How to Create Sections in Asana (2026 Guide)
To create a section in Asana, open a project in List or Board view, click Add section, type a name, and press Enter, or just select a task and press Tab + N. Sections group tasks inside a project so a long list becomes scannable. Here’s how they work in both views, including the relationship between sections and board columns, for 2026.
1. Create a Section in List View
In a List-view project:
- Click Add section (it appears as a button at the top of the list, and there’s usually a faint + Add section option between groups of tasks).
- Type a section name like To Do, In Progress, Blocked, or anything that fits your workflow (This Week, Backlog, Waiting on Client).
- Press Enter.
Tasks below that heading belong to the section. You can collapse a section by clicking the triangle next to its name to focus on one chunk of work at a time. Reorder sections by dragging the section heading up or down.
2. Use the Tab + N Shortcut
The fastest way to add a section is the keyboard:
- Select any task in the project (click its row so it’s highlighted).
- Press Tab, then N.
- A new section appears. Type its name and press Enter.
Press the keys in sequence, not together. This is the section sibling of Asana’s other Tab + shortcuts like Tab+A (assignee) and Tab+D (due date). It’s the quickest way to carve up a list you’re building on the fly.
3. Create a Section (Column) in Board View
In Board view, sections render as vertical columns, the Kanban layout:
- Open the project and switch to Board view from the view tabs.
- Click Add section (sometimes labeled Add column) to the right of the last column.
- Name it, for example To Do, Doing, Done.
- Press Enter.
Now you can drag task cards between columns as work progresses. For more on the Kanban workflow, see how to use Board view in Asana.
4. Sections vs Columns: They’re the Same Thing
This is the key concept that confuses new users: sections and columns are the same underlying object, just displayed differently.
- In List view, a section is a horizontal heading with tasks listed beneath it.
- In Board view, that exact same section becomes a vertical column with task cards.
Create a section called In Progress in List view, switch to Board view, and you’ll see an In Progress column already there, holding the same tasks. There’s no separate “columns” feature to learn. Pick whichever view you prefer to manage in, and the sections follow you.
5. Move Tasks Between Sections
A few ways to move a task into a different section:
- Drag it. In List view, grab the task row and drop it under another section heading. In Board view, drag the card to another column.
- Keyboard. Select a task and press Tab + M to open the “move to section” picker, then choose the destination.
- From the task. Open a task, and in the project field you can change its section within that project.
When you drag a task to a new section, its section assignment updates everywhere, so the change is reflected whether you look in List or Board view. A multi-homed task can sit in different sections in each of its projects.
Naming Sections Well
Sections do their best work when the names map to a real workflow stage or grouping:
- Status: To Do, In Progress, In Review, Done
- Time: Today, This Week, Later, Someday
- Priority: Urgent, High, Normal, Low
- Owner or area: Design, Engineering, Marketing
Avoid one giant unsectioned list, that’s where tasks go to be forgotten. Even three sections turn a wall of tasks into something you can scan in seconds.
Quick Reference
| Action | List view | Board view |
|---|---|---|
| Add section | Add section button | Add section / Add column |
| Add section (keyboard) | Tab + N | Tab + N |
| Move task | Drag under heading | Drag card to column |
| Move task (keyboard) | Tab + M | Tab + M |
| Same data? | Yes, sections = columns | Yes, sections = columns |
Let Carly Keep Your Sections Fed and Sorted
Sections keep a project organized, but only if tasks land in the right one and keep flowing. Carly is an AI assistant that connects to 200+ apps including Asana and handles the repetitive task work on triggers, turning emails into Asana tasks, creating and assigning them after meetings, and setting up recurring work so your sections stay current without you dragging cards around all day. Carly plans start at $35/month.
More on Asana: How to use Board view in Asana · How to create a project in Asana · How to use subtasks in Asana · Asana integration
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