Override Fields
Lock or unlock individual fields — called override fields — on a recurring task template to control what stays synced to the template and what can be customized per client, without breaking the template link.
Previously, customizing any field on a recurring task — a budget, an assignee, a checklist — meant breaking the template link, which silently stopped automations and blocked future template updates from applying. Override fields let you customize per client while keeping the link intact, so automations keep firing and template updates still reach your tasks.
Required plan and permissions: Locking and unlocking fields requires template editing permissions (admin-level). Any user with task editing permissions can edit unlocked fields on individual tasks.
⚠️ Heads up! Override fields are only available on templates using the new recurrence scheduler. To enable it, go to Settings > Experimental Features and toggle on Recurring Task Schedule Beta.
Table of Contents
How Override Fields Work
Override fields are the fields on a recurring task template that you can unlock for per-client customization. Every override field starts locked — you choose which ones to unlock.
Locked: The field stays synced to the template. When you update a locked field on the template, the change applies to all linked tasks on their next recurrence.
Unlocked: The field can be customized per client, both when creating a task and in the recurrence manager. On each recurrence, an unlocked field pulls its value from the most recent task instance — not the template default — so client-specific values carry forward without re-entry.
The template link stays intact either way. Automations always run, regardless of which fields are unlocked.
Lock or Unlock a Field on a Template
Navigate to Templates > Task.
Create a new task template or edit an existing template.
Toggle Recurring on. Lock/unlock icons appear next to each override field.
Click the lock icon next to a field to unlock it.
Unlock only the fields your team needs to customize per client. Leave the rest locked to keep them synced.
Click Save.
The lock/unlock state is saved with the template and persists when you reopen it.
Which Fields Can Be Unlocked
Some fields are always synced to the template and can't be unlocked — including task name, roles, the recurrence schedule, and automations — so your core workflow stays consistent across every client.
Parent task
Field | Can be unlocked? |
Assignee(s) | Yes |
Budgeted Hours | Yes |
Budgeted Amount | Yes |
Dates | Yes |
Task Name | No — always synced |
Roles | No — always synced |
Recurrence Schedule | No — always synced |
Automations | No — always synced |
Subtasks
Field | Can be unlocked? |
Assignee(s) | Yes |
Budgeted Hours | Yes |
Dates | Yes |
Checklist (entire list) | Yes |
Subtask Name | No — always synced |
Subtask Structure (add/remove subtasks) | No — always synced |
Automations | No — always synced |
Checklists lock or unlock as a whole list — individual checklist items can't be locked separately.
Change a Lock Setting on a Template With Active Tasks
If you lock or unlock a field on a template that already has active task instances, a confirmation dialog shows how many tasks are affected before the change is saved.
Toggle a field's lock icon on a template with active tasks.
Review the confirmation dialog, which shows the number of active task instances affected.
Click to confirm or cancel.
The change applies to future recurrences and new task creations only. Existing tasks stay as they are.
Related Articles
How Do I Create a Task Template?
How Do I Create a Recurring Task (New Scheduler Beta)?
Summary
Override fields let you customize recurring tasks per client — assignees, budgets, dates, and checklists — without breaking the template link or interrupting automations. Locked fields stay synced to the template, while unlocked override fields carry each client's values forward through every recurrence.
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