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

# Tasks

> Add tasks to tickets to manage complex processes. 

## Overview

You can add tasks to tickets to break complex tickets into smaller, actionable steps. Each task has the same properties as a standard ticket, but maintains a parent-child relationship with its parent ticket.

## Creating tasks

You can create tasks in 3 ways:

1. Add a task to an existing ticket
2. Convert a ticket to a task
3. Automate task creation from workflows

### Option 1: Add a task to an existing ticket

Open any ticket and create a new task directly within it. Navigate to **Tickets** → Select Ticket → Click the **"+"** sign next to Tasks → Add all the same information you would to a ticket (e.g., name, description, assignee)

### Option 2: Convert a ticket to a task

You can convert any existing ticket into a task by assigning it a parent ticket. This is useful when you realize a ticket is actually part of a larger piece of work. Navigate to **Tickets** → Select Ticket → Click the three dots on the right corner → Select **"Set parent ticket"** → Search for parent ticket

### Option 3: Automate task creation

Use workflows to automatically generate tasks. When creating a workflow, instruct Serval to create the subtasks you need. When the workflow is triggered, the tasks will automatically be created, and viewable in the ticket in app.serval.com.

<Tip>
  For example, create an onboarding workflow that automatically creates two tasks and assigns one to Spencer. When you onboard a new employee, the two tasks will automatically be created and assigned to the respective individuals. Go into the ticket in [app.serval.com](http://app.serval.com) to view the tasks.
</Tip>

## How tasks work

Tasks operate like regular tickets with a few key differences:

1. **Tasks have parent tickets**: A task has a "child" relationship to a "parent" ticket. Tasks use a two-layer hierarchy — tasks cannot have their own sub-tasks.
2. **Manual or automated**: Each task can trigger its own workflows or be completed manually. Tasks don't need to follow the same workflow as their parent ticket.
3. **Cross-team assignment**: Assign tasks to any team member, regardless of your role in their team. This makes it easy to coordinate work across multiple teams.
4. **Parallel execution**: Multiple tasks can be active simultaneously. There's no limit to how many tasks a ticket can have.
5. **Visible on parent ticket**: All child tickets (tasks) are visible at the top of the parent ticket, including tasks created by workflows. This gives you a clear overview of all related work.

## Filtering tickets and tasks

Use relation filters to find specific ticket types. Navigate to **Tickets** → **Filter** → **Relations** → Choose between:

* **Parent tickets**: Tickets that have at least one task
* **Child tickets**: All tasks (tickets with a parent)

You can also use the **Type** filter to narrow by ticket type:

* **Requests**: Root-level tickets (no parent)
* **Tasks**: Tickets that are children of a parent request

Ticket badges display full type names — "Request" and "Task" — for clarity.

<Tip>
  For example:

  * Filter for "Parent tickets" to see all major projects that have been broken down into smaller tasks
  * Filter for "Child tickets" assigned to you to see all the individual tasks you're responsible for, regardless of which parent ticket they belong to
  * Use the "Type" filter to quickly switch between viewing requests and tasks
</Tip>