Document Checklists

Last updated: June 24, 2026

Document checklists let you keep your notes and your to-dos in the same place. Instead of tracking action items in a separate tool, you add a checklist directly inside any document, check items off inline, and they persist across sessions. Checklists support nested sub-tasks, so you can break larger pieces of work down into smaller steps without leaving the document.

Adding a checklist

You can add a checklist anywhere in a document:

  1. Open the document you want to add a checklist to.
  2. Place your cursor where you want the checklist to start.
  3. Type /checklist and select the checklist option from the menu. You can also use the GitHub-flavored Markdown shortcut - [ ] at the start of a line.
  4. Type your first item and press Enter to start the next one.

Each new line continues the checklist until you press Enter on an empty item.

Checking items off

Click the checkbox to the left of any item to mark it complete. Completed items stay in place so you keep a record of what's done, and the checked state is saved automatically — it persists across sessions and is there the next time you (or anyone with access to the document) open it.

Nested sub-tasks

To break an item into smaller steps, indent a line beneath it to create a sub-task. Indented items become children of the item above them, so you can group related steps under a single parent task.

Action How to do it
Start a checklist Type /checklist or - [ ]
Add the next item Press Enter on the current item
Complete an item Click its checkbox
Create a sub-task Indent a line beneath an item
End the checklist Press Enter on an empty item

FAQ

Where are my checked items stored? Checklist state is saved with the document itself, so it persists across sessions and is visible to anyone with access to that document.

Can I add more than one checklist to a document? Yes. You can add as many checklists as you need, anywhere in the document.

Do sub-tasks roll up to the parent item? Sub-tasks are tracked individually. Checking a parent item does not automatically check its sub-tasks, and vice versa — each checkbox reflects only its own state.

Will other people see when I check something off? Yes. Because the state is stored with the document, anyone with access sees the current checked state when they open it.

Can I convert an existing bullet list into a checklist? Start a new checklist with /checklist or - [ ] and move your items into it. There is no automatic conversion from a plain bullet list.

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