đź’ˇ Dropdown default value should be empty

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1

When you create a drop-down custom field in Asana, it is tempting to create all the possible values. For a priority for example, High-Medium-Low. However, by listing all possible values, you are basically creating a situation where:

  • the absence of value is a mistake
  • any task created requires an extra compulsory step
  • or some automation to put a default value

Today, I want to share with you another way: what if the absence of value WAS the default value? Instead of having High-Medium-Low, you could have High-Low. And then suddenly:

  • your projects and tasks look cleaner because the priority field is often empty
  • no need to create automation to put a default value
  • no extra work when creating a task

What do you think? Does that inspire you and gives you ideas?

One caveat about the solution: if you sort by that field, the default value will show up at the bottom.

:fr: Version française

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I’m not clear what you mean here. I think I generally agree, and have written before that a better custom field than High-Medium-Low, often, is an Urgent? dropdown custom field with a single option of a checkmark (:heavy_check_mark: ) and the default as blank; no colors on either of those for lighter-weight appearance.

Larry

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I mean Medium could be the absence of value. So either High, Low, or no value. Because most of the time things are Medium. Does that make more sense?

4

Ah. Now that’s clear. I imagine this could be useful at times, sure.

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How can I make a value be the default. Let’s say I want all of my task to be MEDIUM when starting off. How can I accomplish this?

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This can be done using Rules in Asana. The trigger is “Task added to the project” and the action is to choose a value for the custom field.

Just be careful → if someone creates a task from the orange “+” button for example, and the pre-choose a value, that will be erased by the rule…

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