If you're using tags instead of custom fields, your Asana setup could slowly be breaking. And if you're using custom fields when a simple tag would do, you're overcomplicating things. Here's how to tell the difference.
What are Asana tags?
Tags are global labels. You create one once, and it's available on any task in your account, across any project, without any extra setup.
To add a tag to a task, open the task and press Tab + T. Search for an existing tag or type a new name — if it doesn't exist yet, Asana creates it on the spot. You can assign it a colour. Clicking the tag itself takes you to the tag page: every task in your account that carries that tag.
You can star a tag page for quick access. When you're done with it, you can delete the tag entirely.
The contrast with custom fields is the important bit. Custom fields are tied to a specific project. If you want a Status field in two projects, you need to add it to both separately. Tags require no such setup — apply the same tag in any project, without touching any project settings.
When to always use custom fields
There are four situations where custom fields are the right call.
1. You want that information on every task.
If the field needs to appear on every task in a project — like a Status field showing “to do”, “in progress”, “in danger” — that's a custom field. Tags are optional and only appear when you've explicitly added them. Status isn't optional. You always want to know where a task stands.
2. You're reporting on it.
Asana's reporting tools work off custom fields. If you want a chart showing tasks by status, or a filter by request type, you need a custom field behind it. Tags don't feed into reporting the same way.
3. You want to trigger rules.
Asana's native automation rules can fire when a custom field value changes — for example, adding a comment when a task's status is set to “Waiting for approval”. There is currently no way to trigger a native Asana rule from a tag being added. Tags don't appear as a trigger option in the rules builder.
4. You want to enforce consistency.
In a design requests project, for example, you might have fields for client name, email, time tracking, and request type. You want those captured on every task. The empty field acts as a visible prompt — the assignee can see what's missing and knows to fill it in. Tags can't do that.
When to use tags instead
Tags are the right tool when you're adding ad hoc, temporary metadata — the kind of information you don't want appearing as a column on every row in your project.
Three good examples from real use:
Urgent. Stop what you're doing, work on this now. You don't want an “urgency” custom field cluttering every task in your project for the rare occasions it's needed. A tag applied to the specific tasks that need it is cleaner.
Weekly meeting. Tag tasks you want to discuss in the next meeting. Pull up the tag page before you go in. When the meeting's over, remove the tags. You don't need a custom field for something this temporary.
Hard deadline. A due date where missing it has downstream consequences for the rest of the project. Tag the specific tasks where this applies. You don't want a “hard deadline” field appearing on every task.
The pattern: if you wouldn't want to see it on every row in a project view, it's probably a tag.
Using tags as a Zapier trigger
This is one place where tags do something custom fields can't — at least in native Asana.
Zapier can trigger a workflow when a tag is added to a task. So if you're connecting Asana to an external tool and you want to fire an automation based on a specific label being applied, a tag is the mechanism. Asana's native rules don't offer this trigger, but Zapier does.
Common mistakes to avoid
Duplicate tags from inconsistent capitalisation. “Urgent” with a capital U and “urgent” with a lowercase u are two different tags in Asana. Tasks end up split across both, making it harder to find what you're looking for. Pick a naming convention before you start and stick to it.
Using tags as part of a workflow. Tags are one big unorganised list. Building automations or processes that depend on someone selecting the right tag is fragile. If your workflow requires consistent data entry or triggers automation, use a custom field. Tags aren't built for that.
Summary
The fast decision: if the information needs to appear on every task, feed into reports, or trigger a rule — use a custom field. If it's temporary, ad hoc, or only relevant to a handful of tasks — use a tag.
The quick decision rule
| Use a custom field when… | Use a tag when… |
|---|---|
| Every task needs the information | Only some tasks need it |
| You're reporting on it | It's temporary or ad hoc |
| It triggers automation | You're flagging tasks across projects |
| You need governance and consistency | You're connecting to Zapier as a trigger |
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