Hey Asana users, it’s update time! Get ready to streamline your workflows and enhance your productivity with some awesome new features in Asana’s May release. We’ve got something for everyone, from building rules in snap to keeping your team on the same page with enhanced project visibility. Let’s dive in and see what makes this update a game-changer!

• Smart Workflows

Asana’s May 20234 update is a game-changer for a busy team like yours! Introducing Smart Workflows, a powerful new feature that lets you build automated processes with natural language. Forget complex coding – use plain English to set up rules that streamline your tasks. With this, you can make rules that enable auto assigning the tasks to the right team member when the project starts, or notifications automatically triggering when deadlines approach. Smart  Workflows save you time, reduce errors, and keep your projects running smoothly.

How to use Smart Workflows:

1. Open a project in Asana, and click the “Customize” button in the top right corner.
2. Select “Rules” from the dropdown menu and click the “Add Rule.”
3. Navigate to the new rule builder and click the “Create a rule with Asana Intelligence.”
4. Provide simple instructions just like in the video, and if you are satisfied with AI recommendations you can click the “create” button, and once done checking the preview you can “add” it to create the rule or “discard” it if you want to edit it.

• Viewers access level in projects

Asana introduces a new “Viewer” access level for projects. This means you can finally grant access to those who need to stay in the loop on project progress but without the risk of unwanted edits. This is a great feature wherein you can include clients, stakeholders, or even new members who are still onboarding in a project. Viewers can see all the tasks, deadlines, and discussions, ensuring everyone is aligned. This fosters better collaboration while keeping your project structure organized and secure.

• Asana + Outlook Calendar Integration

Streamline your teamwork and scheduling with the powerful new Asana + Outlook Calendar integration! This exciting update eliminates the need to switch between apps for scheduling meetings. Now, you can directly create or link Outlook Calendar events to your Asana tasks. With this, you can schedule team meetings with real-time visibility into collaborator availability or automatically transfer project milestones to your shared calendars – all within Asana.

• Multi-sort and multi-filter in portfolios

Asana just released a game-changer for managing your workload! This update brings multi-sort and multi-filter capabilities to portfolios. Now you can sort by owner, due date, priority, and even custom fields – all at once. Filter out archived projects or focus on those needing attention. This update empowers you to see exactly what you need, when you need it, boosting your productivity and making your workflow smoother than ever.

• Relative due dates in project templates

Asana added relative due dates to custom project templates. This means you can now set deadlines for tasks based on your project’s start or end date, rather than picking a specific calendar date. Imagine creating a product launch template where every team (design, marketing, sales) automatically has tasks due at the perfect time relative to the launch day. No more scrambling to adjust due dates every time a project gets rescheduled – Asana keeps your team on track and deadlines clear.

• Bundles Dashboard multi-select

Are you struggling to manage the same bundle across multiple projects? Asana’s May 2024 update brings a timesaving feature: Bundle Dashboard multi-select. Now you can remove a bundle from several projects at once, streamlining your workflow and eliminating repetitive tasks.

• Domain-wide admin controls

Asana’s update brings exciting news for Enterprise and Enterprise+ users with the introduction of Domain-wide admin controls. This powerful feature streamlines project creation within your organization by allowing you to default permissions for sharing, editing, workflows, and even appearance. With this you can create a standardized project structure that automatically applies to all new initiatives, ensuring consistency and clarity across your teams.

Domain-wide controls empower admins to define best practices for project management. This translates to increased efficiency, improved team alignment, and reduced time spent on configuring individual projects. Plus, project admins retain the flexibility to customize settings for specific needs, making this update a win-win for both centralized control and team adaptability.

• Sandboxes

This feature is like your private testing ground where you can tinker with workflows, integrations, and anything else Asana offers. But this isn’t just about playing around. Sandboxes are designed to empower your tea. Test new ideas, iron out wrinkles in complex setups, and ensure flawless integrations – all without affecting your live projects. When you’re confident with your creation, simply deploy it to your regular workspace. Sandboxes are your launchpad for innovation, taking the guesswork out of optimizing your Asana experience.

• Set “due date” relative to date custom fields

With this custom field, you can create a task with a “Start Date” field. Also, you can automatically set the due date a specific number of days after that start date, all within the same tasks. This eliminates the need for manual calculations and ensures deadlines cascade seamlessly.

• Relative date trigger for task start date

With this month’s update, you can now set rules based on a task’s relative start date. You can create a rule that automatically assigns a collaborator when a task begins one day after project kickoff or sends a notification when a design review starts two weeks before launch. This powerful feature eliminates the need for manual data adjustments, saving you time and ensuring your projects stay on track.