Asana to Linear
Why Switch?
- Speed. Linear loads instantly; Asana's page renders feel like 2018. Over a year, the time saved compounds measurably.
- Opinionated by default. Linear enforces a clean workflow - cycles, not custom sprint fields. Status not "ready for UAT stage 3 sub-review". Simplicity is a feature.
- Built for engineers. Git branch auto-linking, commit references, PR status in the issue view. Your engineering team will actually use it, not just tolerate it.
- Cheaper at similar scale. Linear Basic is free for small teams, Standard is $10/user/mo. Asana Starter is $13.49/user/mo and Advanced is $30.49.
| Asana | Linear | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Moderate | Instant |
| Primary user | Project managers | Engineers and PMs |
| Custom fields | Unlimited | Deliberately limited |
| Free plan | Up to 10 users | Unlimited members, 250 issues |
| Starter price | $13.49/user/mo | $10/user/mo Standard |
| Best for | Marketing, ops, cross-functional | Engineering-led product |
What You'll Need
- Asana admin access for your workspace
- A Linear account (free tier works)
- Inventory of active projects (dormant ones should be archived, not migrated)
- ~2 hours, plus a 1-week parallel run
Step-by-Step Migration
Open every project. For each, decide: migrate, archive, or delete. Most Asana workspaces I audit have 50%+ dead projects. Cull before you migrate - don't port ghost data to a new tool.
Also list active custom fields. Asana's custom fields mostly don't map to Linear's intentional-minimalism. You'll drop or consolidate most of them.
Sign up at linear.app. Create Teams that reflect how work actually flows. A common pattern:
ENG - engineering work
DES - design and product
GTM - marketing, sales, ops
ALL - cross-team initiativesEach team gets a prefix used in issue IDs (ENG-123). Choose carefully; they live forever in commit history.
In Asana, open each project → Project Actions → Export / Print → JSON or CSV. JSON preserves more fields.
You'll need admin rights to export. For workspaces with a hundred projects, batch this into 15-20 active ones to actually migrate.
In Linear: Settings → Workspace → Import/Export → Asana. Authorize via OAuth. Pick the projects to import.
The importer handles:
✓ Tasks (title, description, assignee)
✓ Due dates
✓ Subtasks (become Linear sub-issues)
✓ Comments with original authors
✓ Attachments
✕ Custom fields (most don't map)
✕ Rules and automationsRun on a small project first, check for issues, then run the batch.
Asana sections don't have a direct Linear equivalent. Two options:
If sections represent time (e.g. "Q2 Roadmap", "This Sprint") - use Linear Cycles.
If sections represent workstreams or themes (e.g. "Mobile", "Platform") - use Linear Projects or Labels.
If sections represent status - they should already map to Linear workflow states.
Linear's integrations are typically richer than Asana's. Set up:
GitHub/GitLab - branch auto-linking, PR status, auto-close.
Slack - channel notifications, inline issue creation.
Figma - paste Figma URLs for inline previews.
Sentry - error tracking auto-creates Linear issues.
Linear is keyboard-first. Run a 15-minute training on:
C to create issue, / to search, Cmd+K for command palette, Tab+M to move, G then I to go to Inbox.
A 1-week parallel run lets the team discover Linear on their own work before the cutover.
On cutover day: make Asana projects read-only, post a pinned message redirecting to Linear, remove Asana from nav bars, delete browser shortcuts.
Keep Asana active for 30 days as a reference archive. If no one asks for it, cancel.
Common Gotchas
Linear is engineering-optimized. Non-engineering teams often find its keyboard-first UI off-putting. If your company is 70% non-technical, Linear might not be the right pick.
Asana Portfolios show progress across many projects. Linear's equivalent (Initiatives and Projects view) is improving but not as mature. If you're an ops/PMO lead reporting up, test this before committing.
Linear's Timeline view exists but isn't as powerful as Asana's. Heavy Gantt users may need to supplement with another tool or stick with Asana.
Asana projects with 10+ custom fields will lose most of them. Plan which data actually matters before import - the migration is a forcing function for clarity.
Migrate without breaking things.
The Migration Plan gives you a step-by-step playbook for this switch with rollback steps, time estimates, and the named gotchas other guides skip. £59 one-time, instant download.
Get the Migration Plan · £59 →Or want it done for you? Work with me →
