How to create sub-tasks in Notion (3 easy steps)

Notion sub-tasks let you break any database item into smaller, trackable steps. You enable them in your database settings, and each entry can then hold nested sub-items with their own properties, due dates, and assignees. The whole setup takes under a minute.

One quick clarification first: sub-tasks break a task into smaller pieces (a parent/child hierarchy). Ordering rules like "Task B cannot start until Task A is done" are a different Notion feature called Dependencies, which we cover further down.

Below is a step-by-step walkthrough, followed by tips for getting the most out of sub-tasks across different views.

1. Choose a database

To create sub-tasks in Notion, you need a database. Any database works: a task tracker, a project board, a to-do list, or an assignment tracker.

If you do not have one yet, the quickest way is to use Notion's built-in Tasks template. Open a new page, type /tasks, and select the Tasks database. It comes with status, priority, and date properties already configured.

2. Enable sub-tasks for the database

Once you have a database open:

1. Open the settings menu at the top of the database.
2. Under Database settings, select More settings.
3. Select Sub-items, then Turn on sub-items.

In the menu the feature is called sub-items, not "sub-tasks". Searching for the wrong name is the most common way to stall on this step.

Notion creates a self-referencing relation property called Parent item. Every entry can now be linked to another entry in the same database as its parent or child.

3. Add a sub-task to a parent task

With sub-items enabled, hover over any task in list view and click the small arrow on the left. The dropdown that opens lets you add a sub-item: give it a name and set its properties.

You can also:

• Drag and drop an existing task onto another to nest it instantly.
• Open a page and use the Parent item relation to assign a parent manually.
• Nest multiple levels by adding a sub-task to a sub-task (useful for complex projects with phases, milestones, and individual action items).

Tips for working with sub-tasks

How do sub-tasks look in different views?

Sub-tasks adapt to whatever view you choose:

• List view: Expandable tree structure. Click the arrow next to a parent task to show or hide its children.
• Board view: Sub-tasks appear as separate cards. Filter by "Parent item is not empty" to see only children, or "Parent item is empty" to see only top-level items.
• Timeline view: Sub-tasks show as nested bars under their parent, which is helpful for visualizing project phases.
• Calendar view: Each sub-task with a date appears on its own day. Useful for deadline tracking across a large project.

How to track sub-task progress

Notion does not show sub-task completion percentages by default, but you can set it up with a rollup property:

1. Add a new Rollup property to your database.
2. For the relation property, choose Sub-items.
3. For the property of the related pages, choose the checkbox or Status property that marks completion.
4. For the calculation, choose Count values for the number of sub-items, or one of the percentage options for the share of the total.

This gives every parent task a live count or percentage that updates on its own as sub-items are completed.

How to filter and sort by sub-tasks

Use database filters to create focused views:

• Only top-level tasks: Filter where "Parent item" is empty.
• Only sub-tasks: Filter where "Parent item" is not empty.
• Overdue children: Combine "Parent item is not empty" with "Due date is before today."

Pair these filters with recurring task automations to build a lightweight project management system without leaving Notion.

Limitations to keep in mind

• No automatic status roll-up: Completing all sub-tasks does not automatically mark the parent as done. You need a formula or manual update.
• Performance on large databases: Databases with thousands of entries and deep nesting (four or more levels) can slow down. Two to three levels of nesting works best for most workflows.
• Sub-tasks nest work, they do not order it: On their own, sub-tasks are a parent/child hierarchy and do not enforce "Task B cannot start until Task A is complete" sequencing. For that, Notion has a separate Dependencies feature with its own switch (Database settings > More settings > Dependencies > Turn on dependencies). You draw the links in timeline view, and when you turn dependencies on you pick how Notion handles the dates: Shift only when dates overlap, Shift & maintain time between items, or Do not automatically shift. For dependency-heavy projects you can also pair Notion with a task app through two-way sync, walked through in how to sync Notion with Todoist and how to sync Notion with Google Tasks.

FAQ