Task Checklists in Planfix: How to Stop Missed Steps
Task checklists in Planfix help when employees miss steps in multi-step work and tasks get done only halfway. A checklist is a list of items that must be completed for a task to be done properly. This two-minute video shows how to use checklists in Planfix to break complex tasks into simple steps, give each step an owner and track progress without opening the task.
What you’ll learn: how to use task checklists in Planfix
- Why checklists matter: nothing gets missed, and complex tasks become simple steps (0:06).
- Create items with Enter, add several at once and make sub-items with keyboard shortcuts (0:20).
- Assign an item to a specific employee (0:32).
- Use the item menu and turn any item into a task (0:46).
- Choose which items to display and show or hide subtasks in the checklist settings (1:04).
- Show the checklist on Planner cards (1:30).
How to set up a task checklist in Planfix, step by step
Step 1. Add checklist items
In the task card, type text in the Add checklist item field and press Enter. To add several items at once, put them on separate lines: Enter creates an item for each line, while Ctrl+Enter saves multi-line text as one item. A checklist holds up to 300 items. You can also add an existing comment with Add to checklist in its context menu, and the item links back to it.
Step 2. Build the structure with sub-items
Drag and drop items to put them in the order the work should be done. Press TAB to move an item one nesting level down and Shift+TAB to move it back up. A multilevel checklist collapses with the triangle next to an item’s name, so even a large one can be folded to its top level.
Step 3. Assign items to employees
Click the three dots next to an item to open its menu with Quote, Select assignees, Add subitem, Edit, Delete and more. Use Select assignees to give the step one or more owners. Learn how to assign checklist items and convert them into subtasks.
Step 4. Turn an item into a subtask
Open the item’s menu and create a full-fledged subtask from it. The video uses this to break large, long-term work into stages.
Step 5. Filter what’s left to do
Back in the parent task, open the … menu next to the checklist header. Incomplete checklist items shows what is still open, and My checklist shows items assigned to you plus those with no assignee. The Subtasks toggle shows or hides subtasks right in the checklist.
Step 6. Show the checklist in the Planner
To follow progress without opening each task, open the list settings in the Planner, select the cards view and add the checklist to the displayed fields.
Checklist vs subtasks in Planfix: which to use
Use a checklist item for a step that belongs to one task: it is checked off with one click, can have its own assignee, and the discussion stays in that task. Use a subtask when the step grows into separate work that needs its own description and room for discussion.
The two are closely related: Planfix can display subtasks as a checklist in the main task panel. When you create a task with several assignees, it can add a checklist item or a subtask for each of them (Additional parameters tab); with items, everyone keeps talking in one task. For steps that form a chain, see sequential tasks: the order of subtasks in the parent task’s checklist sets the order in which the chain is completed.
Who task checklists are for
A process checklist for employees pays off wherever multi-step work repeats and a missed step means redoing it:
- Team leads: split a large task into parts with separate assignees and track each part and the whole task.
- Project coordinators: turn agreements and work stages settled in the comments into checklist items.
- Process owners: let scripts add or check off checklist items and react to conditions such as Has incomplete checklist items.
- Mobile teams: view, edit and add items in the task card’s Checklist panel in the mobile app.
FAQ
How do I add a checklist to a task in Planfix?
Type an item in the Add checklist item field of the task card and press Enter. You can also add one while creating or editing a task, in a new comment or from an existing comment.
Who can mark a checklist item as complete?
If the item has assignees, only they, the task creator or the person who created the item can mark it complete. If it has none, any task assignee can.
Are checklist items checked off when the task is completed?
By default, yes: when a task moves to Ready for review or Complete, Planfix marks all its checklist items done, though not subtasks shown in the checklist. Unchecking an item returns the task to In progress or to the status set for the Accept button. Turn this off in Account management → System settings → Tasks, and Planfix asks first.
Break down your next complex task
Pick one task your team often finishes halfway, split it into checklist items and give each an owner. Checklists are built into Planfix’s online task management software: items are created, assigned and checked off right in the task card. For routine work, set up recurring tasks that arrive with their checklist filled in. New to Planfix? Sign up to try it.
This video was featured in What’s New in Planfix: June 2026.
