Dynamic Offset (Numbers Column)

Recipe 1: Dynamic Offset (Numbers Column)



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What It Does

Each task gets its own unique offset stored in a Numbers column.
How it works:
  • Create Numbers column called "Offset"
  • Each task has different value (Design: 3, QA: 14, Launch: 21)
  • Due date = Parent date + that task's offset

When to Use

Check Mark Button Use this when:
  • Different tasks need different timing (Design +3 days, QA +14 days)
  • Project templates with varied timelines
  • You want to change offsets without editing automation
  • Using negative numbers for dates BEFORE parent (Event planning: -90 days)
Cross Mark Don't use when:
  • All tasks get same offset (use Recipe 2 instead)


Setup (5 minutes)

Step 1: Create Numbers Column
Add a Numbers column to your board to store offset values.
  • Click "+" next to columns → "Numbers"
  • Name it "Offset" or "Days After Start"
Step 2: Enter Offset Values
For each task, enter the offset in the Numbers column:
Task Name
Offset Value
Design
3
Development
7
QA
14
Launch
21
Step 3: Add the Automation
Go to Automate → Search "subitem date number column"
Select recipe:
When subitem is created, set its due date to match its parent item 
due date + offset by this number column of days/weeks/months
Configure fields:
Field
What to Select
Example
due date (subitem)
Task due date to set
"Due Date"
due date (parent item)
Parent date to base on
"Project Start" or "Launch Date"
number column
Your offset column
"Offset"
days/weeks/months
Time unit
"days"
Example Configuration:
Step 4: Test
    Create new task with Offset = 5
    Check if Due Date = Project Start + 5 days
    Try with negative offset (-7) to test dates BEFORE parent


Troubleshooting

Cross Mark Dates not setting?
  • Check automation is active (not paused)
  • Verify parent date column name matches automation
  • Ensure each task has offset value in Numbers column
Cross Mark Wrong dates calculated?
  • Check offset values are correct (5 not 50)
  • Verify all tasks have offset values (not empty)
  • Ensure offset column is Numbers type (not Text)

Open Book Want more details? See full article with additional examples and video walkthroughs: