Helios

Getting Started with Quick Tasks

Overview

What Is Quick Tasks?

Quick Tasks is Helios's board for small, focused, fast-turnaround projects. It works similarly to Gig Postings but is designed for simpler, lower-cost engagements: a safety review, a quick consultation, a short document write-up, or a targeted technical recommendation. Post a Quick Task with a defined scope and budget, and get expert help without the setup of a full gig posting.

Who Is It For?

Businesses with immediate, narrowly scoped needs that require fast expert input without the structure of a full project.

Key Features

Post a focused task with defined scope, deliverables, and a fixed budget
Receive applications from experts and select the best fit quickly
Track the engagement through the same status workflow as Gig Postings: Posted → Hiring → Offering → Contracted
Attach reference documents in Additional Files to give experts full context
Share your posting directly with specific experts via Share Quick Task

Key Terms

Quick Task - A short-scope project or one-time job posted to find fast expert help at a defined price point.
Posted - The task is published and open for expert responses.
Hiring - You are reviewing applications and selecting a candidate.
Offering - You have chosen a candidate and made an offer.
Contracted - The offer has been accepted and the task is underway.
Posting Tab - Shows the full task detail: description, scope, payment, and attached files.
Applications Tab - The list of experts who have responded to or applied for the task.
History Tab - A log of all status changes and activity on the task.
Share Quick Task — A button that generates a shareable link to send directly to specific experts.

Understanding the Page Layout

Quick Tasks is accessed via Hire Help → Quick Tasks in the left navigation. Active tasks appear as a card grid. Each card shows: status badge, cover image, title, category, description excerpt, application count, and price. A Create Quick Task button appears in the top-right. Clicking any card opens the task detail with tabs: Posting, Applications, and History.

Quick Task Status Badges

Posted - Your task is live and open for expert responses.
Hiring - You are actively reviewing and selecting a responder.
Offering - An offer has been made to a selected expert.
Contracted - The task is underway.

How to Create a Quick Task

Click Create Quick Task in the top-right of the Quick Tasks page.
Upload a relevant cover image for your task.
Fill in the Title and select the appropriate Category.
Set the Payment Type (Fixed Price or Hourly Rate) and enter the Amount.
Select the Work Site (Remote, On-Site, or Hybrid) and Work Authorization requirements.
If On-Site, enter the Address of the work location.
Write a clear, specific Description of what you need done and what the expert should deliver. Precision is critical. Quick Tasks work best when the scope is narrow and the deliverable is clearly defined.
In the Details section, add:

Scope & Requirements - specific bullet-point tasks for the expert to complete.
Preferred Skills - tag the skills you are looking for.
Additional Files - attach reference documents, photos, or materials that will help the expert understand the task.

Review all information and click Post to publish the task to the board.
Your Quick Task appears with a Posted badge. Use Share Quick Task to send the link directly to experts you want to invite.

How to Manage Responses and Fill a Quick Task

Open your posted Quick Task from the board.
Click the Applications tab to review all respondents.
Select the best candidate and advance the status: Posted → Hiring → Offering → Contracted.
Once contracted, coordinate with the expert to complete the work.
After completion, close the task using the three-dot menu in the upper right.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Quick Tasks different from Gig Postings?+

Quick Tasks are for smaller, simpler, faster engagements — a one-time review, short consultation, document draft, or targeted technical question. They are typically lower in price and have a narrower scope. Gig Postings are for more complex, longer-term, or higher-value projects with detailed requirements and multi-step deliverables. Both follow the same status workflow.

Is there a maximum price for a Quick Task?+

There is no hard system limit, but Quick Tasks are intended for lower-cost, fast-turnaround work. If your project is complex or multi-phased, use Gig Postings instead.

Can I invite a specific expert to my Quick Task?+

Yes. Use the Share Quick Task button to copy the posting link and send it directly to an expert. You can also use the Invite to Gig feature on an expert's profile, which works for both Gig Postings and Quick Tasks.

Can experts submit an Offering on my Quick Task?+

Yes. Experts can submit a proactive proposal (Offering) on any posted Quick Task. You will see their offerings in the Applications tab alongside direct applications.

How do I close or cancel a Quick Task?+

Use the three-dot menu (⋯) in the upper right corner of the Quick Task detail page to find options for editing, unpublishing, or closing the task.

Troubleshooting

My Quick Task is not appearing on the board.+

Confirm the task has been published. If it was saved as a draft, open it and click Post to make it live. Also check whether you have active filters on the board that might be hiding it.

I am not receiving applications on my Quick Task.+

Ensure your task has a clearly written description, a well-defined scope, and fair compensation. Use Share Quick Task to send the link directly to experts, or browse the Experts directory to invite relevant professionals.

I cannot advance my Quick Task to Contracted status.+

You must have at least one reviewed and accepted application or offering before advancing to Contracted. Check the Applications tab and confirm a response has been selected.

An expert I contracted has gone unresponsive.+

Use the message icon within the Quick Task detail or go to Message Hub to reach out directly. If the engagement cannot proceed, close the task via the three-dot menu and consider re-posting or finding a replacement through the Experts directory.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Quick Tasks

Be specific about deliverables and expected turnaround in your description. Quick Tasks work best when the scope is narrow and clear.
Set a realistic fixed price upfront. Clear scoping is essential since Quick Tasks typically use fixed pricing.
Use the Hiring status badge to signal to applicants that you're actively choosing. This can prompt faster responses from interested experts.

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