If you run a sales team, you know the mess that can happen when tasks slip through the cracks—missed follow-ups, dropped deals, and team members pointing fingers. This guide is for sales managers and team leads who want to use 11x to keep everyone on track without drowning in busywork. I’ll walk you through setting up, assigning, and managing tasks, plus some no-nonsense advice on what’s worth doing and what’s just a waste of time.
Step 1: Get Your Sales Process Out of Your Head
Before you start creating tasks, stop and write down the core steps your team actually takes to close a deal. Be honest—don’t list what you wish everyone did, just what actually happens.
- Typical steps: Prospecting, first contact, demo, negotiation, follow-up, close.
- Why it matters: If you skip this, you’ll end up with a mess of random tasks instead of a real process.
Pro tip: If your process is still evolving, keep it basic for now. You can always add bells and whistles later.
Step 2: Set Up Task Types and Templates in 11x
Don’t just start assigning “Call this person” over and over. 11x lets you create task types—think of them as templates you can reuse.
- Task Types to consider:
- Initial outreach (call/email)
- Schedule demo
- Send proposal
- Follow-up after demo
- Contract sent
- How to set up in 11x: Go to the admin/settings area, find “Task Types” or “Templates,” and build out these basics.
What to skip: Don’t create a template for every tiny thing (“Send calendar invite” is overkill). Stick to tasks that actually move deals forward.
Step 3: Assign Tasks to the Right People
You’ve got your process and your templates. Now, decide who should do what.
- Assign by role: SDRs handle prospecting tasks, AEs take over after the demo, managers jump in for big deals.
- Assign by territory/account: If you split by geography or vertical, make sure tasks get routed automatically to the right person.
In 11x: When you create a deal or contact, you can assign tasks directly or build automations to do this for you. There’s usually a dropdown or “assign to” field—don’t overthink it.
Pitfall alert: Don’t assign tasks to “the team” or “anyone.” That’s how things get ignored. Put a name on every task.
Step 4: Set Deadlines, But Be Realistic
Tasks without deadlines are wishful thinking. But fake deadlines (everything is “urgent”) are just as bad.
- Set clear due dates: Make it match your real-world process. If follow-up should happen within two days, set it for two days—don’t default everything to “tomorrow.”
- Use reminders: 11x lets you set reminders before the deadline. Use them, but don’t go overboard with notifications or your team will tune them out.
What not to do: Don’t create fake urgency (“ASAP!”) unless it’s truly urgent. People see through it and just start ignoring all deadlines.
Step 5: Make the Most of Automation (But Don’t Go Nuts)
11x has automation features—things like auto-assigning tasks when a deal hits a certain stage, or sending reminders.
- What works: Automate repetitive stuff (e.g., when a lead is added, create a “Call” task for the SDR).
- What to watch: Don’t try to automate your way out of real management. If you automate too much, you’ll lose visibility when things break.
Pro tip: Start with one or two automations. See where they save time, then add more if they’re actually helping.
Step 6: Track Task Progress (Without Micromanaging)
You want to know things are getting done, but nobody wants to be nagged every hour.
- Use dashboards: 11x gives you a view of open, overdue, and completed tasks by team member or pipeline stage.
- Weekly check-ins: Instead of daily status updates, do a quick review each week—what’s stuck, what’s overdue, what’s moving.
- Red flags: Lots of overdue tasks from one person? That’s a management conversation, not a reason to add more reminders.
Don’t: Don’t obsess over every missed task. Focus on patterns, not one-offs.
Step 7: Keep Notes and Context Together
A task by itself (“Call Bob”) is almost useless if you don’t know what the last conversation was about. 11x lets you attach notes, call outcomes, or next steps to each task.
- Best practice: After every call or meeting, jot a quick note in the same place as the task.
- Benefit: Anyone can step in if someone’s out sick, and you avoid “What was this about again?” moments.
Step 8: Review and Clean Up Regularly
Tasks pile up. Old reminders, out-of-date follow-ups, deals that are clearly dead. Make it a habit to clean house.
- Monthly review: Archive or delete tasks for deals that are lost or contacts that ghosted.
- Avoid clutter: Too many open tasks = nobody trusts the system.
Pro tip: Don’t be sentimental. If a deal’s been dead for months, close the tasks and move on.
Step 9: Get Feedback from the Team
You’ll know pretty fast if your task system is working—your team will tell you, one way or another.
- Ask directly: What’s working, what’s annoying, what’s missing?
- Adjust: If people are ignoring certain tasks, find out why. Maybe that step isn’t useful, or maybe you’re asking for too much detail.
Don’t: Don’t assume silence means approval. If nobody uses your system, it’s not helping.
Step 10: Skip the Fancy Stuff (Unless You Really Need It)
11x has features for dependencies, color-coding, custom fields, and more. Most teams don’t need half of this.
- What matters: Are deals moving? Are tasks getting done?
- What doesn’t: A rainbow of task colors or intricate tagging systems.
Honest take: If you’re spending more time customizing your task board than selling, you’re probably off track.
Step 11: Iterate—Don’t Set and Forget
Sales is messy. Processes change. New bottlenecks pop up. Keep tweaking your task setup in 11x as your team (and your deals) evolve.
- Review every quarter: What’s working? What isn’t?
- Cut what’s not used: If a task template gets ignored, kill it.
- Add as needed: If there’s a new step in your process, add a template or automation for it.
Wrapping Up
Assigning and managing tasks shouldn’t be complicated. In 11x, keep it simple: map out your real process, use templates for repeatable work, assign to actual people, and check in regularly. Skip the urge to micromanage or over-automate. Instead, focus on what actually helps your team close more deals. Start basic, improve as you go, and don’t be afraid to delete what isn’t working. Simple wins.