I was a long time OF user, then switched to Things 3 for about a year. I’ve found that there are a number of features I missed from OF, and it seems that OF 3 is mature and stable.
Anyway, I’m wondering what best practice is currently with OF 3 for Mac & / or iOS for projects that recur, for example, annually.
Is it best to create a template and duplicate it or use Shortcuts to duplicate it?
Or is it best to simply make the project recur?
Thanks much.
@steinmanal You can choose from a wide variety of repeat options as @MarkSealey says, or you could re-use/recycle a project by NOT marking it complete, but rather placing it on “Hold” status until the next time you require to make it live again.
If I know a big project is one time I allow it be completed automatically (there is a function to do this), and if I want to preserve it for a future occasion I uncheck the auto complete option, and then place the project on Hold status.
i used to muck about with scripts and various other methods, but for my use cases I find the inbuilt tools are sufficient for my personal needs, and OF does a great job.
I too dallied with T3. I do love it, and it’s a joy to use, but it just doesn’t “cut the mustard” for serious requirements, and the lack of capabilities renders it to a glorified shopping list. Beautiful but semi-useless.
I have used prepared templates in scripts, executed through Editorial App, and because of this discussion have started looking at using them again. The problem is self discipline. You have to remember to actually generate these scripts when you need them. I tend to forget so prefer just to keep these on hold within OF.
Of course Editorial scripts can generate more complex information (meta data, due and defer dates, contexts and other things) so it really depends on your particular use cases. In these cases they can really save the user a lot of time (once they are set up of course!).
Eg; I have one for setting up the prep for a church service, especially with all the links to individuals who are involved and making sure the right people get the right email at the right time. It works like a treat and kept me right for 2 or 3 years. Then I got lazy, forgot to generate it on time and ended up just making a quick template that repeats from within OF.
The trouble is there is now less checks on the situation than before so my laziness in this regard is causing occasional issues.
I am now entering a new repeating task-
Remember to generate church planning script in editorial app
Also, we did the same project with our product. CEO is thinking about machine learning to intend.
We also used this page for writing essays and texts. Thinking about to continue.
I have recurring projects (update a particular CMS or write a blog post for example) saved in Drafts app files.
I call these through the shortcuts app. For recurring projects like blogging I have a repeating reminder in a SAL to run the shortcut. If a CMS needs an update which is intermitent I just add a task to again run the shortcut as and when.
I use Drafts to store them rather than shortcuts itself a) because it is easier to create them and make edits, and b) if I have to I can access them on a Mac as well. I tend to have a lot of regular maintenance type projects, storing them in OF clogs the system, although I do keep my weekly review “project” in OF.
I think the idea of storing things you do regularly and by habit outside OF, in my case Drafts but OmniOutliner is good and just referring to them rather than “burdening” OF with them is a good one. I have a single recurring OF task “complete evening check” with a link to a bulleted list in Drafts. I do not need to tick off this list I just use it a reminder of what needs to be done/checked, most just become instinct after a while, but the list serves as an aid.
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
