Simplest way to get a string of tasks from Template into a job that lacks such task templates?

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Ok, so every time I get handed a new job to schedule for production, I get handed via Asana a Job Project. This is cabinet manufacturing.

This project will have a Material Arrival task, and an Install task, and it’s my responsibility to schedule all the various steps of production that need to happen in between Material Arrival and Install Date.

I schedule it using Timeline view.

To get the tasks like you see below, I’m using what I consider a workaround, but it’s worked for the past several years and I’m hoping there’s new ways of doing this that have flown over my radar.

I am launching these tasks in a project I call “Job Starting” and it’s just a single task template with lots of subtasks all with built in dependencies and due dates, along with certain custom field options, and LOTS of multi-homing.

I then migrate that main task over into the Project that represents the Job I’m scheduling, toggle over to list view, and I have to use this really awkward “multi-highlight” all the subtasks in order to drag and drop them out of the Parent Task and into the job’s project. The final result is kinda like what you see below.

At that point I manually drag around the tasks (in order, just as shown) to coordinate what whatever actual due dates are required.

Is this still the most sensible way to do this?

I cannot build these task templates into the Job Projects, because our needs change over time and whatever task template situation I set up today won’t be the situation I need a year later when this job’s project is through planning and finally in production.

That’s why I start all of these in a project called “Job Starting”, since I can manually edit that task template repeatedly as needed.

But, is there not a better way to get this without having to make them as subtasks that get awkwardly drag/dropped into the project?

Is there not a way to launch a string of Task Templates that are all related together like this?

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@Matt5 - I’ve had a similar issue in the past (I used a bundle to instantiate the parent task on each project, but I also had the “drag all subtasks to become main tasks” step). You can now duplicate entire sections between projects (including auto-shifting due dates relative to a selected date), so I use that to simplify this process.

  • Create a “template” project with a section for the relevant tasks. Set up any dependencies, field values, relative due dates, etc.
  • Create your target project (in this case, your job)
  • In the “template” project, click the 3 dots of your section (I’ve only ever done this in list view). Click the “Duplicate section” option
  • In the “Duplicate to” field, choose your target job project. Rename the section (if desired), check/uncheck info you want to bring over, and make sure you check the “set new due date” option
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This is an interesting way to do this. It’s simpler than the Task Template because it’s going to be a lot easier to set up and make future edits to.

Unfortunately I’m not sure it will be the best scenario in my case since that means I’ll have several tasks permanently assigned to someone else, and several tasks already homed in other projects that I suspect people are going to misunderstand that they are just “template/blank” tasks that I’ll be duplicating. My tasks have a LOT of multi-homing going on.

But I do appreciate the suggestion, that “copy section” is very helpful.

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@Matt5 - Ah I see, maybe a combo of this plus some rules in the template (e.g., when task is added → check if some field is filled out → add to some project) would work?

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yes, I am just getting accustomed to using that “check if” rule. It’s super helpful but I’ve not quite gotten good at using it. Thank you for pointing that out!

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We have a totally separate board/project for building out complex recurring tasks.
Our ‘Task Automation’ project has rules that allow a user to add the blank task from their workspace to ours board.

Once added to this project board, a new set of custom fields pop up and allow the user to select the task/request type. This then triggers a complex set of rules that pulls in preset tasks, subtasks, instructions, dependencies and default assignees.

If assignees change or specs , we update the rule and everyone else never needs to mess with it!