Introducing Task Start Dates and Timelines

Today, we’re launching a big update to Flow: Task Start Dates and Timelines!

Not all tasks are created equal. Some pieces of work are larger, more complex, or just take longer to complete than others. Sometimes, knowing when something needs to be finished isn’t enough — you also need to know when to get started.

Task Timelines bring more than just start dates to tasks: They help quickly size up your team’s tasks, visualize workloads, and more easily see how tasks fit together to deliver work on time.

In a nutshell, here’s what’s new:

• Assign start dates to tasks with the new date picker, and visualize them on new timeline views across Flow
• Upgraded Project Schedule view: Easily drag, drop and resize tasks to build out a project plan beneath your master project timeline. Organize tasks manually, or sort by owner, to see how work is divided up
• The Workload tab: Use the all-new Workload tab to get a view into tasks across groups and levels — from the smallest workgroup to your entire company
• Task Profile Agenda: Clearly see any individual teammate’s personal task timelines using the redesigned Task Profile Calendar, now called the Agenda
• Set start dates independently of due dates: Ideal for work that’s still being specced or scoped, and seeing how long a task takes to complete, without needing to predict the finish line

Assign start dates to tasks
Use the new Start Date sort in any list or project to see which tasks are upcoming, in progress, or overdue.

Create a visual project plan with Task Timelines
Drag, drop, and resize tasks to plan any specific project in the redesigned Project Schedule view.

Plan at 30,000 feet, or take a closer look
Use the Timelines tab to take the high level view and see all the projects across your company. Click any project’s timeline to instantly move down to that project’s Schedule, where you can view and manage all its tasks. When you’re done, jump back up to the big picture view with one click.

See how all your team’s tasks fit together
Redesigned Team Workload views live in the new Workload tab, and make it easy to view and filter Tasks and Timelines by any combination of teams, projects, and teammates. Perfect for when you need to see how multiple projects or workloads fit together.

See any teammate’s personal task timelines
Clearly see any teammate’s personal task timelines — lit up by their respective project colors — in the redesigned Task Profile Agenda view. Zoom in and out to get your bearings, or hop on over to the upgraded calendar if vertical scrolling is your thing.

Set start dates independently of due dates
Don’t know how long a task will take? Add a start date and leave off the due date. The timeline for the task will extend to the current day until you complete it, so you can easily see how long the task took you. Also ideal for work that is still being specced or scoped.

Coming Soon

There’s even more coming soon, including:

• Vertical task reordering in all timeline views
• A handy unscheduled tasks tray for dropping tasks without a schedule directly in to any timeline view
• Rich notifications for Start Dates
• Start Dates for repeating tasks
• Freeform task positioning on the project schedule view
• A new task list sort that blends start and due dates together

Watch this space. In the meantime, we’d love to know what you think! Email us with any thoughts, feedback, or ideas at support@getflow.com.