How It All Connects

Once you've used PrimeTask for a while, the individual features start to feel like parts of one system. This article is the map - how the pieces fit together, where the same thing shows up in multiple places, and which features cross every category. Read it after you've explored a few areas; it'll tie them together.

For a short setup path, see Quick Start Guide. For the layout basics, see Understanding the Interface.

What you'll learn here

• The core hierarchy - how Spaces contain everything else.
• The data graph - how tasks, projects, and CRM records relate.
• Where the same thing appears - one task shows up in many surfaces.
• Cross-cutting features - things that don't belong to one category.
• Navigation patterns - how to move around the product.
• Tier at a glance - what's on every license, what's Pro.
• Reading paths for different kinds of users.

The core hierarchy

PrimeTask's data model is straightforward once you see it:

Space
├── Tasks (personal)
├── Projects
│   ├── Tasks (project-linked)
│   ├── Goals
│   ├── Milestones
│   ├── Project Notes
│   ├── Team (members, linked CRM contacts)
│   └── CRM (when CRM enabled on project - isolated mode)
├── CRM (shared across Space)
│   ├── Contacts
│   ├── Companies
│   ├── Activities
│   └── CRM Tasks
├── PrimeFlow Canvases
│   └── Nodes (task, project, contact, company, note, file, folder, portal, …)
├── Quick Notes
├── Tags, Statuses, Priorities, Custom Fields (configuration)
└── Dashboard layout

A few important implications:

• Tasks exist in a Space, not a project. Project-linked tasks are tasks that happen to belong to a project. Personal tasks don't.
• CRM is dual-scope. Contacts and companies either live at the Space level (Shared CRM) or inside a specific project (Isolated CRM). Same data model, different scope.
• Projects own goals and milestones; those don't exist outside a project.
• PrimeFlow canvases are Space-scoped, but nodes inside them reference live data from anywhere in the Space (tasks, projects, CRM, files).

For the Space concept, see Spaces Overview.

The data graph

Within a Space, the main entities relate like this:

• A task can belong to a project, be linked to a CRM contact or company, carry subtasks, checklist items, attachments, time entries, focus sessions, and custom field values.
• A project contains tasks, goals, milestones, notes, team members. With CRM enabled, it also contains its own isolated CRM (or shares the Space's CRM, depending on mode).
• A goal can link to milestones (and through those, to tasks).
• A milestone can link to tasks and goals.
• A CRM contact can have many activities, many tasks, and belong to one or more companies.
• A CRM company can have many contacts and related companies (partner, subsidiary, competitor, etc.).
• A PrimeFlow canvas can reference any of the above through node types (Task node, Project node, Contact node, File node, Portal to another canvas, and more).

Where the same thing appears

PrimeTask's surfaces show the same data from different angles.

A task shows up in

• Tasks page - List, Board, Calendar, or Gantt view
• Calendar page - Agenda, Month, Week, Day, Day Planner
• Day Planner - when scheduled for a specific time
• Dashboard widgets - Upcoming Tasks, Today's Focus, Task Status Overview, Quick Tasks, Recent Activity
• Reports → Tasks tab - in aggregate counts and Focus stats
• The project's Tasks tab (if project-linked)
• The CRM contact's tasks (if CRM-linked)
• Focus Mode - when you run a focus session on it
• PrimeFlow - as a Task node, or as an expansion node from a Project/Milestone/Contact
• Search - by name, description, or checklist text
• Automations - as the subject of a trigger or action

One task; many windows onto it. Edit in one place, see the update everywhere.

A project shows up in

• Sidebar - projects section, with progress indicators
• Projects List Page - with filters, search, archive toggle
• Dashboard - Project Overview and Active Projects widgets
• Reports → Projects tab - portfolio view
• PrimeFlow - as a Project node you can expand into its goals, milestones, tasks, notes, contacts
• Command Palette - reachable by name

A CRM contact shows up in

• PrimeCRM - Contacts list and detail page
• Sales dashboards - Deal Pipeline, Activity Dashboard, Call/Email/Meeting trackers
• Project team - when linked to a project
• Task assignees - when linked to a task
• PrimeFlow - as a Contact node
• Reports → CRM Analytics + Sales Performance
• Search (Pro with CRM enabled)

A PrimeFlow canvas shows up in

• PrimeFlow - in the canvas library
• Cross-Space Portals from other Spaces that point to it
• Deep links - primetask:// URL to open any canvas

Cross-cutting features

Some PrimeTask features don't belong to one category - they thread through everything.

Tags, statuses, priorities

Space-scoped configuration. Applied to tasks, projects, notes, and CRM records. Managed from Category Management Settings.

Custom Fields Pro

Space-scoped definitions. Applied to tasks, projects, CRM. Field tabs on projects. Rollups, currencies, relationships. See Custom Fields Overview.

Focus Mode

Runs on tasks. Reachable from the task details page, the Calendar, the Day Planner, the Dashboard's Today's Focus widget, and more. See Task Focus Mode.

Time Tracking

Runs on tasks. Aggregates into project metrics, Dashboard Focus Stats widget, and the Reports Tasks tab. See Task Time Tracking.

Quick Notes

One list per Space, four surfaces: Dashboard widget, App Header input, PrimeFlow Quick Notes node, MCP tools. Adding in any updates the others. See Quick Notes.

Media Player

Universal Picture-in-Picture player that plays YouTube, audio, and video. Plays in task notes, project notes, PrimeFlow, and keeps playing as you navigate. See Media Player.

Deep links

PrimeTask's own primetask:// URL scheme. Every task, project, contact, and company can be linked. Apple Shortcuts, Siri, Alfred, Raycast, and terminal can drive PrimeTask through it. See External Integrations.

Automations

Per-Space rules that react to events in tasks, projects, PrimeFlow, and the timer. Seven built-in rules on every license; custom rules on Pro. See Automations Overview.

Bring Your Own AI (MCP)

An AI agent you connect (Claude, Cursor, LM Studio, others) can read and act across tasks, projects, CRM, canvases, custom fields, and more. See Bring Your Own AI.

Sync

Every Space picks its own sync mode - Local, iCloud (macOS), File Sync Personal, or File Sync Collaboration (Pro). Everything in a Space syncs together. See Sync Modes Overview.

Navigation patterns that repeat

Five paths to get anywhere:

• Sidebar - main pages, Spaces, projects
• App Header - search, quick notes, active timer, Quick Add, theme, app menu
• Right-click menus - context actions on tasks, projects, notes, canvas nodes, calendar events
• Command Palette (⌘+K / Ctrl+K) - every command by name
• Deep links - a primetask:// URL opens any entity directly

Most clickable items have at least two of these paths. Learn the sidebar and right-click menus first; add the Command Palette and keyboard shortcuts once those feel comfortable.

Tier at a glance

Every PrimeTask license includes:

• Tasks (list, board, calendar views) • Projects • Calendar (every view) • Dashboard • Reports (tasks, projects tabs) • Spaces (local, iCloud, File Sync Personal) • PrimeFlow (core nodes) • 7 built-in automations • primetask:// deep links • Integrations (Apple Calendar, Apple Reminders, MCP) • Data import

Pro adds:

• PrimeCRM (contacts, companies, activities, deals, sales dashboards) • Custom Fields • Custom Statuses, Priorities, Boards • Gantt view • Project Metrics • Dependencies • Custom automation rules • PrimeFlow advanced nodes (file, folder, PDF, portal, cross-space portal, external app, mermaid) • PrimeFlow FlowMode • File Sync Collaboration and Space Sharing

For the canonical list, see License Settings.

Reading paths for different people

Everyone can read everything, but these orderings help different kinds of users get to value fastest.

"I just want to manage my tasks"

Quick Start Guide → Tasks Overview → Task Focus Mode → Calendar Overview → Keyboard Shortcuts.

"I'm a project manager"

Projects Overview → Project Goals → Project Milestones → Project Metrics → Project Health and Progress → Reports Overview.

"I'm a freelancer or consultant"

Quick Start Guide → Projects Overview → PrimeCRM Overview → Task Time Tracking → Project Financial Tracking (Pro).

"I'm a developer"

Tasks Overview → Gantt View → Task Dependencies → PrimeFlow Overview → Bring Your Own AI → Apple Shortcuts and Deep Links.

"I work in sales"

PrimeCRM Overview → Deal Pipeline → Sales Activity Dashboard → Sales Performance Report → Outreach Sequences.

"I'm a power user who wants the whole thing"

Setup Wizard → Understanding the Interface → PrimeFlow Overview → File Linking → Automations Overview → Bring Your Own AI → Space Sharing Between Spaces.

Things worth knowing

Spaces draw hard boundaries

Tasks, projects, CRM - all per Space. Switching Spaces changes the whole data context. If you want data to flow between your own Spaces, use Space Sharing Between Spaces. If you want to share a Space with others, use File Sync Collaboration.

Everything in PrimeTask is addressable

Every task, project, contact, company, and canvas has a primetask:// URL. Copy Link puts it on your clipboard; paste it anywhere and the recipient (or future you) clicks it and lands on the exact item.

Most actions are reversible

Task deletion, project archive, CRM changes - all reversible. The exceptions: deleting a Space, deleting a password-protected File Sync Space's data, permanent deletion of records. PrimeTask treats these with extra care and confirmation prompts.

Sync is a property of a Space, not the app

Different Spaces can sync different ways. A Work Space can sync through iCloud while a Personal Space stays local and a Client Space syncs over Dropbox with a contractor. You mix and match.

The App Header is always the fastest

Almost anything you want to do can start from the App Header: search for an item, capture a quick note, check the active timer, open Quick Add, jump to Settings, lock the app. Learn it once; use it every day.

Common questions

Where to go next