Nozbe or Toodledo - Which Do You Like Better?

[sweat]

I'm looking at both Nozbe and Toodledo, and am trying to decide which to use. Since many of you have experience with both, I'd love to hear feedback.

I'm switching from using tasks in Outlook to a web-based app. I like the way Outlook handles tasks, just not the way it syncs to a smartphone.

My list of must haves include:

* The ability to assign multiple categories to a task - at least 2 (e.g. call, next!)
* Notes in tasks - I need to be able to add detailed notes about a specific tasks
* Unlimited categories and tasks
* Keyword search functionality
* Can be accessed via mobile phone - I don't a need a specific ap, as long as I can view it on a smartphone (I'm probably getting the Palm Pre)
* Syncs with Google Calendar
* Can send add tasks via email or Twitter
* Can be viewed on Windows

Optional, but not necessities

* Easy next action views
* Sync with Outlook - either directly or via text/csv files
* Can export
* Has a Palm Pre ap (probably not announced, but since I'm giving a wish list.. )
* Is iPhone compatible - if the Pre turns out to be a disaster, I'll probably switch
* iCal compatible (I've got Windows at work and a Mac at home)

I know there are other programs, such as Remember the Milk, Hiveminder, Vitalist, EasyTask Manager, Mindjet and HiTask (which does not sync to Outlook like it claims), but it seems like Nozbe or Toodledo are the front-runners. I don't have my mind made up and can be swayed...

Thanks in advance.

 

[mickmel]

Those are the two I fought between. I ended up sticking with Nozbe and I'm very glad I did. I'm not overly impressed with their "2.0 beta" at this point, but 1.0 is the best thing around.

I wrote a fairly in-depth comparison of the two a while back:
http://www.gtdhelp.com/200901/nozbe-vs-toodledo/

Since I use Nozbe daily, I'll be addressing your other questions from that perspective.

* The ability to assign multiple categories to a task - at least 2 (e.g. call, next!)
* Notes in tasks - I need to be able to add detailed notes about a specific tasks

Can't do either of those. You can assign a single context to a task (multiple contexts "coming soon"). Notes are on a per-project basis, not per-task.

* Unlimited categories and tasks
* Keyword search functionality

No problem.

* Can be accessed via mobile phone - I don't a need a specific ap, as long as I can view it on a smartphone (I'm probably getting the Palm Pre)

It has a great mobile version (inozbe.com, I think), but it also has a slick iPhone app.

* Syncs with Google Calendar
* Can send add tasks via email or Twitter
* Can be viewed on Windows

Yep.

* Easy next action views

Yep.

* Sync with Outlook - either directly or via text/csv files
* Can export

I don't think so, but can't be sure.

* Has a Palm Pre ap (probably not announced, but since I'm giving a wish list.. )

Not that I know of.

* Is iPhone compatible - if the Pre turns out to be a disaster, I'll probably switch

Very much so.

* iCal compatible (I've got Windows at work and a Mac at home)

Yep. The iCal feed that it provides is also what ties it to Google Calendar.

As I said in my review, ToodleDo really feels like a better app. Tons more features and a much nicer look. However, Nozbe just works better. It can help be get things done much more efficiently, and that's my top priority.

Let me know if you have any other questions about either of these and I'll do my best to help.

Thanks,
Mickey

 

[sweat]

Thanks.

I saw your comparison over the weekend.

How do you flag your next actions if you can't assign multiple categories.

Regarding notes, does the Nozbe force you to make projects?

For example, I might need to talk to somebody about a particular topic and will add notes in the task to speak to them. This way I can just quickly look and see what I need to cover, versus having to click on 2 different items.

What about the beta don't you like?

 

[mickmel]

How do you flag your next actions if you can't assign multiple categories.

Not sure what you mean. You check the Star icon next to action action to make it a next action. The context is separate.

Regarding notes, does the Nozbe force you to make projects?

Yes, every action needs to be part of a project. I have a few larger ones for generic items ("house", "personal", etc).

For example, I might need to talk to somebody about a particular topic and will add notes in the task to speak to them. This way I can just quickly look and see what I need to cover, versus having to click on 2 different items.

I agree -- task notes would be nice. I keep them elsewhere (either in the separate notes section, e-mail, evernote, etc), but your way would be ideal.

What about the beta don't you like?

Too little information. They've cleaned it up, but it's too much for now. For example, I might have an item that says "update blog to version 2.7.1". With the current version, it'll show the project in small letters beneath it, which helps me to quickly see what site it is for. In the beta, you need to click to reveal that info. Also, the beta is lacking the filters for your next actions list, which are GOLD. The filters are awesome and very powerful, and I use them a lot. I expect they'll make it into the beta eventually.

 

[sweat]

The inability add notes to tasks is an issue for me.

Nozbe did email me and said that some of the features I'm asking about are in the pipeline. It was nice to hear that they at least come across as being interested in what potential customers have to say.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Toodledo. I know you like Nozbe, but this stuff is so personal. It's like a mattress, what's great for one person isn't so good for someone else.

I do appreciate your responses though.

If anyone reading this thread has an opinion about either program, I'd love to hear your opinion as well. I know some of you are looking and responding..

 

[mickmel]

Right now, I'm leaning towards Toodledo. I know you like Nozbe, but this stuff is so personal. It's like a mattress, what's great for one person isn't so good for someone else.

Absolutely.

I'd suggest doing what I did. Spend a day living in BOTH at the same time. It's a pain in the butt, but it worked well for me. I loaded all of my projects (20 or so) and tasks into both of them, then worked from both (completing tasks, adding new ones, etc). It gave me good insight into how they each worked and helped me make my decision. Granted, I didn't get much real work done that day, but it was well worth it.

 

[toremor]

Toodledo for me

Hi!

I recently moved from a Palm based system to Toodledo on the web and iphone. I tried nozbe too, but missed a few things.

In toodledo I have a few folders

- Private projects
- Professional projects
- Private s/m
- Professional s/m
- Actions

Actions goes to the Actions folder and actions tied to a project is a sub-task under the project-folder. I place every action in a context, @home, @computer, @chainsaw, @waiting-for. I can view by folder or context, so working from action lists works great. My default folder is the Actions folder.

Now, most systems, and probably nozbe too, can do something like this. What I like about toodledo is the way it can handle reoccurring tasks. I highly depend on these and have 37 of them. I have rejected many systems for their lack of handling reoccurring tasks in a good way.

In toodledo your can repeat a task, and most importantly, set a start date for when it is going to appear in the list. This is great, and I haven´t seen many systems that can handle this. Most systems will add reoccurring tasks a the bottom of the list at the time you complete them. Action lists should not contain actions that can´t be done, so with those systems I would have ended up feeding the chickens every day...

Another ting about toodledo that I like is the saved searches, which can be pretty complex searches. I have a search that imediately tells me about projects without actions. This is a good help during weekly review. I also have a search that tells me about tasks in the action-folder but without a context. Help keep the system clear.

There are things about toodledo that I don´t like, but I´m pretty confident they are working on it. The one that comes to mind is that adding subtasks takes a little bit too long time. You have to add it and then drag it to drop it on it´s "mother" task.

So far I really like toodledo for GTD. There are at least two iphone aps that work very good with toodledo, one from toodledo themselves and then there is Appigo Todo. As far as I can see Appigo todo doesn´t handle the reoccurring tasks the way I like it, but I might be wrong about that.

 

[mickmel]

Now, most systems, and probably nozbe too, can do something like this. What I like about toodledo is the way it can handle reoccurring tasks. I highly depend on these and have 37 of them. I have rejected many systems for their lack of handling reoccurring tasks in a good way.

In toodledo your can repeat a task, and most importantly, set a start date for when it is going to appear in the list. This is great, and I haven´t seen many systems that can handle this. Most systems will add reoccurring tasks a the bottom of the list at the time you complete them. Action lists should not contain actions that can´t be done, so with those systems I would have ended up feeding the chickens every day...

Nozbe seems similar. You can set a due date for a recurring task, then choose when it should repeat. It'll stay tucked away in it's appropriate project list, then become a "next action" on the due date. After you mark it completed, it:

-- Goes away for the day.
-- Is recreated the next day in that project folder, but NOT as a next action.
-- Given the proper due date (one week later, etc).
-- Reappears as a next action on that next due date.

It works very well for me. Those tasks just magically appear on my next actions screen (which is where I live except for the weekly review) when I need to do them, so it works quite well. Sounds like ToodleDo is very similar.

 

[elbow]

Hi!

I recently moved from a Palm based system to Toodledo on the web and iphone. I tried nozbe too, but missed a few things.

In toodledo I have a few folders

- Private projects
- Professional projects
- Private s/m
- Professional s/m
- Actions

Actions goes to the Actions folder and actions tied to a project is a sub-task under the project-folder.

Can you explain that in a bit more detail for me? I use toodledo but have each of my projects as a Goal. The only drawback with this is that there is no easy way of identifying Goals that don't have any actions assigned to them on the web version (even though strangely you can do this on the iPhone app).

I tried using subtasks but struggled to get on with them so I'm interested to hear more about how you've set your system up.

Thanks

Nathan

 

[sweat]

Hi!

Actions goes to the Actions folder and actions tied to a project is a sub-task under the project-folder. I place every action in a context, @home, @computer, @chainsaw, @waiting-for. I can view by folder or context, so working from action lists works great. My default folder is the Actions folder.

....

Another ting about toodledo that I like is the saved searches, which can be pretty complex searches. I have a search that imediately tells me about projects without actions. This is a good help during weekly review. I also have a search that tells me about tasks in the action-folder but without a context. Help keep the system clear.

How do you organize tasks associated with a project? In Outlook, I was labeling each project with an "A-Tag". For example, buy the boss a gift would be categorized as "A-Buy The Boss A Gift". Every action for that project would have "Project: A-Buy The Boss A Gift" at the end of the notes so I could do a search for the project and all related actions.

Are you doing something different?

 

[toremor]

How do you organize tasks associated with a project? In Outlook, I was labeling each project with an "A-Tag". For example, buy the boss a gift would be categorized as "A-Buy The Boss A Gift". Every action for that project would have "Project: A-Buy The Boss A Gift" at the end of the notes so I could do a search for the project and all related actions.

Are you doing something different?

I put tasks associated with a project as a sub-task under the project. In folder-view I can see all my projects in the "private projects" folder. If I´d like to see the sub-tasks I click "toggle subtasks". In my previous, Palm based, life, I did something similar to you. I added the project name in parentheses after the action.

So, the answer to your question is: No I don´t have to do this, because Toodledo handles the link.

As I mentioned in the previous post it is easy to make a saved search that will immediately tell me about projects without actions.

There is another series of posts on GTD connect where some says it´s unnecessary to link projects to actions. I haven´t tried that yet...

 

[toremor]

Can you explain that in a bit more detail for me? I use toodledo but have each of my projects as a Goal. The only drawback with this is that there is no easy way of identifying Goals that don't have any actions assigned to them on the web version (even though strangely you can do this on the iPhone app).

I tried using subtasks but struggled to get on with them so I'm interested to hear more about how you've set your system up.

Thanks

Nathan

Nathan,

I haven´t tried using goals i toodledo. Folders, contexts and sub-tasks are the basic buildingblocks in my system and I would like to keep it as simple as possible.

I have the folders I described in a previous post, and every project is a task in "Private projects" or "Pro projects". Actions connected to a projects is a sub-task to their projects. Having it this way it is possible to have many subtasks under a project, but that happens very seldom for me, if ever.

Actions that are not connected to a project is a task in it´s correct task and folder "Action".

The only problem I have with sub-tasks in toodledo is that they should have been easier to add. In the web-interface you have to add a task and then drag it to the correct project. The iphone app is better at this, it has a "add subtask" button on every task.

Hope this explains my system, it is actually very usefull for me to write it down.

 

[sweat]

I put tasks associated with a project as a sub-task under the project.

You had said previously that you also keep an actions folder. What do you do with actions related to project?

For example, say you're in low energy mode, but you've got enough motivation to make some calls. Do you run a search for everything labeled @call (or however you categorize it) or do you have tasks related to a project existing in both the project folder and the actions folder?

Thanks.

 

[toremor]

You had said previously that you also keep an actions folder. What do you do with actions related to project?

The sub-tasks is placed in the actions-folder. They can be in another folder than the project. All my next actions are placed in the action folder, but in different contexts.

For example, say you're in low energy mode, but you've got enough motivation to make some calls. Do you run a search for everything labeled @call (or however you categorize it) or do you have tasks related to a project existing in both the project folder and the actions folder?

Thanks.

No, I look at the @calls context. If you go to context-view i toodledo, every context gets their own tab, @home, @computer, @calls etc. Click on the tab and you can see only actions in the selected context.

To summarize..:

projects are in folder "Pro projects" and have no context set.
actions are in folder "Actions" and have context set to @computer, @home etc.
actions in a project is a sub-task under the project, have folder set to "Actions" and have correct context set.

I have been using this now for 3 weeks and it works for me. In a few weeks I´ll try to write it down, and I think a few illustrations would help to understand it.

BTW, thanks for asking about my system, it is really useful to have others comment it.

 

[sweat]

Thanks for detailing the system. I took some time today to try and set up Toodledo and realized that the transition from Outlook is not as straightforward as I thought it would be.

Not a bad thing, but rather something that requires more thought about how I have things set up.

I'm guessing you signed up for middle tier, which is nicely priced. I'm a trial, but will probably be a paid user by the end of the week.

I really think I'll need more than a few days to really test this out, but it does seem pretty workable and flexible. Though in hindsight, it might have been easier to just upload a portion of my Task List at a time...lol

 

[toremor]

I really think I'll need more than a few days to really test this out, but it does seem pretty workable and flexible. Though in hindsight, it might have been easier to just upload a portion of my Task List at a time...lol

I realized that too. I imported my entire list and had to do move stuff around a bit before I had it all in place.

 

[elbow]

Thanks!

Tore - just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to explain how you use Toodledo and for answering my questions. I've changed my setup this week to move away from goals and over to tasks and sub-tasks as you described, and on first impressions it's a much more efficient way of seeing projects and tasks grouped together, and easy to spot projects with no next action against them.

 

[sweat]

I have a follow-up question.

The sub-tasks is placed in the actions-folder. They can be in another folder than the project. All my next actions are placed in the action folder, but in different contexts.

No, I look at the @calls context. If you go to context-view i toodledo, every context gets their own tab, @home, @computer, @calls etc. Click on the tab and you can see only actions in the selected context.

To summarize..:

projects are in folder "Pro projects" and have no context set.
actions are in folder "Actions" and have context set to @computer, @home etc.
actions in a project is a sub-task under the project, have folder set to "Actions" and have correct context set.

So, say the only thing you feel like doing is talking on the phone and Project X requires that you call somebody. So, do you click on the "Show Only" drop-down menu, select @calls and then see who you need to call?

Under such a scenario, the action to call to Dude about Project X would be a subtask under your Pro Projects folder right, correct?

 

[mcogilvie]

Easy use of Toodledo

Perhaps this is obvious, but for me the most straightforward use of Toodledo is that folders are areas of focus: research, professional, teaching, admin, personal, finances, friends and family, et cetera. Contexts are context lists: Computer, Home, Work, Projects, Someday/Maybe, Waiting For. Whether you use subtasks or not to associate next actions with projects, this gives you a pretty simple way to organize things.

I have tried using the goals and tags fields, but they didn't buy me anything. I have sometimes used the star feature, and sometimes priority, but their routine use has not proved helpful. I'm using the status field currently, mostly to track the status of "pipelined" projects: active, planning, hold, someday. I don't know if I will continue to use it, though.

I use the due date sparingly, but I use the start date for all items, defaulting to "today". I use this to give me the ages tasks and projects, and also as a tickler. This has two forms: a standard tickler, and a simple "worked on this enough today, I'll work some more on it tomorrow."

All in all, Toodledo is pretty flexible, and I'm happy.

 

[toremor]

I have a follow-up question.

So, say the only thing you feel like doing is talking on the phone and Project X requires that you call somebody. So, do you click on the "Show Only" drop-down menu, select @calls and then see who you need to call?

Under such a scenario, the action to call to Dude about Project X would be a subtask under your Pro Projects folder right, correct?

Hi!

Almost right.

"Project X" is a task placed in the folder "Pro Projects". "Call Dude" is a subtask of "Project X" and in context @calls. If I only feel like talking on the phone I click the "Context" link on the top of the page, and then I click the "@calls" tab. This will show every action in the @calls-context.