Is it just me or were Tasks a lot more useful in previous version of Confluence?

Question

I'm trying to set up confluence for our organisation to manage our projects with.

As I'm learning about how it works I was baffled at how limited the viewing and organisation of tasks seems to be in 5.7.

Digging around I saw this video on Atlassian's own YouTube channel about how tasks used to be handled in previous versions and I thought it looked much better in that you could:

* see your tasks in any screen via the notifications window
* prioritize your tasks via drag and drop
* make notes for your tasks
* create your own, non-project specific task

Perhaps someone could enlighten me to how/why this was changed or what I'm missing.

Thank you!

Dave Parrent · Answer

I agree Joel. I've searched all over the site today trying to figure out why the features about tasks do not seem to be present in the version I have (5.8.8). I was about to submit an internal ticket then found your question.

Steven makes some valid points, but I think the flexibility to quickly check tasks from any page via the workbox would have been beneficial to me. Since there isn't a priority feature for tasks (that I've seen anyway), I would have found it helpful to quickly re-arrange them to give further focus. Looks like now the only option to arrange is by date. I often then have several tasks due same day, so would like additional prioritization/sorting.

Joel, I guess our only option will be to create a page on our personal space for any tasks that do not otherwise live elsewhere (meetings/plans/docs/etc).
One additional note. I found that the mobile version task view doesn't work so well. And doesn't seem to mirror the information per Atlassian site. Their mobile version task view pictures and videos show the exact name of the task, while mine seems to display my name, then the URL (to the page the task lives), which fills the screen to the point you have no idea what the task really is. If I tap it, it takes me to the page that the task is on, so have to search the page myself for where the task is. Kind of a bummer it's not very clear on the mobile site. If there is a better way, I'd be open to learning it. I'm just transitioning from Asana and I'm very used to flexibility with tasks (mobile and desktop). Love the potential in using Confluence though.

Steven F Behnke · Answer

I have to ask, what's the issue with how they work now? The changes they made were all improvements, in my opinion.

* Since Tasks weren't going to become their own Confluence Content Type, they needed to live on pages to be accessible and searchable.
* They are contextually in the same place as collaboration. (Meeting Notes tasks are on the notes pages and can be rolled up to a Meeting Notes task report etc)
* A concept of assignment, created by, and due dates was introduced.

Create your own, non-project specific task – They weren't on pages before, which means they weren't accessible by anyone else, ever. Not searchable. It was nothing more than a list tool, which is pretty useless.

Prioritize your tasks via drag and drop – The "prioritize via drag'n'drop" didn't actually do anything but re-order them for you on your own screen, so kinda pointless.

See your tasks in any screen – The workbox was getting way too busy, no one I know used the Workbox to manage tasks in the first place.