[From Wrike] Custom Item Types are Here! ✨
Hi everyone 👋
Today, we are very happy to bring you the latest update from our Product team - the release of Custom Item Types!
You may remember that last year, our team released Work Templates - which were phase one of this new functionality. Work Templates was a Wrike Labs experimental feature and went through a massive pivot to become Custom Item Types. We know that many of you have tried them and found them useful - thanks to everyone who provided their feedback 🙌
What is Custom Item Types?
Custom Item Types is an enhanced platform capability that allows you to create work that mirrors your business processes in the Wrike workspace using your own terminology. For example, your team will be able to create and access domain-specific types of items like service requests, sales quotes, product bugs, objectives, candidate cards, and as many more as you can think of.
Custom Item Types and Blueprints
Blueprints in Wrike are used for recurring work and usually contain pre-filled content, assignees, or dates. Custom Item types are different in that - they act as frameworks for specific work and don’t have pre-filled content. For each custom item type, you can define which sections to display on the item view and add type-specific custom fields, automation, unique icons, and suggested subitems.
Our team is currently working on a solution that will enable you to use Custom Item Types together with Blueprints in the future. Please stay tuned for more information on this in the coming months.
How to Create Custom Item Types
There are two ways you can set up your custom item types. If a work item is relevant to all or most users in your account, account owners and admins can create account-level custom item types that will be accessible throughout your whole workspace. You can create account-level types from your Settings section - you’ll see Custom item types in the panel on the left.
If the custom item type you plan to create is too specific and only relevant for a single team or department, create a space-level custom item type. This way, it'll only be available to members of that space. They can be created from the space settings by users with space admin rights.
You can create task or project-based Custom Item Types. Read more about them in this Knowledge Base article.
Custom Item Types Suggestions
You can make some custom item types visible in the context creation menu and under the + button at the top of the workspace. This provides users with quick access to the work they need to create often. For example, when users create a new work item inside a space, folder, or add a subitem to a project or task, they'll see the suggested custom item types in the list and can simply click on one of them to create work.
You can also remove any custom item types and regular tasks, projects, and folders from the suggestion menu. Please check out this Knowledge Base article for more details on how to manage the suggestion.
Custom Item Types and Use Case Templates
Wrike currently offers three pre-built use-case templates that have pre-made custom item types:
- Service Management that focuses on IT and other Service teams (ESM). This template helps you to introduce consolidated request management processes to reduce manual and mundane work via Automation, streamlined request, and knowledge base management.
- Strategic Planning that is based on OKR (Objectives and Key Results) methodology. The OKR template allows you to merge top-down and bottom-up goal management and planning by focusing on business results, outcomes, and relevant deliverables rather than just outputs.
- Team Agile that enables iterative work in Sprints. The template is based on Scrum Framework, and it helps with managing sprints and different types of work such as feature work or bugs via transparent processes and automation. It can be used for the IT or Product Development teams and other lines of business such as Creative.
You can try using one of these templates as-is, or tailor them to your needs. Please stay tuned as there are more templates with new Custom Item Types to come in the future 🙂
We’ll be talking more about Custom Item Types in the coming weeks and months, and we’re hoping you’re excited about this new and enhanced functionality. In the meantime, we can’t wait to hear what you think. If you have any questions, please let us know below 👇
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Hey MB, thanks for reporting this, I've asked our Support team to look into this 👍
Hi Jacco Stam! It should be possible to use the previously created Custom item types (not create new ones on mobile).
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa it is working now, maybe it had time needed to processed by the server?
Most where folders, converted to project, converted to CIT. But now it works both on the converted folders as the new CIT
I'm glad to hear that Jacco Stam! If you notice anything similar in the future, like slow processing, please let me or our Support team know.
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Any plans to make the icons visible on calendars and calendar views? I like the visual element they bring in other views - would be helpful to see them on a calendar as well.
I will pass on your suggestion Melissa Mourer 👍
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa is the team working on including permalinks in custom projects? We make extensive use of e.g. emailing tasks into projects, but when I use a project custom item type I can't find these permalinks. Thanks.
I loved the demo that one of the Wrike experts presented on how these custom item types can be configured in a space to make a sandwich. Is there any way we can get that scenario as a template to play around with? There's a lot we can learn from it. Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
Are there any updates on the custom item types and blueprint functionality?
Earlier this year when custom item types were called templates the functionality to use them like blueprints existed. Being able to select a template from the dropdown to create a project with all the relevant tasks pre-populated was great. Seeing that functionality disappear with the rebranding of templates as custom work item types has been disappointing and created a ton of extra work for our team since we have to manually copy tasks from a blueprint into new projects created from custom work items.
I have created a number of custom task types for a space. I have a blueprint which creates a project in a folder in that space. Some of the projects are billable others are not. Two requests/questions:
1. The task created is set as non-billable even though the project is billable. Why is that happening since I understand that it should be inheriting the status of the parent in which it is added?
2. I don't understand why all Wrike system fields cannot be viewed and accessed in the custom task panel. Some Wrike custom fields appear, but most importantly for us not the billing status of the task. Odd since I can see the billing status in the normal task panel view for a task (blue or not blue $) or if I go in the table view. Users will be frustrated if they can't do everything in one view to make sure the task has the correct billing status. You should be able to see it in the custom task view panel.
I like the new custom task and project view as I wrap my head around it. The ability to combine it with a blueprint where selecting the custom task icon would launch the blue print so someone could answer the questions and then when completed you go into the custom task view panel would be a game changer.
Thanks a lot for all your feedback, folks! 🙌 We really appreciate your input here, and we pass your suggestions to our Product team.
Zachary Dilworth If you're speaking to this Wrike expert, can you ask them? Or maybe you mean the Wrike Collaborate 2022 session on Custom Item Types?
Taylor Burch It's currently possible to create blueprints from custom item types.
Barry Horne I've asked my colleagues from the Support team to look into your questions. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa We clearly missed that update 😅. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction!
Hi Lisa
It seems there is a custom field edit history missing. In old-fashioned tasks/projects you could hover over custom field and click on the "clock" symbol to show edit history for this field. This clock does not appear over custom fields in custom items anymore. This is a dealbreaker for us as we need to be able to track who and when made a change to the field. Will this be introduced anytime soon?
Hi Maciej Klosinski, thanks for reaching out! Our team has plans for introducing this next year 🙂 It would be great if you could share your use case for when you need to track who and when made a change to the field.
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Thanks for prompt reply Lisa. In our case, the fields represent physical elements that are booked by the client and are manually added to the project by sales reps. Afterwards, it's up to design team to pick up these changes and make updates to the design. We need to know who and when they were added for traceability (ISO) and invoicing purposes. At the current state these fields can be modified with zero tracking (values/user/timestamp), which is too big of a risk for us.
Thanks a lot for letting me know Maciej Klosinski, it's really helpful!
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Hi Lisa/team, I'm creating a widget in Reports Analytics Board: in Filters, Filter a Field, it appears the new "Custom item types" (e.g., a custom item task type named PMP) are not available to filter -- may you confirm?
Hi Bo Samreth! The support of custom item types in analytics boards is not available at the moment but is coming soon 🙂
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Hi Lisa! Thank you for the upgrades that have been incorporated into Custom Items since the initial launch! We are beginning to integrate custom items types for our 2023 projects, and I have a few questions:
1. Can the order of the item types be changed in the menus? It seems that they can only appear in the order they were created. Am I missing a setting where that sequence can be changed? In the screen shots below, I have the dropdowns for both a custom item that has a restricted list of items available, and in the second image, the toggle list is visible on a standard task. It would be great to have a way to change the sequence in which these will appear, either globally or (even better) on each custom item type.
In the custom item area in Settings, the custom items appear in alpha order. I was hoping I could move the tiles around like I can move pinned folders on the home screen.
2. Is there any way to add "Completed" checkbox back to custom item types? We miss the quick ability to mark something to the default "Complete" status with a single click.
3. Is there a reason why you can re-order the appearance of the fields (circled in red) on the right column of a custom item, but you can't reorder the sections on the left side (circled in blue)?
It would also be helpful to have a duplicate option for custom item types. While they are custom, sometimes one is similar to another so being able to duplicate and update from there would be a helpful timesaver. A duplication function would also ensure consistency if types are related.
Thanks a lot for your continued feedback on Custom item types here, folks! I've now passed it to our dedicated Product team 🙌
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Hi Lisa
It seems we can't print any custom item types - the option is not showing at all. Will this be added?
Hey Maciej Klosinski, thank you for reaching out! The team is planning to add the option to print. We'll keep you posted 👍
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Hello, echoing Kristi H here on her post from August 01, 2022 06:46. Absolutely agreed that the change in UI between and standard task and custom type task is problematic. It does not matter to our users if the task is a custom asset type or standard - they just need to get their work done. What is confusing for them (and me) is when all the tools that usually appear horizontally on all other work suddenly appear vertically on some work. This is confusing and interferes with our workflow.
Hey Emily Lillya, I've asked my colleague from the Support team to reach out to you about this, and I can see they have 👍
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Noticed your comment to Emily Lillya about the UI shift between standard and custom tasks. If there is a Support solution for this, I'd love to learn about it as well! Also curious if you saw my post/questions from December 16.
Hi Kristi Horvath! Apologies for any confusion, all your feedback from December 16 has been shared with our team, but I don't yet have any updates on whether or not your suggestions will be worked on. All your three points are not currently supported.
In relation to the UI of custom item types, the only solution is not to use them for now if they cause confusion. Our team continues to enhance the experience, and we'll keep you posted on any changes.
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Thanks for the update - I assumed as much about all of my questions, but appreciate the confirmation.
Of course Kristi Horvath, and sorry for not being specific enough!
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Re: "The support of custom item types in analytics boards is not available at the moment but is coming soon."
Is there an ETA on this functionality? It's the only thing keeping us from going full-on CIT!
Hi kittymomma, thank you for reaching out!
It's currently possible to see the type of custom items in analytical dashboards: the fields are Project Item Type and Task Item Type. You can view the types of items and use this field for filtering. Does this help?
Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう
Lisa Wrike Team member Wrike DiscoverでWrikeの専門家になりましょう