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Concept

When a time entry or work item is processed, Thread automatically determines which Default Work Role and Work Type to apply. Instead of requiring manual selection every time, Thread resolves each value using a three-tier priority chain and uses the first match it finds. Work Role: Ticket → Agreement → Member Work Type: Ticket → Agreement → Default Work Type Members don’t have a default Work Type, so the Work Type chain falls back to your PSA’s default Work Type instead.
  1. Ticket (Highest Priority)
Thread first checks whether a Work Role or Work Type has been specified directly on the ticket. If one is set, it is used and no further lookup occurs. Use this when a specific ticket requires a work role or type that differs from the norm. In Autotask, the ticket’s role belongs to the ticket’s assigned resource. Thread only uses it for that technician’s time entries. Other technicians logging time on the same ticket skip to the Agreement and then their own Member role.
  1. Agreement (Fallback)
If no value is found on the ticket, Thread checks the agreement associated with that ticket. If the agreement defines a default Work Role or Work Type, it is applied. Use this to standardize billing or work categorization across all tickets covered under a particular client agreement.
  1. Member or Default Work Type (Final Fallback)
If neither the ticket nor the agreement specifies a value, Thread falls back to the technician’s default Work Role and to your PSA’s default Work Type. Use this as a catch-all so every time entry resolves to something meaningful.

Inactive values are skipped

Thread only uses an active Work Role or Work Type. If a source points to one that is inactive in your PSA, Thread skips that source and moves on to the next one in the chain. For example, a ticket that still carries an agreement’s retired Work Role gets the technician’s own Work Role instead.

Where to change the defaults

You don’t set these defaults in Thread Inbox. Thread reads every source in the chain from your PSA when it syncs tickets, agreements, members and work types. To change which value Thread picks, update it in your PSA:
  • Ticket: the Work Role or Work Type on the ticket.
  • Agreement: the default Work Role or Work Type on the client’s agreement.
  • Member: the default Work Role on the technician’s member record.
  • Default Work Type: the Work Type flagged as the default.
The change applies in Thread after the next sync of that record.

Value

  • Eliminates manual entry: technicians don’t need to pick a Work Role/Type on every time entry.
  • Ensures consistency: agreements can enforce standardized billing and categorization across all their tickets.
  • Guarantees a result: the final fallback means every time entry resolves to something meaningful, even when nothing is configured upstream.
  • Supports exceptions: a single ticket can override the norm without disrupting the defaults set at the agreement or member level.