Creating and Managing Tasks in Basecamp

At BlitzMetrics, we live by this rule: if it’s not in Basecamp, it didn’t happen.

That’s especially true for tasks.

Basecamp is where we track what needs to get done, who’s doing it, and when it’s due.

If you skip Basecamp, tasks get lost, deadlines slip, and accountability disappears.

This guide explains how to create, manage, and complete tasks (or To-Dos) the right way.

When to create a task

If a task will take longer than 10 minutes, it belongs in Basecamp. That includes:

• Instructions sent by email (from Dennis or anyone else).
  
• Action items from meetings.
  
• Casual instructions mentioned in chat or conversations.
  

If something can be done in less than 10 minutes, just do it and move on.

Don’t waste time project-managing the trivial.

Step 1: Check for duplicates

Before creating anything, search the project.

Someone else may have already logged the task.

Duplicates confuse people and split progress across threads.

Step 2: Choose the right project

Put the task in the correct project.

This takes practice, but you’ll get faster as you learn which projects hold which kinds of work.

A misplaced task is almost as bad as one that never existed.

Step 3: Create a to-do list if needed

Inside the project, go to “To-dos.”

If there’s already a list that fits the task, use it.

If not, create a new list with a clear name.

Avoid creating multiple lists that serve the same purpose.

Step 4: Write the task properly

The task name must be a command.

Start with an action word and include enough detail so it makes sense at a glance.

Bad example: Access
Good example: Obtain access to John Smith’s Facebook Business Manager

Then fill in the rest of the fields:

• Description: Spell out exactly what’s being done.
  
• Assigned to: The person actually doing the work (the R in RACI).
  
• When done, notify: Usually the Project Lead, Assigner, Team Lead, and Dennis.
  
• Due date: Default is one week from creation unless a lead specifies otherwise.
  
• Notes: Paste links to the instructions, supporting files, and anything else someone would need if the task gets reassigned later.
  

Tasks must always be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-oriented.

Step 5: Add subscribers correctly

Subscribers are people who should be kept in the loop.

Don’t add everyone.

Apply RACI to decide who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

If you have more than four subscribers, it’s probably too many.

Notifications

Basecamp automatically sends reminders at 9:00 AM:

• The day before a task is due.
  
• The day it’s due.
  
• A day after it’s late.
  
• A week after it’s late.
  

That means you don’t have to nag people, Basecamp does it for you.

Completing a task

Finishing a task is more than just checking a box. Here’s how to close it out properly:

1. Link to the next task. If there are follow-up steps, make sure they’re logged. If nobody else has created them, you do it.
   
2. Post your update. Spell out what you did, attach the deliverable, and involve the right people.
   
3. QA your own work. Use our checklists. Don’t hand off sloppy work and expect someone else to clean it up.
   
4. Don’t mark it complete yourself. Only managers and leads close tasks after auditing them. Your job is to post a complete update, not to self-approve.
   

What not to do

• Don’t use Basecamp tasks for personal reminders, study items, or course assignments. Keep it professional and client-focused.
  
• Don’t delete tasks. Even if something feels obsolete, archive it instead. The history might still matter later.
  
• Don’t get vague with naming. If someone can’t understand a task in two seconds, you didn’t write it right.
  

Why this matters

When tasks are created and managed properly, Basecamp becomes a crystal-clear roadmap of who’s doing what and when.

When it’s sloppy, nobody knows what’s going on.

Do it right and you’ll make your life easier, your team more efficient, and your clients happier.