How to add groups and sub groups for tasks in outlook

Question

How to add groups and sub groups for tasks in outlook

Answer 1

Dear @Gary Bowes,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand that you are looking for a way to organize your tasks hierarchically in the New Outlook interface, which mirrors the concept of folders and subfolders for emails.

The issue is that New Outlook (which uses the To Do service) does not natively use traditional "folders" or "subgroups" for tasks in the same way the Classic Outlook interface did. Instead, it uses "Lists" and "Steps" to achieve grouping and nesting.

Here is how you can effectively create groups and sub-groups for your tasks using the methods available in the New Outlook (Microsoft To Do):

1: Using Task Lists (Main Groups) and Steps (Sub-Groups)

This is the standard, most effective way to organize tasks in the New Outlook interface.

A. Create Task Lists (Main Groups)

Task Lists function as your primary organizational categories, like "Projects" or "Clients."

1. In New Outlook, go to the Tasks icon (usually a clipboard icon on the left navigation pane).
2. In the left pane of the Tasks view, click "New List" (or the + button).
3. Name this list your main group (e.g., "Project Alpha" or "Client X").

B. Use Steps (Sub-Groups/Sub-Tasks)

The "Steps" feature allows you to break down a main task into smaller, nested parts, effectively creating a sub-grouping.

1. In your new list (e.g., "Project Alpha"), create a main task (e.g., "Phase 1: Initial Research").
2. Click on the main task to open the details pane on the right.
3. Click "Add step" under the main task name.
4. Enter your sub-tasks (e.g., "Review competitor data," "Draft outline," "Schedule kickoff meeting").

This achieves the nested structure you are looking for:

List (Main Group): Project Alpha

• Task (Sub-Group Header): Phase 1: Initial Research
• Step 1: Review competitor data
• Step 2: Draft outline

2: Using Task Groups (To Organize Lists)

If you have many lists, you can create Task Groups to organize those lists into major categories (e.g., grouping all client-related lists).

1. In the Tasks view (left pane)
2. Select "Create group." next to New list
3. Name the group (e.g., "Client Work").
4. Drag and drop your related Task Lists (e.g., "Client X," "Client Y") into this new group.

This creates the top-most level of organization:

Task Group (Top Level): Client Work

List (Main Group): Client X

List (Main Group): Client Y

For reference: Create tasks with To Do in Outlook - Microsoft Support

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments so I can continue to support you. I'm looking forward to your reply.

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