Get started with Shared Google Tasks

With Shared Tasks, you can:

• Assign a task to someone to complete
• Check the status of a shared task
• Update a shared task from a shared surface, like a space or a document
• Update a shared task assigned to you from your personal task list

Tip: Shared tasks can’t have subtasks or repeat.

Create Shared Tasks 

You can create and assign a shared task within a space or document. 

Learn how to:

• Create and assign tasks in a Google Chat space
• Assign tasks in Google Docs

When shared tasks are assigned to you:

• They go into your default list, but you can move them into different lists.
• Your task’s info appears in:
  • Your personal task list
  • Shared spaces, like a chat space or document
  • Google Calendar, if you have a time and/or date attached
• You can delete a task or edit task info. 
  • Changes are reflected on your assigned shared tasks in a space or document.
• If you have access to the shared surface history, you can verify who completed the task or changed the assignee. 

Manage Shared Tasks

Learn about Shared Tasks notifications

Shared Tasks notifications are sent when tasks are:

• Created
• Assigned, reassigned, or unassigned
• Completed or marked as incomplete
• Deleted without being completed

If a shared task is created in a space, you receive notifications in that space. 

If the task is created in a document, you'll receive notifications through email, which includes the email address of the person who assigned it. You'll also get notifications when the date or title changes. 

Tip: For any task changes you make yourself, you won’t get notifications.

Learn about deleted Shared Tasks

When a shared task is deleted, it’s removed from your personal task list. When you delete it from your personal task list, this deletion will be reflected in the shared space too.

• If the task is from a chat space: Any related messages remain in the chat. If you use a work or school account, you can delete your messages from the space at any time.
• If the task originated from a document and you:
  • Have edit access: 
    • The task no longer shows in the document, but the checklist item and text remain. 
  • Don’t have edit access: 
    • The task shows as deleted next to the checklist item. 
    • Any collaborators with edit access can accept these changes. 
    • Tasks continue to show in the list stream until the deletion is accepted. 
    • Important: You may review deleted tasks in the revision history. 

When a shared surface is deleted

• Chat space: All tasks are deleted from that space and their assignee’s personal task list.
• Google doc: All tasks stay on your personal task list but you can’t view the linked doc because it’s deleted.

If your Google Account is deleted 

• When your Google Account is deleted, shared tasks assigned to you: 
  • In Chat get unassigned but remain in the shared space
  • In Docs remain in the shared space assigned to an unknown user

If you lose access to the shared surface

• Your tasks remain assigned to you even if you lose access to the shared chat space or document. Changes you make are reflected in the shared space.
  • Tip: In Docs, a collaborator with edit access has to accept your changes before they’re applied. 

Related resources

• Assign tasks from Google Docs
• Create and assign tasks in a Google Chat space