A clear task names the result, the person responsible, the deadline and the resources. The employee should know when to show an interim result and whom to contact if an obstacle arises. Check completion against the agreed results, not just whether the employee has been busy.
After the conversation, ask the employee to sum up the task in their own words. This can reveal different understandings of the deadline or expected result before work begins.
What a task should include
- Result. Name the specific work and what must be handed over or shown when it is complete.
- Person responsible and deadline. Assign an employee or team and agree on a reasonable completion time.
- Resources and authority. Check that they have access to the necessary documents, equipment and people, and can make the decisions required.
- Communication. Agree when you will review an interim result and how to report obstacles.
Summarize what you agreed and ask the employee to do the same. Discuss any questions before they start work.
Example: receiving a delivery
“By 15:00, check whether the goods match the order and prepare a list of discrepancies. You are responsible for this delivery; the order list and inspection area are available. At 14:30, show me what you have checked so far. If you are short on time or need help, let me know right away.”
The hours, available resources and reporting method here are hypothetical. The specific store determines them. This example shows the structure of a task, not a mandatory procedure for receiving goods.
How to check completion and give feedback
At an interim check, compare the actual result with what you agreed. Ask about obstacles and clarify the next steps. Between checks, the employee should be able to ask questions.
Describe the specific situation, the actions you observed and their impact. For example: “Two items were missing from the discrepancy list, so we had to check that part of the delivery again. Add those items and show me the updated list.” Agree on the next step after discussing it.
Write down procedures for recurring tasks
If the team regularly performs the same operation, document its steps in a work instruction. The document can be reused. An instruction helps explain the sequence of work, but it does not replace a clear task with a responsible person, result and deadline for a specific case.
Control of a goods receipt document in Torgsoft
After checking a goods receipt document in Torgsoft, you can set the “Control completed” status. Once this status is set, the document is locked against editing quantities or prices and deleting goods. The status itself does not check the document on the employee’s behalf.
This feature applies to the goods receipt document, not to managing employee assignments. For more on document control, see “Purchasing as a system for controlling money: what the owner should see”.
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