# Task Types in the Task Palette

While some tasks are designed to run automatically and others manually, you can create and define details for each task in the dependency diagram.

The task options are displayed in the **task palette** at the top of the diagram when you are in **Action** mode.  Configuring the tasks is easy and intuitive.

<figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/3zEgwcv8waKdnxBxB9Un/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-14%20at%202.31.11%20PM.png" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="success" %}
**Best Practice**

Many tasks contain fields that only display whilst in the workflow template.  Alemba recommends you do not hide these fields because you will need to configure them in the template.  For example, Request Status on Completion is only visible when working with the task in the Workflow template. &#x20;
{% endhint %}

## Available task types&#x20;

<table><thead><tr><th width="104">Icon</th><th>Name</th><th width="255">Use</th><th>Automatic/Manual</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/1TpySRib8rRTIqGsxR9C/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Standard task</td><td>A basic task type when none of the specific tasks are appropriate</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/OWZSAe7vzelQzVBq5CKE/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Approval task</td><td>Creating an approval that requires an officer to reject or approve it. Depending on the approval status, other linked tasks are executed.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/k3qA7IZVwqWLBXX0KP0H/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Messaging task</td><td>Sending out email and pager messages to various people</td><td>Both – Automatic by default</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/E0MwJecCC9mF3DLuxlyx/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Conditional branching task</td><td>Creating conditions and then performing actions based on the conditions. A Conditional Branching task consists of one or more rules</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/twfanp5Y6YP3vKHVjdt2/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Manage CMDB task</td><td>Performing transactions on CMDB items (CI, service, service action, service bundle) and People such as creating, updating, deleting CMDB items/people (also fields associated with CMDB items/people), and links between CMDB items and/or stakeholders. Asset management transactions can also be executed.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/SGXJCmtNfetV1en9UUk6/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Create Request task</td><td>Creating a request as a result of this task being completed</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/Ayo1xeon2EOnHuZOGVb2/image.png" alt=""></td><td>User Approval task</td><td>Creating approval that is sent to a user via the Self Service Portal</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/rlav9NFeM8ZOveNji9ok/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Delay task</td><td>Creating a delay in a workflow, this task remains open until a certain time is reached, and is then closed and moves on to the next point in the workflow.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/xbbSBj2RsL0dnqXGNUQH/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Activation task</td><td>Creating an activation checkpoint in a workflow, providing the ability to wait until a certain amount of “activation points” have been generated before the task is activated.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/DtkvAgT9ZrK97aTEMIQS/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Closure task</td><td>Marking the end of a request</td><td>Both - Manual by default</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/yOsYQLRQkrcAWcmFMGiC/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Define Change window</td><td>Defining change windows to be applied to the CMDB items liked to a request</td><td>Manual</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/Pb6bg3YmyaqebFjYzgYu/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Run External Procedure</td><td>Automatically running an external procedure, i.e. an application outside of ASM, optionally with parameters passed to it.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/fWoOrfpVyCaEvv75mJZr/image.png" alt=""></td><td>External Supplier task</td><td>Creating tasks to be completed by external officers on the portal</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/jnm36QbjBlEqhQbWZCRB/image.png" alt=""></td><td>SLM Start task</td><td>Starting or resuming events on the SLA that is currently linked to the request. This is equivalent to the  button on the Request Service window.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/fYF0wvpPhKKpJF50ECGC/image.png" alt=""></td><td>SLM Stop task</td><td>Suspending events on the SLA that is currently linked to the request. This is equivalent to the  button on the Request Service window.</td><td>Automatic</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/hlW9jKl7dcDggHAPhNU9/blobs/KkSIjCHutN7hTWt5cPIx/image.png" alt=""></td><td>Outbound Action task</td><td>Outbound actions for integrating ASM with a third party application</td><td>Automatic</td></tr></tbody></table>