Asana custom fields let you add structured data to tasks, such as priority, stage, effort, budget, or an approver, so you can sort, filter, automate, and report on it. They’re available on Starter, Advanced, Enterprise, and Enterprise+, not on the free Personal plan. You add them from a project’s Customize menu, choose a field type, and decide whether the field is local (one project or portfolio) or global (saved to your organization’s field library for reuse).
Current limits from the Asana Help Center’s field types and limitations article: up to 150 fields per project, 60 fields per task (reached by multi-homing a task in several projects), and 500 options per dropdown field. Pricing from asana.com/pricing, both checked October 10, 2026: Starter is $10.99 per user per month billed annually ($13.49 monthly) and Advanced is $24.99 ($30.49 monthly).
The field types, and when to use each
| Field type | Use it for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Single-select | Priority, stage, request type | The workhorse. Best for filtering, rules, and dashboards |
| Multi-select | Affected teams, channels, platforms | Harder to report on than single-select; use sparingly |
| Text | Short notes, external IDs, links | Now supports rich text, but don’t use it for things you’ll filter |
| Number / Percent / Currency | Effort points, % complete, budget | Set decimal places once; changing later confuses reports |
| Date | Launch date, review date | Separate from the task’s due date |
| People | Approver, reviewer, account owner | Adding someone also makes them a collaborator |
| Formula | Cost = hours x rate, days late | Read-only, calculated from number fields |
| ID | Readable IDs like REQ-104 | Great for intake projects and support-style work |
| Time tracking | Estimated vs. actual time | Pairs with timesheets on higher plans |
| Timer | Time left on a task | Niche; useful for time-boxed work |
| Reference | Link related tasks, projects, or goals | Handy for dependencies across projects |
How to add a custom field
- Open the project and select Customize at the top right.
- Choose Fields, then Add field.
- Pick Create new field or Choose from library (to reuse a global field).
- Name it, pick the type, and add options and colors if it’s a select field.
- Decide whether to add it to your organization’s library. Leave this off to keep the field local.
- Optionally lock the field so only you (or admins) can edit its settings.
- Save. The field shows up as a column in List view and on every task in the project.
To remove a field from one project, open Customize → Fields, find it, and remove it from the project. A global field stays in the library for other projects.
Global vs. local fields
Global fields live in the organization’s library. Use them for anything you’ll want to report on across projects: Priority, Stage, Team, Effort, Request type. When ten projects all use the same “Priority” field, a portfolio or reporting dashboard can roll them up cleanly.
Local fields belong to one project or portfolio. Use them for things that only matter there, such as “Venue” in an event project.
The trap I see most: five slightly different global fields called “Priority,” “priority,” “Pri,” “Urgency,” and “Importance.” Before you create a global field, search the library. If you’re an admin, lock the core global fields so nobody edits the options out from under everyone.
Ten field setups that hold up in real projects
- Priority (single-select: High, Medium, Low). Global. Three options are enough.
- Stage (single-select: Requested, In progress, In review, Done) for projects that aren’t using board sections as stages.
- Effort (single-select: S, M, L, XL) or a Number field for story points. Global, so workload views make sense.
- Request type (single-select) on intake projects, filled automatically by an Asana form.
- Request ID (ID field) so requesters can quote “REQ-104.”
- Approver (People) on content or legal review projects.
- Budget and Actual cost (Currency) with a Formula field for variance.
- Launch date (Date) separate from the task’s due date.
- Channel (Multi-select) for marketing tasks that hit several channels.
- Client (single-select, global) for agencies, so you can filter My Tasks and reports by client.
Make fields do work with rules
Custom fields are most useful when Asana rules act on them. Examples: when Stage changes to In review, assign the Approver and set a due date; when a form submission sets Request type to Bug, move it to the Bugs section. Asana’s help article notes rules can also update text and number fields.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Can’t add a field at all | Workspace is on the free Personal plan | Upgrade to Starter or above |
| Can’t edit a field’s options | The field is locked | Ask the field’s owner or an admin |
| Field missing on a task | Task isn’t in the project that has the field | Multi-home the task, or add the field to that project |
| Can’t add another field | Project hit 150 fields | Remove unused fields; consolidate duplicates |
| Subtask doesn’t show parent’s fields | Subtasks don’t belong to the project unless added | Add subtasks to the project if they need the fields |
| Report shows duplicate categories | Several near-identical global fields | Merge into one locked global field |
Should you even use custom fields?
On Starter and above, yes, for anything you’ll sort, filter, or report on. For one-off labels nobody will report on, tags are lighter. If you’re still choosing a plan, our Asana pricing guide lays out what each tier adds, and our Notion database guide shows how the same idea works with Notion properties.
Common questions
Are Asana custom fields free?
No. Custom fields are available on Starter, Advanced, Enterprise, and Enterprise+ plans, not on the free Personal plan.
How many custom fields can an Asana project have?
Up to 150 fields per project. A single task can show up to 60 fields if it’s multi-homed in several projects, and a dropdown can have up to 500 options.
What’s the difference between global and local custom fields in Asana?
Global fields are saved to your organization’s library and can be reused across projects and portfolios. Local fields stay in one project or portfolio.
Can I lock a custom field in Asana?
Yes. Locking a field stops other people from changing its settings and options.
Do subtasks inherit custom fields?
Not automatically. Subtasks only show a project’s fields if they’re added to that project.
Plans, prices, and limits checked against Asana’s pricing page and Help Center on October 10, 2026. Asana changes plans and limits from time to time, so confirm before you buy.
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