Hi,
I’m Ethan DeWaal, Strategy & Ops Lead for the AI Studio team at Asana. Today we’re digging into one of the most powerful ways to use AI Studio: automatic resource management.
From simple rule-based routing to intelligent capacity-aware assignment—choose the level that fits your needs.
The Core Concept
AI Studio can now read Universal Workload data and team custom fields to make intelligent routing decisions. This means your tasks can automatically assign themselves to the right person based on:
- Real-time capacity (who actually has bandwidth)
- Skills and expertise (who knows how to do it)
- Objective criteria (department, seniority, timezone)
Four Implementation Levels
Level 1: Hard-Coded Routing (5 min setup)
- What you need: Nothing—just write the rules
- What you get: Deterministic category-based routing
- Best for: Small teams, clear categories, predictable work types
- How it works: Write explicit “if-then” rules in your instructions
Level 2: Skills-Based Routing (15 min setup)
- What you need: A team with custom fields
- What you get: Dynamic routing based on skills/attributes
- Best for: Teams with varied expertise, skill-based work
- How it works: @mention a team, AI reads custom fields and routes
Level 3: Capacity-Only Routing (20 min setup)
- What you need: Universal Workload view
- What you get: Workload-balanced assignment
- Best for: Similar skills, preventing burnout, even distribution
- How it works: Paste workload URL, AI assigns to whoever has bandwidth
Level 4: Full Intelligence (30 min setup)
- What you need: Universal Workload + Team + Custom Fields
- What you get: Capacity AND skills-based routing
- Best for: Complex teams, high volume, nuanced decisions
- How it works: Combined data for smartest possible routing
Level 1: Hard-Coded Routing (The Simplest Start)
Sometimes you don’t need AI to be smart—you just need it to follow rules. This requires ZERO data access.
Basic Template
Category-Based Template
Pros of Level 1:
- Zero setup beyond writing rules
- Completely predictable
- No data permissions needed
- Works immediately
Cons of Level 1:
- No capacity awareness (might overload people)
- Can’t adapt to team changes
- Rigid—needs manual updates
Example: Our CRM team started here. Every Salesforce request went to Beverly, every web task to Amy. It worked, but Beverly got overwhelmed during busy periods.
Level 2: Skills-Based Routing (Adding Intelligence)
When you need dynamic routing based on team attributes but don’t need capacity data.
Setup:
- Create/update your team
- Add custom fields (Skills, Department, etc.)
- @mention the team in your rule
Template with Skills Matching
What AI sees: Up to 50 team members with all their custom field data
Example: Now our rules could say “find someone with Salesforce skills” instead of “assign to Beverly”—helpful when we hired another Salesforce expert.
Level 3: Capacity-Only Routing (Workload Balance)
When everyone can do the work, but you need to balance the load.
Setup:
- Create Universal Workload view
- Add relevant people
- Paste URL in instructions
Pure Capacity Template
What AI sees: Real-time capacity for up to 200 people
Example: Our content team uses this—everyone can write, so we just need even distribution.
Level 4: Full Intelligence (The Complete Picture)
Combining everything for sophisticated routing decisions.
Setup:
- Create Universal Workload view with your people
- Create team with same people
- Add custom fields to team
- Reference workload URL in instructions (by referencing the workload, it gives access to the public team level custom fields for the user, across all teams they are apart of).
Advanced Multi-Factor Template
What AI sees:
- Capacity data for all people in workload
- Custom fields from their team memberships
- Full context for intelligent decisions
Example: This is where our CRM team is now. Beverly gets Salesforce tasks ONLY when she has capacity. If she’s swamped, it goes to our backup person with Salesforce skills.
How to Choose Your Level
| If you have… | Start with… | Because… |
|---|---|---|
| <5 people, clear roles | Level 1 (Hard-coded) | Simple, predictable, no setup |
| Varied skills, stable workload | Level 2 (Skills) | Matches expertise without complexity |
| Similar skills, varying workload | Level 3 (Capacity) | Prevents burnout, ensures balance |
| Complex needs, high volume | Level 4 (Full) | Maximum intelligence, best outcomes |
Migration Path: Level Up When Ready
Week 1: Start with Level 1
- Hard-code your basic rules
- See immediate automation value
- Learn what patterns emerge
Week 2-3: Move to Level 2 or 3
- Add either skills OR capacity
- Test which matters more for your team
- Refine your rules
Month 2: Graduate to Level 4
- Combine both data sources
- Add sophisticated logic
- Handle edge cases
The Technical Details
Data Limits by Level
| Level | Data Access | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | None | No limits—just your rules |
| 2 | Team fields | 50 team members max |
| 3 | Workload | 200 people + their team fields |
Critical Constraints
- Cannot @mention workload views (must paste URL)
- Date logic: Tasks with dates use those dates; no dates = 4-week window
Start Where You Are
Don’t overthink it. If you’re manually assigning more than 5 tasks a day, even Level 1 will transform your workflow.
Pick your level. Copy the matching template. Customize for your team. Deploy today.
The right work will start finding the right person—automatically.
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