TL;DR: A task in Wrike is an individual action item (like an item on a to-do list) that tracks work that needs to be completed. Tasks are one of the main building blocks in Wrike, alongside folders, projects, and spaces.
Hey Community! 👋
Work in Wrike is made up of smaller action items called tasks. They can live inside projects, folders, or spaces. Let's look at what a task is and how to create one.
So, What Exactly Is a Task?
Think of a task as a single item on your to-do list. It represents one specific piece of work that needs to get done.
Tasks are one of the four main building blocks in Wrike:
Building Block | What It Does |
|---|
Space | Top-level container for organizing everything |
Project | Groups multiple tasks under a larger goal |
Folder | Organizes tasks and projects into categories |
Task | A single, actionable work item |
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Every task lives inside a folder, project, or space to keep things organized.
What Can You Do with a Task?
Tasks aren't just simple checkboxes. They come with powerful features built in:
- Assign tasks to one or more team members so everyone knows who's responsible
- Set start and end dates to schedule the work
- Write descriptions using the live editor to add details and collaborate in real time
- Add comments to communicate with your team directly on the task
- Attach files so all related documents live in one place
- Start approvals to make decision-making transparent
- Track progress by updating task status as work moves forward
When Should You Use a Task?
Use a task when you need to:
- Plan individual steps required to complete a project
- Visualize work on a Gantt chart as part of a timeline
- Store information like process notes, how-tos, meeting notes, or reference details
- Track personal work like reminders, follow-ups, or daily to-dos. For example, you could create a task in your Personal space to remind yourself to follow up with a client or prepare for an upcoming meeting. Since personal tasks live in your own space, only you can see them unless you choose to share.
How to Create a Task in Wrike
All users except Collaborators, Contributors, and Viewers can create tasks. The quickest way:
- Click the + button at the top of your workspace.
- Select Task from the list.
- Type the title of your new task and select the correct location
- Press Enter.
- You can also right-click any folder or project in the sidebar, select Add item, and choose Task to create a task directly in that location.
That's it! From here, you can assign teammates, set dates, add a description, and tag the task to additional locations if needed.
💡 Keyboard shortcut: Press Alt + Shift + N (Windows) or Control + Shift + N (Mac) to quickly create a task from supported views like Table view. This shortcut works in the browser and not in the Desktop app.
Other Ways to Create Tasks
You can also create tasks directly from the view you're already working in:
View | How |
|---|
Table view | Right-click a folder or project > Add subitem > Task, or click + Item at the bottom |
Board view | Click + Item in any status column |
Gantt chart | Right-click > Add subitem > Task, or click + Item at the bottom |
Calendars | Click on a date in a classic calendar layer |
Workload chart | Hold Alt + Shift (Windows) or ⌥ + ⇧ / ⌥ + ⌘ (Mac), then drag across dates for a specific user. |
Each method creates a fully functional task. The view you choose simply depends on where you're already working.
Real-World Example
Let's say your team is launching a new product page on your website. The project might be called "Product Page Launch." Inside that project, your tasks could include:
- Write page copy
- Design hero banner
- Set up the page in CMS
- Publish page to website
Each task needs to be assigned to the right person, with a due date and any relevant files attached. As each task is completed, the project's progress updates automatically.
💡 Tip: Start your task names with a verb (like Write, Design, Build, Test) to keep them clear and action-oriented. This makes it easy for anyone to understand what needs to be done at a glance.

Good to Know 💡
- All users on all Wrike can view tasks.
- All users except Collaborators, Contributors, and Viewers can create tasks.
- Tasks can be added to multiple locations (folders, projects, spaces) using tags, so the same task can appear wherever it's relevant.
- You can break tasks into smaller pieces called subtasks (also known as subitems) for more granular tracking.
- Task duration cannot exceed 1,095 days. For longer-term initiatives, consider creating a project instead.
- When you assign a task to someone, it's automatically shared with them and appears in their "My To-Do" list.
- Tasks and projects are different. Projects are containers for organizing groups of tasks. Projects have their own status, owner, and progress tracking. Tasks are the individual action items inside them.
Learn More 📚
For a deeper look at tasks and everything you can do with them, the Wrike Help Center has you covered:
📌 Related posts in this series:
Over to You! 💬
Got questions about tasks? Or maybe a tip that helped you stay organized? Drop it in the comments. We're all learning together! 🙌
