Organizing Tasks: Subtasks and Dependencies
🎯 Why This Matters
Complex projects need structure. Breaking large tasks into subtasks and linking related work helps you:
Manage complexity - Big projects become manageable pieces
Track progress accurately - See exactly where things stand
Aggregate data automatically - Parent tasks roll up time and costs from children
Show relationships - Link tasks that depend on or relate to each other
📂 Understanding Task Hierarchy
Parent and child tasks let you organize big projects into clear, manageable pieces.
Parent Tasks
A parent task is a container for related work. It represents the overall goal or project.
Example: "Prepare Room A for New Grow Cycle"
Cannot have timers run directly on them
Automatically aggregates costs and time from subtasks
Subtasks (Child Tasks)
Subtasks are the individual pieces of work within a parent.
Example: "Clean grow tables", "Inspect irrigation system", "Set up lighting"
Can be assigned, timed, and tracked independently
Contribute to parent task totals
➕ Creating Subtasks
Add subtasks in seconds - break down complex work without losing the big picture.
Method 1: From the Task Sidebar
Click a task to open its sidebar
Click Create Subtask
Fill in the subtask details
Save - the new subtask appears under the parent
Method 2: When Creating a New Task
Click + New Task
In the task form, select a Parent Task
Fill in the rest of the details
Save - the task is created as a child of the selected parent
💡 Quick Tip
You can nest subtasks multiple levels deep. A subtask can have its own subtasks, creating a detailed work breakdown structure.
📊 How Data Aggregates
See the true cost and time of any project - parent tasks automatically total up all subtask data.
Parent tasks automatically roll up data from their children:
Field | How It Aggregates |
Time Tracked | Sum of all child task timer sessions |
Labour Cost | Sum of all child labour costs |
Supply Cost | Sum of all child supply costs |
Total Cost | Sum of all child total costs |
This means you can see the true cost and time of a project by looking at the parent task, even if work is distributed across many subtasks.
👀 Viewing Subtasks
Expand any parent task to see what's inside - collapse when you need the big picture.
In the Task List
Parent tasks show an expand/collapse arrow
Click to show or hide subtasks
Use Hierarchical Sort to group parents with their children
In the Task Sidebar
Open a parent task
Scroll to the Subtasks section
See all direct children with their status
Click any subtask to view its details
🔗 Task Links and Dependencies
Connect related tasks across projects - show what depends on what, even outside a hierarchy.
Beyond parent-child relationships, you can link tasks that relate to each other.
Link Types
Type | Meaning | Example |
Depends On | This task cannot start until the linked task is done | "Package product" depends on "Complete QC testing" |
Blocks | This task must finish before the linked task can start | "Clean room" blocks "Start new grow cycle" |
Relates To | Tasks are related but no dependency | "Order supplies" relates to "Inventory count" |
🔗 Creating Task Links
Link any two tasks in a few clicks - choose the relationship type that fits.
Open a task in the sidebar
Find the Links section
Click Add Link
Search for the task you want to link
Select the link type (depends on, blocks, relates to)
Save the link
Viewing Linked Tasks
Linked tasks appear in the Links section of the sidebar. Click any link to jump to that task.
⚠️ Note
Task links are informational - they help you understand relationships but don't automatically block work. Team members can still update linked tasks independently.
📋 When to Use Subtasks vs Links
Pick the right tool - subtasks for breaking down work, links for connecting separate efforts.
Use Subtasks When... | Use Links When... |
Breaking one project into pieces | Connecting separate projects |
You want costs to roll up to a parent | Tasks are independent but related |
Work is part of a single effort | One task depends on another |
Same team, same timeline | Different teams or timelines |
✨ Best Practices
For Subtasks
Keep hierarchy shallow - 2-3 levels max for clarity
Make subtasks actionable - Each should be a clear piece of work
Use consistent granularity - Subtasks should be similar in size
Don't over-divide - If a task takes 15 minutes, it probably doesn't need subtasks
For Links
Use sparingly - Only link tasks that truly depend on each other
Choose the right type - "Depends on" vs "Relates to" mean different things
Keep links current - Remove links that no longer apply
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Organizing Tasks: Subtasks and Dependencies