--- title: Task Rules and Reason Codes description: Ask for the information you need when a task is created, closed, canceled, put on hold or reopened. --- [Skip to content](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/task-rules-and-reason-codes#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Contact us](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![owlops-2.png\]](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/owlops-2.png?width=197&height=75&name=owlops-2.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Contact us](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - [Go to owlops.com](https://www.owlops.com/) [Go to owlops.com](https://www.owlops.com/?hsLang=en) Hello. How can we help with OwlOps? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Center](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Account & Administration](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en) # Task Rules and Reason Codes ## Ask for the information you need when a task is created, closed, canceled, put on hold or reopened. Task rules check that a task has what your company needs at key moments, such as close notes when it's closed or a release date when it's put on hold. When something is missing, OwlOps can ask the person to confirm, ask for a reason, or stop the change. Reason codes are the pick-lists people choose from when they continue without meeting a rule. The reason is recorded in the task log, so you can see why tasks were closed without notes or put on hold without a date. ### Rule Modes Each rule has one of four modes: | **Mode** | **What happens when the rule isn't met** | | --- | --- | | **Off** | Nothing. The rule isn't checked. | | **Warn** | The person ticks **I understand, continue anyway** and carries on. | | **Require reason** | The person picks a reason code (and can add notes) before carrying on. | | **Block** | The change isn't saved until the missing information is added. | Rules apply on the web, mobile, the vendor portal and the APIs. ### Setting Up Company Rules Go to **Setup** \> **Task Controls** and open the **Rules** tab. Choose a **Mode** for each rule. The suggested mode is shown under each one. You can add a **Custom message (optional)** of up to 300 characters, which replaces the standard text in the popup. ![](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-26-2026-07-48-00-5828-PM.png?width=1980&height=680&name=image-png-Oct-26-2026-07-48-00-5828-PM.png) ### Overrides for a Category, Subcategory or Location Use an override when one part of your business needs a different mode. For example, turn **Hours logged** off for a category where nobody logs time. 1. In the **Overrides** card on the **Rules** tab, click **+ Add override**. 2. Choose the rule, the **Category / subcategory** (or **Any category**), the **Location** (or **Any location**), the mode, and an optional message. 3. Click **Add**. ![The Overrides card with a new override row for Close: Hours logged, Facilities, Off, and the Add button highlighted](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/03-override-form.png?width=670&height=106&name=03-override-form.png) The override is saved straight away and appears in the list. Click **Remove** to delete it. ![The saved override in the Overrides list](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/04-override-saved.png?width=670&height=90&name=04-override-saved.png) When more than one setting applies, the most specific one wins: asset, subcategory × location, subcategory, category × location, category, location, then company. An override set to **Off** turns the company rule off there. You can also set rules from a category or subcategory. In **Setup** \> **Categories** (or **Subcategories**), click **Actions** \> **Task rules**. The **This category** column shows **Use company setting** unless an override is set. Choose a mode, then click **Save task rules**. Choosing **Use company setting** removes the override. ![The Task rules card for the Facilities category, with Hours logged set to Off and its custom message highlighted](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/05-category-task-rules.png?width=670&height=219&name=05-category-task-rules.png) ### Setting Up Reason Codes Open the **Reason codes** tab. There's a card for each event: **Close reasons**, **Cancel reasons**, **Hold reasons**, **Reopen reasons** and **Create reasons**. Each card shows which rules ask for it. Click **+ Add reason**, type the reason (up to 80 characters) and click **Save reason codes**. Lower **Order** numbers appear first. **Times used** shows how often each reason has been picked. A reason that has been used is hidden rather than deleted when you remove it. ![The Close reasons card with its Asked for by line and the + Add reason button highlighted](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/06-reason-codes.png?width=670&height=171&name=06-reason-codes.png) One reason covers every Require reason rule in the same save. For example, a single close reason covers both missing notes and a missing invoice. ### What People See When a save doesn't meet a rule, a **More information needed** popup lists what's missing: - **CONFIRM** (Warn): tick **I understand, continue anyway**. - **REASON NEEDED** (Require reason): pick a reason from **— Select a reason —**. **Notes (optional)** can be added. - **BLOCKED** (Block): the change can't be saved. The popup says: "Add what is missing and try again. Blocked items can't be skipped." Click **Continue** when everything is answered, or **Cancel** to go back and add what's missing. ![The More information needed popup on close, with a Confirm item, a Reason needed item with its custom message, the I understand tick box and the Reason list highlighted](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/07-more-information-needed-popup.png?width=480&height=577&name=07-more-information-needed-popup.png) ![The popup when putting a task on hold, with Release date set marked Blocked](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/08-popup-blocked.png?width=480&height=483&name=08-popup-blocked.png) People with **Override task rules** also see **Override rules — continue without meeting them (this is recorded)**. This is the only way past a Require reason rule when no reason codes are set up. **Note:** On the Hold screen, pick the hold reason from the popup list. Text typed in **Reason for Hold (optional)** is saved as a note but doesn't count as the reason code. To cancel a task, use the task list: click **⋮** \> **Close**, then choose **Canceled** under **Close As**. ### What's Recorded Each exception is written to the task log with the change, for example: - Closed without close notes (reason: Warranty); Closed without an attachment (acknowledged) - Put on hold (reason: Waiting on parts) - Canceled (reason: No longer needed) - Reopened (reason: Closed by mistake) "Acknowledged" means a Warn was confirmed. When a rule is overridden, the log shows "(rule overridden by \)". ![The task log after a close showing the reason and the acknowledged warning](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/09-close-log.png?width=670&height=87&name=09-close-log.png) ### Finding Rule Exceptions In the task list, click **More Filters**, tick **Rule exceptions only** and click **Apply** to see tasks where someone continued past a rule. ![The Rule exceptions only filter highlighted in More Filters](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/10-rule-exceptions-only-filter.png?width=670&height=222&name=10-rule-exceptions-only-filter.png) - [Getting Started](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en) - [Daily Operations](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Tasks](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#tasks) - [Checklists & Schedules](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#checklists-schedules) - [Categories & Workflows](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#categories-workflows) - [Mobile App](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#mobile-app) - [Homescreen](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/daily-operations?hsLang=en#homescreen) - [Assets / Inventory](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/assets-inventory?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Assets](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/assets-inventory?hsLang=en#assets) - [Inventory](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/assets-inventory?hsLang=en#inventory) - [Vendors](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/vendors?hsLang=en) - [Technicians](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/technicians?hsLang=en) - [Reports](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/reports?hsLang=en) - [Invoicing and Timesheets](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/invoicing-and-timesheets?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Invoices](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/invoicing-and-timesheets?hsLang=en#invoices) - [Timesheets](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/invoicing-and-timesheets?hsLang=en#timesheets) - [OwlOps for Vendors](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/owlops-for-vendors?hsLang=en) - [Account & Administration](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Departments & Locations](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en#departments-locations) - [Users & Permissions](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en#users-permissions) - [Administrator Tools](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en#administrator-tools) - [Team Training & Onboarding](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/account-administration?hsLang=en#team-training-onboarding) - [✨ Meet OwlAI](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/meet-owlai?hsLang=en) - [Technical](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/technical?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Troubleshooting](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/technical?hsLang=en#troubleshooting) - [API / Integrations](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/technical?hsLang=en#api-integrations) - [Release Notes](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/release-notes?hsLang=en) - [Legal](https://www.owlops.com/knowledge/legal?hsLang=en) [![OwlOps Logo Horizontal White Outline-1](https://www.owlops.com/hs-fs/hubfs/OwlOps%20Logo%20Horizontal%20White%20Outline-1.png?width=131&height=50&name=OwlOps%20Logo%20Horizontal%20White%20Outline-1.png "OwlOps Logo Horizontal White Outline-1")](https://www.owlops.com?hsLang=en) owlops.com Help Center Copyright © 2025, CurvePoint Inc. dba OwlOps