Project Templates- Dynamic Due Dates (T+)

I completely agree. This is the one function that is keeping my team from embracing Asana. If anyone has found a solution please share it in the forum.

+1 on this. Dynamic Due Dates would be a HUGE addition!

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I am so disappointed that Asana doesn’t have this.

The only workaround I have found is to add a custom field to the Template called “Schedule” and then add values like “3 weeks pre” and “1 day post” to it. It’s not great, but it at least makes it clear when those activities should be scheduled relative to the main event. When you create a new Project from the Template and assign the dates to the tasks, you can remove the field.

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+1 on this feature. I have been trying to figure out how to do this, and stumbled across this thread. I was searching for contingent due dates. I agree without this feature project templates have marginal value.

Giant +1 for this feature! Please add this Asana gods.

We use Asana to manage the production of 35 products, in batches. We use recurring templates with nearly 200 tasks and subtasks that have to be manually adjusted for each cycle. Once we’re at 100 of these cycles somewhere in process, managing the dates will be a complete nightmare.

+1! This feature is a must have on any project management tool!

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We have a number of projects, including tasks, that repeat monthly. At the moment we can’t set a due date on those tasks if we use a Project Template. To manage that we have to use another system. It would be awesome if Asana could figure out a way to setup a recurring project that can contain tasks that also recur each month. For example
Niche Company Monthly Jobs. The project is created each month and within the project there is a list of tasks we do each month. For example

  1. 5/10/18 GST Return due
  2. 12/10/18 Pay wages
  3. 15/10/18 Complete Bank Reconciliation and so on
    When these tasks are ticked off they should not regenerate in the October job as they’ve already been done

When I create the new project for the month of November I want the tasks to be the same but with the November dates

  1. 5/11/18 GST Return due
  2. 12/11/18 Pay wages
  3. 15/11/18 Complete Bank Reconciliation and so on

Hi @Kim_Hamill :wave:t3: and welcome to the Forum!

Quick question, are you generating a new project from your template every month?

Hi Marie. Yes we do the same work each month for our clients. We could set up a template and copy it, but we can’t set a due date for the tasks within the template. When we do this and tick them off a new task generates within the job. If we don’t put a due date and tick off the task it disappears. We like to see what’s done as different people do different parts of the job.

We’re using Xero Practice Manager (XPM) at the moment to manage this; however it doesn’t have the other features that we like about Asana (calendar, transparency of tasks, attaching documents etc). In XPM we’ve set up recurring jobs that lists all of the tasks. They mostly generate each month (some are on a different frequency) on the date we specify.

In Asana we would like to be able set a recurring project that has tasks within that can have a due date set. So if the project template was able to have tasks that had a due date, say the 2nd Monday of the month or 3 days after project start or day 12 etc then when a new project is created from a template the tasks would generate with the due date. Would be awesome if the product team could develop something. Cheers Kim

Thanks for the follow-up @Kim_Hamill! I see what you mean, and you’re right, as it stands, our templates do not have "smart’ sue dates (ex: the 2nd Monday of the month or 3 days after project start or day 12…). We already ahve a very similar thread on the Forum (Project Templates- Dynamic Due Dates (T+) - #30 by Roberto_Reif); I’ve gone ahead and merged your post with this thread but I’d recommend you to have a look at the tips given in the previous comments, you might find some helpful.

You can also add your vote for this feature request by hitting the “Vote” button at the top of this thread.

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So glad I found this thread. We were just about to go all-in with Asana but will have to look at other solutions now considering the absence of this feature in Asana.

This would be amazing. It drives me crazy to go through each and every task and assign due dates. I’ve noticed myself hesitating to use certain templates because I know how much time it’ll take to go through and assign start and due dates manually.

Hi @Millor_Machado. Yes I would be interested in beta-testing your software.
Thanks Kim

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How do I get in on this action? I use Asana to manage product production cycles by batch. So I have a master template that is back timed, but I can’t set a master project start date, so I have to manually go in and push all of the tasks forward in time one day at a time by sorting the created project by due date, and then using the CMD + Arrow keys.

I would LOVE to help beta test this feature, I desperately need it.

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Hi Josh,

Sent you my contact information in private. Hope my tool can help you!

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The ability to use dynamic due dates would be extremely helpful for my team. We use Asana to plan events. Each project is an event that has tasks due 1 week out, 2 weeks out, 1 month out, etc. from the date of the event. Every event has the exact same tasks, but the due dates are all different. Therefore, the “templates” feature is only feasible if we can adjust the task due dates based on a specific date. Otherwise, we have to set each deadline manually, which takes more time than it saves to use a template. The current workaround is to use an excel spreadsheet that calculates the due dates, then we import all those tasks at one time using a data importer.

I cannot fathom how templates are used without dynamic due dates. It would seem that all projects have a due date, so why create project templates without the ability to include dynamic due dates?

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I’d certainly be interested in helping test this too if you need anyone further - it’s something that would be really useful for my organisation

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+1 Desperately Need this feature.

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Agree with all. Currently I build out a monthly reoccurring project in excel so that i can use excel functionality - then push to Asana. it’s a pain though…would be nice if that functionality was built into asana where i have a project due date and the tasks are set up as (project due date - 30 days) so the due dates auto-fill based on project due date. Then monthly i just copy project and enter the new project due date and wallah…all the dates fill just like they do in excel now.