Export and import your tasks in bulk via **Settings > Tasks as Text**. This is useful for backing up your tasks, making bulk edits, or migrating data.
## Line Format
Each task is a single line:
```
- [status] Title @bucket duration xN priority type:T start:DATE due:DATE followup:ID id:ID
```
All fields after the title are optional. The `- ` prefix is required.
## Status Markers
Status markers appear right after the `- ` prefix:
- `[x]` — completed
- `[/]` — started (in progress)
- `[-]` — cancelled
- `[ ]` — not started (default, can be omitted)
```
- [x] Ship feature done:2025-01-15 id:100
- [/] Write documentation id:101
- [-] Cancelled idea id:102
- Buy groceries id:103
```
## Hierarchy
Indentation (2 spaces per level) creates parent-child relationships:
```
- Launch Product id:100
- Design mockups id:101
- Build prototype id:102
- Set up dev environment id:103
```
## Notes
Notes appear after a `---notes---` separator at the bottom of the export. Each note block is identified by task ID using a footnote-style format:
```
- Q1 Planning @today 2h p1 id:100
- Implement auth @next 4h x2 id:200
---notes---
[^100]: Q1 Planning
Key decisions:
- Focus on auth and performance
- Ship by end of February
[^200]: Implement auth
Using JWT with refresh tokens.
```
When notes are not included in the export, tasks with notes show a `[has notes]` indicator instead.
## Task IDs
Each task includes an `id:` tag that uniquely identifies it:
```
- Buy groceries id:456
```
When you re-import text, task IDs ensure the right task gets updated rather than creating duplicates. Don't change or remove IDs if you want edits to match existing tasks.
## Followup Chains
When a task is a followup to another, the connection is tracked with `followup:ID`:
```
- Review draft followup:123 id:456
```
This means task 456 is a followup to task 123, helping you trace multi-step work.
## Complete Example
```
- [x] Q1 Planning @today 2h p1 done:2025-01-15 id:100
- [x] Draft goals document 30m done:2025-01-10 id:101
- [/] Review with team 1h start:2025-01-20 id:102
- Implement auth system @next 4h x2 followup:100 id:200
- Write tests 2h id:201
- Deploy to staging 30m id:202
- [w] Waiting for client feedback @next followup:200 id:300
---notes---
[^100]: Q1 Planning
Key decisions:
- Focus on auth and performance
- Ship by end of February
[^200]: Implement auth system
Using JWT with refresh tokens.
```
## See Also
- [[Task Text Format]] — the shortcuts you can use when adding individual tasks