If you manage a remote team, you know the pain: tasks slip through the cracks, people forget deadlines, and Slack reminders get buried in the noise. Automated task reminders aren’t just a “nice to have”—they’re how you make sure things actually get done. If you use Monday to run your projects, good news: you can set up reminders that do most of the chasing for you. Here’s how to make them work for real teams (not just in a perfect demo).
Why bother with automated reminders?
Let’s be real—reminders won’t fix a broken workflow, and they won’t turn a chaotic team into a well-oiled machine. But if your basics are solid, automated nudges can:
- Cut down on “Hey, did you see this?” messages
- Help teammates in different time zones stay on track
- Keep deadlines visible without constant manual follow-ups
If you’re hoping reminders will magically solve accountability or communication issues, they won’t. But as a low-friction safety net, they’re hard to beat.
Step 1: Decide what actually needs a reminder
Before you start clicking around, get clear on what you want to remind people about. Otherwise, you’ll just spam your team and everyone will tune it out.
What’s usually worth a reminder? - Task due dates (the classic) - Status changes (like when something’s stuck or overdue) - Assignments (when someone gets a new task) - Recurring check-ins (weekly standups, etc.)
What to ignore: - Reminding the whole team about every single item. That’s just noise. - Reminders for “nice to have” or non-blocking tasks. Focus on what actually matters.
Pro tip: Ask your team what helps (and annoys) them. There’s nothing less useful than a reminder nobody wants.
Step 2: Set up your Monday board for reminders
Automations in Monday work based on the columns in your board. If your setup is messy, automations will be too. Here’s what you need:
- A People column: So Monday knows who’s responsible. (If you don’t assign items to people, start.)
- A Date column: For due dates. No date, no reminder.
- A Status column: Optional, but useful for progress-based reminders.
Don’t overthink it: You don’t need a fancy template. Just make sure each task has an owner and a due date.
Step 3: Use Monday’s built-in automations
Monday’s “Automations” are basically if-this-then-that rules. You’ll find them at the top of your board under the little robot (⚡) icon.
Here’s how to create a basic due date reminder:
- Click the Automations button.
- Choose Add new automation.
- Search for “reminder” or pick a recipe like:
When date arrives and status is not done, notify assignee. - Set the specifics:
- Which date column?
- When should the reminder go out? (on the day, before, after, etc.)
- Who should get notified? (usually “the person in People column”)
- Save and test it on a sample item.
What works:
- Reminders sent to the assignee, not the whole team.
- Reminders that go out a day before the due date, not at the last minute.
What doesn’t:
- Multiple overlapping reminders. People just start ignoring them.
- Generic “Task is due!” messages. Be specific if you can.
Step 4: Fine-tune your reminders (and don’t get carried away)
Automations are easy to pile on, but more isn’t better. Here’s how to keep it useful:
- One nudge per task: That’s usually enough. If you need more, maybe the task isn’t clear.
- Use clear language: “Your task ‘Write monthly report’ is due tomorrow” beats “Item is due.”
- Timing matters: If you have folks in different time zones, set reminders to go out during their workday if possible.
You can also get fancy, but only if you need to:
- Remind on status: For example, “When a task is stuck for 3 days, notify the assignee’s manager.”
- Recurring reminders: For weekly or monthly routines, set up a recurring automation.
Honest take:
The more “clever” your automations, the more likely they’ll break or annoy people. Start simple. Add more only if you really need it.
Step 5: Test with real tasks before rolling out
Don’t assume your setup works—test it with a few real tasks. Here’s what to check:
- Does the right person get notified, at the right time?
- Is the message clear?
- Are there any annoying duplicates?
- Do items marked “done” stop sending reminders?
Pro tip:
Ask a couple of team members to double-check. If it annoys them, it’ll annoy everyone.
Step 6: Show your team how it works (and how to tweak it)
Reminders only work if people know what to expect. Before you roll this out:
- Tell the team what reminders will look like and when they’ll come.
- Remind folks they can mark a task “done” to stop reminders.
- Show them where notifications show up (in Monday, email, or both).
If people hate the reminders, listen. There’s no point automating nagging that doesn’t help.
Step 7: Maintain and tweak as you go
Automations aren’t “set it and forget it.” As your team or processes change, so should your reminders. Every month or so, check:
- Are reminders still helpful, or just ignored?
- Are tasks actually being marked complete?
- Is anyone getting reminders they shouldn’t?
If something’s off, tweak or turn off the automation. Simple is usually better.
A few things to skip (from experience)
- Don’t try to automate everything: Not every update deserves a ping.
- Ignore the “remind everyone” temptation: Team-wide reminders just create noise.
- Skip fancy integrations unless you really need them: Monday’s built-ins are enough for most teams.
When you might want to look elsewhere
Monday’s reminders are good for most remote teams, but they’re not perfect. If you need:
- Complex workflows (like approval chains, or dependencies)
- Advanced notification options (SMS, custom channels)
- Deep integration with other tools
…you might outgrow Monday’s built-in automations. But for 90% of teams, you can get a lot done with just the basics.
Keep it simple, and keep improving
You don’t need a million automations—just enough to help your team stay on track without feeling hounded. Start small, check what’s actually useful, and don’t be afraid to turn off what isn’t working. Automated reminders aren’t magic, but if you use them right, they’re one less thing you have to remember. And that’s the point.