Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with task

MS Project like to-do list

Muffy — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:09:43 -0800

todolist filter: I know there are dozens of questions here about to-do lists already, but, alas, none of them fit my requirements. I really like MS Project - it's hierarchical (tasks can nest), and can enforce due dates, but it's too heavy handed for what I need & old tasks don't disappear. I need something like MS Project, but simpler... Things I like about MS Project.

* You can easily add/edit task names without opening a new window - everything is editable in the cell a-la MS Excel.
* You can easily manage due dates without opening a new window - same as above.
* Tasks can be nested & the top nest becomes the "folder" that contains the sub-tasks & the interface for nesting is very simple.
* Nested tasks can be collapsed easily
* Tasks can have predecessors & don't really become 'to do' items until the predecessor is complete - this is a nice to have, but not necessary.
* You can assign people/resources to tasks - again a nice to have, but not necessary, I can just use (parens) to indicate in the title.
* I don't need GANTT charts, but they're a nice to have.

Things I don't like about MS Project (for this use).

* You can't simply 'checkbox' select a task as complete.
* Tasks don't disappear when they're completed, so it's not a good way to track day-to-day tasks.
* You can't easily sort tasks by due date & priority or hide the tree.

Task Coach gets about 80% of the way there, but the interface is a dealbreaker for me. I've also tried Swift To Do Lite, which is in some ways even better, but the inability to nest (though there is a sort of tree structure in the left pane), and the inability to see all tasks related to a project regardless of subfolder is an issue. Web Based (not preferred, but acceptable) TaDalist lacks due dates. Tasks Jr. is very good and I used it for a while & may go back to it, but being web (and non AJAX) it each task addition is a new screen, but there were some other issues I had with it that I didn't like (but don't right now remember).

Is there anything out there that does what I want? Free is better, but I'll pay for something that checks all the boxes.

Online client/contact management for Dummy

mojoworkin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:43:33 -0800

One-man businessman looking for good online client/contact task/follow-up system. Everything I've found is geared for big business and large collaborative groups. I am a full-time wedding DJ who needs to track a lot of inquiries and sales related activity - usually lots of phone and email contact. Some of this will result in people going elsewhere, some will yeild a face to face meeting, more email and hopefully an agreement to provide services.

From there, I would like to keep tabs on my communication with clients as we progress through the planning phase to make sure I am timely answering their questions and also make sure I have everything I need by the time the wedding comes along.

It's not really all that much to keep track of, but keep in mind I am a DJ - all the things that make me really good at what do is borne out of my total inability to lead a regular life - But at least I know I have to fake it well, which leads me to my query.

Also, all my clients and potential clients have different needs, schedules, degrees of organization, so I always adjusting my process to make life simpler for them (planning a wedding is like a second job for some people!)

Does anybody have a suggestion for an online solution for this kind of thing? If it ties into an iPhone app, I will kiss your feet!

Satisfaction with Mechanical Turk work?

cog_nate — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:16:36 -0800

Have you utilized Mechanical Turk workers for anything even remotely complicated? Were you satisfied with the results? This particular project involves hand transcription of seven or eight digital documents -- one per Mechanical Turk worker -- of fairly short length (600-1000 words). So yeah, just writing something out longhand and then mailing them to me. Pretty non-demanding, and it would pay well (compared to most Mechanical Turk HITs that I've seen). Has anyone utilized MT for this purpose or something similar? Did the end result(s) turn out to your satisfaction?

Thanks.

PM Software with emphasis on task-tracking

neilkod — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:50:53 -0800

Suggestions on task-tracking/project management software for small teams with multiple projects? The primary requirement is that a superuser can assign tasks and receive status and percent-completed updates. A friend of mine who owns a small business says task management is his biggest nightmare. He has employees, contractors, and vendors across the country. He has a hard time of keeping up with his team members' responsibilities and actions. With some good task-management processes he said his business will be a thousand times more efficient.

Ideally, tasks can be assigned and reassigned to people. A GANTT chart would be nice but is not essential. My friend would like a dashboard view of what people have (left) to do, and what's been done.

These people are non-techies if that matters. They build expensive widgets, each widget is its own project.

An iPhone-optimized interface would be great since the owners use them. Free is nice but he's willing to pay. I also have the option to host any software on a LAMP server.

Google yields nozbe, basecamp, zoho, etc. I'd love to hear suggestions and experiences.

sorry if this has been beaten to death on ask already but I'm more interested in the group task-management views, none of the earlier posts highlight that

Multi-platform, web-accessible task list software

spyke23 — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:34:43 -0800

Having searched through askMeFi already, I haven't come across anything that answers my query. I use Evernote, which is a fine web/application, that is accessible on all platforms, via the web, and by Iphone. Does such a thing exist in the realms of to-do list software? I prefer being able to put my tasks into an application, but have them accessible and synced to the web. I use OS X

Devil Wears Prada Lamps - show me the light

Extopalopaketle — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:59:06 -0800

Lighting fetishists help me! Looking for the desk lamp from "The Devil Wears Prada" Already checked Google and searched AskMe... what are the desk lamps shown in "The Devil Wears Prada"'s office scenes? ie Anne Hathaway and coworkers' desks at the magazine.

I remember they were Poulsen / Henningson-like white glass shades, but on a longer articulating arm. I've checked Poulsen's site and the closest was the PH2/1, but it doesn't have the longer articulating arm, like that of a task lamp.

...or am I remembering the lamp incorrectly?

Creating quick tasks from e-mails in Outlook!

dyerfr — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:59:49 -0800

Looking for a relatively simple outlook add in that will, at a minimum, let me 'one-click' a button (or Alt-something keyboard shortcut) and create a task from the currently highlighted e-mail on the screen. Ideally, the task that is generated would further allow me to categorize it from a list of projects that I have ongoing - thinking a drop down list for one of the task fields (somehow need to be able to change what appears in the drop down from time to time...). This would be nice, but is not required.

I have used some add-ins in the past (NetCentrics GTD and ClearContext), and like them (they have this 'create task' capability, BTW), but they place an unacceptable amount of overhead on my system or connectivity, slowing it down far too much.

So... looking for a slimmed-down version that will have the core functionality I described above.

Thanks hive!

Frank

Dick Tracy Hipster PDA

mecran01 — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:23:48 -0800

I need a way to keep my short, paper todo list in my face. Something like a luggage tag that I could wear like a wrist band, so I could glance down and see my four tasks for the day. What else might work? Keeping a 3 x 5 card in my pocket doesn't work because I don't look at it. Same with a palm pilot. Ideally, nothing that looks to dorky, but I know that's asking a lot given that the list has to be visible. And I hate writing on my hand.

Help a man persue education

verisimilitude — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:54:56 -0800

I need a very specific type of self help... I need suggestions for time management/motivational systems. I'm thinking along the lines of a bastard child of GTD and Seven Secrets...

-I'm looking for GTD tweaks for use as a political philosophy post grad.

-Time management systems, prefreable realistic but still with integration with MicroSoft Office (or convincing alternative software)

-Task management system, likewise.

-A general student note taking system. I'm familiar with mind mapping and curious to know whether it is feasible in a mature environment.

-It has been 5 years since I have sat in seminars and lectures, how has technology changed the way things are done? For example, I imagine I could use my PDA to record lectures -- mp3 recordings of lectures must have completely changed the way studying is done, how does this impact on successful studying?

-Most importantly, tips on keeping oneself motivated to achieve targets and goals. I've spent too long being cynical about the motivational writing that gets published to bother reading it. Surely by now there must be some genuinely interesting ideas that have filtered through the chaff. I have been impressed with GTD, but often find I just cant be arsed. September represents a new leaf hence quest for new a perspective.

Normally I'm wary of this sort of personal dogma, but for the next few months I'm prepared to strap myself in for one of them, so hive mind help me not waste the rest of the year! Thanks. Your attention is appreciated.

Hivemind, I need your schedule-fu

Emperor SnooKloze — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:23:42 -0800

Two-parter for the hard-core Blackberry Guru (BB Pearl 8100): Part the first--Sync-utopia; Part the second--sync-nirvana. There is, of course Recently got a Pearl, and am largely convinced that it is the shiznit. I seek SyncUtopia:

-Help me synch my Pearl with gCal and Thunderbird's calendar plugin (Lightning/Provider add-ons) with my BB's scheduling app. I can update via the handheld, but I haven't had any luck getting it to download properly, which is seriously lame. I've seen the various comment threads here and elsewhere, pored through the contents of LifeHacker, tried ScheduleWorld and a couple of other things; what worked for you?

-SyncNirvana: Help me sync my tasks in the bb's Task app with the above, or point me at a task manager that replaces the default one.

I've already grokked google's snazzy quick-add feature (whereby I can send SMS to 48368 and it sets up an appt per my specs), but racking up sms charges sucks. I have t-mobile's Blackberry unlimited plan, and want to take advantage of the plan to its fullest, while not incurring charges on top of it.

Followup question upon rereading: Is Thunderbird serving a purpose here, or am I using it because I like it, as opposed to using it because it's really worth using with the other tools at my disposal?

Lastly: I seek task-sync-and-tracking advice. I have the laptop and now the blackberry. I work in an environment where I cannot access gmail, nor can I bring my phone into the building. Suggestions on how to keep myself more or less on the same page with myself (so to speak)?

How does a group of people keep its priorities straight?

clearlynuts — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:40:56 -0800

How does a group of people keep its priorities straight? I'm looking for software that a small group can keep a list of tasks. Additionally, I'd like for the list of tasks to be kept in priority order where the priority is set by one or more people. I'd like for the tasks to have unique priorities, so everything can't be most critical. Finally, if this thing could notify the group when the list changes. Does such software exist?

how can I email myself in the future?

esolo — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:09:14 -0800

I want to be able to email myself into the future, using Gmail. So for example, 3 months from now, I want to receive an email from myself reminding me to renew the license sticker on my car. How can I do this? If not Gmail, then how?

Great event planning + task management software?

scottandrew — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:12:51 -0800

Anyone know of any great event planning + task management software? I'm specifically looking for task management software with an emphasis on event planning. Basically, I need something that helps me with backwards-planning for repeat events. (Think: wedding planning. Reserve the hall, hire the caterer...rinse, repeat for each event.) Ideally it would allow re-usuable event "templates."

Example: I'm a performing musician, and I've got a show planned for three months out. I know that there are many things I need to do in advance of the show date:

-4 weeks: confirm date with venue
-3 weeks: send flyers
-2 weeks: send local press release
-10 days: notify local event calendars
-2 days: send "last-mile" reminder to mailing list
+2 days: send thank-you to venue and promoter
etc. (there could be a lot more here)

Currently I have to enter all of these tasks by hand into Google Calendar, set reminders, etc. It's maddening, especially when you multiply it by 10 shows a month. It would be great if I could define a template of tasks grouped around a type of event, so when I insert an event on a particular date, all the related tasks are inserted automatically into the calendar.

Email/SMS reminders are also key. I need the interruptions. I'd prefer web-based software over desktop apps, but I'd consider either.

I've already looked at Basecamp, Tracks, RememberTheMilk, etc. so far none of them have this templating ability.

Does such a beast exist?

How to get my phone to remember more of the things I need to know

verisimilitude — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:36:24 -0800

When my colleagues phone me, how can I remember all the things that I am supposed to talk to them about? I use a windows mobile pda phone (which I am very happy with) to do a job which requires me to spend much time away from my desk. On a typical day I have several things I need to communicate with various colleagues. The problem is that these 'things' are often minor details that are adjuct to the main topic of the conversation, so I often I find my self racking my brain during the conversation, and only remembering when I have hung up.

What I need is some software that lets me save a few key words to my specific contacts in my phone's address book, so that a memory jog flashes up on screen when I have that right colleague on the line. Ideally I could easily check these key words of the list as I go through the day. Any ideas?

To-do list application?

arielmeadow — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 17:19:14 -0800

Can anyone recommend a floating to-do list widget for my PC? It seems like such a simple thing: I'm looking for a to-do list application that floats over my windows and will let me add and check off tasks interactively. I poked through Yahoo Widgets and Firefox add-ons but interactive task lists eluded me. Basically, I want something like todalist that's a freestanding desk app. Seems so simple, but my google-fu must be broken.

Freakgronmics Chair Question

voidcontext — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 20:04:15 -0800

Ergonomics, part kajillion. I do have a few particular questions regarding chairs. I have had wrist and forearm pain for the last 6 months. It's actually been getting somewhat better since I've been working on my posture and taking occasional breaks. Still quite problematic, though. I've just purchased a Kinesis keyboard on the good word of some members here. To round out mending my ways I'm looking for a new chair, and thus, my questions:

1.) Does it matter if I get a chair without arm rests? They always seem to get in the way when I use the mouse (I'm tall and I've got sort of freaky long arms). Using a mouse I always end up lifting my elbow higher to clear the arm rest. It's agonizing to use a mouse due to that bad habit. Do arm rests provide any benefit that I should be aware of?

2.) I'm having difficulty figuring out how high I should position a chair. It seems like I can never quite get the keyboard tray right, the optimal position seems to actually be coexistant in space with my thighs -- again, freaky long arms and legs, but shortish torso. What to do, what to do? My current solution is unsatisfactory - I use a cushion on the chair to boost myself up a bit so that my thighs slant downward a few degrees and there's room to lower the keyboard. I end up with my legs falling asleep though, and it leads to slouching sitting like that.

3.) I think my arm pain is aggravated by the way I sleep. I usually sleep on my side, rolling over even if I fall asleep on my back. Some mornings when I wake up, I know it's going to be an extra wretched day from the way I've slept. How do I learn to stay asleep on my back all night?

I am trying to get in with a PT or OT, to get a consult on posture and work habits. I've got to get in with my PCP first and then the wait is long to see the OT after that. I'd like to get a chair sooner rather then later - my old one is seriously about to disintegrate and tip me on to my ass, and has no real back support. So, advice for the interim?

I want to commit

noahv — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 16:57:23 -0800

Does Outlook have a way for people to easily "commit" to email requests from others (e.g. "can you please do this by next Thursday"). Perhaps a "commit by" button which sends a confirmation back to the requestor, and adds the task to your Outlook Task list, with multiple reminders set to remind you as you get closer to your commit date. Is there software to do this, or (better yet) a macro/add-in that could be built to support this? I know Outlook has the ability to assign Tasks to others, but that doesn't always work the way it was drawn up, especially with those on other email systems. If there was a way for me to click a button to send a "commit" email back and set up a Task in my Outlook, that would really help overall efficiency. That way, I don't forget, and the person on the other end knows that I got the email and have committed to the task. It's a Win-Win!!! :)

Task orientated intranet redesign

TheDonF — Thu, 11 May 2006 03:09:20 -0800

Looking to re-develop an intranet around task orientation rather than business structure. Have you done this? I work on a large-ish intranet (~15,000 documents) and we're looking to change the IA from being orientated around business structure to being task orientated. But where to start?

Have you gone through a similar exercise and, if so, how did you do it? What went well and what would you do differently if you had to do it all again?

ISO web-based task management system

chrish — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 18:54:00 -0800

I'm currently accepting any recommendations for a simple, lightweight, web-based task management system. I do not need full project management capabilities, but I would like the ability to track time spent. In lieu of finding a suitable system, I would also solicit any web UI designers to work with me to build the aforementioned application (if a suitable one does not exist) and release it as open source.

Disabling MS Word task bars & menus

muckster — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:20:16 -0800

MS Word 2003 task panes: when I start Word, I get a "getting started" side bar and an Adobe Acrobat tool menu that I can't seem to permanently disable. This is driving me bonkers. I found Tools>Options>View>Startup Task Pane, and I have disabled it. I have found Right Click > Customize >Toolbars>Delete, but neither solve my problem. I suspect those .dot templates might have something to do with it, but I never figured those out. Please, AskMe, won't you help?