Task Details > Remove the ability to delete the value of a custom field (in the library) that is in a private project

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Scenario:

  • I am a member of Project A and can see Task X inside it.
  • Task X is also multi-homed into Project B which is private - I have no access to it.
  • Project B has a custom field which is part of the org’s library.

In task X’s Details pane, I can see that custom field’s value greyed out (because it is in the org’s library and in a project that I don’t have access to). Whether I should see this custom field’s value or not is another debate, but it is the expected behaviour so let’s leave it at that.

Point being, the aforementioned value appears greyed out, prompting that this is ‘read-only’, i.e. I cannot change this value, which makes sense…

BUT the only thing I can ‘change’ is to clear the value of that custom field. Why is that? :thinking:

For years I have been trying to understand the logic and use cases behind this ability but with no real luck. It has since become a problem on numerous occasions, with users (including myself!) accidentally clearing values of fields that they should not, and theoretically do not, have access to.

My suggestion is to disable this ability from users doing so, i.e. remove the ‘X’ upon hover.
Unless I’m missing a use case that this would actually be preferable…?
It could perhaps be an additional option in the custom field’s ‘Edit field’ settings, which becomes available to checkmark, once the field is added to the library.

Disable collaborators from removing a value of a custom field in the library
Disable collaborators from removing a value of a custom field in the library907×241 12.3 KB

Additionally, the tool tip mentions ‘delete the field…’ from the task but that is misleading. It will not delete/remove the custom field from the private project B when I click the X, it will just clear the value. I understand that is a mouthful for a tool tip but… :person_shrugging:

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@Richard_Sather,

I understand the concern, and difficulties that result. And that there are different ways to view what the “correct” behavior should be.

This has come up before, and I think the overriding principle of the model being followed is (for better or worse):

If you have access to the task, you can see everything about the task. If you don’t want that to happen, then don’t provide such wide access to the task.

It’s respecting the custom field in the private project from editing, but respecting the above principle by saying you can hide that custom field and value in this particular view if you want.

So I’m ok with that, but I agree the choice of these principles is not always a slam dunk (but ok as long as they are consistently implemented), and I agree the tooltip could be clarified.

Thanks,

Larry

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Thanks for the constructive feedback, as always @lpb .
I agree with everything except:

That is the problem; clicking that ‘X’ doesn’t hide the value from the details pane, it clears the value from the private project, therefore in a sense it is editable :confused:

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I misunderstood! It would be great for someone at Asana to explain the rationale, as you suggest. I voted.

Thanks,

Larry

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Good catch indeed

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My client has a private project with the set of custom fields added to the library. He wants to assign tasks from this projekt to the man that is not member of this project. This person sees the task on his My Tasks list, he sees the custom fields value but cannot edit it. He can only remove it (then the custom field disapear from the task. Is it expected behaviour or bug?

I reproduced it in my Asana. Here the project with example custom fields CS A, CS B and CS C:

image
image1102×107 6.76 KB

And here is screen how these custom fields are visible by the person that is not part of the team, has only task assigned:
image

In the tooltip there is a not that I can remove the value together with the custom field. When I click it, the field disapear:
image

And the value is removed from the task in the project:

image
image1207×116 5.89 KB

Why does the person assigned to the task can remove the value but he cannot add or edit the value? It change when I invite this person to the project.

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@AnnaPapiernik,

I believe this is a duplicate of another request so I’ve merged it and you can vote at the top of the this thread with the purple vote button.

Thanks,

Larry

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Well, my client would like to have the option to edit the custom fields from My tasks list. So my intention was not to remove the current behaviour but extend it :slight_smile:

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Hi @AnnaPapiernik , I’m assuming these fields belong to the custom field library so that person could theoretically add those fields to their My Tasks (if they are NOT a Guest) BUT that is not at all ideal because these fields would apply to ALL their tasks in My Tasks.

The obvious way this person would be able to edit these fields is to either add the person to the project or make the project public. But this will not work for your client’s case.

Therefore, the best way is to create another project just for this person (and your client), add just the fields from the library that your client wants the person to edit and then multihome only the relevant tasks that apply to them. This could be automated with a rule that adds the tasks, that the person is assigned to, into this new project.

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@lpb , @Bastien_Siebman , just an update on this.

It appears that the ability to delete values is not possible for collaborators who have comment only permission on a task. The X is removed and therefore the values cannot be cleared.

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