[Weekly Conversations] Do You Accept Work Without a Request? ๐Ÿง

Hello Community!
ย 
We're happy to be back with our next weekly discussion, and today, we'd like to talk about receiving and accepting work ๐Ÿค—
ย 
In general, if you have Wrike's request forms available on your subscription plan, it's best practice to only accept any new work via a request, especially if it comes from a different team or department. That way, no new task or project will be lost or forgotten, and all the requirements are kept in one place.
ย 
The reality is that sometimes we start working on something without receiving a formal request. Maybe your favorite colleague asks for something in Slack, or while you're having a cup of morning coffee together at the office โ˜•๏ธ - we have all been there.
ย 
I've personally fallen into that trap a couple of times, and while it can happen so easily, I'm trying to be stricter with myself and send a link to anyone who needs something from the Community team ๐Ÿ˜…
ย 
Please share below how you approach accepting new work and how regularly you use request forms to do so ๐Ÿ‘‡
ย 

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

3
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos
23 commenti

We use Wrike forms both internally and externally, but the external forms are much easier to enforce. We feature the external links to these forms on our company intranet, so they're easy to find. Sometimes requests do come through chat or email, but then it's a simple redirection to the form link.

Where our team struggles a bit is enforcing internal forms, because we've had an influx of new hires recently. While they go through training, sometimes navigating to the ( + ) area is not as intuitive as having form links easily available and ready to share (and to be fair, the section only says "Request", not even "Request Forms").

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

I try to make sure everyone uses a request form when asking for work. It's taken a while, but I'd say about 98% of the time that's how the requests come in. For the odd requests where it seems like it would be more work to walk them through using the request form, I use the Outlook add-on to create a task from the email and then I only communicate about the work on the task.ย 

1
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

While we set the standard of our intake process as using specific request forms to initiate the work - sometimes we receive requests in other methods (as you say with emails, teams, etc) - almost inevitably it will trigger the steps to get it set up in Wrike.ย  We don't prohibit our users from creating their own "project" or tasks, but we certainly reinforce using the request form to both standardize the process and ensure that all custom field data is pulled in as well.ย  Many of our teams have adopted the mantra - if it isn't in Wrike it doesn't exist - so that again helps our team foster the use of our request forms!

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

We try very hard to funnel all requests through our Wrike request forms. We struggle with getting our leadership on board. Those who hear something during a meeting and share it with our team to do the request, rather than redirecting the person to submit a request. Culturally, we are a very "helpful" organization. I try to gently coax that the request form is helping the requestor help themselves...ย ๐Ÿ˜‡

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

We use Wrike forms for ingestion of project requests and project risks. Still working on the project request workflow and adoption.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

We use request forms that utilize Blueprints to create our projects. We do have many difference areas within our company that are in Wrike and utilize it differently. My request forms are filled out internally as a new project starts. It was easier to use a request form with required forms that populate into custom fields instead of duplicating a project and putting in the information separately. Other areas use request forms internally and externally by other users.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Looks like you mostly receive new work via a request form, that's good to know ๐Ÿ™‚ I was really curious to know how it works in different organizations. I think that all teams at Wrike have their own requests for internal teams and accept new work after someone submits a request.ย 

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

1
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Wrike request is the first step in the process! โœ…

There might be duplicated projects based on the request of multiple deliverables. But to initiate the first meeting, we'll need the request.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

It depends.ย 

We try to introduce more and more request form for the initiation of projects. For change reuest we have an own database which is used to initialize the process and this directly generates a task in Wrike to work on the change. For tasks everybody in a project can make it directly in Wrike and assign it to a teamleader. The teamleader distributes it into his team and manages the workload. Also the task can be rejected.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

As a general rule, we do not accept requests without the form. In addition to the job details, our form collects all of the billing information. To prevent unnecessary back-and-forth with questions via email, we ask that people use the form which creates a task via blueprint.

There are of course, some exceptions, where a job is created during a meeting or it is a quick turn and the email will suffice, etc. Unfortunately, when it is created from email, it does not use the blueprint meaning subtasks and a table need to be added manually.ย 

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

I am the project manager for a company that sells ATM equipment. Currently, the sales team will email the project management team with the signed sales order and we enter the request in the system and assign the work to ourselves or someone else in the process. It would make more sense for the sales person to create their own request in Wrike, but we have had some trouble getting the sales team to be willing to utilize Wrike.ย 

Now that all project requests have been blueprinted, it seems like it should be feasible to ask the sales team to go through and input the information themselves and let the project management team take over after that.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

My team will only accept work with a request form. It can be informally discussed prior to, but no work will be done/started until it's submitted. We also must have it formally done to meet certain audit requirements. Request forms are also great to make sure you get all the info you need, or at least a lot of it.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Thanks so much for sharing how this works on your teams, great insights ๐Ÿค—

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Funny enough the people I have the most trouble getting to use request forms are my directors.

I try a gentle reminder by replying to their email with a "can you please put this through on a Wrike request..."ย ย 

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Our team primarily accepts work via our request form. We usually route all emails to that request form if it is regarding something that would turn into a request. We have lots of pages in this form that get triggered via branching logic so it can cover many use cases. Occasionally we do get emails and they don't have the bandwidth or easy access to the form, so in those cases we will put it in ourselves, so it still goes through our process/can be tracked and then we mention them in the comments!

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

I understand Debbie Brownlie ๐Ÿ˜…ย ย 

Devree Czupinski Thank you for sharing! ๐Ÿ™Œ

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

New feature request, engineering change request and CAD files, everybody is required to use the request form. If it is not in Wrike, it doesn't exist. I even printed that and posted it in my office. :) I also created an automation for all requests depending on what the status is to make sure they are aware the progresses of their requests.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

I do accept work without a Wrike task if it doesn't require any teamwork (only I will be working on it). I haven't created any request forms but I need to do so because my team is asking for it.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Love that Aloi Calvert ๐Ÿ˜Š

I understand Heather Hernandez. For myself, even if I'd be the only person working on something, a task helps to keep track of my work and plan it. But, that's me ๐Ÿ™‚

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

As much as possible, we use forms and even if it means that we need to repeat.
If a request comes in outside of a form, it means that there's no form existing for that type of request, or it's coming from someone external.ย 

If it's a one-off request, I'll use the Wrike Add-on to create from outlook and continue the conversation/tracking in Wrike.

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

We ALWAYS require request forms for any marketing projects, but sometimes employees will ask the project management team to work on things in casual conversations. I treat the conversation as a scope review, and then ask them to please submit a request form so that it can be added to the work queue.

If the executive team asks for something via email, I will use the outlook app and create a task from their email.ย 

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Thanks for sharing Roxane Carrier ๐Ÿ™‚

Ashley Fischer LOVE the approach ๐Ÿ˜

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

We have been able to enforce the "If it isn't in Wrike it doesn't exist," rule as well, but I do get the occasional email and I just added the Outlook add-on this week! I hadn't had time to play with it, but now I am very excited to see how others incorporated it.

I inherited the Wrike Guru title from two former employees who were a little heavy-handed trying to enforce processes that were too complex. That makes my life a little easier as I roll out simpler request forms and department Spaces making the processes easier to understand and follow.

I find that we need to refine the request forms and blueprints often to improve the process. I was thinking that it must be part of the change management adjusting the way we take input and improving our reports and dashboards. Does anyone else find it necessary to improve on the fly?ย 

0
๐Ÿ‘ Spot On ๐Ÿ’ก Innovative Approach ๐Ÿ’ช Stellar Advice โœ… Solved ๐Ÿช„ Remove Kudos

Folllowing List for Post: [Weekly Conversations] Do You Accept Work Without a Request? ๐Ÿง
[this list is visible for admins and agents only]

Su
Didnโ€™t find what you were looking for? Write new post