What are project tasks?
Tasks represent discrete work items:- Assigned to specific team members
- Scheduled with dates
- Tracked through workflow statuses
- Time logged against tasks
- Client sign-off tracking
Project tasks are different from retainer tasks. They’re part of fixed-scope projects with defined budgets.
Task components
Basic information
Every task includes:- Title - Task name
- Description - Rich text details (optional)
- Phase - Parent phase (Design, Development, etc.)
- Assignee - Team member responsible
- Status - Current workflow state
- Estimate - Time estimate in hours or days
Schedule information
For planned tasks:- Start date - When work should begin
- End date - When work should complete
- Started at - When work actually began
- Completed at - When work actually finished
- Late reason - Required if completed late
Client sign-off
For UAT tracking:- Pending - Not ready for client review
- In Review - Client currently reviewing
- Approved - Client has approved
Task statuses
Tasks progress through these statuses:| Status | Description | Actions Available |
|---|---|---|
| Not Scheduled | Created but not planned | Assign, schedule, delete |
| Scheduled | Dates assigned, ready to start | Start work, edit schedule |
| In Progress | Work has begun | Complete (submit for review), log time |
| Awaiting Review | Submitted for PM approval | Mark complete (PM only), log time |
| Complete | Finished and approved | View, log time |
Creating tasks
Quick creation
Add tasks directly in list view:- Click ”+ Add task” row in any phase
- Enter task title
- Press Enter to create
- Created as “Not Scheduled”
Full task details
After creation, click task to add:- Description (rich text)
- Assignee
- Estimate
- Schedule dates
- Client sign-off status
Who can create
Users who can create tasks:- Project Managers
- Managers
- Admins
Assigning tasks
Setting assignee
Assign tasks to team members:- Click assignee avatar
- Search for team member
- Select from list
- Can also unassign
Bulk assign
Assign multiple tasks at once:- Select tasks with checkboxes
- Click “Assign” in action bar
- Choose team member
- All selected tasks assigned
Only users on the project team can be assigned to tasks.
Scheduling tasks
Adding dates
Schedule tasks with start and end dates:- Click task to open detail
- Set start date
- Set end date
- Status changes to “Scheduled” automatically
Bulk operations
Schedule multiple tasks:- Select tasks
- Actions apply to all selected
- Useful for batch planning
Date changes
Reschedule as needed:- Update start/end dates
- No restrictions on changes
- Helps track original vs actual timeline
Working on tasks
Starting work
When ready to begin:1
Open task
Click task to view details
2
Start work
Click “Start Work” button
3
Status updates
Task moves to “In Progress”
4
Started timestamp
System records when work began
Logging time
Record time spent:- Click “Log Time” on task
- Enter hours worked
- Select date (defaults to today)
- Add notes (optional)
- Time aggregates to phase budget
Submitting for review
When work is complete:1
Complete work
Finish all task deliverables
2
Click Complete
Opens completion dialog
3
Log final time
Enter hours for final work session
4
Late reason
Required if completed after end date
5
Submit
Task moves to “Awaiting Review”
PM review and approval
Reviewing work
PMs review submitted tasks:- Task status: “Awaiting Review”
- Review deliverables
- Test functionality
- Check against requirements
Marking complete
If work is satisfactory:- Click “Mark Complete”
- Confirm approval
- Task moves to “Complete”
- Completion timestamp recorded
Requesting changes
If work needs revision:- Add comment describing changes needed
- Team member addresses feedback
- Logs additional time
- Re-submits when ready
Late task handling
When is a task late?
Task is late if:- Completed after scheduled end date
- Late reason is required
- Helps track project delays
Providing late reason
When marking task complete after end date:- “Late reason” field becomes required
- Explain delay (e.g., “Blocked by client feedback”)
- Helps improve future estimates
- Tracked for project reporting
Task management
Reordering tasks
Within each phase in list view:- Drag tasks up or down
- Affects display order only
- Does not change workflow
- Available to PMs/Managers
Deleting tasks
Remove tasks no longer needed:- Single task: Click delete icon
- Multiple tasks: Select and bulk delete
- Confirmation required
- Time entries remain
Editing tasks
Update task details anytime:- Click task to open
- Edit any field
- Changes save automatically
- History tracked for audit
Task views
List view
Table format showing:- All task details in columns
- Grouped by phase
- Sortable and filterable
- Drag to reorder
- Bulk actions available
- Detailed planning
- Schedule management
- Bulk operations
- Full overview
Board view
Kanban-style columns:- Column per status
- Drag tasks between statuses
- Visual workflow
- Avatar and metadata visible
- Workflow visualization
- Status updates
- Quick assignments
- Focus on progression
Comments and collaboration
Adding comments
Discuss work on tasks:- Click task to open detail
- Add comment in Comments tab
- Rich text formatting
- Mention team members with @
Notifications
Users are notified when:- Assigned to task
- Mentioned in comment
- Task status changes
- Task schedule changes
Activity log
Managers can view full history:- All field changes
- Who made changes
- When changes occurred
- Previous values
Best practices
Descriptive titles
Write clear, specific task names
Right-size tasks
Keep tasks to 1-3 days maximum
Assign upfront
Assign tasks during planning phase
Estimate realistically
Include time for testing and fixes
Log time daily
Record time as you work, not later
Use descriptions
Add context, links, and requirements
Update status promptly
Keep task status current
Provide late reasons
Help improve future estimates
Common workflows
Scenario 1: New feature task
1
Create task
PM creates “Build user profile page”
2
Add details
Description with requirements, links to designs
3
Assign
Assigned to developer
4
Schedule
Start: Monday, End: Wednesday
5
Developer works
Starts work Monday, logs time daily
6
Submit
Completes Wednesday, submits for review
7
PM approves
PM tests and marks complete
Scenario 2: Design iteration
1
Initial design
Designer completes mockups
2
Submit for review
Moves to Awaiting Review
3
Client feedback
Changes requested via comments
4
Designer revises
Updates designs, logs additional time
5
Re-submit
Back to Awaiting Review
6
Approved
PM marks complete
Scenario 3: Late task
1
Task overruns
Work takes longer than scheduled end date
2
Complete with reason
Developer provides late reason: “API integration more complex than estimated”
3
PM reviews
Marks complete after review
4
Learn
Use insight for future API estimates
Troubleshooting
Can't start task
Can't start task
Only tasks in “Scheduled” status can be started. Ensure dates are assigned first.
Can't complete task
Can't complete task
Task must be “In Progress” to complete. Start the task first, then mark complete.
Can't mark task complete
Can't mark task complete
Only PMs, Managers, and Admins can mark tasks complete after review. This is the final approval gate.
Task estimate doesn't match time logged
Task estimate doesn't match time logged
Estimates are guidance. Actual time will vary. Track both to improve future estimates.
Can't find my task
Can't find my task
Check you’re looking in the correct phase. Use board view to see all statuses at once.