Three things can be assigned as tasks: a record (an Assigned To field linked to a Status field), a comment, and a checklist item. Each appears in the assignee's My Work and sends a notification to the Assigned to Me tab.
Feature overview video
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | Guests: Can change status of assigned records, Solution Creators/General Access: Can create and manage assignments depending on permissions, Administrators: Full control |
Platform | Web |
Related Reading |
SmartSuite does not have a concept of a dedicated "task." At a basic level, we interpret a "task" as any element assigned to a member, typically including a due date.
Many elements can be assigned to a Member in SmartSuite, including:
Records
Comments (does not have a due date)
Checklist field actions
Where do my assignments show up?
Anything assigned to you appears in your My Work feed. Additionally, the Assigned to Me tab in the Notifications Center helps you stay on top of important action items.
Note: An important rule for displaying a record in My Work is that the Assigned To field must have a link to the status field.
How is a record assigned as a task?
How a record becomes a task
The Assigned To field designates a record to a member or team. When combined with the Status field, it transforms records into actionable tasks. This setup enables automations to create simple workflows.
Key relationships
Assigned To + Status → Creates a task in My Work.
Due Date + Status (Optional) → Helps track deadlines but isn't required.
Multiple Assigned To fields linked to the same Status → If one person updates the status, it applies to all assigned members.
Several assignments on one record
You can have multiple pairs of Assigned To and Status in a record.
Each pair appears as a separate task in My Work, ensuring clear task ownership and progress tracking.
Example Workflow:
Scenario: Within Marketing, website content is created by team members and then reviewed for approval by managers.
Solution: Use dual Assigned To fields (e.g., Content Owner and Approver) and status fields that trigger simple automations. For instance:
When the assigned Content Owner sets the record status to "Ready for Review," the Approver is notified via the Notification Center, and the record appears in their My Work feed.
(Input new photo, old one is outdated)
How do I assign a comment?
Comments keep the discussion inside the record.
Analog Equivalent:
The team gathers in a meeting room to discuss a new product feature.
Action items are assigned to team members.
Missing input from a sick team member is addressed post-meeting via follow-up.
In SmartSuite:
Discussions occur digitally within the product feature record.
Use
@Mentionto involve the absent member.Assign comments with actionable items to team members and mark them as resolved upon completion.
What happens when a comment is assigned
Members receive notifications in the Notification Center.
Assigned items appear in their My Work feeds.
How do I assign checklist items?
Dynamic Assignment:
Create and assign actions within records using Checklist fields.
Assign items to members with due dates.
Notifications and Task Tracking:
Members receive alerts in the Notification Center.
Assigned checklist items appear as individual tasks in members' My Work feeds.
What are common ways to use assignments?
1. Departmental collaboration
Scenario: The Marketing team needs access to shared workspaces for campaigns and projects.
Solution: Create a "Marketing Team" with relevant members, so they can collaborate on tasks, SmartDocs, and comments.
2. Project-specific assignments
Scenario: The HR department must ensure onboarding tasks are assigned to the right team members.
Solution: Assign onboarding tasks via Checklist fields, so all stakeholders receive clear notifications and reminders.
3. Workflow automation
Scenario: The Operations team needs one way to manage approvals for vendor contracts.
Solution: Use the Assigned To field with automated notifications to notify Approvers when contracts are ready for review.
Frequently asked questions
A task assigned to me is not in My Work. Why?
The record's Assigned To field must be linked to a Status field in the field settings. Without that link the assignment is not treated as a task.
Where do I add a one-off task?
In any table that has an Assigned To field linked to a Status field: add a record, assign it and set the status. For a quick action inside an existing record, assign a comment or a checklist item instead.
Is the person notified every time I assign them something?
Yes. New assignments of records, comments and checklist items send a notification to the Assigned to Me tab in the Notification Center.
How do I see the tasks I have assigned to others?
Create a view on the table filtered or grouped by the Assigned To field.
Can one record have several assignees with their own status?
Yes. Add more than one Assigned To and Status pair; each pair is a separate task in My Work. Several Assigned To fields linked to the same Status share that status.
Last verified 21 Oct 2026 against this article as Product wrote it in Feb 2025 and the pricing page (Task Lists, Real Time Notifications)