Stale-state alert

Automatic visual flagging of in-progress nodes that haven't updated in a configurable amount of time.

A stale-state alert is an automatic visual flag applied to nodes that have been in-progress for longer than a configurable threshold. The alert is structural feedback: the graph is telling the team that work has stalled without anyone having to track it manually.

How the alert works

When a node enters the in-progress state, Tree starts a timer. If the node remains in-progress longer than the configured threshold without any updates (status changes, comments, or edits), Tree applies a visual indicator to the node.

The indicator is subtle: a colored border, a small icon, or a slight opacity shift, depending on the user's theme. It doesn't block work or escalate notifications; it just makes the staleness visible.

Configuring the threshold

The threshold is configurable per project. Common settings:

  • 3 days for fast-moving teams with short-lived nodes
  • 1 week for typical software projects
  • 2-4 weeks for slower research or strategic work
  • Off for projects where the alert isn't useful

The default threshold is 1 week, but teams can adjust it to match their cadence.

Why this matters

Most project tools rely on humans to notice when work has stalled. Stale work gets buried in backlogs, slips out of standups, and surfaces months later as a surprise. The stale-state alert makes the staleness structural: the graph itself shows it, without anyone having to ask.

It pairs naturally with Advanced date queries: users can filter for "all stale nodes" to see at a glance what's stuck.

Tier availability

Stale-state alerts are part of the core feature set, available on Free, Paid, and Team.

LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-12