Asana duplicate subtask when creating a new project from template

Hi everybody,
Here is my situation: Project with Sections, Tasks and Subtasks. Some of the subtasks are added to the main project (by typing “Add to project” from dotted point icon in the Task Menu - or TAB+P). Then i convert this project into a Template.
When I create a new project from this template I get the Subtasks (only those previously added to the project) duplicated in the main list of the project.
Is there a way to avoid this thing? Or am I doing something wrong?
Thank you!
Mauro!

Let’s do an “Up!” Message :wink:

Hi Mauro, I have the same problem. How did you solved it?

Nope. We’ll leave soon this platform (even if Asana is growing up fast in features but also in pricing).

Hi @Mauro_Bosio and @Marcos_Villar :wave:t3:

This is something our team is aware of and hoping to solve as part of the general subtask redesign they’re planning to tackle later this year. In the meantime, here is the workaround I’m using in my projects: I usually create a Section called “subtasks” which I position at the bottom of my project, and I use this section to nest all subtasks that I’ve added to the project with the “Tab+P” shortcut; this way my subtasks are linked to the project, but they don’t bother me too much in my task list. I’m not sure if you’ve heard about it, but we’re about to roll out new Sections (that will be collapsable!!), so you will soon be able to collapse this Section dedicated to subtask, reducing their visibility even more! Again, I’m aware this is not an ideal situation, but I hope this workaround will help until our Team start improving subtasks!

If you have any follow-up questions, or if there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know; I’ll be more than happy to help!

4 Likes

Thanks Marie. Are the tasks in your “Subtasks” section connected to or placed under any other task? If they’re in the top-level project list, how are they subtasks?

Welcome to the Forum @Elliott_Collins :wave:

Subtasks do not automatically inherit the project or assignee from their parent tasks. You will need to manually add a subtask to a project. When you do that, they will appear in your project’s task list, Project Calendar and Project Timeline function like independent tasks with all the same fields as a parent task, with the difference that they are embedded within a parent task. When viewing a subtask’s details, you can identify the parent task’s name above the subtask’s name.

You can read more about subtasks in this handy article: How to Use Asana subtasks | Product guide • Asana Product Guide

I hope this helps! Have a great Tuesday!

Thanks Natalia,
That seems like a serious design flaw that simply cannot be that hard to fix. But my more immediate issue is that making a task into a subtask removes the project information.
Are there any developers working on these nuts-and-bolts issues anymore?

2 Likes

I totally hear you @Elliott_Collins. This is certainly something we’re planning to tackle in the future and although I don’t have any precise timeline to share at the moment, I’ll make sure to update this thread as soon as I have more information about it!

If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know; I’ll be more than happy to help!

Have a great Wednesday!

OMG, seems “subtasks” are bringing the Asana app into a fundamental crisis …

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Same issue here, very annoying. It seems the Asana team has been talking about this “subtask redesign” for a while now…

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This duplication error absolutely breaks the template functionality! We need subtasks as part of the project for time tracking reporting purposes, and creating a Section to visually hide these does not solve our problem. Please review subtasks!

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I just notices it duplicates subtasks not only in the new project created, but in the template as well. This is horrendous! It means the template is useless, because we have to keep correcting it every time it is used, or this problem just escalates indefinitely :weary:

3 Likes

My workaround has been to upgrade all Subtasks to Tasks, and add a Custom Field to specify Tasks

is this fixed?

Has this been resolved? Or is anyone aware of any other workaround?

I’m still experiencing the same issue.

Briefly describe (1-2 sentences) the Bug you’re experiencing:
I created a Template Project with one Parent Task and two subtasks. those subtasks also belong to the template Project. When I create a new Project from the Template the two subtasks are duplicated in the Template (yes the template now has 4 Subtasks and all of them belong to the template project) and this is then used to create the new Project so in the new Project I get 1 Parent task with 4 Subtasks

Steps to reproduce:

  • Create new Project name it ‘[Vorlage] Projekt’
  • create task ‘[Vorlage] Task’ in Project ‘[Vorlage] Projekt’
  • create Subtask of ‘Planung’
  • add this Subtask 'Planung 'to Project ‘[Vorlage] Projekt’
  • Mark Project as Template
  • create new Project From Template ‘[Vorlage Projekt]’ and name It ‘FancyProject’

=> now you have Two subtasks called ‘Planung’ in the Template ‘[Vorlage] Projekt’
=> you also have those two Subtasks in the new Project ‘FancyProject’

Browser version:
latest chrome

Upload screenshots below:
Template before new Project Creation:

Template after new Project creation:

new FancyProject:

I am happy to help if you need more Information
Thomas

Hi @Thomas_Schreiner,

Unfortunately this is a long-standing Asana bug that has yet to be addressed in the product - see for example:

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@Phil_Seeman thanks for your answer.

whow, this bug exists for over two years now. :frowning:

@Marie do you have any news at all concerning this bug?