Work priorities and schedules

Set responsibilities

Open Work with P. Enable the jobs each colonist should perform and assign priorities from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest). A disabled job is not selected automatically. Hover the table to inspect skills and restrictions.

Start with someone responsible for cooking, growing, construction, hauling and doctoring. Enable firefighting and cleaning as well. Give a skilled specialist a higher priority for their main task, with other work as a fallback.

A dash can mean the colonist’s backstory prevents that work. Check Bio before trying to force it. Skill affects how well tasks are performed; recipes may require a minimum skill too.

Open Work and set priorities in each colonist's row. Lower numbers mean higher priority; leave essential jobs covered. View full screenshot

Prioritize a particular job

Select one undrafted colonist and right-click the target. Choose an available prioritize action. On touchscreens, hold a finger on the target. The options depend on what is reachable and what that colonist can do.

A forced order does not remove the need for ingredients, a reachable work cell or a valid target. Drafted colonists receive movement and combat commands instead of normal work.

Set a schedule

Open Schedule with K to reserve time for work, sleep and recreation. Colonists also respond to urgent needs and emergencies: a timetable does not prevent rescuing a badly hurt person or fighting a nearby fire.

Food, rest, recreation, health, mental breaks and dangerous temperatures can interrupt work. Check a colonist’s current job and needs before increasing their workload.

Choose a schedule activity, then paint the hours in a colonist's row. Leave time for sleep and recreation as well as work. View full screenshot

Why a task waits

Check these in order:

1. Is a capable, undrafted colonist assigned to that work?
2. Can they walk to the target and its working side?
3. Are the resources accessible and allowed?
4. Is the bill active, below its target and unlocked by research?
5. Does the building have the power or fuel it needs?
6. Is the colonist occupied with a more urgent need, job or emergency?

Avoid assigning priority 1 to everything: it no longer communicates which work matters most.