diff --git a/organize/interfaces.py b/organize/interfaces.py
index 5c2b718..bfd2b3b 100644
--- a/organize/interfaces.py
+++ b/organize/interfaces.py
@@ -527,16 +527,21 @@ class IWorkItem(ITrack):
                 'by its name or ID.')
     state = Attribute('The current state the work item is in.')
     # standard attributes
+    workItemType = Attribute('The type of the work item '
+                '(work, event, deadline).')
     title = Attribute('A short text characterizing the work item.')
     description = Attribute('A note about what has to be done, and why...')
+    deadline = Attribute('When the work has to be finished.')
     start = Attribute('When the work was started.')
     end = Attribute('When the work was finished.')
     duration = Attribute('How long it took to finish the work.')
-    effort = Attribute('How much effort (time units) it took to finish the work.')
+    effort = Attribute('How much effort (time units) it took '
+                'to finish the work.')
     comment = Attribute('A note about what has been done, and why...')
     # work item handling
     creator = Attribute('The party that has set up the work item.')
-    created = Attribute('The timeStamp of the initial creation of the work item.')
+    created = Attribute('The timeStamp of the initial creation '
+                'of the work item.')
     newTask = Attribute('Optional: a new task that has been created based '
                 'on this work item.')
 
diff --git a/organize/work.py b/organize/work.py
index 7168006..9e1e3f7 100644
--- a/organize/work.py
+++ b/organize/work.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from cybertools.stateful.definition import State, Transition
 from cybertools.stateful.interfaces import IStatesDefinition
 from cybertools.tracking.btree import Track, getTimeStamp
 from cybertools.tracking.interfaces import ITrackingStorage
+from cybertools.util.jeep import Jeep
 
 _not_found = object()
 
@@ -63,11 +64,11 @@ def workItemStates():
         State('cancelled', 'cancelled',
               ('plan', 'accept', 'start', 'work', 'move', 'modify', 'close'),
               color='grey'),
-        State('closed', 'closed', (), color='lightblue'),
+        State('closed', 'closed', ('reopen',), color='lightblue'),
         # not directly reachable states:
         State('delegated', 'delegated',
-              ('plan', 'accept', 'start', 'work', 'finish', 'close', 
-               'delegate', 'move', 'cancel', 'modify'),
+              ('plan', 'accept', #'start', 'work', 'finish', 
+               'close', 'delegate', 'move', 'cancel', 'modify'),
               color='purple'),
         State('delegated_x', 'delegated', (), color='purple'),
         State('moved', 'moved',
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ def workItemStates():
         # transitions:
         Transition('plan', 'plan', 'planned'),
         Transition('accept', 'accept', 'accepted'),
-        Transition('start', 'start working', 'running'),
+        Transition('start', 'start working', 'running'),    # obsolete?
         Transition('work', 'work', 'done'),
         Transition('finish', 'finish', 'finished'),
         Transition('cancel', 'cancel', 'cancelled'),
@@ -90,10 +91,12 @@ def workItemStates():
         Transition('delegate', 'delegate', 'planned'),
         Transition('move', 'move', 'planned'),
         Transition('close', 'close', 'closed'),
+        Transition('reopen', 're-open', 'planned'),
         initialState='new')
 
 
-fieldNames = ['title', 'description', 'start', 'end', 'duration', 'effort',
+fieldNames = ['title', 'description', 'deadline', 'start', 'end', 
+              'duration', 'effort',
               'comment', 'party']   # for use in editingRules
 
 # meaning:  - not editable, value=default
@@ -102,22 +105,55 @@ fieldNames = ['title', 'description', 'start', 'end', 'duration', 'effort',
 #           . default (may be empty)
 
 editingRules = dict(
-    plan    = {'*':         '++.....+'},
-    accept  = {'*':         '++.....-',
-               'planned':   '++++++.-',
-               'accepted':  '++++++.-'},
-    start   = {'*':         '++./...-'},
-    work    = {'*':         '++.....-',
-               'running':   '+++....-'},
-    finish  = {'*':         '++.....-',
-               'running':   '+++....-'},
-    cancel  = {'*':         '++////./'},
-    modify  = {'*':         '++++++++'},
-    delegate= {'*':         '++......'},
-    close   = {'*':         '++////./'},
+    plan    = {'*':         '+++.....+'},
+    accept  = {'*':         '+++.....-',
+               'planned':   '+++++++.-',
+               'accepted':  '+++++++.-'},
+    start   = {'*':         '+++./...-'},
+    work    = {'*':         '+++.....-',
+               'running':   '++++....-'},
+    finish  = {'*':         '+++.....-',
+               'running':   '++++....-'},
+    cancel  = {'*':         '+++////./'},
+    modify  = {'*':         '+++++++++'},
+    delegate= {'*':         '+++++++.+'},
+    move    = {'*':         '+++++++.-'},
+    close   = {'*':         '+++////./'},
+    reopen  = {'*':         '+++////./'},
 )
 
 
+class WorkItemType(object):
+    """ Specify the type of a work item.
+
+        The work item type controls which actions (transitions)
+        and fields are available for a certain work item.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, name, title, description=u'', 
+                 actions=None, fields=None, color=None):
+        self.name = name
+        self.title = title
+        self.description = description
+        self.actions = actions or list(editingRules)
+        self.fields = fields or ('deadline', 'start-end', 'duration-effort')
+        self.color = color
+
+workItemTypes = Jeep((
+    WorkItemType('work', u'Unit of Work'),
+    WorkItemType('scheduled', u'Scheduled Event',
+        actions=('plan', 'accept', 'finish', 'cancel', 
+                 'modify', 'delegate', 'close', 'reopen'),
+        fields =('start-end', 'duration-effort',),
+        color  ='#aaaaff'),
+    WorkItemType('deadline', u'Deadline',
+        actions=('plan', 'accept', 'finish', 'cancel', 
+                 'modify', 'delegate', 'close', 'reopen'),
+        fields =('deadline',),
+        color  ='#ffffaa')
+))
+
+
 class WorkItem(Stateful, Track):
     """ A work item that may be stored as a track in a tracking storage.
     """
@@ -130,7 +166,8 @@ class WorkItem(Stateful, Track):
     typeInterface = IWorkItem
     statesDefinition = 'organize.workItemStates'
 
-    initAttributes = set(['party', 'title', 'description', 'start', 'end',
+    initAttributes = set(['workItemType', 'party', 'title', 'description', 
+                          'deadline', 'start', 'end',
                           'duration', 'effort'])
 
     def __init__(self, taskId, runId, userName, data):
@@ -274,7 +311,7 @@ class WorkItem(Stateful, Track):
             if party is not None:
                 self.userName = party
                 self.reindex('userName')
-        start = kw.get('start')
+        start = kw.get('start') or kw.get('deadline')   # TODO: check OK?
         if start is not None:
             self.timeStamp = start
             self.reindex('timeStamp')