Troubleshoot tasks

Some tasks (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) may temporarily be hidden based on the filter used to see the tasks. To see all of the tasks, remove the filter.

1. On the View menu, point to Arrange By, point to Current View, and then click Customize Current View.
2. Click Filter.
3. In the lower-right corner, click Clear All.

Did you create the assigned task (assigned task: A task that has been sent to someone as a task request in an e-mail message. When you assign a task, you give up ownership of it (unless the assignee declines it). The assigner can receive status reports for the task.) from an existing task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) in your task list (task list: A list of tasks that appears in the Tasks folder and in the TaskPad in Calendar.)? If so, and you cleared the Keep an updated copy of this task on my task list check box in the task request (task request: A request sent in an e-mail message asking the recipient to complete a task. If the recipient accepts the task, it is added to the recipient's task list, and the recipient becomes the new owner of the task.), Microsoft Outlook deleted the copy of the task from your task list. You can create another task to assign, or ask the new owner of the task to send you a copy of it. Either way, if you want status information about the first task you assigned, you must request it from the owner of the task.

Microsoft Outlook periodically checks the Inbox for task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) update messages. When a task update message appears, Outlook updates the task in your task list (task list: A list of tasks that appears in the Tasks folder and in the TaskPad in Calendar.) and deletes the message in Inbox for you. The new task information is saved with the task in your task list, so no information is lost.

When you filled out the task request (task request: A request sent in an e-mail message asking the recipient to complete a task. If the recipient accepts the task, it is added to the recipient's task list, and the recipient becomes the new owner of the task.), you might not have selected the Send me a status report when this task is complete check box. To receive status reports for this task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.), send a mail message to the task owner and ask that person to send you a status report.

If you created an unassigned copy of the task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) and then assigned the copy to someone else, you and everyone who formerly received updates to the original task won't be able to keep an updated copy of it in your task list (task list: A list of tasks that appears in the Tasks folder and in the TaskPad in Calendar.). The original task will stay in the task list of the person you first assigned it to. If you request a status report for that task, you will receive the report when the original owner marks the task complete. You won't receive updates or status reports for the copy you assigned.

After someone declines a task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) assignment, you have to reclaim ownership of the task by adding it back to your task list (task list: A list of tasks that appears in the Tasks folder and in the TaskPad in Calendar.).

1. Open the message that contains the task request (task request: A request sent in an e-mail message asking the recipient to complete a task. If the recipient accepts the task, it is added to the recipient's task list, and the recipient becomes the new owner of the task.) that was declined.
2. On the Actions menu, click Return to Task List.

The Skip Occurrence command (on the Actions menu) isn't available if you select Regenerate new task in the Task Recurrence dialog box. When you select Regenerate new task, a new occurrence of the task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) won't appear in your task list (task list: A list of tasks that appears in the Tasks folder and in the TaskPad in Calendar.) until you mark the previous occurrence as complete. So you don't need to skip an occurrence of this task.

You cannot create an unassigned copy of a task (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) when:

• You created the task and are the owner of the task.
• The task was assigned to you by another person and you are the owner of the task.
• You already created an unassigned copy of the task.

By default, 8 hours equals 1 day and 40 hours equals 1 week in Microsoft Outlook. Therefore, if you enter 12 hours of actual work, Outlook converts that to 1.5 days. However, you can change the number of hours Outlook uses to calculate a day or week.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Other tab.
2. Click Advanced Options.
3. To set the number of hours that Outlook uses to calculate a day, type a number in the Task working hours per day box.
4. To set the number of hours that Outlook uses to calculate a week, type a number in the Task working hours per week box.

By default, Microsoft Outlook displays overdue tasks (task: A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.) in red and completed tasks in gray. However, you can change these colors.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click Task Options, and then select the colors you want.

By default, Outlook doesn't show the TaskPad.

• In Calendar, from the View menu, click TaskPad.

You may have enlarged one or more of the elements in the Calendar window, causing the TaskPad (TaskPad: The list of tasks in Calendar.) to disappear. To make the TaskPad reappear, try any of the following:

• Hide or resize the Navigation Pane (Navigation Pane: The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes panes such as Shortcuts or Mail and the shortcuts or folders within each pane. Click a folder to show the items in the folder.) if it is visible. To hide the Navigation Pane, click the View menu, and then click Navigation Pane. To resize the Navigation Pane, point to the border on the right side of the Navigation Pane scroll bar. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border to the left.
• Resize the appointment area. Point to the border on the right side of the appointment area scroll bar. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border to the left.
• Resize the Date Navigator (Date Navigator: The small calendar that displays the current month in Calendar. It provides a quick and easy way to move appointments and to view other dates.) if more than two months appear. Point to the border below the Date Navigator. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow , drag the border up.
• Maximize the window by clicking Maximize .
• If you are using Microsoft Exchange Server, you may be able to view another person's Calendar folder, but not have permission to open the person's Tasks folder. Ask the person who granted you access to verify the permission granted to you by doing the following: on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Delegates tab. Select the delegate's name in the Delegates list, and then click Permissions.
• The Personal Folders file (Personal Folders file (.pst): Data file that stores your messages and other items on your computer. You can assign a .pst file to be the default delivery location for e-mail messages. You can use a .pst to organize and back up items for safekeeping.) that contains this Calendar folder may not have a Tasks folder.