Is there a way to create a custom project status in OmniFocus?
I’d like to have at least one additional status of “Next” in addition to the built-in options:
• Active
• Next
• Deferred (On Hold)
• Dropped
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Not yet. But there were talks of custom tags coming. That might do the trick. No ETA for custom tags so it’s just a waiting game right now.
I’m curious. What would “Next” mean for you?
You could add a custom text element to the title / note of the task like @next. Then use a custom perspective and type @next into the “Find Text” field
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You can use tags to prioritize projects. With omniboard it’s possible to display the projects in a Kanban way according to your needs: https://github.com/jyruzicka/omniboard
There are a lot of configuration options!
Thanks for the responses. Custom tags would be great - glad to hear they may be on the way. Are these Forums the best place to track the OF feature roadmap?
@wilsonng Regarding my “Next” project status: I have 100 or so defined projects, most are On Hold with a dozen or so active at a given time. Among the On Hold’s, there are 20 or so with a strong “mental pull” that I like to review frequently to reaffirm my current focus and to use as motivation for completing my active projects. I’ve considered exporting the “stale” projects to OO or elsewhere, but I value adding notes/actions related to those projects in OF when I think of them, even if I won’t be getting to them for several months.
For the time being, I’ve settled on a “Next” custom perspective to act as a sort of Project Roadmap.
Thanks for clarifying next. I just have a cork board on my wall. I created my own Kanban board. I don’t really use the complete Kanban workflow. I just divided the cork board into 3 columns. The first column is titled “Up Next.” The second column is titled “Pending.” The third column says “Big Rocks.”
I have a stack of index cards sorted by Areas of Responsibility/Focus. This is the equivalent of my OmniFocus project folders. I have a stack for home. Another stack for work. Another stack for personal development. This goes on for each folder.
Then I write the project name on an index card. I include the OmniFocus folder (area of responsibility/focus) underneath the project title. I might have a note about it. Perhaps it is an ideal defer date and a small paragraph about what my goals are for this project or index card.
I divide all the project cards into the appropriate pile. Then I grab a few of the cards and pin it to my board in the “Up Next” column. When I am ready to start working on a project, I move it over to the “BIg Rocks” column. I also set the OmniFocus project from on hold status to active status. Then I work on the active Big Rock projects. If something gets stalled or is awaiting external input,I move the card to the “Pending” column.
When I finish the Big Rock, I move it off the cork board. I can move one of the “Up Next” projects to the “Big Rocks” column to activate. I try to make sure I have one to three Big Rocks from each folder (Area of responsibility/focus). I might have 3 Big Rocks from my Work folder. Then I might have 2 Big Rocks from the Home or Family folder. Then I might no Big Rocks from the home renovations folder. It will vary from time to time. Having too many active Big Rocks will become to heavy.
If I move a project from the cork board back to my someday/maybe pile, I will write s nite about the current status and the next action to take.mths will help me re-activate a card/project later.
I use the cork board because it is a visual reminder on my wall about what I am focused on next, what I have currently pending, and what I am currently working on righ now.
It seems to be a better psychological reminder whenever I see it on my wall instead of looking at a mind map document on outline in my computer. I get to see all of my up next, pending, and current big rocks all on the wall. I can easily flip through my someday/maybe cards to see what I want to possibly activate in the future.
Another way to remind yourself about “Next” is to create a single action list called “Next” with the status set to on hold.
Then add a new next action with the name of each project that you want to come up next.
Title: Decluttering and spring cleaning (house)
Defer date: March 1, 2017
Title: 3rd quarter sales report
Due: November 1, 2016
I can create a custom project perspective called Up Next. This custom project perspective is focused on the “Next” single action list and out it in my toolbar as an icon. Whenever I want to look at my Up Next, I will click on this custom perspective and choose. I migh just delete the task from the “Next” single action list or I might just check it off to keep s record of when I wanted to start a project.
If you control click on a project, you can copy the URl link and paste into the notes section of the entry in the “Next” single action list.
I’ve been more comfortable seeing my current workload with the cork board.
YMMV
