# Sub-tasks

When handling project tasks, you can often benefit from splitting the workload into smaller
**sub-tasks**, making it easier to track progress and manage the work.

Odoo’s sub-task feature is particularly useful in some of the following cases:

- The task workload is too big to handle in one record.
- There’s a clear sequence of steps to follow.
- Some parts of the workload fall under the scope of different projects and/or assignees.

The original task to which sub-tasks are linked is referred to as the **parent task**. The sub-tasks
of the parent task are known as **child tasks**.

## Creating sub-tasks

To create a sub-task:

1. Open the Project app, then go into your desired project.
2. Click the task where you want to add the sub-task, then click the {guilabel}`Sub-tasks` tab.
3. Click {guilabel}`Add a line`, then fill in the {guilabel}`Title`.
4. Click the {icon}`fa-cloud-upload` ({guilabel}`save`) icon to save the task manually.

:::{tip}
You can edit several fields of a sub-task directly from the parent task’s sub-task tab without
opening the individual sub-task. By default, those are: {guilabel}`Title`, {guilabel}`Priority`,
{guilabel}`Status`, and {guilabel}`Assignees`. Use the {icon}`fa-sliders` ({guilabel}`sliders`)
icon to add or remove fields.
:::

Once the new sub-task is created, the following changes occur in the parent task:

- A **smart button** displays the total number of sub-tasks, as well as the number of closed
  (**done** or **canceled**) sub-tasks. Click the smart button to access the list of the sub-tasks.
- The {guilabel}`Allocated time` displays the amount of time allocated to the parent task, as well
  as time allocated to the sub-tasks. This can be used to ensure that the time allocated to
  sub-tasks does not exceed time allocated to the parent task.
- The {guilabel}`Timesheets` tab includes a breakdown of time spent on the parent task as well as
  sub-tasks.

Click {guilabel}`View` to open the sub-task you created. The sub-task form is identical to the
{ref}`task form <task_creation/task-configuration>`.

:::{tip}
- A **smart button** allows to navigate back to the {guilabel}`Parent task`.
- The {guilabel}`Sub-tasks` tab allows for further creation of sub-tasks.
- Selecting a {guilabel}`Project` will trigger this sub-task to be displayed in the Kanban view of
  the selected project.
:::