When I select several tasks from the List view, I am unable to remove them from projects. Asana will only let me move them to another project or another section. Am I doing something wrong?
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True indeed! Is that a bug @Marie or intended?
@Pamela_Harasyn
Here is what I did and it works:
- Press Ctrl key and select multiple tasks
- This opens up small âControlsâ section, where you have option to delete the selected tasks.
Check screenshot:
Thanks.
Vaibhav
Thanks, Vaibhav. I do not want to delete them completely, though. Just remove them from any projects. I still want them out floating in the abyss so I can get back to them if needed.
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If you multi-select the tasks as Vaibhav illustrates, then click the âEdit project or sectionâ button in the bottom controls panel, youâll get a popup list of all projects of the selected tasks; you can then click the little âXâ to the right of any project to remove all selected tasks from that project.
(I moved this topic to the Tips and Tricks forum section.)
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In that case, if those tasks are assigned to you, go to My Tasks, Select multiple tasks, and delete projects.
Step 1: Select tasks in My Tasks view
Note these tasks belong to 2 different projects
Step 2: Delete tasks from the projects
Hope this helps. 
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Hi @Phil_Seeman,
This is what I see when I click on âEdit project or sectionâ from list view of the project. (There is no âXâ to click)
This is where âMy tasksâ view, as I mentioned in my reply to @Pamela_Harasyn, would help.
Thanks.
Vaibhav
Thanks gentlemen,
I would like to be able to do this for tasks from the project List View, though, as sometimes the tasks are not mine and/or owned by several people.
Hi @Pamela_Harasyn,
I do not think that is currently a possibility.
However, it would be a good practice to:
- allow users to manage their own tasks. Increases accountability.
- create tasks using + icon and then not assigning them to any project until we are sure.
- To have fewer unassigned tasks for better visibility, especially when you intend to get to them later on.
A workaround to this would be:
Create a project called âFloating tasksâ OR âUnassigned tasksâ OR âBacklogâ and bulk move tasks from Project list view to this new project.
Regards,
@anon41024217
Hmmm, interesting - in one of my workspaces, I get an âXâ to remove the tasks from a project; in another of my workspaces, I have what you show - no âXâ and a âmoveâ pencil icon instead.
The former is a Business space and the latter is a Premium space.
I can only conclude that the difference is due to one of these factors:
- Business vs. Premium (seems very unlikely)
- Some type of permissions difference
- An A/B test that Asana is currently running on two different variations of that controls panel
@Marie or @Emily_Roman, any thoughts on this difference between my workspaces?
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@Pamela_Harasyn and @anon41024217,
WAIT - here is the difference, and how you can accomplish what you want from the Projects list view!
It turns out if one or more of your selected tasks is assigned to another additional project besides the current project, you get the âXâ icon to remove from projects - including to remove from the current project!
(I think this seems like a bug - if not, itâs quite an odd design IMO. @Marie and @Emily_Roman, what do you think - bug or as designed?)
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I tried:
- assigning a task to 2 different projects.
- Then I selected multiple tasks including the task which is assigned to 2 projects. The X shows up.
- However, you cannot X tasks from both the projects. The moment we X one project, the X from the 2nd project disappears.
Seems that the intent is to not allow a user to remove task from all projects when in project list view.
This doesnât look like a bug either. Here is the reason why I think this is a useful validation and not a bug:
-
Imagine a scenario where I remove a task from Project, which is assigned to you. I would lose access to the task completely. It wouldnât show in the project. It wouldnât show in the My Tasks view. I can now access that task only from your "My Taskâ view.
-
In case of @Pamela_Harasynâs scenario, if she removes the task (assigned to her team member) from a project, sheâll lose access to it completely.
Therefore, it makes sense that from âMy Tasksâ view, we are able to remove tasks from all projects, but not from Project list view.
Thanks.
Youâre probably right - it probably is âas designedâ for the reason you describe.
@Pamela_Harasyn, @Phil_Seeman, @anon41024217, @Bastien_Siebman, and all,
See the feedback and vote over here; I reported this back in June:
Larry
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That is not true. Unassigned tasks that do not live in a project still exist on Asana, you just have to use the serach box to get to it since there are no other views that would bring it up. This is what I would like to do with some tasks - for them to be searchable but not tied to a project or owner. It is a bug in that I can remove tasks from a project one by one, but no more than one at a time.
Search*
@lpb,
Ah, thanks, Larry - I totally missed that thread! (I just voted.)
@Pamela_Harasyn,
Be sure to read the thread @lpb refers to - it explains all. Itâs actually not a bug - itâs working the way it was designed - while in your case, youâre wanting to intentionally orphan tasks, overall I think Asana has found that on balance, people orphan them unintentionally and then lose them (not knowing they can be found via Advanced Search as you say), hence the reason Asana doesnât let you do what youâre wanting in that control panel. Add your vote for a change over on that other thread!
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Hi folks,
This is a known issue, I was about the link Larryâs post but looks like he was quicker than me. Make sure to upvote this thread and Iâll keep you in the loop as soon as I have an update on our end!
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I was so frustrated by the inability to do this. Finally found this thread. Both work-arounds here work for me:
- In Project view, add a second project to one task and then multi-select. The X appears
- Assign all tasks to me and edit in My tasks