Outlook query - tasks on calendar?

[MikeJones]

I'm just starting with GTD and one of my bewilderments is the dizzying array of tools available for managing your system. Left to my own devices, I'd probably lean strongly towards a web-based/open source toolset, but work uses Outlook so I'm trying to work with it. One basic problem I've run across is that there doesn't seem to be any way to take a task that should happen on a particular day and have it appear on my Outlook calendar for that day. The kludge I'm using at the moment is to make the task an all-day event and show the time as "free", which causes it to appear at the top of the day in the calendar view. The downside to this is that it doesn't appear in my task list.

Am I just missing something? Is there any way to make Outlook do this?

 

[Guy Bjerke]

Are you using a calendar view that includes the taskpad? It can be turned on from the View menu.

 

[MikeJones]

Taskpad - doesn't help

I've tried playing with the taskpad, but (a) I don't like the amount of screen real estate it uses, and (b) it doesn't help with the "particular date" tasks. It's OK for the "as soon as possible" next action-type tasks, but when I put a task on my calendar, I want it to appear on my calendar.

 

[a.aresca]

Taskpad - due date today

You can set a filter on Taskpad View: due date = today. Hope it helps.

 

[Tom Shannon]

One basic problem I've run across is that there doesn't seem to be any way to take a task that should happen on a particular day and have it appear on my Outlook calendar for that day.

I'm not sure what version of Outlook you are using but OL2007 shows dated tasks on the weekly and daily views by default.

In 2003 and before you can make tasks appear on a calendar view. Just use the "View" menu to set up a new view. But unfotunately I don't think you can combine that view with the appointments so I believe it would have to remain a separtate calendar.

Tom S.

 

[pixlz]

Outlook query - tasks on calendar?

Hi Mike

I know that this is probably not useful since you are constrained by the version used at work but Outlook 2007 has a bar at the bottom of the daily calendar view where you can view tasks with a due date of that day. If can display one line per task with all of the associated information or as in the image.

Pixlz

Attached files

 

[Jeff Kelley]

I use Outlook 2003 and I keep all my next actions in tasks. If I want a task to be completed on a certain day I just click and drag it to the calendar. This creates a calendar entry with all the appropriate parameters but keeps the task in the task list. I then make it an all day event with time=free as you described.

This works fine for me.

 

[MikeJones]

That's it!

Hi Mike

I know that this is probably not useful since you are constrained by the version used at work but Outlook 2007 has a bar at the bottom of the daily calendar view where you can view tasks with a due date of that day. If can display one line per task with all of the associated information or as in the image.

Pixlz

Most cool. That's exactly what I want. Guess I'll have to see if I can twist anybody's arm to upgrade from Outlook 2003 to 2007.

 

[frostythesnowman]

Taskpad Solved in Outlook 2003

I was thrilled to find the TaskPad view, but found this post looking for a way to filter viewed tasks by the day I have _selected_. Think "digital tickler file".

Thanks to Duane Nutley's post (http://dnutley.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/make-outlook-tasks-more-interesting/) I can offer the following solution that worked for me on 2003:

1. Make sure you are in the Calendar in Outlook.
2. Click on the View menu.
3. Click on TaskPad View (make sure you can see all items in your list. You may need to click on the double arrow at the bottom of the menu to achieve this).
4. Click on Active Tasks for Selected Days.

Hope this is as useful for you all as it was for me...