TL;DR: To assign a task in Wrike, open the task, click the Assignee button, and select a team member (or yourself). The assignee gets notified automatically, and the task appears in their My To-Do list.
Hey Community! 👋
Assigning tasks is one of the very first things you'll do in Wrike, whether you're handing off work to a teammate or picking something up yourself.
Let's walk through how it works from every angle.
What Does "Assigning" Mean in Wrike?
Assigning a task to someone means they are responsible for completing some or all of the work. When a task is assigned:
- The task is shared with the assignee automatically (they get access).
- The assignee receives a notification in their Wrike Inbox.
- The task appears in their My To-Do list.
How to Assign a Task to Someone Else
From Item View
- Navigate to the folder, project, or space where the task is located.
- Click on the task to open it.
- Click the Assignee field on the task panel.
- Select a person from the list. If you don't see them, start typing their name in the search bar.
- To add more people, repeat the step and add additional names.
From Table View
- Navigate to the folder, project, or space where your tasks live.
- Switch to Table view.
- Make sure the Assignee column is visible.
- Double-click the cell in the Assignee column next to a task and select the assignee.
Mass assign tasks:
- Drag-Fill: Select a cell with the person's name, then drag the small green circle in the bottom-right corner of the cell down the column. All those tasks get assigned to that person in one go.
- Mass Actions Toolbar: Select multiple tasks using the checkboxes, then click Assignee in the toolbar that appears. From there you can Add, Reassign, Switch, or Unassign assignees in bulk.
How to Unassign a Task
- Open the task in Item view or locate it in the Table View.
- Hover over the assignee's avatar on the task panel.
- Click the X that appears.
How to Assign a Task to Yourself
Sometimes you need to grab a task for yourself. Here are two main ways to do it:
Method | How it works |
|---|
Create from My To-Do | Go to My To-Do in the left sidebar, click + Item, type a title, and press Enter. Tasks created here are automatically assigned to you. |
Add yourself manually | Open any task, click the Assignee button, and select your own name. |
💡 Note: When you assign a task to yourself, you will not receive an Inbox notification or email. Wrike assumes you already know since you performed the action.
When You Are Assigned a Task
Wondering what happens when someone assigns a task to you? Here's what to expect:
1. You get an Inbox notification. A notification appears in your Wrike Inbox letting you know someone assigned work to you.
2. The task shows up in your My To-Do list. My To-Do automatically collects all tasks assigned to you. It's your personal task list in Wrike.
3. You automatically start following the task. This means you'll see updates (status changes, comments, date changes) in your stream.
4. You may get an email notification. If you have "Someone assigns me a task" enabled in Settings > Email Preferences, you'll receive an email after the assignment.
📌 Want a deeper look at where your assigned work lives and how to stay on top of it? Check out "How to Find Work Assigned to You in Wrike" in this series.
A Simple Real-World Example
Assigner's perspective: You're a marketing manager. You create a task called "Draft social media copy" and assign it to your copywriter.
They get an Inbox notification, and the task lands in their My To-Do list.
Assignee's perspective: You're the copywriter. A notification pops up in your Inbox. You click it, read the description, and get started. The task is always waiting for you in My To-Do.
Self-assigning: You volunteer to handle "Update brand guidelines" during a team meeting. You open the task, click the Assignee field, type your own name, and select it. The task now appears in your My To-Do, ready for you to tackle.
Good to Know
Detail | What to remember |
|---|
Who can assign tasks? | All users except Collaborators, Contributors, and Viewers. |
Multiple assignees | You can add as many as you want, but fewer is better for clear ownership. Consider using subtasks instead. |
Self-assign notifications | You will not receive a notification when you assign a task to yourself. |
Sharing is automatic | Assigning someone automatically shares the task with them. |
Can't find someone in the list? | They may not have access to the task or its parent location. Users with Editor access can only assign to people who already have access. |
External users | Can only assign tasks to people the task is already shared with, or to themselves. |
Assigning to groups | You cannot assign directly to a user group. You can assign to individuals or, to Job Roles (on Pinnacle and above plans). |
Learn More
For the complete walkthrough, the Wrike Help Center has you covered:
Related Posts in This Series
📌 Just getting started? Check out "How to Create a Task in Wrike" for the step before this one. 📌 Want to know where all your assigned work lives? See "How to Find Work Assigned to You in Wrike".
Over to You
Are you the one assigning tasks in your team, or are you on the receiving end? Drop in the comments below! 👇
