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# How to define a due date for tasks?

The duration of a task must be defined in the workflow modeling. It is an optional configuration and it works independently for each task (you may define different durations for each task in your flow).

To define a duration, place the pointer onto a particular task and double click on it. The task configuration window will open. 

Next, go to the ‘Due Date’ tab and click on the section shown in the image below. 

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/5a899047-9b38-48ab-9475-31c8c63a3183/bfbdff18-e4ee-45c2-b9b1-64986a44595c.png)

You can define the duration of a task in years, months, days, working days, hours, or minutes. The duration is calculated from the moment the task is assigned (that is, when the workflow reaches the task in question).
When selecting *days* or using a working calendar, you can also choose whether the countdown should start when the task is assigned or when the process starts.


|| When the duration is defined based on a working calendar, the configuration of [Holidays and Workdays Management](https://docs.flokzu.com/en/article/holidays-and-workdays-management-rfwrg7/) will be taken into account. You can select any of the **previously configured working calendars**.


![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/c/c/3/ccc3fbb5dc442800/image_lb4twq.png)

|| You can also choose to define a due date using an absolute date that will be taken from a field value (only if it is a Date type field). This allows the due date to be defined dynamically once the process has already been launched. To configure this, you must select ‘Absolute date’ as value and the combo at the right will show all the date type fields of your form:

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/5a899047-9b38-48ab-9475-31c8c63a3183/aa63adcb-804d-4675-b0cd-7920d6a1aa75.png)

Lastly, we offer you the following options:


* Generate automatic alerts so that assignees receive an email 24 business hours before the established deadline.
* Configure a warning before the task is due by defining a **risk period**.

Simply check the corresponding box for each feature to enable it.


![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/c/c/3/ccc3fbb5dc442800/image_rjxbhg.png)

If you wish to know the possible uses of defining a duration, visit [the following post](https://docs.flokzu.com/en/article/how-to-assign-due-dates-to-tasks-dbc2v/?1514907397763).


### What is the difference between setting a due date and interruptive or non-interruptive timers?

Even if both due date and timers can be used independently, they can also be used jointly and complementarily.

A [task due date](https://docs.flokzu.com/en/article/how-to-define-a-due-date-for-tasks-105lmjt/) has the function of notifying the assignee about the time they have left (due date) to complete a task. Once the time or date are reached, no action will be executed. This feature is useful since it generates relevant information about the performance of your users regarding their tasks.

On the other hand, timers do have the function of executing an action once a certain time or date are reached. After the timer or date set on the timer are reached, the timer will be executed and the process instance will follow the flow defined as exit condition. Therefore, timers are useful to avoid delays in your processes for overdue work, send reminders, among other actions that may be executed.

When combining due date with timers, not only can you notify users about when a task will become overdue, but also you can execute other type of action once the time or date set are reached.