Rules not working for all users

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1

Hi! I thought I would post here before submitting an Asana ticket to see if anyone else is having the same issue…

I have a rule in my portfolio that says to mark a project as backlogged when its added to project:

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Work is manually added to the project using a template. The settings of the template also have it add the project to the portfolio

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I am running into the issue that sometimes the rule does not trigger for my other users when using the template to create a project.

I tested it by creating a new project just using the “Blank Project” option and that worked.

In summary:

  1. Rule triggers if I create a project using template
  2. Rule triggers if I create a project using blank project
  3. Rule does NOT trigger if another portfolio member uses the project template
  4. Rule triggers (so far) if another portfolio member uses a blank project
  5. The template and portfolio being used are both part of the same team
  6. Not using any sort of API or outside connector for rule, using only Asana rule options

Anyone else having this issue?

2

Hi @AbigailB This is a great callout and what you’re seeing is usually due to how portfolio rules trigger in Asana. When a project is added via a template by another user, that step can behave more like a background/system action rather than a direct user action, so the rule doesn’t always fire consistently. That’s why it may work when you create the project (you’re likely the rule owner) and with blank projects (clear trigger), but be inconsistent with templates used by others.

Things to check: make sure the user has edit access to the portfolio and its fields since rules won’t run without proper permissions. Then review the rule’s Activity log right after testing. If there’s no log entry, it’s usually a permissions or trigger issue. Also consider template timing, as the project may be added before the rule evaluates; adding a backup trigger (like when a field is set) can help. Finally, re-test by duplicating the rule, disabling the original, and confirming the template is adding to the correct portfolio.

In short, this is a known limitation with template-based actions not an issue with your setup.
Hopefully that helps!

3

Thank you for the response! This is a very frustrating limitation with template-based actions, hopefully Asana can fix that issue soon :confused: It is a little cumbersome to build all these rules and templates in hopes of automating parts of our workflow only to have them work for a handful of people :smiling_face_with_tear: I cannot see the rule’s activity log at the portfolio level, only project level. I am the rule creator, everyone in the portfolio has project admin rights, and all fields are open for use by everyone in the portfolio.