We recently launched a new project labels feature and wanted to follow up with some tips on how to get the most use from them. Project labels are a valuable tool for managing tasks and tracking time effectively. Here’s a few ways project labels will help you improve and maintain better task organization and workflow.
Categorize tasks by project
Group tasks by label on the projects they belong to and create more context. This allows you to indicate the nature of the project and focus on a subset of tasks across similar, multiple projects at once. For example, when managing multiple projects simultaneously, create labels for each project, such as “Research” “Design,” and so on. This way, you can easily filter and view tasks specific to each project label.
Basic time tracking reports will reveal how much time is going to different project categories. Use this information to assign different types of tasks and allocate time blocks to balance out your work day.
Prioritize tasks by project
Use project labels to indicate task priorities. For instance, assign labels like “High Priority,” “Medium Priority,” or “Low Priority” at the project level. This communicates to your team that all tasks under these projects should be given a certain priority. Now your team can focus on the most important tasks first and ensure that time-sensitive activities are not overlooked.
Additionally, tracking time directly on tasks will give you the data needed to quantify which highest priority projects are being worked on. Time tracking will also reveal if any time is being wasted on lower priority work.
Track project progress
Labels can be used to track the progress of the project at a high level. Create labels such as “Unstarted,” “In Progress,” and “Completed” to indicate the current status of each project. As you work on tasks, update the labels for the project they belong to accordingly. This provides a visual overview of your progress and helps you identify projects with tasks that require immediate attention.
Filter and search tasks efficiently
When you have numerous tasks across multiple projects, labels enable you to filter and search for specific tasks quickly. You can easily access all tasks associated with a particular project category or phase by applying the relevant labels as filters. Plus, the ability to save these filters enables you to create multiple views that can be loaded quickly.
For example, create a saved filter for all tasks assigned to your designer and belonging to projects currently on hold. Then review this filtered task view weekly with your team to see if anything can be done to push tasks forward.
Plan and schedule tasks
Project labels can assist in planning and scheduling tasks effectively. For example, assigning labels to projects like “Backlog” and “Icebox” can help prioritize which tasks should be pulled in to the next deliverable. As tasks become ready to implement move them to the project labeled as current. That way your team can focus on the tasks of most importance and not waste time sifting through tasks belonging to projects still coming down the pipeline.
Analyze project performance
By leveraging project labels, you can analyze the performance of different groupings of projects. For example, you can compare the number of tasks completed, analyze billable hours, and assess the overall health of projects labeled “In progress.” This information can then guide decision-making and time estimating for future projects.
Remember, the key to effective task management and time tracking lies in consistently applying and updating project labels. We recommend regularly reviewing and adjusting your project labels as needed to ensure they align with your evolving priorities and project requirements.
