Step-by-Step Guide to Group Tasks from Notion, Linear, Asana, GitHub, and Jira in One List Without Migrating

Juggling multiple projects or clients means switching between tools: a task in Notion, an issue in Linear, an assignment in Asana, a pull request in GitHub, and a ticket in Jira. Checking each app separately wastes time and increases the risk of missing deadlines. The solution isn’t migrating everything to a single platform (you’d lose integrations, historical data, or your team’s workflow comfort), but grouping tasks from multiple apps in one list without migrating. This way, you keep your current tools while centralizing what’s urgent in a single dashboard.

Why Group Tasks in One List (Instead of One App per Project)

Traditional apps are designed to manage a single project or team. If you work with multiple clients or parallel projects, you end up with: one Asana tab for Client A, another for Client B, a Notion board for internal projects, and so on. This creates three key problems:

• Loss of context: Switching between apps makes you forget what needs to be done today in each project. An urgent task in Jira might get buried under GitHub notifications.
• Double work: You update a task’s status in Linear, then have to replicate it in your personal list or a spreadsheet. Manual syncing is error-prone.
• Lack of global prioritization: You don’t see which tasks from all your projects are due today or require immediate attention. You prioritize by app, not by real urgency.

The alternative is consolidating everything in one place, but without migrating data or switching tools. This way, you keep the advantages of each platform (e.g., Jira’s workflows for development or Notion’s wikis for documentation) while gaining a unified view of what truly matters: what to do today, this week, or in the coming days.

Prerequisites for Consolidating Tasks Without Migrating

1. Access to Your Tools’ APIs

Foco Plus connects to Notion, Linear, Asana, GitHub, and Jira via OAuth, meaning you don’t need admin credentials or special permissions. You only need access to tasks or pages where you’re mentioned or assigned something. For example:

• Notion: Pages or databases where your name appears in a "Person" property or a comment.
• Linear: Issues assigned to you or where you’re mentioned in comments.
• GitHub: Issues, pull requests, or reviews assigned to your user.
• Jira: Issues assigned to you (the default filter is "Assignee = Current User").
• Asana: Tasks assigned to you in any project.

2. Decide Which Tasks to Centralize

Not every task in your tools deserves a spot in your unified list. For example, in GitHub, you might receive notifications for general discussions that don’t require immediate action. To avoid noise, define which types of items you want to bring into Foco:

• Tasks assigned to you: The most critical. Example: an issue in Linear with your name in the "Assignee" field.
• Direct mentions: When someone tags you in a comment or property. Example: a Notion block that says "@YourName: review this design."
• Upcoming deadlines: Tasks with due dates in the next 7 days, even if they’re not assigned to you (useful for anticipating blockers).
• Pending pull requests for review: In GitHub, PRs where your feedback is requested.

Step-by-Step: How to Group Tasks from Multiple Apps in Foco Plus

Step 1: Create a Workspace per Client or Project in Foco

In Foco, a workspace is a container for tasks with a name and a color. For example, you can create:

• Client X (Blue): For all tasks related to that project, regardless of whether they come from Asana, Notion, or Jira.
• Internal Project (Green): For your personal or team tasks.
• Development (Red): For issues from Linear and GitHub.

The color helps visually identify which project each task belongs to when you view them in Panorama mode (which shows all tasks together).

Step 2: Connect Each Tool to Foco Plus

Go to Settings > Connections and select the app you want to connect. Foco will redirect you to that tool’s authorization page (e.g., GitHub or Asana). Log in with your account and grant the necessary permissions. Repeat the process for each app.

For each connection, choose a destination workspace:

• Automatic: Foco analyzes the task’s content and assigns it to the most relevant workspace based on keywords (e.g., if the task mentions "Client X," it sends it to the workspace with that name).
• Fixed workspace: All tasks from that app will always go to the same workspace (e.g., all Linear tasks to the "Development" workspace).

Step 3: Configure Which Tasks Sync

By default, Foco only brings in tasks where you’re assigned or mentioned. But you can adjust filters for each connection:

• Notion: Choose which databases or pages to monitor. Example: only the "Tasks" database in your workspace.
• Linear: Filter by team or labels. Example: only issues from the "Frontend" team with the "urgent" label.
• GitHub: Select specific repositories. Example: only your organization’s repositories.
• Jira: Filter by project or issue type. Example: only "Bug" issues in the "Mobile App" project.
• Asana: Choose specific projects. Example: only the "Q3 Launch" project.

Step 4: Review and Complete Tasks in Foco

Once the connections are set up, tasks will start appearing in Foco with:

• The workspace’s color: So you identify them instantly in Panorama mode.
• The original title: Example: "[Linear] Fix login button not responding."
• The due date: If the task has a deadline in the original app, Foco shows it in the calendar and in the List view (grouped by "Today," "This Week," etc.).
• A direct link: Clicking the task opens it in the original app (e.g., in Jira or Notion).
• The attached note: Foco saves the task’s original content (e.g., the issue description in Linear) as a note in the task.

When you complete a task in Foco, you can choose whether to close it in the original app as well. For example, if you mark an Asana task as done, Foco can update its status in Asana automatically (if you have the "complete also in the source" option enabled).

What Happens with Recurring or Updated Tasks

Recurring Tasks

If a task in Asana or Jira is recurring (e.g., "Review metrics every Monday"), Foco brings it in as a normal task. When you complete it in Foco, the next occurrence will be created automatically with the same recurrence. If the recurrence changes in the original app, Foco will update it on the next sync.

Tasks Edited in the Original App

Centralizing tasks doesn’t mean losing control: Foco acts as a mirror of your tools, not a replacement.

Comparison with Asana: Why Foco Wins for Multiple Workflows

Asana is a powerful tool for managing individual projects, but it has limitations when you handle multiple clients or teams at once:

• User limit in the free plan: Asana allows only 2 users in its free plan. If you collaborate with multiple clients, each with their own workspace, you’ll need to pay for at least the Starter plan (10.99 USD/user/month, with a minimum of 2 seats). This means paying 21.98 USD/month even if you work alone, as there’s no single-seat plan.
• Single-project focus: Asana is optimized for managing one project or team at a time. If you work with multiple clients, you’ll need to create a workspace per client or use separate projects within the same workspace. This fragments your view and makes global prioritization difficult.
• Lack of native integration with technical tools: Asana doesn’t directly connect with Linear, GitHub, or Jira to bring in issues or pull requests as tasks. You’d need third-party integrations (like Zapier) or manually copy tasks, adding extra work.

Foco, on the other hand, is designed to group tasks from multiple apps in one list without migrating data. Its advantages for this profile are:

• No user limits in the free plan: You can create unlimited workspaces and collaborate with anyone without extra costs. The Plus plan (20 EUR/month) includes all AI features and connections, with no seat minimums.
• Unified view with colors: Panorama mode shows all your tasks together, each with its project’s color. This helps you prioritize by urgency, not by tool.
• Native connections with technical tools: Foco directly connects to Linear, GitHub, and Jira (in addition to Notion and Asana) to automatically bring in tasks where you’re assigned or mentioned. No need for external automations.
• Flexibility for freelancers: You can use Foco to manage personal tasks, client projects, and team collaborations, all in one place. The Free plan already includes unlimited workspaces and List and Kanban views.

Asana remains a better option if you manage a single complex project with a large team (thanks to advanced features like Timeline/Gantt or portfolios). But if you handle multiple workflows or clients and use tools like GitHub, Linear, or Jira, Foco saves you time and avoids fragmentation.

Common Mistakes When Grouping Tasks (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Bringing in Too Many Tasks and Overwhelming Your List

If you connect all tasks from GitHub or Jira without filtering, your Foco list will fill up with irrelevant items (e.g., discussions without action or issues assigned to others). Solution: Use each connection’s filters to bring in only what requires your attention. Example: In Linear, filter by "Assignee = YourName" and by labels like "urgent" or "blocking."

2. Not Reviewing Tasks in Panorama Mode

Panorama mode is key for prioritization: it shows all your tasks together, sorted by due date or priority. If you only use Focus mode (which filters by a single workspace), you lose the global view. Check Panorama at least once a day to adjust priorities.

3. Forgetting to Update the Status in the Original App

If you complete a task in Foco but don’t close it in Asana or Jira, the original team won’t see the change. Enable the "complete also in the source" option so Foco updates the status automatically. If you prefer manual review, use the direct link in the task to open it in the original app.

Conclusion: Fewer Switches, More Focus

Grouping tasks from multiple apps in one list without migrating isn’t about replacing your tools, but reducing noise. With Foco Plus, you can see in one place what needs to be done today in Notion, Linear, Asana, GitHub, and Jira, without losing the advantages of each platform. The result is less time wasted switching tabs and more clarity on what deserves your attention now.

If you handle multiple projects or clients, try connecting just one tool first (e.g., Asana). You’ll see how Panorama mode helps you prioritize better. Then, add the rest step by step. The key is to start with strict filters and adjust them based on what you truly need to see each day.