Recurring Tasks
How it works
Set a recurrence pattern on any task. When you mark it done, the current instance is completed and a new one is automatically created for the next occurrence date. The series continues until you stop it.
Requirements: the task must have both a date and a recurrence pattern set. Without a date, the next occurrence can't be calculated.
Creating a recurring task
Set the Recurrence field on any task to a pattern like:
daily— every dayweekdays— Monday–Fridayevery Monday— every Mondayevery other Wednesday— every two weeks on Wednesdayevery 3 weeks— every three weeksmonthly— same day each monthyearly— annually
See Dates & Recurrence for the complete syntax.
What happens when you complete one
- The current task instance is marked done
- A new instance is created for the next occurrence
- The series continues indefinitely
What's copied to the next instance: name, description, date/time (recalculated), project, tags, assignees, file attachments.
What's not copied: comments (each instance has its own) and completion status (new instance starts as incomplete).
Stopping the series
Option 1 — remove the pattern before completing: Edit the task, clear the Recurrence field, save, then mark it done. No new instance is created.
Option 2 — archive instead of complete: Change the status to Archived. The series stops immediately.
Option 3 — remove the pattern from the next instance: Mark the current task done (creates one more instance), then open that new instance and clear its recurrence pattern.
Visual indicators
- Purple banner at the top of the task detail page
- 🔄 icon next to the status field
- Purple quick-complete button in task lists — hover to see a tooltip explaining what will happen
- Confirmation dialog when marking done from the detail page
Floating recurrence
Prefix your recurrence pattern with every! (with an exclamation mark) to make the next occurrence relative to when you complete the task rather than the original due date.
Example: every! 3 days on a task due Monday that you complete Wednesday → next instance is Saturday (3 days from Wednesday), not Thursday (3 days from Monday).
Useful for habits where slipping a day shouldn't cause permanent catch-up.
Undoing an accidental completion
If you complete a recurring task by mistake, the original instance is now marked done and a new one has been created for the next occurrence. To undo:
- Move the newly created instance's date back to the original due date
- Mark the completed instance as incomplete again
The next time you complete the task, a new instance will be created at the correct future date — the series doesn't drift just because you manually adjusted one instance's date.
Tips and edge cases
- If you complete a recurring task and a next instance already exists for that date, a duplicate won't be created
- Overdue recurring tasks stay in the overdue pile — no automatic rescheduling
- Attachments are copied to each instance; remove or replace them if each occurrence needs different files
- Assignees are persistent across instances
- Comments are instance-specific — use them for notes about that particular occurrence