Objective
This SOP outlines the steps to create a new action item in EnviroAutomate. Action items are used to track tasks, follow-ups, and issues that need attention within your projects and sites.
Prerequisites
You must be logged in as a standard user or administrator
If linking to a client, project, or site, those records must already exist in the system
Key Steps
1. Navigate to the Create Action Item Page
Click "Action Items" in the left sidebar under the WORKFLOW section
Click the "+ Create Action Item" button at the top of the list
2. Enter Action Item Details
Fill in the required fields (marked with a red asterisk):
Name - Enter a clear, descriptive name for the action item (e.g., "Follow up on elevated PID readings at MW-03")
Assigned To - Select the team member responsible for this action item from the dropdown
Type - Select the type of action item. Available types are:
Manual Entry (default for general tasks)
GME Elevated PID Reading
GME LNAPL Thickness Change
GME First Time LNAPL Detection
GME Assessment Location Destroyed
Report Writing Required
Soil Classification - VIC: Statistical Outlier Detected
Soil Classification - NSW: Statistical Outlier Detected
Soil Classification - VIC: ASLP Testing Required (20x Rule)
Status - Set the current status: Open (default), In Progress, Completed, or Cancelled
Priority - Set the importance level: Low, Medium (default), High, or Critical
3. Set Dates (Optional)
Start Date - When work on this item should begin
Due Date - The deadline for completing this item
Completed Date - The date the item was finished (typically set when marking as Completed)
4. Link to Related Records (Optional)
You can link the action item to existing records for better traceability. These fields use cascading dropdowns — selecting one will filter the options available in the others:
Client - Select a client. This populates the Project and Site dropdowns with records belonging to that client.
Project - Select a project. This filters the Site dropdown to only show sites associated with that project.
Site - Select a site. This populates the Assessment Location, Fieldwork Task, and Client Report dropdowns with records belonging to that site.
Assessment Location - Select a specific assessment location at the site (e.g., a monitoring well or borehole)
Fieldwork Task - Link to a specific fieldwork task
Client Report - Link to a specific client report
5. Add Description (Optional)
Use the "Description / Notes" field to provide additional context, instructions, or details about the action item
6. Save the Action Item
Review all entered information
Click "Save" to create the action item
You will be redirected to the Edit page for the newly created action item, where you can make further changes if needed
A success notification will confirm the action item was created
Cascading Dropdown Behavior
The optional linking fields work as a cascading chain. Selecting a value in one field filters the available options in dependent fields:
Select a Client → Project and Site dropdowns are populated with that client's records
Select a Project → Site dropdown is narrowed to sites associated with that project
Select a Site → Assessment Location, Fieldwork Task, and Client Report dropdowns are populated with that site's records
You can also work in the other direction: Select a Site first → Project dropdown is populated with projects associated with that site.
Changing a parent field (e.g., Client) will clear all dependent fields below it.
Cautionary Notes
The Type field cannot be changed after creation, so select the correct type before saving
All required fields (Name, Assigned To, Type, Status, Priority) must be filled in before saving
If you select a Client and then change it, all linked Project, Site, Assessment Location, Fieldwork Task, and Client Report selections will be cleared
Tips for Efficiency
Use a consistent naming convention for action items to make them easier to find and filter (e.g., "Site_ActionType_Date")
Set the Priority field accurately to help team members triage their workload
Link action items to the relevant Client, Project, and Site for full traceability in reports and dashboards
Use the Description field to capture context that may not be obvious from the name alone