How to Group Tasks from Multiple Apps in One Place Without Migrating Data: A Practical Guide to Centralize GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion & Emails

Juggling multiple projects means constantly switching between GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, and your email inbox. Each tool has its own workflow, notifications, and format, forcing you to context-switch repeatedly. The solution isn’t migrating all your data to a single app (you’d lose integrations, permissions, and existing work), but grouping tasks from multiple apps in one place where you can view, prioritize, and execute them without leaving your current workflow. This guide explains how to do it step by step, using Foco to connect these tools without touching their original data.

Why Group Tasks from Multiple Apps in One Dashboard (and Why Not Migrate)

Migrating tasks from GitHub, Jira, or Asana to a new tool sounds appealing, but it comes with hidden costs: you’d lose native integrations (like GitHub webhooks or Jira automations), access permissions (which depend on each platform), and the history of comments and changes. Plus, your clients or teams would still use their original tools, forcing you to duplicate work: updating two places every time something changes.

The alternative is to group tasks from multiple apps in one control panel that acts as a mirror of what already exists. This way, you keep the original tools intact but gain a unified view to plan your day. It’s especially useful if you work with multiple clients or projects, as it eliminates the chaos of opening five different tabs to know what needs to be done.

Centralizing doesn’t mean replacing: it’s about creating a single place to decide what to do, without losing the advantages of each tool.

Requirements for Grouping Tasks Without Migrating Data

• Read-only access to the original tools: Foco doesn’t modify or delete data in GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, or Notion. It only reads what’s assigned to you or where you’re mentioned to create tasks in your dashboard.
• Secure OAuth connections: Foco uses OAuth to connect to each app, avoiding password storage and allowing you to revoke access anytime.
• A work-based organization system: In Foco, each client, project, or area (e.g., "Client A," "Project X," "Development Team") is a work with its own color. Tasks from integrations are automatically assigned to one of these works, letting you filter by context in seconds.
• Optional two-way sync: You can set Foco to update the original tool when you mark a task as done (e.g., close an issue in GitHub or complete a task in Asana). This avoids manual updates in two places.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Foco to Group Tasks from GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion & Emails

1. Create Your Works in Foco (Clients, Projects, or Areas)

Before connecting anything, define the works you’ll use to group tasks. Each work in Foco is a container with a name and a color (e.g., "Client B - Web Development" in blue, "Internal Project - Documentation" in green). This lets you see all tasks from the same context together, without mixing deadlines or priorities.

Practical example: If you work with three clients and one personal project, create four works. This way, when a task arrives from GitHub or Jira, Foco will assign it to the correct work (or let you choose if using the manual option).

2. Connect Foco to Your Tools with OAuth

Go to Settings > Connections and select the apps you want to integrate: GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, or Notion. Foco will ask you to log in to each to authorize access. Once connected, choose how to assign incoming tasks:

• Automatic (recommended for starters): Foco analyzes the task content (title, description, tags) and assigns it to the best-matching work. For example, if a GitHub issue mentions "[Client A]," it’ll go to the "Client A" work.
• Fixed work: All tasks from a connection always go to the same work (e.g., all Jira tasks to "Development Team"). Useful if you use one tool for a single project.
• Manual: Foco creates the task without assigning it to a work, and you choose later. Ideal if tasks don’t follow a clear pattern.

3. Set Up Two-Way Sync (Optional)

If you want tasks marked as done in Foco to update in the original tool, enable the "Complete also in the origin" option for each connection. For example:

• In GitHub: It’ll close the issue or pull request.
• In Jira: It’ll move the issue to "Done."
• In Asana: It’ll mark the task as completed.
• In Linear: It’ll close the issue.
• In Notion: It’ll add a comment or update a property (depending on the page setup).

This option is useful if you work alone or with small teams, but it can be confusing in environments with complex approval workflows. In those cases, leave it off and update the original tools manually.

4. Capture Tasks from Emails with Your Personal Address

Foco gives you a unique email address (format u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com) to forward emails and convert them into tasks automatically. When you forward an email to that address, Foco extracts:

• The subject as the task title.
• The email body as an attached note (including attachments).
• The due date if mentioned in the text (e.g., "I need this by Friday").
• The priority if it detects words like "urgent" or "important."

Example: If a client sends you an email with the subject "Design Review - Due October 15" and you forward it to your Foco address, a task will be created with that title, the due date, and the email attached as a note. This way, you don’t lose the original context.

5. Review and Organize Tasks in Foco’s Dashboard

Once connections are set up, tasks will start appearing in Foco with the color of their work. Use the views to organize them:

• Panorama: Shows all tasks from all works in one list, each with its color. Ideal for seeing your full day at a glance.
• Focus: Filters tasks from a single work. Useful when you want to concentrate on one client or project without distractions.
• List View: Groups pending tasks by date (Today, This Week, Later, No Date) and shows completed tasks in a collapsible section.
• Kanban View: Customizable columns (e.g., "To Do," "In Progress," "Review," "Done"). On desktop, you drag tasks; on mobile, you use tabs.
• Calendar View: Shows tasks with a scheduled date in a weekly or monthly calendar (desktop) or daily (mobile).

To prioritize, use each task’s fields:

• Priority: Normal, important, or urgent.
• Scheduled Date: When you’ll work on the task (appears in the calendar).
• Due Date: The deadline (you can filter by this date in List View).
• Tags: To group tasks by type (e.g., "#design," "#bug") regardless of their work.

How Foco Solves Problems Other Tools Don’t Address

Most task managers are designed for a single project or team. Asana, for example, excels at managing collaborative workflows but has limitations if you juggle multiple clients or projects:

• Free plan limits: Asana’s free plan only allows 2 users, making it impractical to collaborate with multiple clients without paying. Foco, on the other hand, offers unlimited works and tasks in its free plan, ideal for freelancers or solopreneurs.
• Minimum 2 seats in paid plans: Asana’s Starter plan (10.99 USD/user/month) requires a minimum of 2 seats, forcing you to pay double even if you work alone. Foco has no minimums: you pay only for your account.
• Lack of two-way integrations: Asana lets you connect tools like GitHub or Jira, but it doesn’t automatically close tasks in the original tool when you mark them as done. Foco does, saving time on manual updates.
• Unified view by context: Asana shows all tasks together but doesn’t group them by client or project visually (with colors). Foco uses colors for each work, reducing context-switching when moving from one task to another.

Foco wins in scenarios where you need to group tasks from multiple apps in one place without losing original integrations. For example:

• Freelancers with multiple clients: Each client uses a different tool (one Asana, another Jira, another emails). Foco centralizes everything in one dashboard without forcing data migration.
• Developers with issues in GitHub and Jira: You can see in one calendar which issues are due today, without opening two tabs.
• Small teams with hybrid workflows: If you use Notion for documentation and Linear for development, Foco unifies tasks from both without duplicating work.

Asana remains a better option if you work in a single large team with complex approval workflows, but for those managing multiple works, Foco offers a more flexible and cost-effective solution.

Real Example: A Day Managing Tasks from GitHub, Jira & Emails in Foco

Imagine you’re a freelance developer working with two clients:

• Client A: Uses Jira for bugs and improvements.
• Client B: Uses GitHub for issues and pull requests.
• Personal Project: Tasks in Notion and pending emails.

With Foco, your day would start like this:

• Morning (Panorama mode): You see all today’s tasks, each with its work’s color. A Jira issue from Client A appears in red (urgent), a GitHub pull request from Client B in blue (important), and a pending email in gray (personal project).
• Development block (Focus mode): You filter by "Client A" and see only Jira tasks. Use Kanban view to move issues between columns.
• Email review (email capture): You forward an email from Client B to your Foco address, and a task is created with the email attached. You assign it to "Client B" and set it as important.
• Afternoon (Calendar view): You see the GitHub pull request from Client B is due today and block it in your calendar from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. When you mark it as done in Foco, it closes automatically in GitHub.

Without Foco, this workflow would require opening Jira, GitHub, Notion, and your inbox, constantly switching tabs, and updating each tool separately. With Foco, everything is in one place.

Tips to Keep the System Organized

• Review connections weekly: Ensure tasks are assigned to the correct work. If using the automatic option, adjust work names so Foco recognizes them better (e.g., always use "[Client X]" in task titles).
• Use tags to group by type: If you work with multiple clients but some tasks are similar (e.g., "#meeting," "#documentation"), use tags to filter them across all works.
• Leverage recurrence: For repetitive tasks (e.g., "Review GitHub issues every Monday"), set them as recurring in Foco so they’re created automatically.
• Check the daily briefing: If you have the Plus plan, Foco sends you a daily summary of what’s due, what needs attention, and calendar updates. Use it to prioritize your day.
• Clean up completed tasks: In List View, the completed tasks section is collapsed by default, but it’s good to review it weekly to archive or delete what you no longer need.

Conclusion: Grouping Tasks Without Migrating Is Possible (and More Efficient)

Grouping tasks from multiple apps in one place doesn’t require migrating data or switching tools. With Foco, you can connect GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, and emails to see everything in a unified dashboard without losing original integrations. The key is setting up works by context, using views to filter, and leveraging two-way sync to update original tools effortlessly.

If you manage multiple projects or clients, this system will save you time, reduce context-switching, and give you a clear view of what to do each day. Start with basic connections (like GitHub and emails) and add more tools as needed. Learn how to group tasks by work type in Foco to avoid context switching and take your productivity to the next level.

FAQ

Can I group tasks from Trello or ClickUp in Foco?

Currently, Foco only connects to GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, and MCP servers. Trello and ClickUp aren’t in the connection catalog, but you can forward tasks via email to your Foco address (u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com) to capture them as tasks.

What happens if a task is updated in the original tool (e.g., GitHub)? Does it sync in Foco?

Foco doesn’t sync changes in real time from the original tools. It only captures tasks at the time of connection and when new ones are created. If a task is updated in GitHub or Jira, you’ll need to update it manually in Foco or resync the connection.

Can I assign tasks to other team members in Foco?

Yes, but only if they’re invited to the corresponding work. You can invite collaborators via email and assign them tasks within that work. The collaboration link is private and doesn’t grant access to the rest of Foco.

Does Foco modify or delete data in the original tools?

No. Foco only reads data to create tasks in your dashboard. The "Complete also in the origin" option updates the task status in the original tool (e.g., close a GitHub issue), but it doesn’t delete or modify other fields.

How many connections can I have on the Plus plan?

The Plus plan allows unlimited connections to GitHub, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, and MCP servers. There’s no limit to the number of tools you can connect, as long as they’re in the available catalog.