Overview
Assignments are how Mobaro tracks work that needs to be done — a failed inspection item, a repair, a follow-up on a safety issue, or a planned maintenance task. This article explains the anatomy of an Assignment, the places Assignments are created from, and how default Assignments differ from those driven by an Assignment Definition, so the rest of the Assignment articles make sense in context.
Why this matters: Assignments turn issues into accountable, documented, trackable tasks. Understanding the model — status, priority, category, target, and origin — is what lets you report accurately and keep Locations and Assets ready for operation.
The anatomy of an Assignment
Every Assignment is built from the same core attributes, whether it's a simple default task or part of a custom workflow.
Attribute | What it is |
Title | A short, clear description of the task, for example Replace loose handrail. |
Target | The Location the Assignment applies to. An Assignment can also be tied to a specific Asset at that Location. |
Assignees | The Users and/or User Groups responsible for the work. |
Status / State | Where the task sits in its lifecycle. Default Assignments use Open, Started, and Finished; Assignment Definitions can use custom states. |
Priority | Urgency. Default Assignments use Low or High; Definitions can use custom priorities, some marked Critical for operation. |
Category | A label used for filtering and reporting, for example Maintenance or Safety. |
Deadline | A start and due date that drives overdue tracking. |
Documentation | Comments, attachments, and a Solution describing how the task was resolved. Some states can require documentation before they're entered. |
Origin | Where the Assignment came from — created manually, or generated from another part of Mobaro (see below). |
Note: Every change to an Assignment — status changes, comments, reassignments, edits — is recorded on its activity feed, giving you a full audit trail.
Where Assignments come from
Assignments can be logged manually or created automatically by other parts of the platform. Knowing the origin helps you trace why a task exists.
Manually — created from the
Assignmentspage in the Mobaro Backend, or from the mobile app.From a Checklist — raised against a flagged item while completing a Checklist, or generated automatically by an Assignment Trigger on a Checklist question. See How to create and delegate an assignment.
From operational events — Mobaro can also tie an Assignment to a Result, a Schedule, a Downtime, a Note, or a specific Asset, so follow-up work stays linked to its source.
Default Assignments vs. Assignment Definitions
Out of the box, every Assignment uses a fixed set of options. Assignment Definitions (part of the Asset Management add-on) let you replace those defaults with custom workflows tailored to a team or task type.
Setting | Default Assignment | With an Assignment Definition |
States | Open, Started, Finished | Custom Initial, Step, and Final states |
Priorities | Low or High | Custom priorities, with optional Critical for operation flags |
Categories | All organization Assignment Categories | Organization Categories, custom Categories, or both |
Who can create / be assigned | Anyone with the right Role and Location access | Restricted to specific User Groups per Definition |
Best practice: Start with default Assignments. Introduce an Assignment Definition only when a team needs a workflow with more than three states, custom priorities, or restricted access.
Where Assignments show up
Assignments page — the working list in the Backend, with filtering by status, priority, Location, assignee, and category.
Mobile app — assignees see and action their tasks in the field.
Dashboards — the Assignment Overview widget summarizes tasks by category, assignee, Location, and completion status.
Location readiness — an unresolved Critical for operation Assignment marks the affected Location or Asset as Not ready for operation until it's finalized.
Example: a failed handrail check
Scenario
During a daily coaster inspection, Maria the ride operator marks a handrail as Not OK on her Checklist.
Setup
The Checklist question has an Assignment Trigger on the Not OK answer.
The Trigger sets the Category to Maintenance and assigns the Maintenance Team User Group.
Result
An Assignment is created against the ride Location with an origin of the Checklist Result.
It appears in the Maintenance Team's mobile list and on the Assignment Overview widget, and the activity feed shows it was generated by the inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What's the difference between a status and a state?
A: They describe the same idea — where the task is in its lifecycle. "Status" is the everyday term for the default Open/Started/Finished flow; "state" is used when a custom Assignment Definition workflow is in play.
Q: Do I need the Asset Management add-on to use Assignments?
A: No. Default Assignments are available to everyone. The add-on unlocks Assignment Definitions for custom states, priorities, and categories.
Q: Can an Assignment exist without a Location?
A: No. Every Assignment has a target Location; an Asset is optional and narrows the task to a specific piece of equipment at that Location.
Q: Are Assignments recurring?
A: Not directly. Recurring work is usually driven through Checklists and Schedules, which can generate Assignments as needed.