How to assign tasks to team members on Asana
Quick Answer
To assign tasks to team members on Asana, open your project, create or select an existing task, click the assignee field, and choose a team member. You can assign tasks during creation or edit existing tasks to change assignees.
Prerequisites
- Active Asana account
- Access to a team workspace
- Team members added to your project
- Appropriate permissions to assign tasks
Step-by-Step Instructions
1
Navigate to your project
Log into your Asana account and click on the project where you want to assign tasks. You can access projects from the left sidebar or from your Home dashboard.
Use the search bar at the top to quickly find specific projects if you have many.
2
Create a new task or select existing task
To create a new task, click the + Add task button at the top of your task list or press
Tab + N. To assign an existing task, simply click on the task name to open it. You can also create tasks by pressing Enter after typing in the task creation field.
3
Access the assignee field
In the task details panel on the right side, locate the Assignee field. It's typically located near the top of the task details, showing either an avatar if already assigned or a person icon if unassigned.
The assignee field may show 'Unassigned' text if no one is currently assigned to the task.
4
Select team member to assign
Click on the Assignee field to open the dropdown menu. Type the name of the team member or scroll through the list of available team members. Click on the desired person's name or avatar to assign them to the task.
You can only assign tasks to team members who have access to the current project.
5
Set due date and priority (optional)
While in the task details, you can also set a Due date by clicking the calendar icon and selecting a date. Add priority levels by clicking the Priority field and choosing from Low, Normal, High, or Urgent.
Setting due dates helps team members prioritize their work and keeps projects on track.
6
Add task description and attachments
In the Description field, provide detailed instructions or context for the task. You can also attach files by clicking the paperclip icon or dragging files directly into the task details panel.
Clear descriptions reduce back-and-forth questions and help assignees complete tasks more efficiently.
7
Save and notify assignee
Your changes are automatically saved in Asana. The assigned team member will receive a notification about the new task assignment via email and in their Asana notifications. You can also @mention them in a comment to draw immediate attention.
Check your notification settings to ensure team members receive timely alerts about new assignments.
8
Track task progress
Monitor assigned tasks by checking the project's List view, Board view, or Timeline view. You can see task status updates, comments, and completion progress from the assignee in real-time.
Use the My Tasks view to see all tasks assigned to you across different projects.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Team member's name doesn't appear in assignee dropdown
Ensure the team member has been added to the project first. Go to project settings and click Share to add them as a project member.
Cannot assign tasks to certain team members
Check that you have edit permissions for the project and that the team member has appropriate access levels. Contact your workspace admin if needed.
Assigned team member not receiving notifications
Ask the team member to check their notification settings in Asana preferences and ensure their email notifications are enabled for task assignments.
Task assignment changes keep reverting
This may indicate a syncing issue. Refresh your browser, check your internet connection, or try logging out and back into Asana.
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