Asana Basics

This article has been developed to help our volunteer leaders use Asana. If you are accessing this article on a computer use the Table of Contents to navigate this page. If you are on a mobile device simply scroll down. Or prefer a more interactive way of learning? Click here for our Asana Basics training module.

Project

an Asana project is an organised list of tasks and subtasks within different sections. Think of Asana projects as the overarching category that a task may sit within. You are always invited to join two projects when you become a volunteer leader e.g. Darwin and depending on your role, either Coordinators Communications, Vehicle Leaders Communications, Service Leader Communications. When creating a task, consider if it may fit within an existing task in one of these projects, or if it is a once-off occurrence that requires actioning and closing off quickly. 

Click here to watch a short video on projects.

Task

an Asana task is an action item that is assigned to a person and given a due date, description and can be actioned and completed in discussion with any relevant collaborators. When using Asana, a task is the most common way to create, explain, delegate and complete anything that needs to be actioned. 

Click here to watch a short video on tasks.

Asana Task list explainer

Inbox

Your inbox is your notification centre. It displays updates on all tasks that you collaborate on or are assigned. You can access your inbox from the menu pane. If you have any new notifications. An orange circle will appear. 

Comment

a comment is one of the best ways to start a conversation about an Asana task. The ideal way to post a comment on your Asana task is to tag a staff member or other volunteer leader by typing '@', then their name, and then selecting their account name to let them know what you may need or want to discuss about the task. Note: when you tag someone in a comment, they will automatically be added as a collaborator to the task.

Like

Think of this as similar to a 'like' on Facebook, when you click 'like' on a comment the commenter will be notified. This can often act as an acknowledgement or support of what the person is saying. Note: you do not need to 'like' every single comment that you see!

Collaborator

A collaborator is a person that has access to the task and can make comments, alter the description and other details to the task. Adding a collaborator to the task or project means that person will be notified of all comments. You will see who is a collaborator on a task by looking at the bottom and seeing little circles of either photos or initials. 

How-to create an effective Asana task

These are the key features that make up an effective Asana task:

• Task Name: always give your task a name that provides an overview of what it is about, it should be short and straightforward.
• Assignee: make sure to assign the task to someone, whether it be yourself or to a relevant team or staff member who should be accountable for managing and completing the task.
• Due Date: select a due date for the task to be completed by, this can be changed multiple times so don't stress!
• Description: try and capture all of the relevant information related to the task in the description, it could be addressed to someone or just contain dot points related to what needs to happen in order to action and complete the task. The description can be as long or as short as you wish, just capture the key details you wish to communicate to all collaborators or for your own reference.
• Collaborators: add any people you want to contribute or be included in the task.
• Comment: type a comment and tag someone by typing '@' then their name, to start the conversation about what you may need help with to get the task progressing. Be sure to '@' all the relevant people, however if you are unsure, tag the person who you think is best to assist. Note: You can refer to the Operations Org Chart for assistance!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when to mark a task as complete?

This one can be tricky, as it's not always clear when a task is completed with no further action required. Common practice in Asana would be that the person who is the 'assignee' of the task is the one to mark it as complete once they have deemed it to be finalised. Often an Asana task will only require a one-step action and can be closed off quickly, but other times it may rely on multiple subtasks to be completed and collaboration from an entire team. When reviewing your task, consider what there may be left to do or review, and if any collaborators may have anything further to add. Note: be careful not to mark a task as complete by accident as it can disappear from your area and can be easily forgotten!

What is the difference between 'My Tasks' and 'Inbox'?

'My Tasks' contains any task that has been assigned to you and requires you to action and/or mark it as complete. Contrastingly, 'Inbox' is more like the news feed you'd find on Facebook, it contains updates, information and changes to tasks that you are involved in or connected to that may not necessarily be your direct responsibility. If a collaborator comments on a task you are in, you're added to another person's task or Asana wants to let you know of upcoming tasks you need to complete, you'll find these in your Asana 'Inbox'. 

My inbox is very full, how can I keep it clear?

This one is easy, the archive button! If your inbox is cluttered with tags, comments and tasks that you've seen and actioned, you can de-clutter your inbox by archiving these notifications. To find the archive button, hover over a task in your 'Inbox' to find the button located above the 'like' icon which looks identical to an archive box! Click it once you've reviewed a particular piece of information and have finalised any required actions related to it. Note: These tasks do not disappear completely, you can always find these again by heading to 'Archive', the button at the top of your 'Inbox' sitting next to 'Activity'.