---
url: /guides/assign-and-watch-tasks.md
description: >-
  Give a task to the member who does it, and choose who follows its changes as a
  watcher.
---

# Assign and watch tasks

Assign a task so everyone knows who does it, and add watchers so the right people hear about
its progress. A task has one **assignee** — the member responsible for it — and any number of
**watchers**, who are notified when it changes. Both are [task fields](/reference/task-fields).

## Before you start

You need a list with the **Assignee** and **Watchers** features; each section below names the
access and the [permission set](/reference/permissions-and-access) rights it needs.

::: warning Turn on Assignee and Watchers in the list

* **Simple list** (the preset new lists start with): both off;
* **Teamwork** and **Scrum**: both on.

To turn them on, open the list's **More actions** (**…**) menu in the sidebar → **Configure** →
**Features**; see [Set up a list](/guides/set-up-a-list#turn-features-on-or-off).
:::

## Assign a task

::: warning Access and permissions to assign

* [**Edit** access](/concepts/sharing) to the list. With **Read** access you can only watch a
  task yourself.
* **Update** in the **Tasks** block and **Assignee** in the **Task fields** block of your
  permission set; the **Worker** set has both. Without either, the field stays read-only even
  with **Edit** access.
  :::

1. Open the task.
   The task card opens with its fields at the top.

2. Click the chip next to **Assignee** (it reads **Unassigned** when nobody is assigned yet), or
   press A while the task is open (see
   [Keyboard shortcuts](/reference/keyboard-shortcuts)).
   The member picker opens. **Me** at the top assigns the task to you; **Unassigned** clears the
   field.

   ![The task Prepare release notes in the list 2.4 with the assignee picker open: Me on top, then Unassigned, Anna Smith, Boris Novak and Kate Lee; To Me sits next to the field](/shots/guides/assign-and-watch-1.light.webp){.light-only}
   ![The task Prepare release notes in the list 2.4 with the assignee picker open: Me on top, then Unassigned, Anna Smith, Boris Novak and Kate Lee; To Me sits next to the field](/shots/guides/assign-and-watch-1.dark.webp){.dark-only}

   ::: warning Member not in the picker?
   You can assign only members who have access to the task's list.
   [Share the list or its folder](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) with them first.
   :::

3. Pick the member.
   The member you assign gets an "Assigned to you" notification and starts watching the task.
   You get no notification when you assign yourself.

Other ways to assign:

| Where | What to click |
|---|---|
| The task card, to take the task yourself | **To Me** next to the field. In a narrow panel it is your avatar, with the tooltip **Assign to me**. |
| A **List**, **Table** or **Kanban** [view](/concepts/views) | The avatar on a task row or card: you change the assignee without opening the task. |
| Several selected tasks | **Assignee** in the bar for the selection; see [Assign many tasks at once](#assign-many-tasks-at-once). |

For example, in the list **2.4** you assign "Prepare release notes" to Kate and add Boris as a
watcher. Kate gets "Assigned to you" and starts watching. When Kate moves the task to **Done**,
Boris gets one update under **Watching** in the
[Inbox](/guides/set-up-notifications#inbox-where-notifications-wait); Kate gets nothing, because she made the change.

### Assign many tasks at once

1. Select the tasks: Cmd/Ctrl+click each row.
   A bar with the actions for the selection appears.
2. Click **Assignee** in the bar and pick the member.
   The message "5 tasks updated" confirms the change.

   ::: warning "Updated 3 of 5 tasks"?
   Tasks in lists the member can't open are skipped.
   [Share those lists](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) with them, then assign the skipped tasks
   again.
   :::

More changes to many tasks at once: [Edit tasks in bulk](/guides/edit-tasks-in-bulk).

## Watch a task

Watchers follow a task without being responsible for it — a lead who wants to know when a
release task is done, or a designer waiting on a review.

### Watch a task yourself

1. Click the eye (**Watch**) in the task header, or **Watch** in the task's **⋯** menu.
   You are now a watcher of the task. Click the eye again (**Stop watching**) to stop.

   ::: info Read access is enough
   You can watch any task in a list shared with you, even with **Read** access.
   :::

### Add other members as watchers

::: warning Access and permission to add watchers
Adding other members needs **Edit** access to the list and **Manage watchers** in the **Tasks**
block of your permission set; the **Worker** set has it.
:::

1. Click the chip next to **Watchers** in the task card (it reads **Empty** when nobody watches
   yet).
   The list of members opens.

   ::: warning Member not in the list?
   You can add only members who have access to the task's list.
   [Share the list or its folder](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) with them first.
   :::

2. Tick the members.
   They become watchers of the task.

3. To remove a watcher, untick them in the same list.
   They stop getting updates on the task.

### Who watches automatically

Hule adds these watchers for you:

| Who | Starts watching when |
|---|---|
| the creator | they create the task |
| the assignee | the task is assigned to them (a previous assignee keeps watching) |
| a commenter | they [write a comment](/guides/comment-and-mention) |
| a mentioned member | someone @mentions them in the description or a new comment |

### What watchers are notified about

| Change | Who is notified | Where it lands in the Inbox |
|---|---|---|
| A new comment | Watchers, except its author and anyone @mentioned in it (they get the mention) | **Mentions & replies** |
| A change of **status**, **assignee**, **due date** or **priority** | Watchers | **Watching** |
| A new @mention in the description | The member mentioned | **Mentions & replies** |
| A change of the title, tags or description | Nobody: it is in the task's [history](/guides/see-task-history) | — |

::: info Your own changes and bursts of changes
Changes you make yourself don't notify you, and several changes in quick succession usually
arrive as one notification.
:::

The [Inbox](/guides/set-up-notifications#inbox-where-notifications-wait) is not the only place
these notifications reach:

* Telegram, once you connect the [Hule bot](/guides/use-the-telegram-bot);
* **Desktop pop-ups**, when your browser or the [desktop app](/guides/install-the-desktop-app) may show notifications.

Both channels are in [notification settings](/guides/set-up-notifications).

## If it doesn't work

* **There is no Assignee or Watchers field.** The list has the feature off. Turn it on in the
  list's **More actions** (**…**) menu → **Configure** → **Features**; see
  [Set up a list](/guides/set-up-a-list#turn-features-on-or-off).
* **Watchers still get updates after you turned the feature off.** Turning **Watchers** off
  hides the field; members already watching keep getting notified. Untick them first (see
  [Add other members as watchers](#add-other-members-as-watchers)).
* **The member is not in the picker.** They don't have access to the task's list.
  [Share the list or its folder](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) with them.
* **Bulk assignment says "Updated 3 of 5 tasks".** The member can't open the lists of the
  skipped tasks. [Share those lists](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) with them, then assign
  again.
* **The field is greyed out with "You have read-only access".** Either you have **Read** access
  to the list (see [Share a folder or list](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list)), and you can still
  watch the task yourself; or you have **Edit** access, but your permission set leaves out
  **Update** in the **Tasks** block or the **Assignee** field. Ask an admin to add them; see
  [Invite members and grant permissions](/guides/invite-members-and-grant-permissions) and
  [Permissions and access](/reference/permissions-and-access).
* **An assignee says they can't see their task.** The list was unshared, or the task moved to a
  list they can't open. The assignment stays;
  [share the list with them again](/guides/share-a-folder-or-list) or reassign it.
* **Too many notifications.** Stop watching tasks you don't need to follow — also from the
  **Inbox**, with **Stop watching this task** on a row under **Watching**. To stop field-change
  updates for every task you watch in this workspace, turn off **Watched activity** under
  **Events** in [notification settings](/guides/set-up-notifications) (each workspace has its
  own); **New comment** does the same for comments.

## Related

* [Set up notifications](/guides/set-up-notifications) — choose where watcher updates arrive.
* [Comment and mention people](/guides/comment-and-mention) — bring someone in without
  assigning them.
* [Task fields](/reference/task-fields) — every field a task can show.
* [Sharing along the hierarchy](/concepts/sharing) — why a member must see the list before you
  can assign them.
* [Permissions and access](/reference/permissions-and-access) — **Manage watchers** and the
  other permissions each set holds.
* [Edit tasks in bulk](/guides/edit-tasks-in-bulk) — assign and change many tasks at once.