Feature Request - Automatic To Do list

[jpreseme 0]

Hi -

Would be great if I could have one master to do list that is automatically populated from individual note to-do items..  I would use a special character or key code or something to mark to do items form individual meeting notes (as I write or after) that then also show up in a master to do list that I can reference.. Saves having to go back through all sorts of notes to pick out the action items.

Don't think I can do this today with Evernote.

[DTLow 3,858]

3 hours ago, jpreseme said:

Would be great if I could have one master to do list that is automatically populated from individual note to-do items..  I would use a special character or key code or something to mark to do items form individual meeting notes (as I write or after) that then also show up in a master to do list that I can reference.. Saves having to go back through all sorts of notes to pick out the action items.

Don't think I can do this today with Evernote.

imo Evernote is ideal for producing such an automated list

My method is to assign a due date to individual task notes, using the reminder feature.
My current task list is automatically populated.
I use a saved search to produce the list.  
         reminderTime:* -reminderTime:day+1 -reminderDoneTime:*
         Notes with a due date; exclude future dated; exclude completed
Tasks get added when the dates are reached, and drop off when marked completed.

I use the copy links feature to copy the list into my daily journal

 

 

 

>>I would use a special character or key code or something to mark to do items
Or you could use a tag
Again a saved search to produce the master list

[jpreseme 0]

But does that yield one list of the tasks or a list of notes containing the tasks that then have to be individually copied?

Why not just have a running "to do" notebook that consolidates all tasks as a summary list - scheduled with reminders or otherwise?

[DTLow 3,858]

4 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

But does that yield one list of the tasks or a list of notes containing the tasks that then have to be individually copied?

Why not just have a running "to do" notebook that consolidates all tasks as a summary list - scheduled with reminders or otherwise?

Running my current task search gives me a list of all the notes matching the criteria
I don't do individual copying, just select the entire list and use the "copy links" function

When you say running "to do" notebook that's just a different search.  
Notebook/Tags/Dates/"special character or key code" are just search terms
I use due date to make it an automatic list. I don't have to update notebooks or tags to move notes in/out  of the list.

[s2sailor 770]

3 hours ago, jpreseme said:

But does that yield one list of the tasks or a list of notes containing the tasks that then have to be individually copied?

I use the same method as @DTLow.  The key to make this work well with saved searches is to put each task (and only one task) in a separate note.  Then when your saved search generates a list of notes (using the reminder search criteria mentioned above), this list of notes is your task list.  This was stated above but I wasn't sure if it was clear.  I originally would put multiple tasks in one note but found that having one task per note worked best, at least for me.  I use the hotkey for new note to quickly enter a task.

 

[DTLow 3,858]

13 hours ago, jpreseme said:

populated from individual note to-do items

Another point is, to have classification for your set of to-do notes

For eample, I have a tag for each project, and the tag(s) is used for each task 
This way, when I do a project review, I can bring up a list of the tasks for the project
An example of my project tags:     !Project
                                                           !Project:  None
                                                           !Project: Applescript - Reminders
                                                           !Project: Applescript = Templates

Its part of the philosophy of being able to generate generate focused lists
- this allows you to concentrate on the things that are important
GTD (Getting Things Done) stuff

[DTLow 3,858]

12 hours ago, DTLow said:

My method is to assign a due date to individual task notes

Another benefit of using reminder date is that I use Cronofy Calendar Connector to sync the tasks with my calendar app

It provides an alternate view of your tasks

[jpreseme 0]

I'm suggesting a VERY SIMPLE approach to consolidating a summary to do list in one notebook.  

I'm in meetings. I take notes with actions. Many meetings during the day in different notebooks. What's the harm with those actions auto-populating in a separate TO DO notebook?

This isn't project management. This is action management and follow up.

 

[s2sailor 770]

8 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

What's the harm with those actions auto-populating in a separate TO DO notebook?

 

No harm in what you are suggesting.  We are just giving you an alternative to consider.  I do something very similar.  I will take meeting notes in one Evernote window and then just pop up a new note when a task is to be entered.  This is actually very simple once it is set up and the set up isn't that bad.

[DTLow 3,858]

18 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

I'm suggesting a VERY SIMPLE approach to consolidating a summary to do list in one notebook.  

I'm in meetings. I take notes with actions. Many meetings during the day in different notebooks. What's the harm with those actions auto-populating in a separate TO DO notebook?

This isn't project management. This is action management and follow up.

 

I'm thinking you mean note when you're saying notebook

Your idea has been raised in other discussions (Extracting tasks from meeting notes so they can be processed in task management)
The OP has already identified the use of individual note to-do's

I find individual task notes work better because they can be assembled into different lists, depending on the context.  For example: current tasks, project tasks etc

[jpreseme 0]

Sorry, yes, NOTE

One NOTE with a summary of all to do items. 

[DTLow 3,858]

16 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

Sorry, yes, NOTE

One NOTE with a summary of all to do items. 

As I said, I use the copy links feature to copy the list into my daily journal
The list is dynamic
If I want the most up-to-date list, I rerun the search

[jpreseme 0]

I'm suggesting a simple feature. You're suggesting a workflow that works for you.  That's not why I'm posting here.

 

[DTLow 3,858]

5 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

I'm suggesting a simple feature. You're suggesting a workflow that works for you.  That's not why I'm posting here.

 

Yes, I am suggesting a workflow for Evernote to produce the results you want

No, Evernote does not deliver task management, its basically a digital filing cabinet

Perhaps you'd be better looking at a dedicated task management app

[jpreseme 0]

I don't need task management.

I don't think you're telling me there's a way to have multiple to-do items in a note and from multiple notes also show up in one summary note. ??

[DTLow 3,858]

21 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

I don't need task management.

I don't think you're telling me there's a way to have multiple to-do items in a note and from multiple notes also show up in one summary note. ??

It's not a feature delivered in the Evernote app

I did give you a link to some users who implemented this using a Mac Applescript, but you've already said you're note in to workflows

 

 

 

[jpreseme 0]

Exactly.

What's the title of the thread ?

 

 

[DTLow 3,858]

4 minutes ago, jpreseme said:

Exactly.

What's the title of the thread ?

I completely understand, its a feature request and its been submitted to the forum and is available for users to up vote.

However, as a Mac user, I don't let a missing feature stop me
I simply find a way to make it work; if Evernote never implements this feature, I have a workflow for my to do's