Using notes for tracking simple multi step tasks
brian.salmon says:
I'd like to share my experience with using RTM for tracking simple multi step tasks that involve a few sequential steps by using the Notes fields. The example I have was I needed to replace a toilet seat that was broken at a party at our house. I could have tracked this as a project (creating a tag and putting a project in my Projects folder). However, for this I decided to track as one task:
1. Created a task named "Measure broken toilet seat" and assigned it a context of @home, a due date and put in my Calendar list (standard suggestions I have picked up from other posts).
2. When I had measured the seat, rather than marking the task as complete, I added a note with the measurements and updated the task description to "Buy new toilet seat". I also assigned a new due date and a context of @errands.
3. When I had bought the seat, I added another note to the task with details that I had purchased the item, updated the description to "Fit replacement toilet seat" and set the context to @home again.
4. Only when the task was finally complete did I mark it as a complete.
All the steps and when they happened are stored in the one task in the Notes section.
Hope this helps others and if anyone has any suggestions on how this could be improved. (Apologies if this has been discussed previously).
1. Created a task named "Measure broken toilet seat" and assigned it a context of @home, a due date and put in my Calendar list (standard suggestions I have picked up from other posts).
2. When I had measured the seat, rather than marking the task as complete, I added a note with the measurements and updated the task description to "Buy new toilet seat". I also assigned a new due date and a context of @errands.
3. When I had bought the seat, I added another note to the task with details that I had purchased the item, updated the description to "Fit replacement toilet seat" and set the context to @home again.
4. Only when the task was finally complete did I mark it as a complete.
All the steps and when they happened are stored in the one task in the Notes section.
Hope this helps others and if anyone has any suggestions on how this could be improved. (Apologies if this has been discussed previously).
bluesgeek says:
Great idea for handling steps. Thank you. Here's how I might modify that slightly.
Original task name:
"Measure broken toilet seat"
1st task name change:
"Buy new toilet seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
Note1 contains: "Measure broken toilet seat"
2nd task name change:
"Fit replacement toilet seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
Note2 contains: "Buy new toilet seat"
This way you are always reminded of the original name of the task (not so obvious a need for a household chore, but may be essential on a complex project). This is also useful if you are sharing and others may be looking for the original task name.
Also, if you include notes in your search, you will always have all of the task name iterations preserved.
Of course, if you know that you are going to do several steps when you first make the note, then you might title the original:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
1st task name change:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Buy new toilet seat"
Note1 contains: "Measure broken toilet seat"
2nd task name change:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Fit replacement toilet seat"
Note2 contains: "Buy new toilet seat"
Now your tasks sort and appear more consistently too.
Thanks for the tip. I'll use it!
Original task name:
"Measure broken toilet seat"
1st task name change:
"Buy new toilet seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
Note1 contains: "Measure broken toilet seat"
2nd task name change:
"Fit replacement toilet seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
Note2 contains: "Buy new toilet seat"
This way you are always reminded of the original name of the task (not so obvious a need for a household chore, but may be essential on a complex project). This is also useful if you are sharing and others may be looking for the original task name.
Also, if you include notes in your search, you will always have all of the task name iterations preserved.
Of course, if you know that you are going to do several steps when you first make the note, then you might title the original:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Measure broken toilet seat"
1st task name change:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Buy new toilet seat"
Note1 contains: "Measure broken toilet seat"
2nd task name change:
"Replace Toilet Seat – Fit replacement toilet seat"
Note2 contains: "Buy new toilet seat"
Now your tasks sort and appear more consistently too.
Thanks for the tip. I'll use it!
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