Permission & Access Issues

How to Show Users Only Their Assigned Open Tasks in SharePoint

Anum Mushtaq Oct 23, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a scalable way to ensure SharePoint users can only view their own assigned open tasks, avoiding the tedious process of manual item-level permission configuration.

How to Show Users Only Their Assigned Open Tasks in SharePoint

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing secure task lists and visibility for different team members in a shared SharePoint environment.
Observed behavior: Without specific security rules, users can see tasks assigned to others. Relying solely on filtered views does not enforce true security, and manually setting item-level permissions is unscalable.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions in your SharePoint site to manage folder access, list settings, and user permissions.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Folders with Unique Permissions and Filtered Views

Instead of setting permissions on individual items, group tasks into user-specific folders and apply unique permissions at the folder level for a scalable security structure.

SharePoint list views alone cannot restrict access securely. To ensure users truly only have access to their assigned tasks, you must manage permissions at the folder or item level. Using folders simplifies this process significantly.

Create a folder for each assignee

Open your SharePoint list, navigate to the list settings to enable folder creation if it isn't already, and create a new folder for each team member (e.g., 'John Doe Tasks').

Stop inheriting permissions

Hover over the newly created folder, click the ellipsis (...) next to it, select 'Manage access', go to 'Advanced settings', and click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions'.

Assign user-specific permissions

Remove existing user groups that shouldn't have access. Then, click 'Grant Permissions' to explicitly give 'Contribute' or 'Read' access only to the specific assigned user and the site administrators.

Create a filtered view for open tasks

Modify the default list view or create a new one. Under the 'Filter' section in the view settings, set the criteria to show items only when 'Status' is not equal to 'Completed'.

Use Folders with Unique Permissions and Filtered Views

View Security: A filtered view controls what is displayed on the screen, but the folder-level permissions are what actually restrict unauthorized access to the data.

Solution 2

Automate Item-Level Permissions Using Power Automate

If a flat list structure without folders is preferred, use Power Automate to automatically break inheritance and assign permissions dynamically when a task is created or reassigned.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a SharePoint filtered view alone to restrict user access?

No. SharePoint views only hide data from the user interface; they do not enforce security. Users can still access the hidden items by creating personal views, using Microsoft Lists, or utilizing the site's search function. Proper security requires unique permissions.

Why is item-level permission management discouraged in large SharePoint lists?

Having thousands of items with unique permissions can severely impact SharePoint performance, slow down list rendering, and make site administration nearly impossible. Grouping items into folders and setting permissions on the folders is a much more scalable approach.

Does Power Automate require a premium license to manage SharePoint permissions?

Basic SharePoint actions, including 'Grant access to an item' and 'Stop sharing an item', are typically included in standard Microsoft 365 business licenses and do not require a standalone premium Power Automate license.

Document & File Issues