Within Teamwork.com, you can create tasks in your projects via email.

Note: Any project members with the project permission to Add Tasks can use the post via email feature. The ability to edit existing tasks is also dependent on your add/edit tasks permissions.

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In the List area of your project, click the options button (three dots) in the top right and select Post Tasks via Email from the dropdown menu. 

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In the post via email modal, click the Copy button to the right of the email address.

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Note: Project admins and site admins will also see an edit option for customizing the email address.


By default, tasks created via email will be added to an Inbox task list when using the project email address.

However, you also have the option of specifying an existing task list by adding [#Task List Name] or (Task List Name) to the subject line of your email.

If you use a task list name that does not match an existing task list, the task will be sent to the Inbox list.

Note: Do not use the item-via-email address feature to post from automated systems that could generate hundreds of messages/files/notebooks etc. Abuse of the via-email feature will result in suspension of the feature from your account.


Posting tasks to a specific task list

You can also post tasks directly to an individual task list. To access the task list email address, hover over the task list name and click the three dots to the right. From the dropdown menu, select the Post Tasks via Email option.

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In the post via email modal, you can copy the task list email address.

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Creating a single task

To create a single task, put the task title in the subject line of your email. Anything in the body of the email will be added into the task description. Attached files will be attached to the task when created. 


Creating multiple tasks

To create multiple tasks, leave the subject blank and put each task on a new line in the body of the email with a blank line following each task.

To add a short description, put it in curly braces when creating multiple tasks e.g: {quick description}.

  • Line breaks are not allowed so keep it all on one line.
To add tasks and subtasks use the #option before the text on the next line and a subtask will be created.

Example (to be added to the email body):

Task number 1 {quick description}

# @John Title of subtask 1 {quick description}

# Title of subtask 2 {quick description}

Task number 2 {quick description}


Note: When creating multiple tasks, attached files will not attach to any task and will be ignored. 


Posting tasks to a board column

You can post a task via email directly to a column in the board view of your project.

You will first need to set the default task list on the board.

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In Board view, click the three dots at the top of the relevant column and select Column Settings. 

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In the quick view panel that opens on the right, you can then select the default task list for this column. 

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Once set, whenever a task is sent to the specified default task list, the task will appear in both the List and Board areas of your project.


Assigning tasks to users and notify them

You can use the @person shortcode in the subject line, or in each line of the email body if there are multiple tasks, (e.g: @dan @peter) to assign a task to a person on the project.

The @mention can be the login name or a combination of firstname & lastname. For example: A user called "Daniel Mackey" with a login "dmackey" can be "mentioned" by @dan, @daniel, @danielmac, @danielmackey or @dmackey

  • You can append notify+ to the email address to send a notification email:
    • e.g. notify+00000_00000@tasks.teamwork.com
  • We also support notify+ in the email subject.
  • We do not notify the user creating the task by email.
  • If the task is assigned to a set of people only those people are notified.
  • If the list the task was added to has task list defaults then these assignees are respected.
  • If the list the task was added to is private then only people who can see that list will be notified.

Setting privacy and priority

Append private+ to the email address to make the tasks private:

  • e.g. private+00000_00000@tasks.teamwork.com

You can set the priority of tasks by adding a number of ! characters to the task:

  • ! = Low Priority
  • !! = Medium Priority
  • !!! = High Priority

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We also support the priority header added by email clients when you mark an email as important.


Setting start and due dates

You can specify a due date by including the date in square brackets within the subject line. Use the date format that is set in your Teamwork.com localization preferences.

  • [22/03/2019]
  • [today]
  • [next week]
  • [friday]
You can specify a start date by including two date directives. The earliest date will become the start date and the latest date will become the due date.

[today] [next monday] This task will start today and is due next week.

[16/12/2019][22/12/2019] - Start on Dec 16th and will be due Dec 22nd.

Note: When setting a start date and due date, the system will automatically use the later date entered as the due date.


Adding tags

You can add tags to tasks by adding them as #tag1 #tag2 etc, in the subject line of the email.

For tag names with multiple words, use the format #[tag name].

Example: Task name is 'New Task', and it has two tags: bugs and design plans. 


Once you send the email, the task will be posted to the Inbox task list in the project, unless you have specified a task list in the email. 

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Reopening tasks and milestones

Send #open or #uncomplete as part of the reply. Any other included text is added as a comment.

To reopen a task, reply to completed task notifications with:

  • #Uncomplete
  • #Reopen
  • #Open
  • #Notdon
  • #Reopened
Note: You can add a command and a comment at the same time. The command is processed & the command text is removed with the remainder added as the comment.


Reassigning tasks

Send #reassign @user or #assign @user as part of the reply.

You can assign a task to multiple users, e.g. @dan @peter @tim.


Completing tasks and milestones

To complete a task, reply to active task notifications with:

  • #Complete
  • #Completed
  • #Done
Any other text in the reply is added as a comment


Following only comments

To follow only comments on a task, reply to the email notification with any of the following:

  • #commentsonly
  • #followcomments
  • #onlyfollowcomments

Unfollowing via email

Reply to an email notification with #unfollow in the body and you will be removed as a follower from that item.

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Managing email signatures

You can add #end after your email content so your signature is not included. Make sure this is on a separate line from your content).

  • Even without #end, if your signature has images, Teamwork.com will remove the images once our system can see that they are used repeatedly.
  • You could add #end as 1px white text and space it one row above your normal email signature so no one can see it on normal emails but Teamwork.com will recognize the start of your signature.