Mobile 3.0 - Remove the need to horizontally scroll to see Custom Fields or Task Dates (and other details)
complete
Elias
Details written by Joey:
Problem: To see dates, you need to scroll. This makes it hard to see the task high level. This also applies to Custom Fields.
Perhaps we can always show filled-in fields?
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Joey
complete
Joey
Merged in a post:
Bring back vertical Custom Field list in Mobile 3.0 Task View
Guy Mannerings
I find the new Custom Field layout on Mobile 3.0 Task View to be far less productive and easy to use than the 2.0 version.
Having to scroll right, whilst also checking multiple rows of custom fields, which are also truncated, is a really slow process.
Further, it's completely different to the desktop version, which is vertical.
I don't really see a problem with the 2.0 version, which was vertical like the desktop version, respected the order set on desktop (which mobile 3.0 does not, especially with there being 2 or 3 rows), did not truncate anything, was quick to use, made it visually very clear and easy to see which custom fields were set and with what values, and was overall a far faster, more productive, and information-rich way of entering and viewing custom field entries.
It feels a lot like change for change's sake, rather than being a productivity-boosting decision.
I would really like for it to just mimic the desktop set up - i.e., show pinned items, regardless of if they have entries, show non-pinned items that do have entries, then click "see more" to see custom fields that aren't pinned and have no entries. So basically how it was in Mobile 2.0 Task View.
It's fast and it works.
Joey
in progress
We are fixing this!
Samuel Schneider
Joey: on Smartphone i prefer all the stuff to be aligned vertical. But on tablet I prefer the tabs. If not it takes on tablet to much white space.
Guy Mannerings
Just a nudge, really, to say that I am still finding this horizontal scrolling a
MUCH
slower way of working compared to 2.0 mobile.Because items fall off the screen to the right, they not only get forgotten, but when you do remember them, they are slow to find, as you have to be very accurate with your horizontal scroll and read items one at a time.
Compare that to vertical scrolling where you get a lot more items on the screen at once, can scroll quickly, and can scan multiple items.
To me, this was definitely a case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it". The vertical version of 2.0 mobile was just so much quicker and easier to use.
I actively avoid using the mobile app for task creation and editing, now, because of this.
As per the OP, this applies to Custom Fields and Task properties (dates, assignees, etc).
Joey
Merged in a post:
🎨 Consider wrapping the status-area chips
Carson
Like the new custom field section wraps into 3 rows, it might be nice to have all the items in the status/assignee/tags/etc (standard fields?) area wrap as well, possibly without any overflow to the right. I think even more than the custom fields, it makes sense to have all that information visible in the same page - or at least, the standard fields with content (someone assigned, due date specified, etc). Definitely something I'd be interested in a UI mock-up of.
Carson
As a nod to the new UI, it does a good job of displaying a lot of information compactly. I'm still feeling it out - I'm not sure whether v2 or v3 is better.

Guy Mannerings
Carson: If I can attempt to sway you, the main problems for me are:-
1. It's nothing like the Desktop layout, so it makes things slow to find and read, as you have to hold 2 layouts in your head. Checking horizontally and vertically for a custom field box is slow.
2. It does not respect the order set on desktop, and it never will, because it can have 2 or 3 rows depending on your custom fields. And who knows how many rows it might have if you have loads more custom fields.
This then exacerbates the problem of finding the right custom field, as you have to check both vertically and horizontally, across who knows how many rows and columns.
3. It truncates everything. This makes the above slowness even worse, as you have to guess if you are using the right custom field if it has similar names to another.
Basically, it takes ages to find anything compared to 2.0.
4. It looks bad. The bubble fields look really childish and out of place.
Yair Adi
Carson: I agree with you. I liked the more compact design in 3.0 but in the update from Nov 19th things get worse: more space wasted. More list layout in header and custom fields.
See sketch!

Guy Mannerings
Yair Adi: Disagree with this mockup.
Moving all the "add XYZ" to the top-right of each box does not work well, because your eye naturally goes down the screen, not across. So it's natural to add a new item at the bottom.
Also, lists read top to bottom, so any new item is naturally added from the bottom.
It also mirrors desktop, where you can add new items at the bottom of the list.
This is also the reason horizontal scrolling was so bad - it's slow, you can't see everything quickly, and your eye wants to go down a mobile screen, not across.
Guy Mannerings
Generally, I find the 2.0 mobile approach to Custom Fields in Task View much better than the 3.0 mobile one.
Having a vertical list that matched the desktop view was really useful and easy to use.
The new way of scrolling to the right is far less productive - it's slow, easy to miss things, things are not in a logical order, there are two rows so you have to look in multiple places for the right thing, items get truncated (meaning you can't see the custom field name nor the entry properly).
It feels like change for change's sake, and it unfortunately feels like a huge backwards step.
Was there any real issue with how it worked before?
It was fast, and matched the desktop experience well.
My suggestion would be to keep it how it was because it worked really well. There's no need to change it just because.
Guy Mannerings
Yes, I don't like that Dates, Time Tracking, Tags, etc, go off to the right. It's a lot of scrolling, easy to miss things, easy to forget things.
I prefer the Mobile 2.0 approach to this, where you can see them very easily.
In general, 3.0 mobile feels too "bubbly" and less productive.
Carson
For custom fields, this request is relevant, and would help keep the task page cleaner: https://clickup.canny.io/feature-requests/p/option-to-always-show-hide-when-empty-or-always-hide-custom-fields-in-task-view
Carson
We could also wrap that section instead of extending it off to the right. This is a tricky UI problem for sure.
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