5 ways to save time with Asana...what would you add?

This recent Asana blog post elaborates on 5 ways to save time with Asana:

  • Add tasks to multiple projects
  • Add task dependencies
  • Assign copies of tasks
  • Share a status update
  • Track anything with custom fields

What are some other ways you save time with Asana? What would you add to this list?

We do all of the above, and we also use templates to save time and standardise our reporting. We also use saved advanced searches - I love that they automatically update whenever you click on them.

If I could add anything - and I could be living in a fantasy world here @Alexis - I’d introduce formulas that link custom fields. So, if I allocate a score of 5 in my ‘risk’ custom field and a 5 in my ‘impact’ custom field, my RAG status field automatically turns red. Or if I record time or costs in a number of tasks, the totals appears in a separate linked task somewhere else. That way, my manager can see it all in one place and it automatically updates. I don’t know if it’s formulas or more of an If This Then That sort of thing.

Oh, and I would also add the ability to select multiple cards in board view, but I think I’ve already blathered on about that in another thread.

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Oooh the formula for custom fields idea is very cool! I could see it being useful, as well.

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Repeated tasks (daily, weekly, etc.) were a big one early on.

I remember distinctly when I started doing tasks in asana (just me and a small team who used it for scheduling), I remember manually adding tasks to pull quarterly budget expenditures before realizing I could do it automatically upon completion =\

Now I use it for so much, and it’s been a thing for other people to automate their workflows.

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I’ve just thought of a new one.

Today, a colleague of mine solved an ongoing issue in one genius stroke by using the handy option of converting a task to a project. What would make it even more spectacular would be the option to convert a task to a project using a template. That would save us a load of time overall.

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One thing that has been a huge time saver for me: I regularly find many tasks in my calendar that I have to postpone again and again because I’m waiting on information/action from someone else and this reaction has no binding due date.

How to get rid of these tasks from the calendar while at the same time no losing track?

This is my solution: Assign the tag “Waiting” and deleted the due date. Then add the tag “Waiting” to your favorites.

The result: My calendar is not cluttered with tasks in which I am waiting on someone else. I check all “waiting” tasks regularly and add comments or collaborators as needed.

In over three years use of Asana I have finally found a very helpful way to use tags. So, you might add tags to your list of time savers.

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Great idea. I’ve only seen one other use for tags, which was suggested by @paulminors: Managing contractors in a team (without adding them to Asana)

Yours is now the other one on my list.:slight_smile:

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@Ulli thank you for outlining how you use tags! What a helpful idea. Many people have a difficult time understanding when to you use tags vs. custom fields. For most things I suggest custom fields, but I can definitely understand how tags would be useful in this scenario. :thumbsup: Great addition to the list!

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Within the Agile process, the plugin we made is a huge time saver
Search for Asana Counter-Extension