An Activity element (a.k.a "task") is an Expert System element that helps track progress towards earning Credits. Activities and credits are at the heart of the GreenDesk approach, and - along with the rich interactive worksheets that support them - they are the model elements you will likely be using the most, so it is crucial that you understand this entire help section.

An Activity can be allocated to one or more Actors (human resource roles) via the mains activities overview table. Just click on the edit icon under the allocated to column. Or use the convenient, compact Activities-to-Actors allocation table. An activity can also be allocated to one or more actors via the view page or edit page of the activity.

Only activities judged to have 'passed' any related Expert System tests and that have also been marked as 'completed' by a human user result in it being 'accepted' by GreenDesk so that points may be awarded towards a credit !

To complete a credit, at least one (and sometimes all) of its contributing activities must 'accepted', depending on the Points Logic of the credit and the credit points you are targeting.

Most simple activities (activities without any sub-activities) carry one or more expert system tests that depend on project model values (information usually entered via convenient rich interactive worksheets). Some activities, however, have no underlying calculation, but merely a statement of the activity or task in plain language, in which case users are invited to simply "manually" assert that they are indeed 'completed'.

Users also have the option of completely overriding any expert system calculations and can then just assert that an activity is 'completed'. To use this facility, simply Edit the activity and enable Override Mode.

Some activities - known as composite activities - do not have their own expert system tests, but derive their 'passed', 'completed', and 'accepted' status from their sub-activities (a.k.a. child activities), some or all of which must also be completed first, depending on the Points Logic, and on which credit points you wish to target.

Some activities have prerequisite activities that must also be completed first. Some activities also have Constraints with expert system tests that must also be "met" first.

Throughout GreenDesk, special status indicator icons are used to indicate whether each activity element carries any expert system tests and whether it has passed those expert system tests and has also been signed-off as 'completed' by an authorised user, in which case it is denoted 'accepted' by the system. Just hold your mouse over an activity status icon to find out the status of the activity.

The activity status indicator icons for the expert system mode are:

• The activity has its own expert system test(s) that depends on project model values. The view page for the activity and any related worksheets will prompt you to enter any information required to apply the expert system test(s). Only simple activities, which do not have sub-activities, may carry an expert system tests.
• The activity does not have its own expert system test. If it is a simple activity (has no sub-activities) to have it fully 'accepted' just sign-off on it as 'completed' using its dedicated activity view page (with the Complete! button) or via the edit page. If it is a composite activity it will automatically be considered 'completed' as soon as enough of its sub-activities are 'completed', depending on the points logic used.
• The activity has override mode on. Any expert system tests will be ignored. It must however still be signed-off as 'completed' by a user to be fully 'accepted' by the system ! Please note that for a composite activity, even if override mode is on (and all expert system tests are ignored) it will still NOT be considered 'completed' until sufficient sub-activities are signed-off as 'completed' !

The activity status indicator icons for the expert system test results are:

• The activity has at least one expert system test (or at least one constraint) that depends on project model values and at least one test has failed. Visit the activity's page to find out why from the expert system report, which will usually refer you to a convenient rich interactive worksheet with information on any culprit model values. You will be invited to make design or specification changes required to pass the test(s).
• The activity has passed all expert system tests (if any are applicable), but it is not yet 'accepted'; You still have to mark it explicitly as 'completed' (sign-off on it) to have it fully 'accepted' so that it contributes points to the total credit score.Visit the link to the activity's view page and then:
• EITHER: Use use the Complete! button from the the activity's main view page. The activity will automatically be marked as 'completed' and the completion date will be set to the current date.
• OR: You may mark it as 'completed' via its Edit page, where you may also enter any additional completion remarks. By default, on Save the completion date will be set to the current date; you may also choose a different completion date from the edit page form.
• The activity has passed any expert systems tests (or the user has used override mode). A human user has also already signed-off on it as 'completed'. It therefore has a status of fully 'accepted', and can earn points towards any related credits.

These status icons are in addition to the main Activity element icon. If you hold your mouse/pointer over the main activity icon, it will tell you whether it is a simple activity or a composite activity with sub-activities to complete.

The view page of every activity element tells you exactly whether it has passed any expert system tests, and if it fails, why, in which case GreenDesk will usually refer you to a convenient worksheet where you can examine the model data and supply any missing information or make design changes. In most cases, problematic "bad apple" model data can also be edited directly in the view page for the activity.

You may also indicate a commencement date for each simple activity via its edit page, which is useful for project tracking and planning. A composite activity gleans its (earliest) commencement date and (most recent) completion date from its sub-activities (child activities). These are also indicated under the Allocated activities section for the view page of each Actor (human resource role).