Task Filters & Sorting
Filter tasks by status, priority, project, tags, dates, custom fields, and more - then sort, group, search, and save the result as a reusable view.
When your task list grows, filters help you focus on what matters right now. PrimeTask offers two layers of filtering - Quick Filters for fast multi-select on common fields, and Advanced Filters for precise conditions on any field with operators like "contains", "after", or "is not set". Both layers combine with AND logic: every filter must match for a task to appear.
On top of filtering, you can sort by any field, group by status, priority, project, or other dimensions, and search across task names, descriptions, tags, and more. When you've built a view you want to return to, save it as a named view - the filters, sort, grouping, search, and column settings are all captured and restored with one click.
What you can do
Quick Filter
by status, priority, project, pinned tasks, start date presets, recurring tasks, archived projects, and custom fields - all with multi-select
Advanced Filter
by any standard or custom field with type-specific operators (equals, contains, after, before, is set, is not set, and more)
Search
across task names, descriptions, tags, assignees, statuses, priorities, and custom field values - real-time, across all views
Sort
by any field - ascending or descending
Group
by status, priority, project, task type, assignee, tags, start date, or due date - with collapsible group headers and counts
Save named views
capture your current filters, sort, grouping, search, and column settings as a reusable preset
Update, rename, and delete
saved views
Use filters across all four views
List, Board, Calendar, and Gantt all share the same filter system
Quick Filters
Quick Filters are designed for the most common filtering needs. Open the Quick Filters dropdown from the filter bar to find:
Status and priority
Multi-select from your Space's configured statuses and priorities. Check multiple items to show tasks matching any of them. Uncheck to remove.
Project
A searchable list of your projects. Select one or more to show only tasks in those projects. A special No Project option shows tasks that aren't linked to any project.
Pinned tasks
Toggle to show only pinned tasks, or hide pinned tasks from the list.
Start date presets
Three one-click presets for time-sensitive filtering:
- Starting Today - tasks with a start date of today
- Starting This Week - tasks starting within the next 7 days
- Active Now - tasks that have already started but aren't due yet (start date is in the past, due date is in the future)
Recurring tasks
Toggle to show only recurring tasks, or hide them from the list.
Archived projects
When you have archived projects, a toggle appears to hide tasks in those projects. This keeps your active task list clean.
Custom fields
Quick Filters also support filtering by custom field values - dropdowns, multi-select fields, checkboxes, ratings, currency fields, and relationship fields all have quick-filter options in the dropdown. See Task Custom Fields.
Advanced Filters
For precise filtering, use the Advanced Filter panel. Pick any field, choose an operator, and enter a value. You can add multiple advanced filters - they combine with AND logic (all must match).
Available operators
The operators available depend on the field type:
Text fields (name, description, URL, email, phone) - equals, not equals, contains, does not contain, starts with, ends with, is set, is not set
Date fields (start date, due date, created, updated) - equals, not equals, after, before, is set, is not set
Number fields (progress, custom number/currency/rating) - equals, not equals, greater than, less than, is set, is not set
Selection fields (status, priority, dropdown) - equals, not equals, is set, is not set
Multi-value fields (tags, assignees, multi-select) - contains, does not contain, is set, is not set
Checkbox fields - equals (yes/no)
Relationship fields - has links, no links
Combining Quick and Advanced Filters
Quick Filters and Advanced Filters work together. Both are active simultaneously with AND logic - a task must pass all quick filters AND all advanced filters to appear. This lets you use Quick Filters for broad selection (like "Status = In Progress") and Advanced Filters for precise conditions (like "Due date before next Friday").
Search
The search bar in the Quick Filters dropdown lets you find tasks by typing keywords. Search is real-time - results update as you type.
PrimeTask searches across:
- Task name and description
- Status and priority names
- Tag names
- Assignee names
- Custom field values (text, dropdown labels, numbers, dates)
Search uses AND logic for multiple words - typing "urgent bug" shows only tasks where both "urgent" and "bug" appear somewhere in the searchable fields. Search is case-insensitive.
Sorting
Click the Sort button in the filter bar to choose a sort field. You can sort by any standard field (name, status, priority, due date, start date, created date, progress, and more) or any custom field.
Toggle between ascending and descending order. Only one sort field is active at a time.
Manual sort (drag to reorder)
In List View, you can also arrange tasks in any order you want by dragging them. Pick Manual from the Sort menu to keep tasks in the exact order you drag them into - PrimeTask stops applying any automatic sort and respects your custom arrangement instead.
You don't have to switch to Manual first: if you drag a task while another sort is active, PrimeTask automatically switches to Manual so your new position sticks. Pick any other sort option at any time to leave Manual and go back to an automatic sort.
Manual sort covers top-level tasks, subtasks inside their parent, and CRM tasks - everything you can drag in List View is saved in the order you set. See List View for the full drag-to-reorder experience.
Your manual order is shared across views
The custom order you set by dragging in List View is the same order that appears in the Project Tasks tab inside a project. Reorder once and both places match.
Where sorting is available
| View | Sorting |
|---|---|
| List View | Yes - full sort support |
| Board View | No - column order is determined by the board grouping |
| Calendar View | Agenda mode only |
| Gantt View | No - the timeline determines order |
Grouping
Click the Group button in the filter bar to group tasks by a field. Available grouping options:
- Status - one group per status
- Priority - one group per priority
- Project - one group per project, plus an "Unassigned" group
- Task type - personal, project, CRM, subtask
- Assignee - one group per assignee
- Tags - one group per tag (tasks with multiple tags appear in multiple groups)
- Start date or Due date - grouped by date
- None - no grouping (flat list)
Each group has a collapsible header showing the group name and task count. Collapse groups you don't need to focus on the ones you do.
Where grouping is available
Grouping is available in List View. Board View has its own separate grouping system (by status, priority, project, assignee, or custom lists - see Board View). Calendar and Gantt views don't support grouping.
Saved Views
A saved view captures your entire filter setup so you can return to it later with one click.
What a saved view stores
- All active filters (quick and advanced)
- Sort field and direction
- Grouping field
- Search query
- View mode (List, Board, Calendar, or Gantt)
- Column settings (List View - widths, visibility, order)
- Column aggregation settings
- Collapsed columns (Board View)
How to save a view
Step 1
Set up your filters, sort, grouping, and search the way you want
Step 2
Click Save View in the filter bar
Step 3
Enter a name for the view
Step 4
The view is saved and becomes the active view
Loading a saved view
Click the saved view name in the filter bar dropdown. PrimeTask restores all settings - filters, sort, grouping, search, column layout, and view mode - exactly as they were when you saved.
Updating a saved view
When you modify filters or settings while a saved view is active, PrimeTask detects the changes. An Update button appears so you can save the changes back to the view. This keeps your views up to date as your workflow evolves.
Renaming and deleting views
Open the view management area in the filter bar. You can rename any saved view or delete views you no longer need. Deleting the active view clears all filters.
Saved views are per-Space
Each Space has its own saved views. Switching Spaces switches your views along with your tasks.
Things worth knowing
Filters persist across view switches
When you switch between List, Board, Calendar, and Gantt views, your active filters stay in place. The same filtered set of tasks appears in each view - just presented differently.
All four views share the filter bar
The filter bar appears at the top of the Tasks page regardless of which view you're in. Quick Filters, Advanced Filters, and Search work identically across all views. Sorting and grouping availability varies by view (see the tables above).
Filter badges show what's active
The filter bar shows badges indicating how many filters are active. Each advanced filter appears as a removable chip. Quick filter counts appear on the Quick Filters button. This makes it easy to see at a glance what's narrowing your task list.
Default column settings persist automatically
Even without saving a named view, PrimeTask remembers your column widths, visibility, and order in List View. These defaults persist across sessions so your list layout stays consistent.
Common questions
"I filtered my tasks and now I can't find a task I know exists."
Check your active filters - the task might be hidden by a status, priority, or project filter. Clear all filters to see every task, then re-apply filters one at a time to find which one is excluding the task.
"Can I filter by custom field values?"
Yes - both Quick Filters and Advanced Filters support custom fields. Quick Filters handle dropdowns, multi-select, checkboxes, ratings, currency, and relationship fields. Advanced Filters support all custom field types with type-specific operators. See Task Custom Fields.
"Can I save a view that includes my column layout?"
Yes - saved views in List View capture column widths, visibility, and order along with all filter settings.
"I want to see only overdue tasks."
Use an Advanced Filter: field = Due date, operator = Before, value = today. Combine with a status filter excluding completed tasks.
"Can I share saved views with my team?"
Saved views are stored per-Space. If you use a shared Space (via File Sync or iCloud), saved views sync to all members of that Space.
"How do I reset everything back to defaults?"
Clear all filters, remove the search query, set grouping to None, and clear the sort. To reset column settings in List View, use the column management options in the filter bar.
"Why did my sort change to Manual after I dragged a task?"
Manual is how PrimeTask remembers custom orders. If you drag a task while another sort is active, PrimeTask switches to Manual automatically - otherwise the list would immediately re-sort by the previous field and undo your drag. Pick any other sort option to leave Manual and go back to automatic sorting.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Use the sortable list view | List View |
| Use the Kanban board with custom grouping | Board View |
| Select and change multiple tasks at once | Task Bulk Actions |
| Use custom fields for filtering | Task Custom Fields |
| Customise statuses and priorities | Custom Statuses & Priorities |
| See all four task views | Task Views |
| Return to the Tasks hub | Tasks Overview |