Working within Tracks

Overview

What is a Track?

The concept of Tracks is based on a Kanban board, allowing you to visualise your work items on a number of columns. As work flows from left to right, each column represents the status of the work, for example ‘To-do’, ‘Doing’, ‘Pending response’ ‘Resolved’. You see a shared team view of all the work that is in the system which encourages prioritisation and collaborative working. A track could be used to manage Freedom of Information Requests (FOIs), correspondence, referrals, customer service and much more.

pam Tracks

What is a Track Item?

An Item is a piece of work represented on the Track, it progresses through the columns until it has been completed. An Item can be given a category, assigned to a member of the team and have Documents and Connected Initiatives attached to it.

Visibility

Other users can see a Track and its items if they're a part of the team, as with all pam Initiatives. You can check who has access to the Track by clicking Team in the top right hand corner of the screen.

Instructions

Finding your way around the Track

  • Pictured below is a Track populated with Items. Each box is an Item of work, it has its own Item ID, name, assigned team member, user avatar and category on display.
  • The columns are Track statuses, these can be customized - find out how to do that here. The Items move from left to right as the work is completed, and the column headings display how many Items are within them.
pam Tracks
  • You can filter the Items you see on the Track using the Team Members and Categories dropdown menus, or use the Search bar to look for a specific Item.
  • View or edit a Track Item by clicking on its name, and return to the Track by clicking Back to Track.
  • Click Archived in the top right hand corner to view archived Items.

Team

To view, add or remove team members from the Track, click Team in the top right hand corner.

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 15.59.16

 Adding an Item to the Track

pam Tracks

 

 

Click New Item in the top right hand corner of the Track, a new box will appear in your To-do column as pictured to the left.

Name your Item and click Add Item. Your new Item will appear in your To-do column with an Item ID, but it will not be automatically assigned to anyone.

 

 

Features within a Track Item

Click on a Track Item to view, edit or implement the following operational features:

  • Name: edit by changing the text in the field
  • Description: an opportunity to provide further information on the Item, for example; if the Item is a complaint, copy the exact text from the complaint email into this text field
  • ID: this Item number is unique, you'll see it in the Item URL and on the Track itself
  • Creation Date: displays the exact date and time the Item was created
  • Creator: displays the user that created the Item
  • Assigning: use the dropdown menu to select the team member you wish to assign this Item to. Their pam profile picture will then be visible on the Item within the Track
  • Item status: change the status (eg: To-do, In progress, Resolved) using the dropdown, changing the status of an item will move it to the correct column in the Track
  • Item categories: add, remove or change categories assigned to the item using the dropdown menu, all assigned categories will then be displayed on the Track view - note: if the Track Administrator hasn't set up Categories, this option will not appear
  • Due date and time: enter a date and time for when your Item must be completed. This will be highlighted in the Track and you'll see a visual trigger if the Item is overdue - note: entering a due date and time is optional

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 16.00.27
Remember to click Update Item to save changes before returning to the Track.

Information sharing

You can use the Notes area within an Item to notify team members of updates when necessary, start or contribute Discussions to help reach a shared understanding and upload any relevant Documents.

Stats

Clicking on view stats whilst on the overview of a track will bring the stats page for that track. The stats page creates an immediate visual understanding of a track. There is a wealth of information available on this page, including:

  • Resolutions per day
  • Creations per day
  • Average resolution time
  • Analysis of due dates and overdue work
  • Spread of outcomes
  • The number of items assigned to each user when they were resolved

Clicking on any of the numbers on that page will present you with a list of items matching that criteria. For example, clicking on the number of created items will list the items created in the reporting period you have set, this can be a useful way to review all the items created within a specific month.

Stats

Linked Work

Here you can connect the track item with other work in pam, or create a new initiative to link it to. This is great if you use tracks to manage your decision making but other areas of pam to deliver the outcomes of those decisions.

Notifications

pam notifies you when relevant actions are taken on a track item.

You’ll be notified when:

  • You’re assigned an Item.
  • A change is made to the Item by another Team member e.g. changes the status.
  • You’re not the assignee but another Team member chooses to notify you about a Note or Discussion they’ve posted in an Item.

Need further help? Get in touch...

Message us via pam, email us at support@pam-it.com or call 01273 041 042.
  • Sam Peters
  • Roy Crombleholme
  • Stuart Johnson