GTD Outlook Add-In - Set up and Syncing Issues

[ddewees]

I have been using GTD with Outlook for about 9 months. I finally purchased the Outlook Add-In. I use a Palm to sync to at work and home so I can add task, projects, na's etc for all contextes in either location.

I use Outlook 2000 and Chapura Pocket Mirror 3.0 and have a Palm 500

2 problems with getting the Outlook Add In to work:

The linking of NAs to Projects doesn't seem to carry into the Palm, therefore these links are lost when I go from work to home or vice versa. This makes sense since the Palm doesn't have an obvious way to store these links. This powerful feature is currently unavailable and it was the primary reason to purchase the Add In.

Is there version of conduit software that will make this work in my current hardware setup?

The project list drop down inside of a task is populated with older completed projects. How do I clean this out and update to show only current projects?

It seems like others have posted similar questions but it haven't seen a clear cut solution.

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

Re: removing older projects from drop-down list

Use Tools/Options/Getting Things Done/Manage Projects/Remove

Can't help with the lack of project field transfer to palm. no solution that i know of.

Regards,
Ken

 

[ddewees]

Ken, thanks for the reply. That confirms what I was seeing in other posts on the NetCentrics support site. For my set up this seems to be a redundant step. This project list seems to be stored or maintained seperately from tasks that are categorized as Projects

I set up my Outlook per DA's white paper - I have Projects as Tasks in Outlook and my NAs are also Tasks in in Outlook. The Projects have a category of Project while the NAs have a category of their respective @context (@calls, @errands, etc...).

I was hoping this application would allow me to link the 2 together with relatively little effort or redundancy. If I clean this list up and delete completed projects, will newly added Projects (via Outlook) get imported in?

 

[Anonymous]

Chapura Key Suite may help

Dave,

The only way I have gotten to really start using Projects on my Palm 500 is to use Bill Kratz' method of using Outlook's contacts as "projects".

http://home.attbi.com/~whkratz/index.htm

I also recently purchased Chapura's Key Suite--It will allow many more categories synching into your PDA.

With Bill Kratz' method, and Key Suites, my Palm now shows all my projects, and my tasks are linked back to the project that spawned the tastk. Alas, I can't view the tasks from viewing the Project, but I'm working on that one.

The one drawback for you, is you need to be using Outlook 2000 or above to use Bill Kratz method.

Stephen

 

[kglade]

Dave,

I am not sure I understand your question about "If I clean this list up and delete completed projects, will newly added Projects (via Outlook) get imported in?" as I never set up my system the DA white paper way. There are some instructions in the GTD add-in help that refer to how to convert from white paper way to GTD add-in but I have no experience doing that.

Ken

 

[ddewees]

Ken, I think I figured the Projects thing out. It appears that if I create a Task and save it, it is then added to my project drop down.

I think will have some clean up to go to manage projects list and clean up some old projects that were added to this list during the intall process.

I just need to figure out a solution for the syncing issue. Thanks for pointing me to the help file. It's very detailed and contains some good refreshes on GTD and Outlook

Dave

 

[ddewees]

Stephen
I've skimmed Bill's method in the past and haven't drilled down on the details of implementation.

With this method of using Contacts - I'm assuming the Add-In is used mostly for linking emails to projects correct?

What do you mean when you say "Alas, I can't view the tasks from viewing the Project, but I'm working on that one."

Are the Task views by Action and Project provided by the Add In not used since this method uses Contacts?

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

GTD Project synching

Dave,

I don't know much about the GTD Add in software--I only implemented the PDF white paper. But I got frustrated quickly with no real way to track the many tasks that are associated with a project.

Bill Kratz' method comes the closest for me. In Outlook on my desktop, he has an excellent sytem for tracking projects, with a complete view and history of the associated tasks.

Synching to my Palm is another 'story'. Since installing Chapura's Key Suite, I have a lot more flexibility. All my projects now show up as a separate category (Projects) on my contact list. I can view any associated notes that are part of each project, but "alas" I cannot view the tasks that are connected to each project--I am hoping that there is a way to do this with the newer Palm synching software, or a different way of configuring MS Outlook.

An interesting sidelight: I am re-evaluating the whole quest to synch Projects to a PDA. Why?

GTD's usefullness in a PDA is pretty much restricted to 2 task areas--calls that can be made on the run, and "errands" that can be done while 'out and about.' Data collection could be a third area, but a PDA is not strong in this area.

So as long as I can get all of my tasks (including those that are project spawned) synched to my PDA, why should I worry that the project isn't there?

I think you're right about the Add-In being used pretty much for e-mail linking, for those who have adopted Bill Kratz' method for project control.

My big problem with GTD's method--a Project is not a task, no matter how well you re-name or disguise it. I personally could not get used to seeing Projects co-existing on the same list with my Tasks.

Stephen