Subtasks & Checklists
Two ways to break a task into smaller pieces - subtasks are full tasks with their own status and priority; checklists are simple done/not-done items.
PrimeTask gives you two mechanisms for breaking a task into smaller steps: subtasks and checklists. They serve different purposes and work differently - understanding the distinction helps you pick the right one for the job.
| Subtasks | Checklists | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Full tasks nested inside a parent task | Simple text items with a done/not-done toggle |
| Have their own status and priority? | Yes - each subtask is a complete task | No - just text + checkbox |
| Appear in task views (list, board, calendar)? | Yes - subtasks show up in every view | No - checklists only live on the parent task's detail page |
| Can have due dates, assignees, tags? | Yes - every field a regular task has | No |
| Can be nested further? | Yes - subtasks can have their own subtasks | No |
| Progress contribution | Completed subtasks contribute to the parent's auto-calculated progress | Completed checklist items also contribute to progress |
| Best for | Multi-step work that spans days or involves different people | Quick lists of things to do in one sitting |
What you can do
Add subtasks
to any task - each subtask is a full task with its own status, priority, dates, and assignees
Add checklist items
simple done/not-done steps for quick action lists
Drag subtasks to reorder
them within the parent task
Drag checklist items to reorder
them within the parent task
Edit subtask status and priority inline
without opening the subtask
Click any subtask
to navigate to its own detail page for full editing
Filter checklists
by all, pending, or completed items
Sort checklists
by default order, pending first, completed first, or alphabetically
See auto-calculated progress
on the parent task based on how many subtasks and checklist items are complete
How to access subtasks and checklists
Both live on the Task Details Page of any task:
- Subtasks section - below the description, labelled for hierarchy. Click Add Subtask to create a new one.
- Checklist section - also below the description, labelled for quick checks. Click to add a new item.
You can also add subtasks when creating a task from the right-click context menu (Create Subtask on any task in any view).
Things worth knowing
Subtasks - full tasks inside a task
A subtask is a real task. It has its own:
- Name (required)
- Status - defaults to the Space's default status, editable inline from the parent or from the subtask's own detail page
- Priority - editable inline
- Due date and start date - subtasks with due dates appear on the calendar and in Gantt view
- Assignees, tags, description, attachments, time tracking - everything a regular task has
- Their own subtasks - subtasks can be nested further (subtasks of subtasks)
Subtasks inherit the parent task's project automatically, but you can change it. If the parent is a CRM task, subtask changes sync to CRM as well. See CRM Tasks.
Use subtasks when the steps are big enough to track independently
If each step has its own deadline, assignee, or status workflow, it belongs as a subtask. If it's just "remember to do this thing", a checklist item is simpler.
Reordering subtasks
Drag subtasks up and down to reorder them within the parent task. The order you set is preserved across sessions.
Inline editing on subtasks
From the parent task's detail page, you can change a subtask's status and priority directly in the subtask list - without opening the subtask's own detail page. Click the status or priority indicator on the subtask row to open an inline picker.
Navigating to a subtask
Click any subtask to open its own Task Details Page. From there, a link back to the parent task appears in the header so you can navigate up the hierarchy.
Subtask-specific limitations
Subtasks can't be synced to Apple Reminders (due to a limitation of the Reminders system). Apple Calendar sync works normally for subtasks. See Integrations Settings.
Checklists - simple done/not-done items
Checklist items are lightweight - just a text label and a toggle. They're designed for quick lists where you don't need the overhead of a full task for each item.
Adding items: Click in the checklist section and type an item name. Press Enter to add.
Toggling done: Click the checkbox next to any item to mark it done or undo it.
Editing and deleting: Edit an item's text inline, or delete it.
Reordering items: Drag any checklist item up or down to put the steps in the order you want to do them. The new order is saved instantly and shows up wherever the checklist appears, including task card previews and focus mode. Reordering is available when the checklist is in default sort order. Switch back to default sort if you can't drag.
Order matters when steps are sequential
If your checklist describes a workflow like draft, review, send, drag the items into the order you'll actually do them. The arrangement is preserved on every device the task syncs to.
Checklist filter and sort
The checklist section has filter and sort controls:
- Filter: Show all items, pending only, or completed only
- Sort: Default order (as you entered them), pending first, completed first, or alphabetical
Your filter and sort preferences are saved per Space - they persist across sessions and apply to every task's checklist.
Progress tracking - subtasks + checklists combined
The parent task's progress is auto-calculated from the combined completion of subtasks and checklist items. If a task has 3 subtasks and 4 checklist items, and 5 of the 7 are complete, progress shows ~71%.
You can override this with manual progress on the parent task if auto-calculation doesn't fit your needs (e.g., a task that's "halfway done" even though only 1 of 4 subtasks is complete). See Task Details Page for manual progress.
When to use subtasks vs checklists
Use subtasks when:
- The work spans multiple days or involves different people
- Each step has its own deadline or priority
- You want the steps visible in your task views (list, board, calendar, Gantt)
- The steps need their own descriptions, attachments, or time tracking
Use checklists when:
- The items are simple things to do in one sitting
- You don't need due dates, assignees, or statuses on each item
- You want a quick checkbox list without the overhead of full tasks
- The items are more like reminders than independent work
Use both together when:
- A task has a few major phases (subtasks) and each phase has small steps (checklists on each subtask)
Common questions
"What's the difference between a subtask and a checklist item?"
A subtask is a full task - it has its own status, priority, dates, assignees, and appears in your task views. A checklist item is just text + a checkbox that lives only on the parent task's detail page. Use subtasks for real work you want to track; use checklists for quick lists.
"I added subtasks but the progress bar on the parent isn't updating."
Check that you're completing the subtasks (setting their status to a complete status), not just editing them. The progress calculation counts subtasks with a complete status. If you've set manual progress on the parent, it overrides the auto-calculation - reset it to auto from the progress section on the Task Details Page.
"My subtask doesn't appear on the calendar."
Subtasks need their own due date to appear on the calendar - just like regular tasks. Set a due date on the subtask and it shows up.
"Can I convert a subtask to a standalone task (or vice versa)?"
Subtasks are created as children of a parent task. To make a subtask independent, you'd create a new regular task with the same details and delete the subtask. There's no one-click "promote to task" action.
"Can I assign a subtask to a different person than the parent?"
Yes. Subtasks have their own assignees field, independent of the parent. You can assign different people to each subtask.
"Do checklists sync between devices?"
Yes. Checklist items are part of the task's data and sync via whatever sync method your Space uses (File Sync or iCloud Sync). Your filter and sort preferences for checklists are saved per Space too.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| See the full task detail page where subtasks live | Task Details Page |
| Create a task (including subtasks during creation) | Creating Tasks |
| Track time on a subtask | Task Time Tracking |
| Set dependencies between subtasks | Task Dependencies |
| Customise statuses for subtasks | Custom Statuses & Priorities |
| See subtasks in all four views | Task Views |
| Understand CRM task subtask behaviour | CRM Tasks |
| Return to the Tasks hub | Tasks Overview |