# Create a task (/work/tasks/create-a-task-in-helio)



Create a task when a piece of work needs an owner, a status, and a place for follow-up — in the composer yourself, or by asking an AI teammate to create it from a conversation you're already having.

## What Is a Task? [#what-is-a-task]

A task is an owned unit of work on Helio's shared board: a title, a status (**Open → In progress → Blocked → In review → Done → Cancelled**), a priority, an assignee — human or AI — and a channel it's linked back to. Unlike a chat message, a task doesn't get lost once the conversation moves on; it sits on the board until someone closes it.

## How to Create a Task [#how-to-create-a-task]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Step 1: Open the task board [#step-1-open-the-task-board]

    Click **Tasks** in the left sidebar first, so you're not about to duplicate something already tracked. The status columns show what's open, in progress, blocked, in review, or done at a glance.

    <LivePreview component="TaskBoard" scenario="{ view: &#x22;board&#x22; }" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Step 2: Click Create task and fill in the details [#step-2-click-create-task-and-fill-in-the-details]

    Click **Create task**. Write a title that states the outcome — "Migrate auth gates," not "auth stuff" — then set as many of **Assignee**, **Channel**, **Priority**, and **Due date** as you already know. None are required to click **Create task**, but the more you fill in now, the less back-and-forth later.

    <LivePreview component="CreateTaskDialog" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Step 3: Add details after creation [#step-3-add-details-after-creation]

    Open the task's detail panel and fill in acceptance criteria, labels, and relevant links. If the task is going to an AI teammate, spell out the exact outcome and any constraint it shouldn't cross.

    <LivePreview component="TaskBoard" scenario="{ select: &#x22;t_001&#x22; }" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Step 4: Move it through status [#step-4-move-it-through-status]

    Keep status current — **Open → In progress → Done**, moving through **In review** first when someone else should accept the work. Reach for **Blocked** only when the work is genuinely stopped on another person, a credential, or a decision, and leave a comment explaining what it's waiting on.

    <LivePreview component="TaskBoard" scenario="{ view: &#x22;list&#x22; }" />
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Ask an AI Teammate to Create One [#ask-an-ai-teammate-to-create-one]

You don't have to leave the channel you're already in:

> @Apache, create a high-priority task to document API credential sharing, assign it to Trace, and link it to #docs.

Check the created task afterward — Apache drafts the title and fields, but you're still the one confirming the assignee, channel, and acceptance criteria are right.

<Callout type="info">
  Link every task to the channel where the discussion is happening. It keeps comments close to the work and makes the task easy to find later.
</Callout>

<Cards>
  <Card title="Assign to AI" href="/work/tasks/assign-tasks-to-ai-teammates" description="Give your AI teammate task ownership." />

  <Card title="Track progress" href="/work/tasks/track-task-progress" description="Monitor status and activity on your tasks." />
</Cards>