The Priorities Panel allows the player to change which order Townsfolk prioritize orders and tasks. It can be accessed via the small button on the right side in the top-center section of the UI or by pressing F3.
These orders and tasks are grouped under 8 categories. By clicking the green and red arrows, the priority panel orders these categories of action by number, with the highest prioritized action at 1, the next highest at 2, and the next highest below that at 3, etc. The following list of categories are ordered by which they are ordered in-game by default.
The Priorities Panel
Baking and Cooking[ | ]
The Baking and Cooking tab is, by default, the highest priority. As its name suggests, it controls actions associated with the creation of Baked items (i.e, pies, bread, and cookies), and Cooked items (i.e, cooked meat, omelettes, ham and eggs, soups, and stews). It is important to note that this tab does not control the acquisition of the items required to create those items that are prioritized; A citizen will not prioritize gathering eggs when there is an order to create omelettes.
Gathering and Harvesting[ | ]
This category deals with the gathering of fruits and mushrooms via the Harvest command. It also deals with eggs, milk, etc. or natural food based items that renewable which are accessable using the Production Menu. It applies to all planted crops as well with the exception of wood from trees.
Mine and Dig[ | ]
This category controls actions which are based on the destruction of land and terrain in the Towns world for the purpose of building or collecting resources. Mine and Dig commands are essentially the same expect they work on different levels.
Tilling and Chopping[ | ]
Chopping wild trees down via the chop command or chopping planted trees via the auto-production menu fall into this category. Tilling soil to make way for plantations also fit in this category.
Item Construction[ | ]
This category deals with the production of most items from the Creation Menu such as, utilities, decorations, furniture and farms with the exception of walls. Some items made via the production menu such as weapons, armor, tools and hats and others which do not fit in any other priority group fit into this category. Note that despite being in the walls construction menu, roofs are part of the Item Construction priority.
Wall Construction[ | ]
Giving this tab a high priority is recommended for anyone who plays with their focus on building. Any items in the Walls section in the Creation Menu fit into this category. This includes roofs.
Butchering[ | ]
This category controls the priority in which animals are brought to Butcher Tables and slaughtered for their raw meats or bones. It applies to both manually right clicking and selecting kill, and the butchering section of the Production Menu.
Haul[ | ]
Hauling is automated in that no orders or auto-production options are required. This category affects the priority in which Civilians carry items from the ground to their respective Stockpiles and Containers. If this is kept at the default lowest level, your town will quickly become very messy with items scattered everywhere. It is recommended that hauling should be one of the top prioritized tasks.