How to assign and track team tasks in Insightly for better collaboration

If your team’s using Insightly and you’re tired of missed deadlines, scattered to-dos, and “Wait, who’s doing that?” moments, you’re in the right place. This guide is for managers, team leads, and anyone wrangling work in Insightly who wants less chaos and more clarity. We’ll skip the fluffy sales pitch and get straight to what actually works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to assigning and tracking tasks in Insightly for better collaboration.

Why Use Insightly for Team Tasks? (And When It’s Not Enough)

Insightly isn’t magic, but it does a decent job as a lightweight CRM and project tracker—especially for teams already living in the platform. Assigning tasks there means less “just checking in” emails and more work getting done where everyone can see it.

But, heads up: Insightly’s task management isn’t as flexible or powerful as dedicated project management tools like Asana or Trello. If you’re running complex projects or need advanced reporting, you might hit some walls. If you mostly need to assign, monitor, and follow up on team tasks tied to contacts, opportunities, or projects, you’re in the right spot.

Step 1: Set Up Task Basics So Your Team Actually Uses Them

Before you start clicking “Add Task,” get the basics straight. A little prep saves a ton of pain later.

Agree on what tasks are for. Don’t use Insightly tasks for reminders you only need for yourself. If it’s a team thing, make it a task. If not, use notes or your own calendar.
Pick a naming convention. Start every task with a verb (“Call client,” “Send proposal”). It sounds nitpicky, but it makes things 10x clearer in lists.
Decide what fields you’ll always use. At minimum: Task Name, Due Date, Assigned To. Optional but helpful: Priority, Category, Linked Project/Contact.

Pro tip: Skip the urge to over-engineer. You don’t need custom fields for every little thing. Start simple, then add structure only when you wish you had it.

Step 2: Assign Tasks the Right Way

Assigning tasks in Insightly is dead simple—but getting it right is about habits, not features.

Create a Task
Click the “Tasks” tab, then hit “Add Task.”
Fill in the task name and details.
Assign It to a Team Member
In the “Assigned To” dropdown, pick the right teammate.
Don’t assign tasks to “Everyone.” That’s a recipe for everyone ignoring it.
Set a Real Due Date
Add a due date that means something. Don’t put “tomorrow” unless that’s actually doable.
Link the Task
Use the “Related” field to tie the task to a project, contact, or opportunity. Otherwise, it’ll get lost.
Add Notes or Attachments (if needed)
If the task needs context, add it in the description or attach a file.

What to ignore: You don’t need to fill every field. Focus on what helps your team understand what needs to happen and by when.

Step 3: Make the Most of Task Lists & Filters

Once your team starts piling up tasks, things can get messy fast. Here’s how to keep it sane:

Use saved filters. Create filters like “My Tasks, Due This Week” or “Overdue Tasks by Project.” It takes 2 minutes and saves you from scrolling through endless lists.
Don’t rely on the default view. It’s too cluttered. Filters let you see only what matters.
Keep an eye on the Kanban view. It’s not as slick as Trello, but dragging tasks between “Not Started,” “In Progress,” and “Completed” can help you spot bottlenecks.

Pro tip: If you’re a manager, set up a filter for “Tasks Assigned by Me.” It’s the fastest way to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Step 4: Use Task Notifications (But Not Too Many)

Insightly sends email notifications for new and updated tasks, which is great—until it’s not.

Turn off notifications if you get overwhelmed. You can manage this in your profile settings. If your inbox is a dumpster fire, rely on in-app notifications or your task filters instead.
Encourage your team to check Insightly, not just their email. Otherwise, important updates get lost in the daily email flood.
Don’t use tasks as a chat thread. If you need back-and-forth, use comments or, better yet, your team’s main chat tool.

Step 5: Track Progress Without Micromanaging

Tracking tasks in Insightly isn’t about hovering over your team. It’s about making sure everyone’s on the same page and nothing gets forgotten.

Check task lists before meetings. Don’t waste time asking, “Did you do X?” when you can see it in Insightly.
Use the “Activity Set” feature for recurring workflows. If your team repeats similar sets of tasks (like onboarding), group them into an Activity Set and apply them with one click.
Reschedule, don’t delete, missed tasks. If something isn’t done, move the due date or reassign it. Deleting tasks just hides problems.

What doesn’t work: Don’t rely on status fields alone. If a task is overdue, it needs a conversation—not just a red date.

Step 6: Run Regular Task Reviews (But Keep Them Short)

A five-minute task review each week beats a big emergency later.

Pick a regular time. Even just 10 minutes every Friday.
Review overdue and upcoming tasks. Ask: What’s blocked? What needs to be reassigned? What can we drop?
Update tasks right in the meeting. If it takes more than 30 seconds to figure out a task, it probably needs to be rewritten or clarified.

Pro tip: Don’t turn this into another meeting just for the sake of it. If you can handle it async (everyone updates tasks before a deadline), do that.

Step 7: Use Reports—But Don’t Obsess

Insightly’s built-in reports are basic, but they’ll show you who’s overloaded, what’s overdue, and where things are stuck.

Run the “Tasks by User” or “Tasks by Project” report weekly. Look for patterns, not just individual slip-ups.
Export to CSV if you need more analysis. It’s clunky, but sometimes a spreadsheet is the fastest way to spot trends.
Skip the fancy dashboards unless you really need them. If you’re spending more time reporting than working, you’re missing the point.

What to Watch Out For (Common Pitfalls)

Tasks without a clear owner die fast. Always assign to a real person, not a group.
Too many overdue tasks means your process is broken. Don’t just push dates—ask why.
Don’t use tasks as a dumping ground. If everything’s a task, nothing’s important.
Insightly isn’t great for complex dependencies. If your work needs Gantt charts, look elsewhere.

Keep It Simple—And Adjust As You Go

Task management in Insightly isn’t rocket science, but it does need discipline. Start with the basics: clear tasks, real due dates, and regular check-ins. Don’t get sucked into customizing every field or building reports no one reads. Instead, focus on what helps your team move work forward—and tweak your process if it’s not working.

Remember: Simple, well-used tools beat fancy, ignored ones every time. Assign, track, review, repeat. That’s how you get real collaboration, not just another pile of software.