Available on all Teamwork.com plans.
Quick answer: To create a task list in Teamwork.com, open the project, switch to a task view such as Table and click Add task list. Give it a name, add any notes, then click Add task list to finish. Every task must belong to a task list, so create task lists after you create the project.
Feature overview
What
Use task lists to organize related tasks inside a project. They help you group work by phase, team, deliverable, or process so tasks stay easier to manage.
Why
  • Add organization and structure.
  • Group subsets of related work.
  • Give each team or department a centralized hub for their responsibilities.
Who
  • Site admins and project admins
  • Standard users and client users with permission to:
    • Add task lists (ability to create, edit, and delete task lists on the project)
When
First, create a project, then task lists - without them, you can't create tasks!
  • Group related tasks for intuitive organization and a more holistic view of what's being worked on.
  • Create groupings that reflect your team's priorities and initiatives.
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Learn in-app: Create a task list

Before you start

Create a task list after creating a project, since every task in Teamwork.com must belong to a task list within a project. You can't create a task unless it belongs to a task list.

How do I create a task list in Teamwork.com?

Follow the steps below to create a task list, then review the best-practice guidance later in this article to structure task lists in a way that stays useful as the project grows.

Open the project and switch to a task view

The steps below use Table view. You can choose your preferred view (List, Board, Table).

  1. Click Jump to in the left sidebar next to the projects tab and select a project.
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2. Select the Table tab.
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Create the task list

  1. Click Add task list to launch the task list creation wizard.
  2. Give the task list a name.
  3. Add any relevant notes for the list. Think of this as the list's helper text or description.
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Finish now or add more details

  • Click Add task list to finish.
  • Modify additional task list details, then click Add task list.
    • Privacy: Decide who should (more accurately, who shouldn't) have access to the task list.
    • Milestone: Attach the task list to a milestone so that you can track progress towards a key goal.
      The Milestones tab is only visible if the milestones feature is turned on for a project.
    • Default settings: pin a list, decide if tasks should be billable or non-billable by default, and set property values.

Did you know that you can also create a task list from a template? That populates the list with a set of templated tasks you use regularly.

What are the other ways to create a task list?

You can also click the Add task list button (and access the task list creation wizard) from a project's:
  • List view
  • Gantt view
     

Best practices when creating task lists

  • Organize: Use task lists to group tasks into relevant subsets of work (e.g. based on department, or by micro-goal).
  • Increase efficiency: Set default properties for new tasks in the task list. Psst! You can have all new tasks added to a particular board column by default.
  • Set phased timelines: Attach a milestone to a task list to set a clear target date for task list completion.
     

Get more from your task lists

  • Repeatable work: Create task list templates to save time (and probably some heartache) if you have a set of tasks that regularly need to be carried out.
  • Granular financial visibility: Drill down into your project budget by setting budgets for each task list.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a task without a task list?

No. Every task in Teamwork.com must belong to a task list within a project.

Who can create task lists?

Site admins, project admins, and standard and client users with permission to add task lists.

Which view should I use?

Any task view works: List, Board or Table. The steps in this article use Table view.