Task windows
A task window is the time period, bordered by start and end times, in which a task is performed.
Task windows can be flexible or fixed, and are used by the route optimization and auto-dispatch features when determining the daily schedule of staff members. A flexible window has start and end times that the application attempts to respect when dispatching or routing a task automatically. The system can reschedule a flexible task window if necessary, to make it fit into the schedule of a staff member. A fixed task window cannot be rescheduled. If the auto-router that optimizes task routes or the auto-dispatcher cannot schedule the task for the fixed window time period, that task is not scheduled at all. The time interval configured for a window cannot be less than the time required to perform the task.
For more information on creating work order tasks, see Create a work order task.
For more information on Work order task start and end dates, see Work order task start and end dates.
--- title: Task windows description: A task window is the time period, bordered by start and end times, in which a task is performed. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/field-service-management/work-order-management/r\_TaskWindows.html release: australia product: Work Order Management classification: work-order-management topic_type: reference last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 1 breadcrumb: [Request task management, Set up work orders and tasks, Configure, Field Service Management] --- # Task windows A task window is the time period, bordered by start and end times, in which a task is performed. Task windows can be flexible or fixed, and are used by the route optimization and auto-dispatch features when determining the daily schedule of staff members. A flexible window has start and end times that the application attempts to respect when dispatching or routing a task automatically. The system can reschedule a flexible task window if necessary, to make it fit into the schedule of a staff member. A fixed task window cannot be rescheduled. If the auto-router that optimizes task routes or the auto-dispatcher cannot schedule the task for the fixed window time period, that task is not scheduled at all. The time interval configured for a window cannot be less than the time required to perform the task. For more information on creating work order tasks, see [Create a work order task](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/field-service-management/work-order-management/t_CreateAWorkOrderTask.md). For more information on Work order task start and end dates, see [Work order task start and end dates](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/field-service-management/field-service-scheduling/dynamic-sched-task-window-dates.md).
| title | Task windows |
| description | A task window is the time period, bordered by start and end times, in which a task is performed. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/field-service-management/work-order-management/r\_TaskWindows.html |
| release | australia |
| product | Work Order Management |
| classification | work-order-management |
| topic_type | reference |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 1 |
| breadcrumb | Request task managementSet up work orders and tasksConfigureField Service Management |