Does the count update automatically when subitems are added or removed?

Yes, when paired with a trigger that fires on subitem creation or deletion. The action recounts all active subitems and writes the new total each time it runs.

Does it count only active subitems or archived ones too?

Only active subitems are counted. Archived and deleted subitems are excluded from the total.

Can I count only subitems with a specific status?

This action counts all subitems regardless of status. To count only subitems with a specific status, you would need a formula column that references status values, or use the Subitem Status Percentage trigger for percentage-based logic.

Action

Set Number to Subitem Count

“Set a number column to the count of subitems”

Automatically write the total number of subitems into a number column on the parent item. Updates whenever subitems are added or removed.

Use Cases

Show task count on parent items for quick scope visibility in board views

Track the number of deliverables under each project milestone

Feed subitem counts into formula columns for workload calculations

Real-World Example

Your project board shows milestones as parent items with task subitems. This action keeps a 'Task Count' number column on each parent updated. Combined with a formula column, you can calculate completion percentage (tasks done / total tasks) and display it prominently on dashboards.

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