# Trace task automation before editing

A task definition describes more than a label in a queue. It can determine who may create a task, when it becomes due, which other tasks it creates or closes, and what communications it sends. Begin an investigation in Task Management. Identify the task and application before changing anything. This lesson focuses on tracing existing behavior.

Choose View Task Relationship Graph to open Workflow Explorer. The workflow view emphasizes the task chain. Search for the task you want to investigate. Here we search for Call Back. Use the selected task's details to confirm its identifier and name. Similar names can refer to different tasks, so confirm the exact definition before opening it.

Use the focus and path controls to examine parents, children and the surrounding workflow. The view mode controls which relationships are emphasized. Communications and Automation Debug help investigate effects such as documents, messages and task closures. A simple-looking workflow view does not establish that a task has no side effects. Check the relevant details and configuration.

Before applying a change, state the expected trigger, result and affected scope. Your administrator's test process should cover a case that triggers the behavior and a case that should not. Check resulting tasks and any communication outputs. Remember the three parts: what starts the task, what it does, and what follows it. Viewing a graph does not itself execute the workflow.