Ever looked at a project tool like Proyex or Asana and thought: “Wait a minute… Is this a task or a subtask?” Especially when managing multiple projects at the same time and clients might even have insight into the tool, it can get confusing. 

In this article, we explain to you what the difference between a task and a subtask is, using examples from your everyday life as a freelancer or small agency. So that you not only keep track of all your projects and tasks, but also appear professional, structured, and reliable to your clients. 

Learn more about project planning here: “How to organize client projects in a tool - without chaos.” 

“What was the difference again?” How to structure tasks 

Project life can sometimes be stressful. Multiple client projects are running simultaneously, to-do lists are getting longer, there are many tasks, deadlines, and follow-up questions in the tool. At the latest, at this point, you should have everything summarized clearly to avoid losing track completely and to maintain a professional impression. 

Here, the difference between a task and a subtask plays an important role. And if this is not entirely clear, many uncertainties can quickly arise. You put too many details in a single task and lose sight of the essentials. Especially in a team, it's easy to forget who is responsible for what exactly. Your clients unfortunately know just as little about how far along you are and what the current status is. 

Therefore, it is important to structure your tasks in such a way that you and your clients know what is coming up. This creates transparency, clarity, and the good feeling: “Everything is going according to plan here.”

What is a task?

First, to the essential points of a task: 

This is a single task that needs to be completed, just like a to-do on a list. For example, a task for you as a web designer could be “Create landing page.” It is a larger work step with a clear goal.

A task should always: 

• have a clear goal (“Complete the page” instead of “Do a bit of work”)

• remain manageable (not: “Create website,” but: “Create homepage”)

• be easily marked as completed 

• ideally have a concrete deadline 

Especially when you work with many clients or when other colleagues are involved in your project, a clear task naming and overview will get you to the goal much better and faster. 

• You communicate transparently what you are taking on. 

• Clients can understand how far along you are.

• You remain focused because you know what you want to complete.

In a project tool like Proyex, you can assign any number of tasks to each project. This keeps your work efficient and adapts to your working style so that you remain in control. 

What is a subtask?

A subtask can be seen as a subtask that leads to the goal of the larger task. It’s like a puzzle: the task is the complete picture and the subtasks are the individual puzzle pieces that lead to the whole picture. 

If we look at the example of “Create landing page” from earlier, your subtasks could look like this:

• Write texts 

• Select images

• Build layout in page builder

• Adjust mobile version

• Publish page 

💡 Why is it so helpful to have subtasks? 

• You maintain absolute control over your projects, as subtasks break down a large whole into smaller to-dos that are not overwhelming. 

• You can plan responsibly: Individual steps can be assigned to others on your team (or even to the client themselves). 

• You create transparency: Clients can see what has already been completed and what is still to come.

Subtasks can usually be easily created within a task. In Proyex, this is quite simple in edit mode. Your structure remains compact, clear, and understandable. Subtasks become your best friends when you work with multiple participants and manage many projects simultaneously. 

Why the difference between a task and a subtask is relevant 

“Task and subtask, I've got it, it'll fit somehow.” But a clean task structure is worth its weight in gold. It impacts your entire project and your way of working, and that is essential. 

1. You work more structured 

With a sensible division of tasks and subtasks, you know your next goals and tasks. Your way of working becomes predictable, and you know when you will reach a milestone. Learn more about “What is a milestone in client projects?”. 

2. You communicate better with your team and your clients

No matter what profession you are in, whether as a copywriter, designer, or coach. Communication is always one of the top priorities. And it ensures good and relaxed collaboration when you know exactly what to do. 

Feel free to read: “The best tips for a productive feedback culture.” 

3. You leave a professional impression

When a client sees how neatly you have structured a project into tasks and subtasks, trust is created and your clients know they can rely on you. 

💡 Tip: 

You don’t need a project management degree for all these things. In the right tool, many of these points are self-explanatory and lead you quickly to the goal. In Proyex, you create your tasks and define your subtasks. 

Proyex Tip: Use tasks and subtasks in one tool 

As mentioned above, in a tool like Proyex, you can easily create your tasks and subtasks. With Proyex, you structure your client projects clearly, visually, and in a way that you and your client always know what has already been completed, what is still pending, and where there might be some delays. 

This is how it works in Proyex 

1. Create project
   e.g. “Launch campaign for product X”

2. Create task
   for example “Write email series”

3. Add subtasks
   “Draft subject lines,” “Write texts,” “Set up tool”

4. Set responsibilities and deadlines
   for yourself, your colleagues, or your client

5. Update status and track progress
   you can see at any time what has already been completed

Conclusion: Tasks vs Subtasks - small difference with a big impact

No matter what you work on, with a clean structure, your work runs more smoothly. And this is where the distinction between tasks and subtasks makes the difference:

• You work more focused.

• Your clients see the progress.

• Follow-up questions and misunderstandings become less frequent.

• You save time and appear confident.

With Proyex, you don’t need complicated workflows or project management expertise. You plan tasks the way you want to work. 

Test Proyex now for free and without a credit card!