confirmed before the task was closed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A vendor should not be billed">
    Open the task or visit cost section and mark the work as no-charge.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A per-property duration or assignee count is not being used">
    The template field may be set to **Fixed for all properties**. Open the template in **Tasks > Templates**, switch the duration or required people to **Varies per property**, then set the value on the property's **Templates** section.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Switching a template cleared the checklist progress">
    This is expected. Switching or clearing a task's template rebuilds the checklist and removes the previous checkmarks, notes, and photos. Re-selecting the same template makes no changes, so only switch when you want a fresh checklist.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
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  </Card>

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  </Card>

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</CardGroup>