Your First Steps of Asana API with iOS/iPadOS/macOS Shortcuts App

[Tetsuo_Kawakami]

Introduction
iOS/iPadOS/macOS users can try Asana API with Shortcuts App so easily!
Shortcuts App is a default App, so you don’t need make a environment.

I’ll introduce a example of making a new task into my task in a specific Organization or Workspace.

Preparation

• get your PAT cf) Personal access token
  Caution!:PAT is very important.You can’t share it with anyone.
• get your workspce ID you want to make a new task into
• get your user ID
• find your Sortcuts App in your device

Let’s get started!

1. launch your Shortcuts App and tap “+” button
   
   
   

   

2. Append two actions below,

• “Ask for input” from Notification of Scripting category
• “Get Contetns of URL” from Web request of Web category
  
  
  
  

3. Tap “prompt” of “Ask for input” , input “task name” and check off “Allow Multiple Lines”
   

   
   
   
   
   

4. Erase “Provided Input” and input URL below,
   “https://app.asana.com/api/1.0/tasks"
   

   
   
   
   
   

5. Open the option of “Get contents of” and input below,
   a) Change “Method” to POST
   

   
   
   b) Set headers to three items below,
   key : text
   accept: application/json
   authorization: Bearer PAT(you got in the preparation)
   content-type: application/json
   
   
   

6. Set “Reauest Body” like below,
   a) Add new field as Dictionary and set “data” as a key
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   b) Tap 0 items
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   c) Add a new field and select Text
   
   
   
   d) append 3 fields below,
   key : text
   name: select “Provided Input” from “Select Variables”
   workspace: workspace ID(you got it in Preparation.)
   assignee: user ID(you got it in Preparation.)
   due_on: select “Current Date” from “Select Variables”
   
   
   
   e) Tap “Current Date” , set “Date Format” to “ISO8601” , check off “ISO 8601 Time” and click “Done”
   
   

That’s it.
Now you can make a new task from the shortcut.
If you are a iOS user, you can set the shortcut to back tapping of your iPhone.

[austinwiz999]

What is the benfit of using the API with the shortcuts app? Couldnt I just open the Asana app and make a new task? I guess I dont see the point of going through all of these steps. Can you share a useful case where this would be beneficial?

[Tetsuo_Kawakami]

@austinwiz999
Thank you for your comment.
The primary purpose of this post is to provide a beginner’s guide to using the Asana API.
Therefore, I didn’t prioritize the practical applications of the API in this particular post.
Instead, I focused on making the explanation as simple and easy to understand as possible.

By the way, that’s very helpful for me because I can quickly create a task by setting a shortcut for a back tap on my iPhone.
Furthermore, I find it beneficial to be able to create tasks in specific workspaces, given that I use multiple workspaces and organizations.

[Phil_Seeman]

@Tetsuo_Kawakami

I can quickly create a task by setting a shortcut for a back tap on my iPhone.

And perhaps this will also work with the upcoming “Action button” on the new iPhone 16!

[Georgia15]

Thank you for this explanation. Looking around the Asana forum and the internet at large, I’m surprised that this info isn’t more sought after.

I am quite new to shortcuts so I’m eager to use this. However I have tried and tried with your step by step guide and cannot for the life of me get it to work.

@Tetsuo_Kawakami Can you please confirm whether you need to adapt the URL input in step 4. to your own personal project URL? And if so, to find this info do I just find my specific project URL and enter this in?

Can you please confirm the following so i can check if I’m inputting the right info:

• Where do I find my workspace ID? Is this the workspace or project?
• Where can I find my User ID:
• Do I need to amend the URL in step 4 to my own project URL: And if so where do I find this?

Ultimately, I am trying to set up a shortcut in the shortcut app that creates a new task in a specific project. Also the ability to add tags, due date and add into other projects would be handy too.

Thanks so much in advance

[Tetsuo_Kawakami]

Hi, @Georgia15

About the URL in step4

• Everyone can use the url“https://app.asana.com/api/1.0/tasks" .

About your workspace ID and User ID

1. get your PAT from Personal access token
2. access to Get a user
3. input “me” like below(red circle)
   
   
4. input your PAT and click “Try it!” like below(red line and circle)
   
   
5. you can get your workspace ID and user ID
   
   

@Georgia15

Do I need to amend the URL in step 4 to my own project URL: And if so where do I find this?

No, you can’t amend the URL.
You need to add another field as array for the project in step 6,c).
projects : specific project ID

Make sure you set value as text type.

Please check below if you need to add some properties.

Create a task

[Jan-Rienk]

@Tetsuo_Kawakami I’m sure going to try this!

Love it!