Todo & Task management

In this video, we'll look at some of the ways you can organize tasks, todos and checklists in Tana

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Preinstalled #todo is deprecated

New workspaces no longer come preloaded with a #todo supertag and search node. However, it is easy to make your own and good practice if you're just getting started in Tana. Try it out!

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This video/page has outdated content

Tana is changing at a rapid pace 🚀 While many concepts remain the same, some user interface and features have changed a lot since they first were documented here! Please keep this in mind while browsing.

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to this overview video about managing tasks and todos in Tana!

Tasks in Tana ranges from the very simplest form of checkbox todos to complex tasks in bug tracking, project management and more.

We'll be covering the basics as well as give you and overview and link to more complex use cases you can build.

Update: contrary to this video, Tana no longer bundles a #todo tag. Instead, the flow for creating your own tags has been greatly improved.

Check boxes

The very simplest form that indicates a task in Tana, is to create a checkbox on a node.

This is useful for creating shoping lists or just ad-hoc lists for tracking your day-to day stuff

Buy bread

You do this simply by pressing Cmd Enter on a Mac or Ctrl Enter on other platforms.

This creates a checkbox, and if you press the same keys again, it goes from a check box to a completed checkbox.

Buy milk

Pick up package from mail office

Take out trash

You can select multiple lines and turn them into checkbox or check multiple boxes at the same time

Your own tag

Now let's look at how you can create your own Tag to manage Tasks.

We'll create a Wishlist tag to organize items you're thinking of buying.

I'll start by adding the item "Circular saw" and tagging it as #wishlist

I then click on the tag and choose configure to give it some fields.

I want a status for my items, and I want it to have a fixed set of values as

Wishlist

Researching

Ordered

Received

We'll also give it a price-field and a node to organize the research for this item

Let's go ahead and add some more items to my list of things to buy

New phone

In-ear buds

New running shoes

#wishlist

If I click the tag I can find everything tagged as #wishlist.

I can rename the live search and drag it to the sidebar for easy access.

Let's view the list as a table so I can quickly add approximate prices.

And finally let's view it as a kanban so I can see and easily change the status of all of my items.

Checklist

The last thing we'll cover is how to create checklists

Checklists are a great way to quickly organize packing lists, new employee checklists and things like that

I start the same way as with the #wishlist-tag

I'll create a node called "Pack for Yosemite" and tag it with "hiking packing list"

Packing list for Yosemite

#hiking packing list

I'll then add fields for every item that I need to bring.

I'll click add new field, choose checkbox and give it a name

Backpack

I'll then just repeat the process for the rest of my gear

Sleeping bag

Hiking boots

Sunscreen

Undergarment

Base layer

Wind/rain layer

Money

Knife/Tools

If I now go back to my node "pack for Yosemite", you'll see that I have a nice list of everything I need to pack.

I can also combine tags, like adding the #todo tag. If I open it, you, you will see that it has both a due date and the pack list.

Another way to do the same thing, would be to in-line-rereference the packing list, by creating a new node and say:

"Remember to pack" and hit the @-key to search for Yosemite and create a link to my packing list.

I then tag this as a Todo and there's a clear separation between the checklist and the task of actually packing.

Closing

This is just scratching the surface of how to manage tasks in Tana.

Check out our related content on other types of task management and sign up to our slack community

to be notified when we release new videos

Until next time, take care and go with the flow!

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