Moving subtasks between task groups

A project's tasks are arranged in task groups, and each group holds subtasks. When a task list no longer matches how the work is actually running, you can move a subtask into a different group instead of deleting it and building it again.

Everything the subtask holds goes with it. Its time entries, comments, checklists, assets, assignees, dependencies and activity all stay attached.

This article is for anyone who tidies up a project's task list.

Who can do this

You need the Edit projects permission, which is described in Rofinery as "Modify project settings and content".

Team owners and administrators have it by default. For everyone else it's granted per person, so whether you have it depends on how your workspace is set up.

If you can't see the options described below, ask a team owner or administrator to check your permissions on Team settings → Team members.

Note: Freelancers can't move subtasks, even where they can see them.

Before you start

The project needs at least two task groups. If it only has one, there's nowhere to move anything to, and Rofinery will tell you so.

The group you move to has to be on the same project. Moving a subtask to another project isn't possible, so only groups on the current project are offered.

Move one subtask from the task list

1. Open the project and go to the Tasks tab.
2. Switch to List or All view. The row menus aren't available on Board, Kanban or Gantt.
3. Find the subtask's row and click the three-dot menu at the right-hand end.
4. Click Move to another group.
5. Under Choose a group, pick where it should go. Each group shows how many tasks it already holds, and you can type to search.
6. Click Move this task.

Rofinery confirms the move, naming the group it came from and the one it went to.

Move a subtask while you have it open

If you're already looking at a subtask, you don't need to go back to the list.

1. Open the subtask from any view by clicking its name.
2. Click the three-dot menu at the top right of the panel, next to Copy link.
3. Click Move to another group.
4. Pick a group and click Move this task.

The panel stays open afterwards and shows the subtask in its new group.

Move several subtasks at once

This is the quicker route when you're reorganising properly, rather than moving one thing.

1. Go to the Tasks tab and switch to List or All view.
2. Tick the box on each subtask you want to move. Each task group also has its own tick box, which selects everything in that group.
3. A bar appears at the bottom of the screen showing how many are selected.
4. Click Group, then choose a group under Move to.
5. Check the confirmation, then click Apply change.

Rofinery then tells you how many moved. Any subtask that was already in the group you picked is counted separately as skipped, rather than being moved to the end of the list for no reason.

Note: Changing a filter or a search clears your selection. That's deliberate, so an action never lands on rows you can no longer see. Tick the boxes again after you change a filter.

What moves with a subtask

Limits and constraints

• You can only move a subtask to a group on the same project.

• A moved subtask always joins the end of the target group's list. It doesn't keep its old position.

• Moving a subtask changes nothing about the subtask itself. If you want to change its status or assignees as well, that's a separate action.

• Subtasks already sitting in the group you pick are skipped.

• Freelancers can't move subtasks.

• The row menus and tick boxes are only in List and All view. The subtask panel's menu works from every view.

Troubleshooting

• You can't see Move to another group in a row menu. Either you don't have the Edit projects permission, or you're on Board, Kanban or Gantt. Switch to List or All view first.

• The dialog says "Nowhere to move it". The project has only one task group, so there's nothing to move the subtask into. Create a second group first.

• The bulk bar says tasks were skipped as "already in that group". Those subtasks were already in the group you picked, so Rofinery left them where they were.

• The bottom bar disappeared before you finished. Changing a filter or search clears the selection on purpose. Tick the boxes again.

• Time has vanished from the old group's totals. That's expected. Time entries follow the subtask, so the hours now count towards the group it moved to.

• Nothing happens when you click Move this task. Make sure you've picked a group under Choose a group. The button stays greyed out until you do.