Task Status & Cycling

Task Status allows you to go beyond Obsidian's basic "incomplete" (- [ ]) and "complete" (- [x]) checkboxes. Define custom task states like "In Progress", "Waiting", or "Abandoned" to match your workflow, then cycle through them with a single click.

Available since 5.0.0

Why Use Custom Task Statuses?

The Problem with Basic Checkboxes

Obsidian's default tasks only support two states:

- [ ] Incomplete
- [x] Complete

But real-world tasks often have more nuanced states:

Tasks you're actively working on (in progress)
Tasks waiting for someone else (blocked)
Tasks you've decided not to do (abandoned)
Tasks you're planning to do later (scheduled)

The Solution

Task Genius lets you define custom status markers and organize them into a status cycle that matches your workflow.

Example:

- [ ] Buy groceries          ← Not started
- [/] Write report           ← In progress
- [?] Review proposal        ← Waiting/Planned
- [-] Cancelled meeting      ← Abandoned
- [x] Submit invoice         ← Completed

Common Use Cases

GTD (Getting Things Done) Workflow

Status Cycle: Inbox → Next Action → Waiting → Done

- [ ] Process emails         ← Inbox
- [>] Call client           ← Next Action
- [?] Waiting for approval  ← Waiting
- [x] Send proposal         ← Done

Agile/Scrum Development

Status Cycle: Backlog → In Progress → Review → Done

- [ ] Add login feature     ← Backlog
- [/] Implement API         ← In Progress
- [r] Code review pending   ← Review
- [x] Deploy to staging     ← Done

Simple Three-State Workflow (Recommended for Beginners)

Status Cycle: To Do → Doing → Done

- [ ] Read documentation    ← To Do
- [/] Write code           ← Doing
- [x] Submit PR            ← Done

Quick Start

If the link doesn't work: Obsidian → Settings → Community Plugins → Task Genius

For New Users: Add "In Progress" Status

The simplest enhancement is adding a single "In Progress" state:

Open Task Status Settings
Go to "Task Status Switcher" section
Click "Add status"
Configure the new status:
- Status name: In Progress
- Mark: / (forward slash)
- Include in cycle: ✅ Enabled
Save settings

Now you can cycle through: [ ] → [/] → [x]

For Advanced Users: Create Custom Workflow

Create a full custom status cycle:

Open Task Status Settings
In "Task Status Switcher", add multiple statuses:
- Not Started → Mark: (space)
- In Progress → Mark: /
- Review → Mark: r
- Waiting → Mark: ?
- Done → Mark: x
Use up/down arrows to reorder the cycle
Enable "Enable task status switcher" toggle
Save settings

Cycling Through Statuses

Click to Cycle

Once configured, click the checkbox to cycle through your defined statuses:

Example Cycle:

Click 1: - [ ] Task  →  - [/] Task  (In Progress)
Click 2: - [/] Task  →  - [x] Task  (Done)
Click 3: - [x] Task  →  - [ ] Task  (Back to start)

Where You Can Click:

In Editor (Live Preview): Click the checkbox or custom mark
In Task Genius View: Click the task marker in the task list
In Source Mode: Click the text mark (if "Enable text mark in source mode" is enabled)

Keyboard Commands

Use commands for precise control:

Task Genius: Cycle task status forward: Move to the next status in your cycle
Task Genius: Cycle task status backward: Move to the previous status

Tip: Assign hotkeys to these commands in Obsidian's Hotkeys settings for faster status changes.

Defining Status Categories

Task Genius needs to understand what each status marker means for progress tracking and automation.

Status Categories

Configure these in "Task Status Settings" → "Defining Status Markers":

1. Not Started (Default: space)

Tasks that haven't been started yet.

- [ ] Plan project
- [ ] Schedule meeting

Behavior:

Counted as incomplete in progress bars
Default starting state for new tasks

2. In Progress (Default: `/`)

Tasks actively being worked on.

- [/] Writing documentation
- [>] Debugging feature

Behavior:

Counted as incomplete but "active" in progress bars
Can trigger parent task automation (see below)
Can work with Append Date to auto-add start dates

Multiple Markers: Use | to define alternatives: /|> (both / and > mean "in progress")

3. Planned (Default: `?`)

Tasks scheduled or waiting for action from others.

- [?] Waiting for client feedback
- [?] Scheduled for next week

Behavior:

Counted as incomplete by default
Often excluded from progress tracking (see Task Counting below)

4. Abandoned (Default: `-`)

Tasks that won't be completed (cancelled, not relevant, etc.).

- [-] Cancelled meeting
- [-] Obsolete task

Behavior:

Counted as "not completed" but removed from active tracking
Often excluded from progress bars

5. Completed (Default: `x`)

Finished tasks.

- [x] Submitted report
- [X] Deployed feature  ← Capital X also works

Behavior:

Counted as complete in progress bars
Can auto-set completion date
Visually distinct (strikethrough) in most themes

Multiple Markers: Use x|X to accept both lowercase and uppercase

Handling Other Statuses

If you use a marker not defined in the categories above (e.g., [!], [r]), configure how Task Genius should interpret it:

Setting: "Count other statuses as"

Options:

not started
in progress
planned
abandoned
completed

Example: If you use [!] for urgent tasks, set "Count other statuses as" to in progress.

Task Counting & Progress Bars

Control which tasks contribute to progress calculations.

Exclude Specific Markers

Prevent certain statuses from being counted in progress totals.

Setting: "Exclude specific task markers"

Format: Separate markers with |

Example: ?|- (exclude planned and abandoned tasks)

Use Case:

- [ ] Write code          ← Counted (0/3 complete)
- [/] Review PR          ← Counted (0/3 complete)
- [?] Wait for approval  ← NOT counted (excluded)
- [-] Cancelled task     ← NOT counted (excluded)
- [x] Deploy            ← Counted (1/3 complete)

Progress: 1/3 (33%)

Only Count Specific Markers

Whitelist which statuses should be counted, ignoring all others.

Setting: "Only count specific task markers"

Format: Enable toggle, then specify markers with |

Example: |/|x (only count not started, in progress, and completed)

Use Case: Strict progress tracking, ignoring all intermediate states like "planned" or "waiting".

Read more about progress bars in the Progress Bars documentation.

Parent Task Automation

Automatically update parent tasks based on their subtasks.

Auto-Complete Parent Tasks

Setting: "Auto complete parent task"

When all subtasks are completed, the parent task is automatically marked as complete.

Example:

- [ ] Project Launch
  - [x] Design mockups
  - [x] Develop feature
  - [x] Write tests

After completing the last subtask, the parent automatically becomes:

- [x] Project Launch  ← Auto-completed
  - [x] Design mockups
  - [x] Develop feature
  - [x] Write tests

Benefits:

Visual feedback of project completion
Accurate progress tracking
Reduced manual status updates

Mark Parent as "In Progress"

Setting: "Mark parent as 'in progress' when partially complete"

When some (but not all) subtasks are completed, the parent task is automatically marked with your "in progress" marker.

Example:

- [ ] Project Launch
  - [x] Design mockups      ← Completed
  - [ ] Develop feature     ← Not started
  - [ ] Write tests         ← Not started

After completing one subtask, the parent automatically becomes:

- [/] Project Launch  ← Auto-marked as "in progress"
  - [x] Design mockups
  - [ ] Develop feature
  - [ ] Write tests

Benefits:

Visual indicator of active projects
Easy identification of work-in-progress
Integrates with Append Date to auto-add start dates

Note: This requires "Auto complete parent task" to be enabled.

Integration with Append Date

When parent tasks are marked "in progress", they can automatically receive a start date if you've configured the Append Date feature.

Example Workflow:

Parent task starts as - [ ] Project Launch
You complete the first subtask
Parent becomes - [/] Project Launch ⏳ 2025-01-15 (start date auto-added)
Complete all subtasks
Parent becomes - [x] Project Launch ⏳ 2025-01-15 ✅ 2025-01-20 (completion date auto-added)

This provides a complete timeline of your project's lifecycle.

Visual Customization

Custom Task Marks

Setting: "Enable custom task marks"

Replace standard checkboxes with styled text marks based on your status cycle.

Visual Effect:

Disabled (Default):

☐ Not started
☐ In progress (still shows checkbox)
☑ Done

Enabled:

[ ] Not started
[/] In progress     ← Custom styled mark
[x] Done

The marks are styled with CSS classes, allowing themes to customize their appearance.

Performance: No impact on performance.

Text Marks in Source Mode

Setting: "Enable text mark in source mode"

Allow clicking the text mark in Source Mode to cycle status.

Disabled: Must click the actual checkbox area Enabled: Click anywhere on [/] to cycle

Use Case: Useful if you frequently work in Source Mode and want faster status cycling.

Cycle Complete Status

Setting: "Enable cycle complete status"

Determine if clicking cycles through all defined states or stops at "complete".

Enabled (Recommended): Clicking cycles through all states in your defined cycle (including completed) Disabled: Clicking stops at the completed state and won't cycle further

Example (Enabled):

[ ] → [/] → [x] → [ ] → [/] → [x] → ...

Example (Disabled):

[ ] → [/] → [x] (stops here, must manually edit to revert)

Status Cycle Configuration

Creating Your Cycle

Location: Settings → Task Status Settings → "Task Status Switcher"

Enable the switcher: Toggle "Enable task status switcher"
Add statuses: Click "Add status" for each state in your workflow
Configure each status:
- Status name: Human-readable name (e.g., "In Progress")
- Mark: Single character marker (e.g., /)
- Include in cycle: Whether clicking should cycle through this status
Reorder: Use up/down arrows to set the cycling sequence
Remove: Use trash icon to delete unwanted statuses

Include in Cycle

The "Include in cycle" toggle controls whether a status appears when clicking to cycle.

Use Case: Define statuses you want to set manually (via commands or context menu) but don't want in the click cycle.

Example:

Cycle (clicking):  [ ] → [/] → [x] → [ ] ...
Manual only:       [?] Waiting (set via command, not in click cycle)

This keeps your click cycle simple while still supporting advanced statuses.

Applying Status Themes

Setting: Task Status Settings → "Apply theme"

Quickly adopt predefined status configurations.

Available Themes:

Standard: Basic Obsidian-style statuses
Things3: Inspired by the Things 3 app
(More themes may be available in your version)

Warning: Applying a theme will override both your:

Custom status category definitions
Custom status cycle configuration

Recommendation: Configure your own statuses manually for full control.

Best Practices

For Beginners: Keep It Simple

Recommended Setup:

States: Not Started → In Progress → Done
Markers: (space) → / → x
Parent automation: Enable "Auto complete parent task"

This provides a significant upgrade over basic checkboxes without overwhelming complexity.

For Advanced Users: Optimize for Your Workflow

GTD Users:

Add "Waiting" (?) for tasks dependent on others
Add "Someday" (~) for future considerations
Exclude ?|~ from progress tracking

Agile/Scrum Teams:

Add "Review" (r) for code review or QA
Add "Blocked" (!) for tasks with dependencies
Use parent automation for sprint tracking

Project Managers:

Add "On Hold" (h) for paused work
Add "Cancelled" (-) for scope changes
Enable all parent task automation for accurate reporting

Standardize Across Your Vault

Consistency Tip: Define your status cycle once and stick to it across all notes.

Why:

Reliable progress tracking
Easier filtering in Task Genius View
Better compatibility with templates and automation

Combine with View Modes

Use custom statuses with View Modes:

Kanban View: Visualize tasks grouped by status
List View: Filter by specific status markers
Calendar View: See when tasks enter different states

For statuses you rarely use:

Don't include them in the cycle
Do set them via right-click context menu or commands

This keeps your click cycle fast and predictable.

Troubleshooting

Status Not Cycling

Issue: Clicking the checkbox doesn't change status.

Solution:

Verify "Enable task status switcher" is toggled ON
Check that the status has "Include in cycle" enabled
Ensure you're clicking the correct area (checkbox or mark)
Try using the command Task Genius: Cycle task status forward instead

Parent Task Not Auto-Completing

Issue: Completing all subtasks doesn't complete the parent.

Solution:

Verify "Auto complete parent task" is enabled in settings
Ensure all subtasks are using your defined "completed" marker (default x)
Check that subtasks are properly indented under the parent
Refresh the task index: Task Genius: Refresh task index

Custom Marks Not Showing

Issue: Tasks still show standard checkboxes instead of custom marks.

Solution:

Verify "Enable custom task marks" is toggled ON
Check that your theme supports custom task styling
Switch between Live Preview and Reading Mode to refresh
Restart Obsidian if styling doesn't apply

Progress Bars Counting Wrong Tasks

Issue: Progress percentages include tasks you want to exclude.

Solution:

Review "Exclude specific task markers" setting
Ensure markers are separated by | (e.g., ?|-)
Check "Count other statuses as" setting
Use "Only count specific task markers" for stricter control

Cycle Skipping Statuses

Issue: Clicking skips over some statuses in your cycle.

Solution:

Verify all desired statuses have "Include in cycle" enabled
Check the order of statuses (use up/down arrows to reorder)
Ensure each status has a unique marker character
Reload settings or restart Obsidian

Progress Bars: Visualize task completion with custom statuses
Append Date: Auto-add start/completion dates when status changes
View Modes: Use Kanban View to visualize tasks by status
Bulk Operations: Change status for multiple tasks at once
Workflows: Automate status changes based on triggers

Task Status & Cycling

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