Why i can't assign tasks using the microsoft word app?

Question

Why i can't assign tasks using the microsoft word app?

Answer 1

Dear Matteo Besana

Thank you for posting your question on the Q&A Forum regarding the Assign Task feature.

Based on the tag you selected ( Word | For business | MacOS), I assume you are using a Microsoft 365 Business license, but please confirm this by opening Microsoft Word on your Mac, clicking on the Word menu in the top-left corner, and selecting “About Microsoft Word.” This feature is exclusive to Word for Microsoft 365, so verifying your license is important.

For task assignment to work, your document must be stored in the cloud (OneDrive or SharePoint). If the file is saved locally (e.g., in Documents or Desktop), the feature will be disabled.  As shown in the example image, when the "On My Mac" appeared, it’s because the file is saving online to OneDrive or SharePoint.

If you are saving the document locally, open it in Word, go to File > Save a Copy, and click on Online Locations to switch from saving locally to saving online. Once the document is saved to the cloud, close and reopen it from that location to ensure collaboration features are activated. You should also see the AutoSave toggle in the top-left corner turn on automatically.

The process for assigning a task on a Mac is identical to Windows, but let’s review it just in case.

Select the text related to the task or click where you want the comment. Right-click and choose New Comment.

In the comment field, type @ followed by the person’s name. As you type, a list of contacts from your organization’s directory should appear then click the correct person. If a box appears notifying you to give access to the user, click Share.

After you select a name, a checkbox labeled “Assign to [Name]” will appear. You must check this box to turn the comment into an actionable task, then click the Post button (the paper airplane icon). The assignee will then receive an email notification.

I hope this information helps you. Please let me know if you need further assistance or if the feature still doesn’t appear after following these steps.

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Update: September 17th

Mateo is currently using a Microsoft 365 Business Basic license, which does not include access to the desktop apps. As a result, certain features are unavailable to him.

Recommendation: To use the desktop version of Microsoft Word and other Office apps, Mateo should either:

• Use the web app, which is included in his current plan, or
• Upgrade to at least the Business Standard license, which includes the full suite of desktop applications.

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Answer 2

hi,

thanks for this. is it possible that the reason why I can't tag people is because I'm using my own laptop?

Answer 3

HI! I tried to do these steps but I'm still unable to assign a task despite being logged into word with the correct work account.

Answer 4

Hi, where should I go to see the private message ? thanks in advance !