Outlook Tasks on android phone

ChristinaSkaskiw

Registered
Hi,
Does anyone here use Outlook Tasks on their android phone? I'm using it on my laptop, but have not found a way to access Tasks on the phone. I sync the calender and e-mail fine.

Thanks!
/Christina
 

kelstarrising

Kelly | GTD expert
You can do it through the new Microsoft To-Do app. You'll need to set up tasks as Task Folders though, not categories.
 

OF user

Registered
Christina - an android app with a silly name of Task Task is designed to sync both task and notes with a Outlook using MS ActiveSync. It works real well. As Kelly mentioned you can move everything to ToDo but on Windows you have to have Windows 10 for ToDo to work. Task Task is an older app that has been around for a long time - very reliable.
 

kelstarrising

Kelly | GTD expert
Thanks, Kelly! Will look into that. The setup guide doesn’t mention task folders, but I suppose it’s easy to figure out.
/Christina

I'm working on a new Outlook guide that will. I'm not on my Windows machine to check right now, but I believe you just right click on "Tasks folder" in Outlook Tasks (below To-Do) and select create new folder. Create a new folder for each context.
 

John Ismyname

Registered
I'm working on a new Outlook guide that will. I'm not on my Windows machine to check right now, but I believe you just right click on "Tasks folder" in Outlook Tasks (below To-Do) and select create new folder. Create a new folder for each context.

kelstarrising, you memory is correct! In Task view is select To-Do List, right click, select "New Folder...". In this "Create New Folder" window, enter the name of your new folder and select "Task Items" in the "Folder Contains" field and you'd be set! I think this is how the GTDOA ap set things up and this ap was based on the official GTD guide to Outlook.

A minor Outlook bug with this, if you switch to the Outlook-Folder view, this new folder will not have the task icon on it causing tasks in such folders not to recognized by Outlook's To-Do List (, which is composite / unified view of all the Outlook "real" task lists). This problem is resolved by closing and re-starting Outlook. A workaround for this is to make a copy of your original "real" task list folder and then delete the contents of this duplicate task list. I keep an such an empty copy on hand so that when I need to make a new task list, I copy the copy and do not have to delete contents.

You assign each Outlook tasks an Outlook category (which is part of GTD's Outlook official methodology).

There should be no need to manually file each task into a separate context folder. Outlook's robust reporting can do this automatically! However...

You can do it through the new Microsoft To-Do app. You'll need to set up tasks as Task Folders though, not categories.

That seems like a lot of up-front work to have one's @ context lists on an Android. For me,its not worth the time.

My current thinking is, when I finish my weekly revue, I generate my @ context lists in Outlook and print it out on double sided paper and keep them in my document pocket (left rear pants pocket) as part of my every day carry (EDC). I use a PC laptop to run Outlook as my GTD platform so I can take it most places to me. Laptops are now so cheap and the standby battery life is so good, I just have my laptop on standby and with me most of the he time.

For those times that I don't have my laptop with me and I suddenly have "productive time", I always have something to read or a talk book to listen to on my android phone. The @ calls list on @ context list has proven useful. The main value of my @ context list is to do a mini-revue of this list.
 
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gtdbrian

Registered
For those using Outlook via a Corporate email exchange server and Android phone, I can't recommend the Android App "Nine" enough! It syncs tasks and notes from an exchange server, and doesn't use the cloud. I work for a tech giant company, and because it doesn't use the cloud, was able to get it approved for use. Note-the app is not free (around $15) but it's changed my GTD life. Also, the folks at Nine are always improving the app, and have incredible customer service. I have no personal connection to the company, just a very satisfied customer.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ninefolders.hd3
 

John Ismyname

Registered
There are a few Android aps on playstore, like this one that do Outlook - Android syncing using Exchange. As I use IMAP, aps that synch based on MS-Exchange are of no use to me. There few aps that do not require exchange do not have good ratings for the use of tasks synch.
 

John Ismyname

Registered
I did a trial of VCOrganizer (www.vecal.biz and Google Play). The deal-breaker for me is that it synchronizes tasks from the default task directory in Outlook. As I make extensive use of the To-Do directory (that is a composite/consolidation of the other directories), I would want an Outlook-Task-on-Android ap to be able to sync with the Outlook task directories I select and have these directories on my Android, and have a To-Do-like composite directory.

I might as well wish for world peace.

Until such a creation comes along, its easy to print out my @ Context task list on paper and keep it in my pocket.
 
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