diff --git a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
index eaaaf115..fe06c106 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
@@ -50,6 +50,18 @@ export default {
       type: String,
       required: true,
     },
+    // forceId and forceUrl can be used if it is known that when this button is mounted
+    // the action should be running.
+    forceId: {
+      type: [String, null],
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
+    forceUrl: {
+      type: [String, null],
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
     submitData: {
       type: [Object, Array],
       required: false,
@@ -197,17 +209,22 @@ export default {
       },
     );
 
-    // Check for already running tasks
-    if (this.taskStarted != true) {
-      this.checkExistingTasks();
-    }
-    // A global signal listener to perform the action
-    if (this.submitOnEvent) {
-      eventBus.on(this.submitOnEvent, () => {
-        if (this.isDisabled) return;
-        // Bootstrap task if button is not disabled.
-        this.bootstrapTask();
-      });
+    if (this.forceId && this.forceUrl) {
+      this.taskStarted = true;
+      this.startPollingTask(this.forceId, this.forceUrl);
+    } else {
+      // Check for already running tasks
+      if (this.taskStarted != true) {
+        this.checkExistingTasks();
+      }
+      // A global signal listener to perform the action
+      if (this.submitOnEvent) {
+        eventBus.on(this.submitOnEvent, () => {
+          if (this.isDisabled) return;
+          // Bootstrap task if button is not disabled.
+          this.bootstrapTask();
+        });
+      }
     }
   },
 
@@ -240,18 +257,13 @@ export default {
      *
      */
     async checkExistingTasks() {
-      let response = await this.findOngoingActions(this.thing, this.action);
-      // Exit if response is null, due to an error.
-      if (response == null) return;
-      // Check for a task that is ongoing.
-      // We can't handle multiple tasks ongoing, so this picks the first.
-      const ongoingTask = response.data.find((t) => ["pending", "running"].includes(t.status));
+      const ongoingTask = await this.getOngingAction(this.thing, this.action);
       if (ongoingTask) {
         // There is a started task
         this.taskStarted = true;
-        this.$emit("taskStarted");
         // Find its URL
         const taskUrl = ongoingTask.links.find((t) => t.rel == "self").href;
+        this.$emit("taskStarted", ongoingTask.id, taskUrl);
         this.startPollingTask(ongoingTask.id, taskUrl);
       }
     },
@@ -275,7 +287,6 @@ export default {
       this.$emit("submit", this.submitData);
       // Send a request to start a task
       this.taskStarted = true;
-      this.$emit("taskStarted");
       let response;
       try {
         response = await this.invokeAction(
@@ -289,6 +300,9 @@ export default {
         this.onTaskEnd();
         return;
       }
+      // Wait until after the task is acknowledged before confirming to parent
+      // component that the task is started.
+      this.$emit("taskStarted", response.data.id, response.data.href);
       if (this.modalProgress) {
         this.$refs.statusModal.show();
       }
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/actionTab.vue b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/actionTab.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..560215b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/actionTab.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+<!-- A tab that changes its sidebar when an action is started.
+
+## Overview
+
+This is a generic component used to build tabs that need to switch view when an action is started,
+such as the Slide Scan tab.
+
+The task runs in 3 modes:
+
+* **Unstarted** - No task has been started.
+* **Running** - The task is running.
+* **Completed** - The task has completed.
+
+## HTML Slots and Template
+
+The template has 3 slots.
+
+* The main slot is the main view on the right hand side of the tab. To display the microscope stream
+    use `<streamDisplay />` here
+* **controls** - A named slot for the controls that are shown in the sidebar in **Unstarted** mode.
+* **task-info** - A slot for any information or controls to show at the bottom of the sidebar in
+    **Running** or **Completed** mode.
+
+In **Running** or **Completed** modes the sidebar automatically shows:
+
+* **A tile** if `taskInfoTitle` prop is set.
+* **A mini stream** if `taskInfoStream` prop is `true`
+* **A log view**
+* **A cancel button** or a **Close** button depending on if the mode is **Running** or **Completed**
+
+## Changing mode
+
+To notify the tab that the action running the `taskId` and `taskUrl` props should be set. These values
+are the data send from the `taskStarted` event of `actionButton`.
+
+**Note:** This component will check whether the task has been started externally (for example, by
+another window). A `actionStartedExternally` event with `taskId` and `taskUrl` data will be emitted in
+this case. The tab does not mutate its own props so it the parent component should subscribe to the
+event and set the props accordingly.
+
+When the task completes a `completed` event is emitted. No action is needed on this event, it is emitted
+so that the parent component can update any other data or UI elements if needed.
+
+When the close button is clicked a `closeTask` event is emitted. It is the responsibility of the parent
+component to set the `taskId` and `taskUrl` props back to `null`, returning the tab to **Unstarted**
+mode.
+-->
+<template>
+  <div ref="actionTab" uk-grid class="uk-height-1-1 uk-margin-remove uk-padding-remove">
+    <div class="control-component uk-padding-small">
+      <div v-if="!taskStarted" class="uk-padding-small">
+        <slot name="controls"></slot>
+      </div>
+      <div v-if="taskStarted">
+        <h2 v-if="taskInfoTitle" style="text-align: center">{{ taskInfoTitle }}</h2>
+        <mini-stream-display v-if="taskInfoStream" />
+        <action-log-display id="log-display" :log="log" :task-status="taskStatus" />
+        <div class="uk-width-1-1 uk-flex uk-flex-center">
+          <div class="uk-width-2-3">
+            <action-button
+              v-if="taskRunning"
+              :thing="thing"
+              :action="action"
+              :force-id="taskId"
+              :force-url="taskUrl"
+              submit-label=""
+              :can-terminate="true"
+              @completed="$emit('completed')"
+              @update:task-status="taskStatus = $event"
+              @update:progress="progress = $event"
+              @update:log="log = $event"
+            />
+            <button
+              v-if="!taskRunning"
+              type="button"
+              class="uk-button uk-width-1-1 uk-position-relative"
+              @click="closeTask"
+            >
+              Close
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <slot name="task-info"></slot>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+    <div class="main-view uk-width-expand uk-height-1-1">
+      <slot></slot>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+import actionLogDisplay from "../labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue";
+import MiniStreamDisplay from "../genericComponents/miniStreamDisplay.vue";
+import ActionButton from "../labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue";
+import { useIntersectionObserver } from "@vueuse/core";
+
+export default {
+  name: "ActionTab",
+
+  components: {
+    actionLogDisplay,
+    MiniStreamDisplay,
+    ActionButton,
+  },
+
+  props: {
+    action: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    thing: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskId: {
+      type: [String, null],
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskUrl: {
+      type: [String, null],
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskInfoTitle: {
+      type: String,
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
+    taskInfoStream: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      required: false,
+      default: false,
+    },
+  },
+
+  emits: ["closeTask", "completed", "actionStartedExternally"],
+
+  data() {
+    return {
+      taskStatus: "pending",
+      progress: null,
+      log: [],
+      pollTimer: null,
+    };
+  },
+
+  computed: {
+    taskStarted() {
+      return this.taskId && this.taskUrl;
+    },
+    taskRunning() {
+      return (this.taskStatus == "running") | (this.taskStatus == "pending");
+    },
+  },
+
+  mounted() {
+    useIntersectionObserver(
+      this.$refs.actionTab,
+      ([{ isIntersecting }]) => {
+        this.visibilityChanged(isIntersecting);
+      },
+      {
+        threshold: 0.0, // Adjust as needed
+      },
+    );
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    /**
+     * Reset the data needed for actions to be polled.
+     */
+    resetData() {
+      this.taskStatus = "pending";
+      this.log = [];
+    },
+    closeTask() {
+      // Reset task status to pending so that it is re-read next time an action starts.
+      this.resetData();
+      this.$emit("closeTask");
+    },
+    visibilityChanged(isVisible) {
+      this.isVisible = isVisible;
+
+      if (this.isVisible) {
+        this.startTimer();
+      } else {
+        this.stopTimer();
+      }
+    },
+    startTimer() {
+      if (this.pollTimer) return;
+
+      this.pollTimer = setInterval(() => {
+        this.checkIfStartedExternally();
+      }, 1000);
+    },
+    stopTimer() {
+      if (!this.pollTimer) return;
+
+      clearInterval(this.pollTimer);
+      this.pollTimer = null;
+    },
+    async checkIfStartedExternally() {
+      if (!this.taskStarted | !this.taskRunning) {
+        const ongoingTask = await this.getOngingAction(this.thing, this.action);
+        if (ongoingTask) {
+          this.resetData();
+          const taskUrl = ongoingTask.links.find((t) => t.rel == "self").href;
+          this.$emit("actionStartedExternally", ongoingTask.id, taskUrl);
+        }
+      }
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
+
+<style scoped>
+.control-component {
+  width: 33%;
+}
+#log-display {
+  height: 20em;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanComponents/slideScanControls.vue b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanComponents/slideScanControls.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ee79f5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanComponents/slideScanControls.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+<template>
+  <!-- Workflow Selection Dropdown -->
+  <div ref="slideScanControls" class="uk-margin">
+    <label class="uk-form-label">Workflow</label>
+
+    <select
+      class="uk-select uk-form-small"
+      :value="workflowName"
+      @change="setWorkflow($event.target.value)"
+    >
+      <option v-for="(label, name) in workflowOptions" :key="name" :value="name">
+        {{ label }}
+      </option>
+    </select>
+  </div>
+  <server-specified-interface :elements="workflowSettings" @request-update="readSettings" />
+  <ul uk-accordion="multiple: true">
+    <li class="uk-open">
+      <a class="uk-accordion-title" href="#">Stitching Settings</a>
+      <div class="uk-accordion-content">
+        <div class="uk-margin">
+          <propertyControl
+            thing-name="smart_scan"
+            property-name="stitch_automatically"
+            label="Automatically Stitch Images Together"
+          />
+        </div>
+        <div class="uk-margin">
+          <propertyControl
+            thing-name="smart_scan"
+            property-name="stitch_tiff"
+            label="When Stitching, Produce a Pyramidal TIFF"
+          />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </li>
+  </ul>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+import propertyControl from "@/components/labThingsComponents/propertyControl.vue";
+import ServerSpecifiedInterface from "@/components/labThingsComponents/serverSpecifiedInterface.vue";
+import { useIntersectionObserver } from "@vueuse/core";
+
+export default {
+  name: "SlideScanControls",
+
+  components: {
+    propertyControl,
+    ServerSpecifiedInterface,
+  },
+
+  data() {
+    return {
+      workflowName: undefined,
+      workflowSettings: [],
+      workflowOptions: [],
+    };
+  },
+
+  async created() {
+    this.readSettings();
+    this.workflowOptions = await this.readThingProperty(
+      "smart_scan",
+      "workflow_display_names",
+      true,
+    );
+  },
+
+  mounted() {
+    // sets visibilityChanged to true or false, which can then update settings if needed
+    useIntersectionObserver(
+      this.$refs.slideScanControls,
+      ([{ isIntersecting }]) => {
+        this.visibilityChanged(isIntersecting);
+      },
+      {
+        threshold: 0.0,
+      },
+    );
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    visibilityChanged(isVisible) {
+      if (isVisible) {
+        this.readSettings();
+      }
+    },
+    async readSettings() {
+      this.workflowName = await this.readThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name");
+
+      if (!this.workflowName) {
+        console.warn("Could not read workflow_name, using default");
+        this.workflowName = "histo_scan_workflow";
+      }
+
+      if (this.workflowName) {
+        this.ready = await this.readThingProperty(this.workflowName, "ready", true);
+        this.workflowSettings =
+          (await this.getThingEndpoint(this.workflowName, "settings_ui")) || [];
+      }
+    },
+    async setWorkflow(name) {
+      try {
+        this.workflowName = name;
+
+        await this.writeThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name", name);
+
+        // refresh  UI
+        await this.readSettings();
+      } catch (err) {
+        this.modalError(err);
+
+        // revert if server rejected
+        this.workflowName = await this.readThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name", true);
+      }
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
+
+<style scoped></style>
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanContent.vue b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanContent.vue
index c74a739e..c9621eb5 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanContent.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/slideScanContent.vue
@@ -1,87 +1,45 @@
 <template>
-  <div uk-grid class="uk-height-1-1 uk-margin-remove uk-padding-remove">
-    <div class="control-component uk-padding-small">
-      <div v-show="!scanning" ref="slideScanView" class="uk-padding-small">
-        <!-- Workflow Selection Dropdown -->
-        <div class="uk-margin">
-          <label class="uk-form-label">Workflow</label>
-
-          <select
-            class="uk-select uk-form-small"
-            :value="workflowName"
-            @change="setWorkflow($event.target.value)"
-          >
-            <option v-for="(label, name) in workflowOptions" :key="name" :value="name">
-              {{ label }}
-            </option>
-          </select>
-        </div>
-        <server-specified-interface :elements="workflowSettings" @request-update="readSettings" />
-        <ul uk-accordion="multiple: true">
-          <li class="uk-open">
-            <a class="uk-accordion-title" href="#">Stitching Settings</a>
-            <div class="uk-accordion-content">
-              <div class="uk-margin">
-                <propertyControl
-                  thing-name="smart_scan"
-                  property-name="stitch_automatically"
-                  label="Automatically Stitch Images Together"
-                />
-              </div>
-              <div class="uk-margin">
-                <propertyControl
-                  thing-name="smart_scan"
-                  property-name="stitch_tiff"
-                  label="When Stitching, Produce a Pyramidal TIFF"
-                />
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          </li>
-        </ul>
-        <label class="uk-form-label" for="form-stacked-text">Sample ID</label>
-        <div class="uk-form-controls">
-          <input v-model="scan_name" class="uk-input uk-form-small" type="text" name="Scan Name" />
-        </div>
-        <div class="uk-margin">
-          <action-button
-            ref="smartScanButton"
-            thing="smart_scan"
-            action="sample_scan"
-            :submit-data="{ scan_name: scan_name }"
-            submit-label="Start Smart Scan"
-            :can-terminate="true"
-            @task-started="startScanning"
-            @update:task-status="taskStatus = $event"
-            @update:progress="progress = $event"
-            @update:log="log = $event"
-          />
-        </div>
+  <actionTab
+    thing="smart_scan"
+    action="sample_scan"
+    :task-id="taskId"
+    :task-url="taskUrl"
+    :task-info-title="infoPaneTitle"
+    :task-info-stream="displayImageOnRight"
+    @completed="onScanCompleted"
+    @close-task="closeTask"
+    @action-started-externally="startScanning"
+  >
+    <!-- MainView -->
+    <img
+      v-if="displayImageOnRight"
+      id="last-stitched-image"
+      class="image-fit"
+      :src="lastStitchedImage"
+    />
+    <streamDisplay v-else />
+    <template #controls>
+      <slideScanControls />
+      <label class="uk-form-label" for="form-stacked-text">Sample ID</label>
+      <div class="uk-form-controls">
+        <input v-model="scan_name" class="uk-input uk-form-small" type="text" name="Scan Name" />
       </div>
-      <div v-show="scanning">
-        <h2 v-if="displayImageOnRight" style="text-align: center">Live stitching preview</h2>
-        <mini-stream-display v-if="displayImageOnRight" />
-        <action-log-display id="log-display" :log="log" :task-status="taskStatus" />
-        <action-progress-bar :progress="progress" :task-status="taskStatus" />
-        <button
-          v-if="cancellable"
-          type="button"
-          class="uk-button uk-button-danger uk-width-1-1"
-          @click="$refs.smartScanButton.terminateTask()"
-        >
-          Cancel
-        </button>
-        <div v-if="!cancellable" class="uk-margin uk-grid-small uk-child-width-expand" uk-grid>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            class="uk-button"
-            @click="
-              scanning = false;
-              lastStitchedImage = null;
-            "
-          >
-            Close
-          </button>
+      <div class="uk-margin">
+        <action-button
+          ref="smartScanButton"
+          thing="smart_scan"
+          action="sample_scan"
+          :submit-data="{ scan_name: scan_name }"
+          submit-label="Start Smart Scan"
+          @task-started="startScanning"
+        />
+      </div>
+    </template>
+    <template #task-info>
+      <div class="uk-width-1-1 uk-flex uk-flex-center">
+        <div class="uk-width-2-3">
           <action-button
+            v-if="scanComplete"
             thing="smart_scan"
             action="download_zip"
             submit-label="Download ZIP"
@@ -93,114 +51,52 @@
           />
         </div>
       </div>
-      <h3 v-if="scanning">Scan ID: {{ lastScanName }}</h3>
-    </div>
-    <div class="view-image uk-width-expand uk-height-1-1">
-      <img
-        v-if="displayImageOnRight"
-        id="last-stitched-image"
-        class="image-fit"
-        :src="lastStitchedImage"
-      />
-      <streamDisplay v-else />
-    </div>
-  </div>
+      <h3 v-if="scanning" class="uk-margin-left">Scan ID: {{ lastScanName }}</h3>
+    </template>
+  </actionTab>
 </template>
 
 <script>
+import actionTab from "./actionTab.vue";
+import slideScanControls from "./slideScanComponents/slideScanControls.vue";
 import streamDisplay from "./streamContent.vue";
-import propertyControl from "../labThingsComponents/propertyControl.vue";
-import ServerSpecifiedInterface from "../labThingsComponents/serverSpecifiedInterface.vue";
-import actionLogDisplay from "../labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue";
-import actionProgressBar from "../labThingsComponents/actionProgressBar.vue";
-import MiniStreamDisplay from "../genericComponents/miniStreamDisplay.vue";
 import ActionButton from "../labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue";
-import { useIntersectionObserver } from "@vueuse/core";
 
 export default {
   name: "SlideScanContent",
 
   components: {
+    actionTab,
+    slideScanControls,
     streamDisplay,
-    propertyControl,
-    actionLogDisplay,
-    actionProgressBar,
-    MiniStreamDisplay,
     ActionButton,
-    ServerSpecifiedInterface,
   },
 
   data() {
     return {
       lastScanName: null,
-      scanning: false,
-      taskStatus: "pending",
-      correlateStatus: "",
-      stitchFromStageStatus: "",
-      progress: null,
-      log: [],
+      taskId: null,
+      taskUrl: null,
       lastStitchedImage: null,
+      scanComplete: false,
       scan_name: "",
-      workflowName: undefined,
-      workflowSettings: [],
-      workflowOptions: [],
     };
   },
 
   computed: {
-    cancellable() {
-      return (this.taskStatus == "running") | (this.taskStatus == "pending");
+    scanning() {
+      return this.taskId && this.taskUrl;
     },
     displayImageOnRight() {
-      return this.scanning & (this.lastStitchedImage !== null);
+      return this.scanning && this.lastStitchedImage !== null;
+    },
+    infoPaneTitle() {
+      if (!this.displayImageOnRight) return null;
+      return "Live stitching preview";
     },
-  },
-
-  async created() {
-    this.readSettings();
-    this.workflowOptions = await this.readThingProperty(
-      "smart_scan",
-      "workflow_display_names",
-      true,
-    );
-  },
-
-  mounted() {
-    useIntersectionObserver(
-      this.$refs.slideScanView,
-      ([{ isIntersecting }]) => {
-        this.visibilityChanged(isIntersecting);
-      },
-      {
-        threshold: 0.0,
-      },
-    );
   },
 
   methods: {
-    visibilityChanged(isVisible) {
-      if (isVisible) {
-        this.readSettings();
-      }
-    },
-    async readSettings() {
-      this.workflowName = await this.readThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name");
-
-      if (!this.workflowName) {
-        console.warn("Could not read workflow_name, using default");
-        this.workflowName = "histo_scan_workflow";
-      }
-
-      if (this.workflowName) {
-        this.ready = await this.readThingProperty(this.workflowName, "ready", true);
-        this.workflowSettings =
-          (await this.getThingEndpoint(this.workflowName, "settings_ui")) || [];
-      }
-    },
-    onScanError: function (error) {
-      this.scanRunning = false;
-      this.modalError(error);
-    },
     /**
      * Transition the UI into "scanning" mode and begin polling for scan updates.
      *
@@ -220,13 +116,25 @@ export default {
      *  - clears any previous preview image
      *  - starts the polling loop that fetches scan progress and preview images
      */
-    startScanning() {
+    startScanning(id, url) {
       this.lastStitchedImage = null;
-      this.scanning = true;
+      this.lastScanName = null;
+      this.taskId = id;
+      this.taskUrl = url;
+      this.scanComplete = false;
       setTimeout(this.pollScan, 1000);
     },
+    onScanCompleted() {
+      this.scanComplete = true;
+    },
+    closeTask() {
+      this.taskId = null;
+      this.taskUrl = null;
+      this.lastStitchedImage = null;
+      this.scanComplete = false;
+    },
     async pollScan() {
-      if (this.cancellable) {
+      if (!this.scanComplete) {
         // while the scan is running
         let mtime = await this.readThingProperty("smart_scan", "latest_preview_stitch_time", true);
         if (mtime !== null) {
@@ -237,21 +145,6 @@ export default {
         setTimeout(this.pollScan, 1000); // keep rescheduling until it's stopped
       }
     },
-    async setWorkflow(name) {
-      try {
-        this.workflowName = name;
-
-        await this.writeThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name", name);
-
-        // refresh  UI
-        await this.readSettings();
-      } catch (err) {
-        this.modalError(err);
-
-        // revert if server rejected
-        this.workflowName = await this.readThingProperty("smart_scan", "workflow_name", true);
-      }
-    },
     async downloadZipFile(response) {
       const scan_name = response.input.scan_name;
       const filename = `${scan_name}_images.zip`;
@@ -266,11 +159,4 @@ export default {
 };
 </script>
 
-<style scoped>
-#log-display {
-  height: 20em;
-}
-.control-component {
-  width: 33%;
-}
-</style>
+<style scoped></style>
diff --git a/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js b/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
index c8942cc2..0cd56ffb 100644
--- a/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
+++ b/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
@@ -126,6 +126,20 @@ export default {
         return null;
       }
     },
+    /**
+     * Find and ongoing Action and return its task response.
+     *
+     * Returns null if there is no ongoing action
+     */
+    async getOngingAction(thing, action) {
+      let response = await this.findOngoingActions(thing, action);
+      // Exit if response is null, due to an error.
+      if (response == null) return null;
+      // Check for a task that is ongoing.
+      // We can't handle multiple tasks ongoing, so this picks the first.
+      // ?? Is the "Nullish Coalescing-Operator" to turn undefined into null.
+      return response.data.find((t) => ["pending", "running"].includes(t.status)) ?? null;
+    },
     thingActionUrl(thing, action, allowUndefined = false) {
       let url = this.$store.getters["wot/thingActionUrl"](
         thing,