Loading
PLATFORM
CAPABILITIES
ASANA AI
PLANS
Company Type
Teams
Industries
Use Cases
LEARN
SUPPORT
SERVICES
Help Center
search-icon

Topics

Subtasks

In This Article

Use subtasks to break up the work of a task into smaller parts or to help divide up the work among multiple people. Subtasks function like independent tasks with all the same fields as a parent task, but are embedded within a parent task.

Create a subtask

To create a subtask:

  • Click the subtasks button in the task details pane
  • Or, right-click on a parent task and select Add subtask from the menu
  • Or, press Tab+S on your keyboard after you select a parent task
  • After you've created one subtask, select the subtask and press Enter on your keyboard to create another

Subtask details

To access and modify a subtask's details:

Click the subtask's title.

 

  • You can create subtasks within subtasks, but you can only have a maximum of 5 levels of subtasks.
  • In the subtask details, you'll see all the options you'd have for a parent task, including the ability to create more subtasks.

When viewing a subtask's details, notice the parent task's name appears above the subtask's name. Click the parent task’s name near the top of the task details pane to return to the parent task’s details.

Completing a parent task will not complete the subtasks within it, they will need to be completed separately and will remain greyed out within the parent task when completed.

Subtasks count display on projects

You can easily identify if a task has subtasks along different views and features in Asana, like boards, calendar or workload. Look for the subtask count icon next to the name of a task.

Subtasks in list view

The list view allows project teams to display projects organized in a layout that make it possible for users to quickly understand what's left to be done in the project at a glance. Teams can see a snapshot of timelines, critical paths, approval status, task durations, milestones, dependencies, subtasks and more.

Subtasks also appear on the list and are best used in instances where a project moves at different levels.

 

Asana users can set field values, including custom fields, on subtasks and collapse and expand subtasks for the bigger picture or the minutia.

By breaking down a massive project into more manageable parts, users feel confident in successful project completion.

This visual list showing subtasks helps to identify bottlenecks, potential issues and inefficiencies, at a glance.

Subtasks on timeline view

You can see subtasks in your timeline view, allowing you to have a global view of your projects. Learn more about how subtasks work in timeline view here.

Subtask and project association

You can manually add a subtask to a project if you want it to appear in your project's task list, project calendar and project timeline along your other tasks. You can also specify an assignee, as subtasks do not inherit it from their parent tasks.

To associate a project to a subtask:

  • Click the chat bubble to open up the subtask’s details
  • Click the task actions button
  • Select Add to Project from the drop-down menu
  • Type the name of the project you wish to add the subtask to

Once the subtask is associated with a project:

  • The subtask will appear in the project's list of tasks
  • The project's name will appear in the subtask's details

Press Tab+P on your keyboard to focus on the subtask’s project field.

Note iconNote

The subtask will also be reflected in the project's files, progress, and calendar views.

Subtasks permissions

Subtasks are visible to anyone who can see the parent task. Learn more about task permissions.

If you'd like to add custom fields to a subtask, the subtask must first be manually added to a project.

Convert tasks into subtasks

To convert a task into a subtask:

  • Click the task you want as the new parent task to load its details in the task details pane
  • Click and drag the task you want to convert into the subtasks section of the open task details pane of the new parent task
  • To convert a task into a subtask, both tasks must be in the same list in the main pane (a project, tag, or a My tasks list).

You can also do the reverse to convert a subtask to a task.

Note iconNote

You cannot drag a parent task into its own subtasks.

Delete subtasks

To delete a subtask:

  1. Click on the subtask you want to delete
  2. Click the three dot icon
  3. Click Delete selected subtask

Nested subtasks

To view subtasks associated with your parent tasks, click on the black triangle icon from your project's list view.

Expand and collapse all subtasks

In list view, you can expand or collapse all first level subtasks in one click. Open the Options menu on the right side of the project toolbar and choose Expanded or Collapsed beside Subtasks.

Only the first level of subtasks is affected. Deeper subtasks stay collapsed.

Looking for a better way to manage your work? Get started with a free Asana trial. Try for free.

Note iconNote

Questions about subtasks? Ask the Community.

Related articles

Loading
Subtasks