I just tried this and yes it is possible.

Create your smart list then click on the gear arrow next to "completed." This is the "sort options" button.

Then choose sort by advanced and create a new sort - by tag.

The problem (I have now discovered) is that if a task has more than one tag (e.g. pProjectname, @person1, @person2, @calls) then the task is grouped under a single group heading made up of all the tags as a 'single tag' rather than under a group heading for each tag.

The problem, I think, is that it's not possible for tasks to appear more than once (under each tag group) in a smart list. This appears to mean that I can't use tags to define projects or to assign more than one 'context'.

The nearest I can get is to use lists for projects and only assign one context tag per task. This allows to list to be grouped by tag, but completely hobbles the system by only allowing one context.

Help please!

I think using lists for projects is a step in the right direction.

Could you perhaps explain how your workflow benefits from grouping tasks by tag and what you use those tags for? I'm curious to see if we can improve things for you within the constraints of the system.

Cheers!

I want to use tags for contexts. In my system contexts include people and events such as meetings so each task may have multiple tags depending on those I need to involve in completing that task. I want to be able to generate lists of tasks:

a) grouped by project, relevant to a particular context e.g all the tasks related to a part person grouped by project; and

b) grouped by tag for a particular project e.g. all the tasks within a project grouped by the people or meeting or other context to which that task applies.

I can see that a) is possible as the task/List relationship is many-to-one (if Lists are being used for projects, each task can only be assigned to one project). But the task/context relationship is many-to-many; if a task has more than one tag then when a project List is grouped then that task will only appear once under a concatinated tag group header rather than under a group header for each tag with which it is associated.

I see. Then yes, you're quite right, due to the way the tag grouping feature functions you won't currently be able to create the view you want. You could probably approximate it with a handful of smart lists or the use of sub tasks. For example, while I'm not a project manager or someone who has to track the delegation of a lot of work, I am often waiting on other people to do things before I can progress a given task. To track that I do something like this:

* Add graphics to whizz-bang marketing report #@work
** Wait - Darren - provide graphics for whizz-bang marketing report #wait

I have a smart list that matches tasks tagged with '@work' and 'na' (for next action) which is what I work from day to day. The parent task in the example isn't tagged with 'na' so it won't show up in that list and it's a simple matter to check everything tagged with 'wait' to see who's holding me up. If you have a large number of tasks tagged with 'wait' you could create smart lists that break it down, perhaps matching off the parent list or the name of the task itself (everything that contains 'Wait - Darren' for example).

HTH :)