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Breaking Work into Subtasks

Subtasks let you split a larger piece of work into smaller, more manageable steps. Each subtask can have its own assignee, status, and time logs — giving your team flexibility while keeping everything connected to the parent task.

When to use subtasks​

Use subtasks when a single task has multiple distinct steps that:

  • May be worked on by different people
  • Need to be tracked individually (started/completed at different times)
  • Are better understood as a checklist of deliverables

For simple to-dos within a task (like a quick mental checklist), consider using checklists instead.

Examples of good subtask use:

Parent taskSubtasks
"Implement user profile page"Design wireframe, Build UI, Connect to API, Write tests
"Set up CI/CD pipeline"Configure GitHub Actions, Add test stage, Add deploy stage
"Write onboarding documentation"Draft content, Add screenshots, Technical review, Publish

Creating a subtask​

  1. Open the parent task.
  2. Scroll to the Subtasks section.
  3. Click Add Subtask.
  4. Enter a title for the subtask.
  5. Press Enter or click Create to save.

You can add as many subtasks as you need.

Nesting depth

Subtasks support one level of nesting only. You can create subtasks under a task, but you cannot create sub-subtasks under a subtask. If you need deeper hierarchy, consider creating a separate task or using an epic to group related tasks.

Editing a subtask​

Subtasks have their own detail page with the same fields as a regular task.

  1. Open the parent task.
  2. In the Subtasks section, click on a subtask title.
  3. The subtask detail panel opens.
  4. Edit fields as needed — assignee, status, priority, description, dates, and estimated hours are all available.

Tracking subtask progress​

The parent task shows a progress indicator based on how many subtasks are complete.

Subtask progress:  2 / 4 done  ████░░░░  50%

This progress bar is visible on:

  • The parent task detail page
  • Task cards on the Kanban board (on hover)
  • List views

Status and completion rules​

Subtasks have their own independent status. When you try to mark a parent task as Done, Varai Sprints checks whether any subtasks are still open.

If open subtasks exist:

  • You will see a warning: "2 subtasks are not complete."
  • You can choose to complete anyway or go back and finish subtasks first.
Bulk-completing subtasks

To quickly close all remaining subtasks, open the parent task, select all incomplete subtasks, and use the Mark as Done bulk action from the subtasks panel.

Assigning subtasks​

Subtasks can be assigned to different team members than the parent task. This is useful for parallel work.

  1. Open the subtask (by clicking its title in the parent task's Subtasks section).
  2. Click the Assignee field.
  3. Select a team member.

The subtask assignee receives a notification just like they would for any task assignment.

Time logging on subtasks​

You can log time directly on subtasks, just like on regular tasks.

  1. Open the subtask.
  2. Use the Timer tab to start/stop the built-in timer, or click Log Time to add a manual entry.

Time logged on subtasks rolls up to the parent task's total logged hours automatically.

Reordering subtasks​

To change the order subtasks appear in:

  1. Open the parent task.
  2. In the Subtasks section, drag a subtask using the drag handle (⋮⋮ icon on the left).
  3. Drop it in the new position.

Deleting a subtask​

  1. Open the subtask.
  2. Click the Actions menu (three dots, top-right).
  3. Click Delete Subtask.
  4. Confirm.
Deleting the parent task

If you delete a parent task, all its subtasks are deleted too. This action cannot be undone. Consider cancelling the parent task instead if you want to preserve the history.