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Subtasks

Break a task into smaller pieces of work, nested as deep as you need.

A subtask is a task that belongs to another task, its parent. Subtasks are full tasks with their own status, assignee, dates and comments. Use them to split work between people or to track the steps of a larger job.

Subtasks can have subtasks of their own, so a whole piece of work can live in one tree: Launch the new website › Design › Review the mock-ups.

Add a subtask

Open the parent task

Select the task in the grid to open it in the detail pane.

Go to Sub Tasks

Open the Sub Tasks tab. The count in the tab shows how many the task already has.

Create it

Select Create Sub Task, fill in the details and save. The new task is filed under the parent automatically.

Screenshot coming soontasks/subtasks-tab

You can also make any existing task a subtask by choosing a Parent Task in its details.

Moving around a task tree

  • The breadcrumbs at the top of the detail pane show the path from the top-level task (or its project) down to the one you're viewing. Select any crumb to jump to it.
  • The back arrow next to the breadcrumbs takes you up one level.
  • In the grid, expand a row to see its subtasks without opening it.

Rules for subtasks

  • Subtasks follow their parent's project. You can only set the project on a top-level task, and its subtasks are filed in the same project.
  • A task can only move within its own family. When you change a subtask's parent, you can pick another task in the same tree, but not an unrelated one. A task with no parent yet can join any task in the same project (or any standalone task, if it isn't in a project).
  • Closed tasks don't accept new subtasks. Only open tasks appear as parent options.
  • No loops. A task can't become a subtask of one of its own subtasks.

Closing a parent closes its subtasks

When you move a task into a closed status (such as Done), every open subtask beneath it, at any depth, moves to the same status. Task Arrow warns you first and tells you how many subtasks will be affected.

Heads up

Subtasks that were already closed keep their own status. A subtask marked Cancelled stays Cancelled rather than becoming Done. Reopening the parent doesn't reopen its subtasks.

Finding subtasks in the grid

By default, the Tasks grid shows only top-level tasks. To list subtasks too, open the filter pane and set Task Level to Subtasks or All Tasks, or pick one or more Parent Task values. See Filter and find tasks.