🚦 Custom Task types: What you need to know before you go all in

[Richard_Sather]

I am happy to (unofficially) announce that Custom task types are the game-changing feature of Asana in 2025

In all seriousness, I have spent the past couple of months extensively using task types in our own Asana system and they have undoubtedly improved they way we work whilst also giving our space a visual upgrade, too. As you can guess, I’m heavily rooting for them and recommending their usage to Asana customers that we work with.

However, they come with several caveats and despite all the ones that you will see in the tables below, over 95% of all our active tasks in Asana (excluding subtasks) are now task types. No joke - we have replaced all of our ~10 single-select status fields with task types! That is why in the tables below, I have compared using a custom task type VS using a single-select field for a task’s status.

Comparison guide: task types VS single-select fields

Before you decide to go ahead and replace your single-select status fields with task types, make sure you review the following:

1. Task type features

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Task type names can have the same name	Unlike single-select field names, oddly enough you can have the exact same task type name added to the ‘library’	Not possible to have the same field name
Status options can have same value	Unlike single-select options, oddly enough you can have the exact status option in a task type.	Not possible to have the same field options
Limitations	Limit of 50 custom task types added to a project Limit of 20 status options within a custom task type	Limit of 100 custom fields added to a project Limit of 500 options within a Single-select field
Editing options	You can re-sort status options up/down but you cannot change a status option from Active to Done, post creation You cannot mix the order status, eg. Active, Done, Active, Done - there is a clear segregation; first all the Active and then all the Done status options. Vote here to have this feature reinstated	Can resort options up/down, post creation - no relevant caveats
Manage access	Full support for Type Admin, Editor, User and Viewer because.. ..you cannot make a task type private (everyone can see them) Cannot be shared with a team, only people so far Vote here to have this feature added	Full support for Type Admin, Editor, User Can make a field private (only on Enterprise plans) Can share with people and Teams
Notify collaborators when status option is changed	On by default; cannot be disabled Vote here to have this feature added	Can be disabled
Ability to add use across multiple projects	Although not available at initial launch, you can now add task types to multiple projects, as announced here.	If field is added to the field library
Gallery	Not yet, but coming soon to the new sidebar under Workflow mode.	Included in Field Gallery along other fields, indicating the field creator, usage in projects with the ability to filter them

2. Task functionality & Project features

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Bulk change status by selecting multiple tasks	Not yet possible but coming soon Vote here to have this feature added
Recurring tasks	Works great for recurring tasks because the task type status resets to the first active status.	The single-select option value of the next recurring task will be the same as the previous recurring task when it was completed.
Dependencies	The hourglass icon is displayed over the color of the status in the List view, which is a great 2 in 1 feature Similar to tasks, milestones & approvals, the icon is not clickable so you will not be able to change the status. You can override this in the task details panel, just like with tasks, milestones & approvals.
Filter (task type)	Full support to include/exclude/null status options in List, Board, Timeline, Gantt & Calendar Supported in project views, but not in My tasks Workload views can filter to show only either Tasks, Milestones, Approvals or ALL Custom task types (not separate task types)
Sort (by status option)	Full support in all project views Supported in project views, but not in My tasks
Group by	Can Group by type statuses in project List, Board & Gantt views Not supported in My tasks First characters (emojis) do not appear in group name in List, Board & Gantt views Cannot Group by task types, but expected coming soon Vote here to have this feature added	Group by field option in project List, Board & Gantt views Supported in projects & My tasks Emojis appear in group name

3. Core Asana features

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
My tasks	Task types are visible and you can change their status No ability to Filter, Sort or Group by
Advanced search	Not yet, hopefully coming soon	If field is added to the field library
Project Templates	Can only create a new task type within a Project Template (which can be used in other projects) but.. Cannot set an existing task type to a task template within a Project Template Vote here to have this feature added

4. Import & Creation

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Import via CSV	Cannot create or set a custom task type (only tasks or milestones are supported) or set status options. Vote here to have this feature added	Can be created via CSV import
Import via Email	Tasks will not be set to the default task type set in a project; you need to select all and convert them post creation.	Requires a rule to set a field option value
Set a task type by default	Can be set by default in Customize > Project settings or Customize > Task types and templates, then ... set as default Applies to tasks and subtasks Vote here to apply only on tasks, not subtasks	Requires a rule to set the field option value by default, for example when task is added to project, set field option value

5. Customize menu

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Rule triggers	Cannot add condition options within a trigger (When) - there is only ‘When changed’; i.e. not to what, unlike single-select fields. So you can only add your conditions in the ‘Check if’ box.	‘When’ trigger options include: is changed, cleared, not empty, set to.., is not set to… and is one off..
Rule conditions	You can use in conditions to ‘Check if’ status option is, isn’t or is one of, but obviously cannot be empty due to the nature of the task type feature.	Condition options include: is changed, cleared, not empty, set to.., is not set to… and is one off..
Rule actions	Can set a status option or use AI Can set to a custom task type or use AI	Can set a field option value or clear it or use AI Can set to a custom task type or use AI
Rules in Bundles	Not yet available for triggers, condition or actions. Strangely enough, existing rules can be added into a bundle if ‘Bundle this project’ is used. The rules work fine but the ‘Check if’ panel appears blank so it can’t be edited later on. Bug?
Task templates in Bundles	Not yet available Vote here to have this feature added

6. Surfaces & Views

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Task Details Pane	More prominent, replacing the ‘Mark complete’ button	In the ‘Fields’ table (order based on Customize > Fields)
Project List view	Can Filter, Sort and Group by (see pt 2, above)
Project Board view	Can Filter, Sort and Group by (see pt 2, above) Can colour cards and board columns by task type status colour in Layout options	Can Filter, Sort and Group by (see above) Can colour cards and board columns by field option colour in Layout options
Project Timeline / Gantt views	Task types appear alongside other tasks, milestones & approvals First character or emoji is visible Task type status character or emoji is not clickable Can Filter & Sort (see pt 2, above) Only Gantt can use Group by (see pt 2, above) Cannot colour by task type status colour in Layout options	Field option value not clearly visible (just a colour square) Can Filter by field option value Can colour by field option value colour in Layout options
Project / Team Calendar views	Task types appear alongside other tasks, milestones & approvals First character or emoji is visible Task type status character or emoji is not clickable Can Filter by task type (see pt 2, above) Cannot colour by task type status colour in Layout options	Field option value not clearly visible (just a colour square) Can Filter by field option value Can colour by field option value colour in Layout options
Project Dashboard views	Full support including time spent per status X-axis can be set to ‘Custom status’ options Filters can include/exclude ‘Custom status’ options X-axis and Filters can be set to ‘Task type’ to count Tasks, Milestones, Approvals and ALL Custom types	Full support
Dashboards in Portfolios & (Universal) Reporting	No support for time spent per status X-axis can be set to ‘Custom status’ options Filters cannot include/exclude ‘Custom status’ options X-axis and Filters can be set to ‘Task type’ to count Tasks, Milestones, Approvals and ALL Custom types	Full support for fields in the library
Workload (Project, Portfolio, Universal)	First character or emoji is visible Task type status character or emoji is not clickable Can filter to show only either Tasks, Milestones, Approvals or ALL Custom task types (not separate them) Cannot colour by task type status colour in Layout options	Field option value not clearly visible (just a colour square) Can Filter by field option value Can colour by field option value colour in Layout options

7. Mobile App

Feature	Custom Task Types	Single-Select Fields
Mobile app	Ability to change status Ability to set a task to a custom type Cannot edit task type name or options First character (emojis) don’t show up on dropdown	Ability to change option values Cannot edit field name or options Emojis are visible

Resources

• 😱 The Asana feature I wish I’d discovered sooner: Custom Task types
• 🚀 We replaced all our Status fields with Task types (a guide on migrating your existing workflows to use task types)
• Asana Help Center

Richard Sather
Asana Solutions Partner & Forum Leader
See all of our top tips & tricks on our website.

[lpb]

Thanks, @Richard_Sather, for another incredibly comprehensive post! It’s great to have this reference to help determine in which workflows it’s safe to use custom task types.

@Richard_Sather

Cannot apply only on tasks and not on subtasks

Should it be “Can apply…”?

Thanks again,

Larry

[Richard_Sather]

Thanks, @lpb!
Oh I see, the wording is a bit confusing. I have rephrased to:

@Richard_Sather

Applies to tasks and subtasks
Vote here to apply only on tasks, not subtasks

Btw, I’ve shortened the intro section by removing the list of ‘Overall benefits’ which will be repurposed into a separate post, coming soon

[Phil_Seeman]

Fantastic post, @Richard_Sather! I am also on the “love custom task types” bandwagon and the info you’ve assembled here will be super helpful to those planning to use them.

[Jan-Rienk]

Great overview @Richard_Sather!

I’m with you on Team Task Types! (Shall we get t-shirts made? )

One of the main benefits (that I didn’t spot you mentioning) I think is that you can spot the status from anywhere the task is referenced or visible, but to see a status from a single select field one always needs to open the task or its project.

[Richard_Sather]

@Jan-Rienk

you can spot the status from anywhere the task is referenced or visible

Exactly! And with the ability to change the status without having to even open the task.
I’ve prepared an overview of overall benefits which will be posted in the coming days.

[Ludwig_V]

Thank you so very much for making this detailed post!
I don’t have to take my bang my head against Asana until the nuances fall out approach

[Fritz_Boyle_PDX]

Thank you for this post. I wasn’t aware of the custom task availability and this is a great overview of where and when we might use them.

[Geoffrey_VANZO]

Hello @Richard_Sather ,

An emoji is not enough to express my gratitude to this amazing post ! Thank you so much for your help !

Regarding custom task types, I simply want to add the point that I love this feature. This help us a lot !

Next big step remains on my side to be able to edit task templates into bundles to get more control and to unify our way of working. You get my vote !

Thanks again !

[Jan-Rienk]

@Richard_Sather Some related feedback:

• Adding existing custom task types to a template
• Share custom task type with team

[Richard_Sather]

Those are both already in my tables.
And when I checked, Project Templates are supported.

[Jan-Rienk]

You can add a new one to a template, but have you found a way to add an existing one to a template? (Other than converting a project that has one into a template)

[Richard_Sather]

Aaaah, very good catch, sir!
(scrambles to update tables in original post)

PS: Table 3. \ Project Templates, updated

[Richard_Sather]

@Ludwig_V , @Fritz_Boyle_PDX , @Geoffrey_VANZO , thank you all for your kind words!
Happy that you have found value in this thread.

More posts on task types are coming soon.. stay tuned!