ForumsQuestionsAutomatic Update of Due Date


Automatic Update of Due Date
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rmbglobalre

Posted: Mar 01, 2010
Score: 1 Reference
I'm sorry if this is too basic, but I can't seem to find this - is there a means of "auto-updating" due dates on tasks if you missed the due date? If you have a bunch of them, it'd be nice to have a button that performs this update automatically.
Claudio

Posted: Mar 01, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
You can use the Search and Multi-Edit function to find all tasks that don't have a due date and then change the date for all of those tasks. http://www.toodledo.com/info/search.php

Also, you can a default due date for new tasks in Account Settings. For example, you could set the default to "Today" or "Tomorrow".
Linden

Posted: Mar 01, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
You can also use an optional due date you want a specific repeating task to auto-update itself regularly when the due date has been missed. Once the task becomes overdue, it will automatically be pushed out to the next iteration.
rmbglobalre

Posted: Mar 09, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
What I'm asking for is I guess a feature that the existing program doesn't have, which is a means of auto-updating all tasks, regardless of what type they are. In other words if there are 8 tasks that are all overdue and saying "yesterday" can they all be easily updated with their due date as today?
Claudio

Posted: Mar 09, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Perhaps you're looking for a way of editing multiple tasks by selecting them in your list of tasks. You can't do this in Toodledo.

You can, though, use the Search and Multi-Edit function to find all tasks that are overdue and change the due date to today. You can even save your Search so that you can use it whenever you want to update your overdue tasks. Keep in mind that the Multi-Edit function will change all tasks in the Search.
PeterW 

Posted: Mar 09, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
A few comments that I hope are helpful...

1. Updating fields in Toodledo is quite quick, especially the date field - click in the field, click on the new date in the popup, and move your pointer out of the popup box. Done.

2. Consider not using due dates unless the tasks absolutely have to be done on that day. If they're optional, don't use a due date, or perhaps use due-date modifier to make it optional.

I used to spend time rolling due dates forward and wanted a quick way of updating them all (this was using another task management program). After reading "Getting Things Done" I realised that I was setting unrealistic due dates on tasks that did not need to be done on that day - they were really just future dates I had put down when the task was created.

I now only use due dates when tasks really are due - in GTD terminology "the hard landscape".
Qrystal

Posted: Mar 10, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Another idea: if you are using due dates when you really mean to say that you should be STARTING a task on that day and don't necessarily expect or need it to be finished, use Start Date instead.

Otherwise, if the task really is Overdue, why not leave it as such, and hurry to get it done?
rmbglobalre

Posted: Mar 10, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Thank you all for your responses - these are helpful suggestions and tips.
lite1

Posted: Mar 10, 2010
Score: 1 Reference
While I follow some of the principles of GTD, I also find for myself that having a due date is motivating to me. When I enter a due date that is not actually a hard time date e.g. an appointment with a client then I also always enter a time and use 1:11am 2:22am 3:33am 4:44am and 5:55am. Since are obvious to me as tasks that would not actually be due on that day and time I know that the timing has special meaning for me; namely, if it is 1:11am I really should complete the task as there are significant consequences for missing it; and on down the line where 5:55 means it would be nice to complete it but not at all necessary.

While I might use Priority to accomplish much of the same thing, I find it much easier to enter a Date and Time in this manner. And entering the time by repeating say the 2 key three times is very quick and easy.

Other good suggestions in the above posts.

Edward
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