Project Task Management
Organize tasks, subtasks, dependencies, and track progress with visual kanban boards in Odoo 19.
Key features
Key points
• Create and manage tasks with detailed descriptions, deadlines, priorities, and tags
• Break down complex tasks into subtasks for granular progress tracking
• Set task dependencies to ensure proper execution order
• Kanban board with drag-and-drop to move tasks through stages
• Assign tasks to team members with automatic notifications
• Track work time (timesheet) directly on tasks
Important terminology
Key points
• Task: Basic work unit in a project with assignee, deadline, and status
• Subtask: Smaller task belonging to a parent task, helps break down complex work
• Task Dependencies: Relationships between tasks determining execution order
• Kanban View: Visual board displaying tasks in status columns
• Stage: Task status like "To Do", "In Progress", "Done"
• Assignment: Designating the person responsible for executing the task
Create and configure Tasks
Steps
1. Go to Project app, select the project to create task
2. Click "New" or "+" on kanban board to create new task
3. Fill in task name, detailed description, select Assignees
4. Set deadline, Priority, tags, and milestone if applicable
5. Choose initial stage (usually "To Do" or "Backlog")
6. Save task. Assigned users will receive automatic notification
Working with Subtasks
Key points
• Open parent task, go to "Sub-tasks" tab and click "Add a line"
• Create subtask with its own name, assignee, and deadline
• Subtasks can have independent stage and progress from parent task
• Parent task progress automatically calculated based on subtask completion %
• Subtasks help break large work into manageable pieces
• Can convert subtask to independent task if needed
Set up Task Dependencies
Steps
1. Open task to set dependencies, go to "Dependencies" tab
2. Select "Blocked By" to add tasks that must complete first
3. Select "Blocking" to see which tasks are waiting for this one
4. System warns when starting task while dependent tasks are incomplete
5. Dependencies display on Gantt view to clearly see workflow
6. Helps accurate planning and avoids schedule conflicts
Using Kanban View
Key points
• Kanban board displays tasks in stage columns: To Do, In Progress, Done
• Drag-and-drop tasks between columns to update status
• Each card shows task name, assignee, deadline, and priority
• Click card to open task details and edit
• Customize stages according to project-specific workflow
• Filter and group tasks by assignee, tag, milestone, or priority
Assign Tasks to Members
Key points
• Select one or more people in task "Assignees" field
• Assigned users receive email and in-app notifications
• Each member has personal dashboard showing assigned tasks
• Can reassign task to others if delegation changes
• Track each member's workload via "By Assignee" view
• Supports assigning multiple people for collaborative tasks
Track Task Progress
Steps
1. Update task stage when moving to next work phase
2. Record work time (timesheet) directly on task
3. Mark subtasks complete to update parent task % progress
4. Use Gantt view to see timeline and deadlines of all tasks
5. Check project dashboard for overall progress overview
6. Receive automatic alerts when task approaches or exceeds deadline
Common use cases
Key points
• Software development: tasks for features, subtasks for components, dependencies between frontend-backend
• Marketing campaign: tasks for each channel, subtasks for content creation, design, publishing
• Construction: tasks for each item, dependencies ensure construction sequence
• Events: tasks for venue, catering, marketing with clear dependencies
• Employee onboarding: tasks for training, paperwork, setup with checklist subtasks
• Product launch: tasks for development, testing, marketing with tight timeline
Customize Stages and Workflow
Key points
• Each project can have its own stage set matching the workflow
• Create new stage from Settings > Stages, set name and order
• Mark final stage as "Folded" to hide completed tasks
• Set up "Cancelled" stage for cancelled tasks
• Use different colors to distinguish stages
• Stages can apply to multiple projects or be project-specific
Integration with other Modules
Key points
• Timesheet: record work hours directly on tasks for payroll and cost calculation
• Sales: automatically create tasks from sales orders for delivery or implementation
• Helpdesk: convert tickets to project tasks when complex handling needed
• Planning: schedule task assignments according to team work calendar
• Documents: attach files, contracts, related documents to tasks
• Email: create tasks from emails, discuss tasks via email thread
Practical tips
Key points
• Name tasks clearly, start with verb: "Design UI", "Write test case"
• Use tags for classification: "bug", "feature", "urgent", "technical-debt"
• Set realistic deadlines, avoid too tight causing unnecessary pressure
• Update progress regularly so team leader can monitor situation
• Use subtasks for tasks expected to take more than 1 day for easier tracking
• Check dependencies before starting sprint to avoid blocking
Business benefits
Key points
• Increase transparency: everyone sees who does what, when deadline is
• Reduce meetings: task information always updated, no need to meet for status
• Manage workload: distribute work evenly, avoid overload or idle time
• Meet deadlines: early warnings and dependencies help complete on time
• Trace work: task history helps evaluate performance and improve processes
• Better coordination: clear subtasks and assignments reduce confusion and duplication