Newbie question: tickler vs. calendar

[clumber]

If you have an invoice with a specific due date, do you put it in an untimed calendar entry, or in your tickler file?

I have an invoice for 4 workshops that I will be attending in the future -- payment for each invoice is due at on a different day, sequentially. I am tempted to file it in the tickler for the earliest due date, pay it (via website), then re-file it in the tickler for the next due date.

However, since I am paying electronically, the paper is just a reminder -- so I could file it with my receipts and put the payments on the calendar on the dates they are due.

It might be a "six of one, half dozen of another", or there might be something that I am overlooking. I am trying to keep my calendar clean, which is why I'm leaning to the tickler, but ...

Thanks.

 

[pswets]

Either method should work. I'd use the tickler method, myself, because I like to keep my calendar clean, too. Of course, I'm not a GTD expert, so maybe you should wait for more experienced hands to chime in.

 

[severance1970]

The tickler is probably the better choice in this case. Calendars are best for time-specific appointments, day-specific hard landscape items (submit proposal by the 13th) and day-specific events that you might need to think about as they approach: you may or may not want to go to the opening night of a certain movie, but if it's on your calendar you can see it coming and plan accordingly.

For anything that you want to be reminded of when you need to be reminded but don't want to think about in the meantime, like paying bills, the tickler file is best. The invoice is already printed up for you, and occasionally these kinds of documents contain some small scrap of information that might be useful when you're ready to make the payment, like a customer service number. The invoice gets to act as the reminder and the support material, right at your fingertips.

 

[Beltza]

Check the options of your banking application / site. Many banks offer the posibility to specify a transaction date. That way all invoices will be paid at the right moment, without having to worry about it. No reminders necessary!

 

[hth]

Check the options of your banking application / site. Many banks offer the posibility to specify a transaction date. That way all invoices will be paid at the right moment, without having to worry about it. No reminders necessary!

Hi Beltza,
I think this is a very good idea. We all look into our GTD-tools so that we are unable to see simple technical solutions to make NAs doable immediately.

Thanks for this reminder to keep things simple.

Yours
Alexander