Good evening. Newbie here trying to figure out which main tool for GTD to use. We current Have Lotus Notes. But in three months were migrating to Outlook. So I hate to get started learning Lotus Notes and after then migrate everything and switch over to Microsoft outlook but this job is brand new. And I get seriously an average of 300 email between Alertz notifications and monitoring coupled with projects. So basically what I’m asking is how do I organize and get started in Lotus Notes knowing that I’m eventually going to be transferring to Outlook?
Lotus Notes and Outlook is so different, it's going to be hard to devise a system that will port. First think about how you would organize everything in a perfect world using GTD or whatever methodology you like using paper and real folders. It's been a couple of decades since I used Notes, but I think what they have is called local databases. Create those as your folders (although I don't think I would go 42 folders). There is probably a way to automate moving the emails into your GTD folders, but that may be above your level of tech. Then when you get to Outlook, you can recreate your old system to get by until you create something new. I think there is a lot of info out there on GTD in Outlook. I would be very interested in how they are going to do the conversion, or are they going to force everyone to start over from scratch.
Well considering I am a certified Microsoft SQL DBA that currently manages a team of 8 DBAS supporting a range of databases from Domino, Couchdb, MongoDB, DB2, Microsoft SQL, and a few others such as Postgres this technology is not way over my head; the GTD methodology is what’s new. The Lotus and setting up the GTD nomenclature is new.
I digress; I have my MBA, Master in Computer Science and currently 3/4 of the way through my DIA/PHD in Cyber Security from the University of Virginia. I have 20 years of IT experience from Mainframe Development, Network Engineer, c++ object oriented devloper, IT Director, Security Specialist and back again to Manage a team of Database Administrators currently leading my company into the Big Data/NoSql World of client Data mining.
Sorry, I just prefer when people don’t assume with statements as, the technologies may be over your head etc.. better off to make your statement/observation and let it stick.
The Lotus conversion is not as hard as one would think. There are tools and converters for both the back and front ends. On the client Lotus Notes side we have two tools that will convert the Lotus NSF to the Outlook 2016 Client PST. We are also going from physical Notes servers to virtual Exhange servers in a clustered Environment all sitting on a pure storage flash san driven san array.
Have a nice evening
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Our Lotus Notes setup guide describes how to adapt the standard Notes mail database for GTD use.
https://store.gettingthingsdone.com/Lotus-Notes-Setup-Guide-p/10480.htm
If you were staying on Notes longer, I would highly recommend the eProductivity application instead of the standard mail database.
https://store.gettingthingsdone.com/Lotus-Notes-Setup-Guide-p/10480.htm
If you were staying on Notes longer, I would highly recommend the eProductivity application instead of the standard mail database.
I agree with your thanks for the reply and energy for sure!! I and going to go either eproductivity suite as it is for Lotus as it is. Learn the system and grow with it!! I’ve been speaking with John Forriister and I am enjoying he and this program. I’ve just started into David’s book, bought his cards and plan on paying for full membership here within this online medium as well!
John Ismyname
Registered
I agree complexity. I haven't used L-Notes in more than a decade and never as a GTD platform. I have many posts in these forums about using Outlook for a GTD platform. - it works really well!
I'd be leery of sinking your time and effort into doing anything further on L-Notes if your migrating from the platform in a few months. As dbvirago wrote, now is the time to "fine tune" your GTD so that its ready to deploy on Outlook.
Also as a computer guy, MBA, and GTD practitioner, your expertise would be useful in your company's deployment of both Outlook and GTD. It amazed me how employers provide employees with Outlook or L-Notes or whatever and provide neither training nor guidelines on its use.