You can control the order in which your duplicants choose tasks and which buildings they choose via the priority panel (accessed with the L key) and the sub-priority overlay (accessed with the P key).
The game does not offer a way to set the default priority—it will always be 5.
The priority panel lets you set, for each duplicant, the priority they give to different types of tasks. A duplicant will do any tasks for which their priority is "very high", or if no such task exists do any tasks for which their priority is "high", and so on, down to priority "very low"; they will never do tasks in a category where the priority is "disabled".
If a duplicant has multiple available tasks with the same priority, the duplicant will select first the tasks with the highest sub-priority (9) and select last the tasks with the lowest sub-priority (1). If two different tasks have the same priority and sub-priority, then by default a special "hidden priority" will be used to decide the order to take the tasks. Hidden priorities can be turned off by going to the priority panel, clicking on the gear/options icon, and checking "Enable Proximity". With Enable Proximity on a duplicant will always select the closest tasks among multiple tasks with the same priority and sub-priority. Hidden priorities are better for smaller colonies and Enable Proximity is better for larger colonies.
For buildings which store items, like Storage Compactors and Ration Boxes, the sub-priority has two different meanings:
- For all storage buildings it determines the preference duplicants have to place items in that building. For instance, if a Storage Compactor which accepts dirt has a sub-priority of 9, then it will be selected over all other Storage Compactors as the destination for storing dirt.
- For buildings without "sweep only" checked it determines the sub-priority of the storage tasks it generates.
Keep in mind, no matter what priorities you have set, Duplicants will always take care of their personal needs (bathroom, eating, sleeping) when the need arises. The only way to bypass this is by toggling on Red Alert, putting the colony in a state of emergency, and forcing the Duplicants to ignore their basic needs.
Yellow Alert[ | ]
For when even Top Priority errand is not done fast enough. It ignores the schedule with the exception of bedtime.
Yellow Alert can be assigned to the building or item from priority overlay. Some buildings will stay in yellow alert indefinitely, and some until the task is completed.