Active task limit.
Each client has an active task limit: how many of their tasks can be in production at once. It keeps subscription and retainer clients pulling from a queue instead of piling on.
Many creative studios sell capacity: one request at a time, two at a time, and so on. The active task limit turns that promise into a rule. A client can add as many requests to their Queue as they like, but they can only have so many in production at once. When something finishes, a slot opens and they pull in the next one.
How it works
- The limit counts the client's tasks in Active or In progress. Archived tasks never count.
- When the client moves a task from Queue to Active (or back to Active from Needs revision) and the count is already at the limit, the move is refused.
- They see Active slot is full. Complete or return a task first. They can move an Active task back to Queue to free a slot and swap something else in.
- Approved, Completed, Client Review and Needs revision tasks do not use a slot, so a client is never blocked by work waiting on their own review.
- The limit governs what the client can pull into production themselves. Your managers can still move work into Active from the board when they decide to.
When a client pulls a task out of planning into Active, its internal status moves to Assigned so your team sees it is ready to staff. Moving it back to Queue sets it to Awaiting assignment.
Set or change the limit
- Go to Settings → Clients.
- Find the client and select Edit.
- Set Active task limit (tasks a client can have in production at once). Any whole number from 0 to 100 works.
- Select Save changes.
New clients start with a limit of 1. You can also set it when you first create the client, in the New client dialog or in the setup wizard. Each client row in Settings shows its current limit, for example 1 active task max.
What the client sees
The limit shows up on the client's portal dashboard. With Dashboard mode set to Subscription, the Active block reads as a count out of the limit (for example 1 of 2) with Slot available or All slots in use underneath. With Projects mode the block just counts active work, but the limit still applies to the client's own moves. See The client portal.
| Dashboard mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Subscription | Retainer and unlimited-design style clients: plan details, slots and "completed this period" up front. |
| Projects | Project-based clients: upcoming deadlines and recently completed work up front. |
Related: Add a client, Retainers and subscriptions.