ISO database (?) app to sort list items by tag

October 16, 2016 2:08 PM

I want to create a list of exercises/skills and tag each item with a ton of tags according to what it might be useful for. Then I want to search/filter the list by multiple tags. Is there an attractive Windows/Android app for this?

I teach circus and I want to create a master list of all the things I teach. Each item in the list would be a single line of text (four words max). For lesson planning purposes, I want to tag each item with a ton of tags according to what the exercise might be useful for (can be done solo, needs a partner, needs a theraband, done at the wall, helpful drill to learn balance, can be done with only one hand, etc ... obviously I could shorten those phrases to make them into short, simple tags). Then I want to be able to filter the list to see all items that have a particular set of tags.

I assume I could do this in Excel, but I'd love an attractive interface I can use on both Windows (or web) and Android. I already use Evernote and maybe that would be OK, but I'd prefer a separate database (in part so I don't get a bunch of circus exercises in my search results when I'm trying to find other stuff), plus Evernote feels like overkill since each item is only one line, not a full-size "note."

Should I keep these in a separate note-taking app? Simplenote doesn't seem to let you display results for multiple tags, only one tag at a time. Trello's interface feels too bulky (I don't need a whole card for every item and I want to see everything in a text-based, compact list). Should I be looking at database apps? Airtable? A wiki? Something I don't know anything about?

posted by nevers to Technology (3 answers total)

You might want to take a quick look at Remember the Milk. It's had quite a face lift recently, so it is IMO "attractive" and certainly has tags and the ability to create "Smart Lists" which might be what you are thinking of as filters. Smart Lists have one or more "criteria" that can be based on Tags and many other things. I believe it (now) runs on almost all platforms.

It seems to me it might be worth setting up a trial account and seeing if RTM works for your needs (obviously only entering a subset of your many exercises/skills). If not, I am sure there are many other apps vying for your attention.
posted by forthright at 2:22 PM on October 16, 2016

Pearltrees might be of interests.
posted by nims at 2:32 PM on October 16, 2016

Best answer: I would vote Airtable. There's an android app as well as regular web interface, the views are less clunky than Trello (and more text-compact by default, although they have graphic/icon view options too), and it's pretty intuitive as far as entry input for you and just reference for anyone. You can have a column with multiple tag phrases as well.
posted by cluebucket at 8:56 PM on October 16, 2016