Adding the parent task's project to a subtask makes it appear in the Task List twice

[joehanna]

Briefly describe (1-2 sentences) the Bug you’re experiencing:
If you add the same project from the parent task to a subtask, the subtask appears as both a subtask as well as a new free-standing task in the Task List (appears twice and is deceiving).

Steps to reproduce:
I need my subtasks to have a project on them so that they appear in My Tasks in the correct grouping by Project and it also gives better visibility of the volume of tasks by project. However, I can’t have the subtasks appearing twice in the task list. It looks like another, separate, task.

Browser version:
Chrome 94.0.4606.61 as well as the Asana Mac desktop app.

Upload screenshots below:

1. Two sections, first is empty. Second section shows task with subtasks. The subtasks do not have projects yet.

2. Two sections, one subtask now has a project. Notice it has appeared in the first section of the Task List as well as in its rightful position below its parent task. It deceptively looks like an additional task.

Ideally, Asana allows subtasks to inherit the project from their parent as a default behaviour (perhaps configured by project).

Thanks!

[Rebecca_McGrath]

Hi @joehanna, thanks for reaching out

This is actually the normal Asana behavior of subtasks when they are attached to a project, not a bug

By default, subtasks are not attached to any project and so they don’t show up twice in the project list view. When you assign them to the project, they show up twice as you’re seeing: once as a subtask of the parent task, and again as the subtask added to the project.

If you don’t need the subtasks attached to the project, you can remove the assignment to that project and the top-level display of them will go away.

I hope this makes sense

[Bryan_TeamKickstart]

@joehanna - I agree with you and find this setup a bit problematic. But, to cope with the current setup and still keep things neat and tidy, I simply create a section at the bottom of every project called SUBTASK ARCHIVE (DO NOT EDIT) and I keep it collapsed/shrunk/hidden so that people don’t accidentally go poking around down there. That way, the subtasks still show up in workload and STILL WORK WITH RULES! …but they stay out of the way.

[joehanna]

Thanks for your prompt reply @Rebecca_McGrath.

I do need subtasks attached to a project, otherwise My Tasks shows all the subtasks as “No project” and we don’t get a true sense of the volume of open tasks by project without it.

I can’t understand why anyone would want it to behave that way? Why would they want to see a subtask appear twice in a list, when it is completely unnecessary? It should only be visible indented below its parent.

My two issues are:-

1. The subtask does not inherit the project information from its parent by default. I understand some people dont want it, but surely this can be set by project.

2. The subtask appears twice in the list if it is tagged with the same project as its parent.

[Darlene_Correa]

I’ve also asked that subtasks be properly accounted for in Projects so we have a true sense of the workload. I believe Asana is working on this for a future release. Not sure if it will resolve My Tasks. It would definitely be nice for subtasks to show the Project they are assigned to since the task is already.

[anon27761910]

Hi, I also find this problematic - Need to see all tasks at portfolio/project level but having them appear twice in the plan they belong to seems unnecessary - any other work arounds ?