A resource request lets a manager ask for a freelancer from your talent pool, get it approved, and have Worksuite create the task once the freelancer is chosen and has completed the steps you require, such as signing an agreement. Your resource team tracks every request in one place, and nobody sets up tasks by hand.

In Worksuite, a resource request is a job opening that uses a workflow with an Assign task action. This article covers the one-time setup and each person's part in the process.

Your workspace may use different names for some labels in this article. For example, job openings are often called Resource Requests, and Partners may be called Freelancers or Talent.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Before you start

  • Who can do this: admins or teammates with access to Workflows build the workflow. Anyone who can create job openings can submit a request, and teammates who can publish job openings approve them.
  • Availability: job openings and automatic task creation must be turned on for your workspace. If you don't see Job openings in the side menu, or Assign task in a workflow's action list, contact Worksuite Support to enable it.
  • Job opening templates (optional): a template can pre-fill or hide fields on every request, such as the workflow and approvers. Worksuite sets up templates for you. Contact Worksuite Support to create or change one.

How the process works

  1. A manager creates a job opening with the details of the work and the task fields: project, task name, dates, fee and task managers.
  2. An approver reviews the request and makes it live.
  3. Your resource team adds candidates from your talent pool. Each candidate works through the workflow, for example to review the details and sign an agreement.
  4. When a candidate reaches the Assign task stage, Worksuite creates their task from the job opening's task fields.
  5. The freelancer does the work and invoices against the task.

Step 1: Build the workflow

You only do this once. Every request that uses the workflow creates tasks the same way.

  1. In the side menu, open Workflows, then click Workflows under Onboarding.
  2. Click Create new workflow, or edit an existing workflow.
  3. Add the stages a candidate must complete before work starts. Use Partner-facing stage for stages the freelancer completes, such as Information or Sign agreement, and Internal stage for reviews your team completes.
  4. After those stages, click Add action stage.
  5. In the new stage, click Add an action and select Assign task.
  6. Choose the status the task is created in (see the table below).
  7. Save the stage, then click Save workflow.

You'll see "Workflow has been updated." For a new workflow, you'll see "Workflow has been added."

Task statusWhat happens
Draft (default)The task is created as a draft. The freelancer isn't notified until someone on your team opens the task and clicks Make Live.
PendingThe task is sent to the freelancer, who gets an email and accepts or rejects it.
AcceptedThe task starts as accepted, so the freelancer doesn't need to accept it. The freelancer doesn't get the task invitation email, so let them know the task is ready.
Place the Assign task stage after your review and Sign agreement stages. Stages run in order, so the task is only created once everything before it is complete.

Step 2: Submit a request

For the manager who needs a freelancer.

  1. Go to Marketplace → Job openings (or All Job openings, if your workspace pins templates to the menu).
  2. Click New job opening. If your workspace has several job opening templates, choose the one for your request.
  3. Enter the Job title, Description and Location.
  4. In Workflow, choose the workflow from Step 1.
  5. Fill in the task fields: Project, Name task, Task managers, Start/End date, the fee and the description.
  6. (Optional) In Approvers, select who needs to approve the request.
  7. Click Create job opening.
  8. If you added approvers, click Request approval. The status changes to Pending and your approvers get an email. If you can publish job openings yourself, click Make live instead.

How Worksuite uses the task fields:

  • Each candidate who reaches the Assign task stage gets their own task with these details.
  • If you leave Name task empty, the task takes the job opening's name.
  • If you don't choose a project, Worksuite creates a project named after the job opening.

Step 3: Approve the request

For approvers.

  1. Open the request from the approval email, or find it under Marketplace → Job openings. Its status is Pending.
  2. Check the details and task fields. If something needs to change, edit the request or ask the requester on the Team Board tab.
  3. Click Make live.

The status changes to Open and the requester gets an email. Any candidates already on the request start the workflow.

Step 4: Add candidates and track the request

For the resource team.

  1. Open the request and go to the Candidates tab. Once the request is live, click Quickly add candidate to add freelancers from your talent pool. While it's still in Draft or Pending, add them under Add specific Partner or group. You can also add them from a list or from All Partners with Add to job opening.
  2. Follow each candidate's progress through the workflow on the Candidates tab.

To see the tasks created from a request, open it and go to the Tasks tab. The tasks also appear in Tasks & Projects → All Tasks.

When the work is done, the freelancer can submit an invoice for the task. If your workspace uses Worksuite for invoices, your team can also click Add Invoice on the task to create one for them.

To discuss a request with your team, use the Team Board tab. Type @ followed by a teammate's name to notify them. The Team Board is for your team only.

Change a task after it's created

Changes to the request after a task is created aren't copied to that task. To record an extension, a rate change or new dates, edit the task itself.

When you save changes to a task, Worksuite emails the task managers a summary of what changed, such as a new name, dates, fee or description. Once the task has been sent to the freelancer, they get an email too.

Troubleshooting

I see "Selected workflow doesn't have an Action Stage to automatically create a task." The workflow you chose has no Assign task action. Choose another workflow, or add an action stage with Assign task (Step 1).

I don't see the Workflow field or the task fields on the form. The Workflow field only appears once your workspace has at least one workflow. If you have workflows, your job opening template may hide these fields, or automatic task creation isn't turned on. Contact Worksuite Support to change the template or enable the feature.

A candidate finished the workflow but no task was created. Check on the Candidates tab that the candidate reached the Assign task stage. Tasks are only created for workflows that run on a job opening. If the workflow was applied to the freelancer directly, no task is created. If the task still doesn't appear, contact Worksuite Support with the request name and the candidate's name.

Support/Resources

Still have questions about resource requests and automatic task creation? Click Support in the bottom-left corner of Worksuite to contact our Support team, or email support@worksuite.com. Including a link to the page you're on and a screenshot helps us answer faster.