Break one step into tickable subtasks

Some steps are really several small actions. Add subtasks and your team gets a short, tickable list right inside the step — so nothing in the “obvious” part of the work quietly gets skipped.

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Prep the conference room Step
Test the projector and screen share
Completed by Dana Ruiz · 8:42am
Lay out handouts and name cards
Completed by Dana Ruiz · 8:47am
Set out water and coffee
Dial in the video bridge 10 minutes early

Detail without a wall of steps

You could split every little action into its own step — but then a five-minute task reads like a twenty-step procedure. Subtasks keep the step list clean while still spelling out the small moves inside a step, so newer teammates know exactly what “done” means.

One big vague step
  • “Prep the room” — and hope everyone remembers what that means
  • The little things get skipped under time pressure
  • No way to see which parts actually got done
One step, a few subtasks
  • Each small action is spelled out and tickable
  • Optionally, none of them can be skipped
  • Every tick shows who did it and when

From workflow template to ticked-off run

1

Add subtasks to a step

Open any step in your Workflow, add a subtask, type its title, and add more. Drag to reorder the list until it reads the way the work actually happens.

2

Start a Run

Every time you run the Workflow, that step arrives with its own fresh copy of the subtasks — ready for this run, unchecked and waiting.

3

Tick them off

Whoever is working the step checks each subtask as they go. If you want, the step can't be marked complete until the whole list is done.

Make the whole list a requirement

Flip on Require list completion before completing step and the step becomes a real gate: it won't complete until every subtask is checked. Try to finish early and Manifestly stops you with a clear reason instead of letting a half-done step slip through.

  • Set it per step — require the list on the steps that matter, leave it optional elsewhere.
  • The same rule guards approval steps: an approver can't sign off with subtasks still open.
  • Leave it off for a gentle guide the team can tick at their own pace.
Verify shipment Require list
Match packing slip to the order
Photograph any visible damage
Log serial numbers into the record
Complete step Complete all required subtasks first

Every tick is on the record

A subtask isn't just a checkbox that flips — when someone checks it, Manifestly stamps who completed it and when. Completed items show struck through with a completion note, and each check, un-check, and edit is captured in the run's activity. Un-check a subtask and it drops back onto the list, no drama.

  • Completion is attributed to the exact person who ticked it.
  • Timestamps and edits land in the run activity feed for a clean audit trail.
  • Titles auto-link URLs and support the same tokens as your step content.
Run activity
Confirm customer contact details
Completed by Priya Shah · Mon, Aug 10, 9:14am
Send the welcome packet
Completed by Priya Shah · Mon, Aug 10, 9:15am
Schedule the 30-day check-in
Un-checked by Alex Kim · 9:20am

Subtask or step? A simple rule of thumb

Reach for a subtask when…

  • The actions all belong to one person, in one sitting.
  • You just need a reminder of the small moves, not separate tracking.
  • You want the step list to stay short and readable.

Reach for a full step when…

  • It needs its own assignee, due date, or approval.
  • It should capture data in a form field.
  • It gates later steps or drives conditional logic.

Check them off from anywhere

Subtasks aren't stuck in the browser. Tick them from Slack while you work, or complete them programmatically through the v2 API — the same endpoints AI agents use over MCP to work a run to plan.

Slacktick as you go v2 API & MCPcomplete · uncomplete Subtaskwho & when recorded
  • Complete or un-complete a subtask and the required-list gate updates with it.
  • Agents see the same list, titles, positions, and completion state you do.
# Mark a subtask complete on a run step
POST /api/v2/runs/812/run_steps/6/subtasks/42
{ "action": "complete" }

# → response records who and when
{
  "id":              42,
  "title":           "Log serial numbers",
  "completed_at":    "2026-08-10T09:15:04Z",
  "completed_by_id": 137
}

Where a subtask list earns its keep

Setup & prep steps

A single “get the space ready” step with the small checks folded in.

Test the A/V, lay out materials, set out refreshments — all ticked before the step closes.

Inspections & QA

A verification step that must not be finished with anything skipped.

Require the list so a shipment can't be signed off until every check is done.

Onboarding touches

The little welcome tasks that ride along with one bigger step.

Confirm details, send the packet, schedule the check-in — each attributed to who did it.

Subtasks, answered

A step is the main unit of a Workflow — it can have its own assignee, due date, form fields, approvals, and conditional logic. A subtask is a lightweight, tickable item inside a step: just a title and a checkbox. Use subtasks to spell out the small actions within a step without lengthening your step list.

Yes. Turn on Require list completion before completing step for that step. While any subtask is still open, the step can't be completed — Manifestly shows “Complete all required subtasks first.” The same guard applies to approval steps. Leave the option off and the list is an optional guide.

Yes. Each completed subtask records the user who checked it and the time they did, shown right on the item. Checking, un-checking, and edits are also captured in the run's activity feed.

You define subtasks once on a step in your Workflow. Each time you start a Run, that step gets its own fresh copy of the list to tick off, so completions in one run never affect another. Update the Workflow and future runs pick up the change.

Yes. Drag subtasks into the order that matches how the work happens; that order carries into every run.

Yes. You can tick subtasks from the Manifestly Slack integration, and complete or un-complete them through the v2 API — the same endpoints AI agents use over MCP. The required-list gate updates as subtasks change, wherever the change comes from.

Other Features

Design your process

Workflow Customization

Shape exactly how each workflow behaves — logic, data, timing, and documentation.

Workflow Versioning

Make changes and collaborate on workflow improvements in a private Draft, keep a stable Published version for your team, and maintain a full version history with restore.

Conditional Logic

Customize your workflows to conditionally hide or display workflow sections and steps based on data collection or the completion of a different step or section in the workflow.

Workflow Approvals

Add a required sign-off to any workflow step so work gets reviewed before it moves forward. Assign the person who owns the decision, hold the steps behind it until they approve or reject, and keep every decision on the record.

Relative Due Dates

Set expectations for when tasks are due and send notifications to users. Due dates are also utilized in our calendar integration.

Business Calendars

Attach a holiday calendar to a workflow to keep due dates and reminders off weekends and holidays. When a date lands on a day off, snap it to the next or previous business day — and move or skip recurring runs that fall on one.

Data Collection

Add data collection fields to your workflows. Users can enter data, choose from a list, upload images and files, and even collect signatures.

Data Tables

Keep reusable reference data in a shared table and pull it into your workflows. Choose a row in a run and Manifestly auto-fills the rest of that row into your other fields. An Enterprise feature.

Embed Links, Videos, and Images

Customize your workflow steps to add videos, images, and links to supporting documents to make them not only a list of what to do, but also a document of how a process should be done.

Workflow Automations

Set up one workflow to automatically create and assign another workflow when a specific step is completed in the original workflow.

Send a Customized Email on Step Completion

Customize an email to be sent when a step in your workflow is completed, providing real-time updates to the team.

Set Due Dates for Steps Based on Date Data Collection Fields

Use step data collection to drive due dates in your workflows, ensuring that deadlines are accurate and meaningful.

Subtasks

Define lightweight subtasks within a step to help your team follow a step-by-step process for completing a task.

QuickLists for Ad Hoc Tasks

Create lightweight, ad hoc task lists for one-off to-do items or collaborative team lists that don't require recurring workflows.

Organize with Tags

Keep your workflows and runs organized by using tags. Tags act as flexible folders to easily filter and find your tasks in Manifestly. Set up tags to track work by client, property, type of work, and more.

Manage your Standard Operating Procedures - SOPs

Create, edit, and publish your standard operating procedures. Keep your documentation updated and ensure everyone is using the most recently updated process documentation.

Send a Customized SMS Message on Step Completion

Customize an SMS message to be sent when a step in your workflow is completed, providing real-time updates to any phone number.
Delegate & automate

Assign and Automate

Get the right work to the right people, on schedule — automatically.

Schedule Recurring Runs

Schedule daily, weekly, or quarterly workflow runs to ensure recurring tasks are completed on time. Receive notifications on run activity, such as when a run has started.

Role-Based Assignments

Assign steps in your workflows to a role and then assign people to a role on a run-by-run basis, giving you more control over recurring assignments.

Automations with Zapier

Connect with 1,000+ apps using our Zapier app to automate data and workflow connections across platforms, ensuring seamless integration.

Import Runs

Import 200 workflow runs at a time using our spreadsheet importer. Set custom start and due dates, assign participants, add tags, Slack channels, and more.

Initiator Role

Automatically assign steps in the workflow to the person creating the new run using the Initiator Role, streamlining role-based task delegation.

Display Assignments in a Calendar

Visualize and manage your tasks within a calendar to plan ahead effectively and stay organized.
Stay on top of it

Track Progress and Reporting

See what's done, what's late, and what's coming — across every run.

Calendar Integration

Manifestly integrates with both Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar so you can view your assignments and upcoming runs within your regular calendar.

Bird's-eye View of Tasks

Track task progress and work on multiple runs all on one summary page that highlights assignments, late runs, and late tasks.

Customizable Dashboards

Customize your dashboard using as many dashboard "widgets" as you want to show exactly what you need to stay on top of for your organization's recurring tasks in Manifestly.

Reminders

Set up reminders on workflows or runs. Reminders can ensure your team does not miss deadlines in their assignments.

Reporting & Data Exports

View real-time reports of exactly what steps are done and what are left, with summary views across runs. Our data export feature gives you all the detailed data from your runs in a format easily imported into a spreadsheet or business intelligence tool.

Inbox

A single inbox page that consolidates your assignments, runs, and tasks. This unified view helps you stay organized, reduces the need to jump between screens, and makes it simpler to prioritize and manage your workload.
Governance & security

Govern, secure & prove it

SSO, granular permissions, and a complete audit trail — the controls enterprise teams need to run their work and prove how it was done.

Departments & Locations

Use departments to organize teams and workflows, as well as maintain security by keeping runs and activity private from your whole organization.

Permissions

Control access and abilities in the system using user permission roles. Admins, Users, and Limited Users all have different rights levels.

SAML SSO

Set up SAML SSO to control access to your Manifestly account. Manifestly supports Okta, Azure AD, Auth0, OneLogin, and Google SSO.

Guest Users

Invite external users to participate in workflows without requiring full accounts. Maintain security while allowing seamless collaboration.

Custom Branding

Create a branded environment by customizing your workspace with a company-specific logo. The logo appears in emails, guest run pages, and login pages.

Initiator Role

Automatically assign steps in the workflow to the person creating the new run with the Initiator Role, simplifying the setup and execution of recurring tasks.

Audit Trail

Every action — who did what, entered which data, and when — is captured in a searchable, permanent activity log, so you can prove exactly how work was run.

API & Webhooks

Full read/write access over the Manifestly v2 REST API plus webhooks, so Manifestly fits into your existing systems, provisioning, and reporting.
Collaborate & audit

Communicate

Keep the conversation — and a permanent record of who did what, and when — in one place.

Comments & Mentions

Collaborate with your team within a run without relying on emails or other communication methods. You can also add Manifestly directly to Slack.

Searchable Account Activity Logs

Every action taken — who completed a task, entered data, started and finished a run, and more — is stored in the cloud, forever, making it easy to audit who did what and when on previous runs and tasks.

Bulk Send of Reminders

With one click you can send out reminders to everyone working on a list of runs to help ensure your team completes tasks on time.

Trusted by organizations big and small for their recurring workflows

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Subtasks for Workflow Steps

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