Allow URLs as attachments (e.g. Google Drive + links to youtube videos)

Right now attachments are limited to specific files uploaded from computer and to specific file hosting services (Drive, Dropbox etc.).

ASK:
Allow URLs as attachments.

Examples of cases:

  • A task requires editing a page on our website. I want to add the URL of the page as an attachment.
  • I want the team to read an article on the internet related to our job.
  • I want the team to complete a training and I provide a link to it
  • I want the team to review client’s website
  • I need to add a link to a live dashboard.
  • The content I want to share is constantly updating. If I download it and upload it manually, the team would see only one version, and would not be able to see up-to-date state of the attachment.
  • There’s a critical file on a website and I don’t want to download it and upload it, I just want to give a link and skip extra steps (=save time).

Why pasting links to descriptions is not a workaround?

  • Those URLs might be crucial for the project, and I want to have a quick access to those when I go to “Files”.
  • If many tasks require work with the same URL, it’s easier to add it once as an attachment (to have it accessible from the Files), rather than copy/paste that link in every single task.
  • I want to add a link to a folder in Google Drive which has all relevant documents for the project. Right now only individual files can be added which is not convenient for project with hundreds of relevant documents.

Sub Ask:
YouTube videos are common examples of URLs which are added to tasks. So it would be great to have those as a separate section and show the preview of the video.
If URLs get included to Attachments, we can use url of a video as a workaround. But it would be nice to have YouTube as a stand alone option.

PS: Attachments to Drive docs are actually working as URLs to those docs. So the overall approach would not be changed. We would just allow users to enter the url manually.

4 Likes

Would love to see this feature!
I’m coming from trello and really miss it.

4 Likes

I’d love to see this feature! It would be nice if it worked by dragging and dropping an url from the browser input field to the task/card. This would maybe go together with this Drag and drop image from web

I’m actually considering switching to Trello for this exact feature. Having it in Asana would solve a lot of workflow issues for me.

This would be a huge quality of life improvement – would make sharing Google Drive links much more efficient. The current Drive integration is too slow and cumbersome.

Key efficiency is having these links easily referenced in the Files view, as opposed to sitting around in random comments or descriptions.

2 Likes

Current integration is useless, copy-paste link much more convenient in many ways.

Came here to write something similar - when you past url in the description or in the comment there should be some sort of preview of the url, at least the title (like when past asana task url) so that it’s searchable later on.

1 Like

This would be an incredible feature!!!

Another great use-case for this:

I have a large handbook document in Google. I want to link to a specific section which contains email templates. With this feature, I can create a bookmark in the document and attach via link and the person can go directly there. Currently, I’d either have to create separate documents for the different sections or leave written instructions on how to find the information in the document (both quite cumbersome, especially at scale).

Agree! Pleaseeee need this. For a video production team this is a must.

2 Likes

Yeah I was surprised this isn’t a supported feature. This is standard in Slack and just about everything else. Come on, Asana, you’re supposed to be setting the standard for everyone else, you’re getting left behind.

OMG, we need this! This is a basic feauture!

Totally Agree. We need to be able to past a youtu.be url link and a preview should load. (just as slack does)

+1 for this feature

When I create a link Asana always adds “https : //” to the front (as if I forgot to do it myself)

If you could just make this more intelligent (don’t do it if there’s already “://” present), problem would be solved.

So I end up with:

  • “http.s://file:///F:/…” instead of "“file:///F:/…”
    or
  • “http.s://onenote:///F:/…” instead of “https://onenote:///F:/…”

This prevents me linking from Asana to local resources, which is very frustrating. It not possible to keep everything on the web

Hi,
can i embed a video in a task ? I mean in such a way that the player is shown ?

Regards,
Frank

1 Like

You can paste the YouTube URL in the comments and it will show up with the player.

1 Like

ok cool, thx for info.

this way ?

Rt now im not seeing the player anywhere

Post it and it should show up after you post.

not sure yet if the comment is already posted (newbie)
on the screenshot i only see the picture thats also part of the task http://files.panodome.com/uploads01/Image_2017-10-14__23-53-08__1508017988.jpg

Might be because you’re using boards. In a list task, I can past in the comments and it shows up with the player and you can play directly from the comment.

image