How do I create a todo list?

Create tasks in a note

Open or create a note

Create a new task by selecting the check icon or typing [ ] in the note area

Type a brief description of the task (e.g. "Call Blake about work")

Repeat this process to add more tasks to your list.

A group of two or more tasks is called a "Todo List".

Use Quick Tasks (mobile)

When using your mobile app, the Quick Task bar displays at the bottom of the screen. Screenshot

This allows you to add a task and add it to a note, without actually having to find and open the note.

Tap the field to bring up the keyboard. Type in your task description Screenshot

As you start typing, a menu appears above the field. This indicates which note the task will be added to. Screenshot

If you want to change this, tap on the note title or down arrow to open the menu. Screenshot

Select another note or click the option to create a new note. Screenshot

When you're done, tap "add". Screenshot

You will see a confirmation messaging indicating the task has been added to the note you specified. Screenshot

You can view the note using the link in the notification or navigating to it in the list of notes.

The task will be visible the top of your todo list. Screenshot

How do I use Task Details?

Use the expand icon
on the right of the task bar to open the Task Details panel.

Here, you can enter details like due date, start date, priority, and duration.

If you want to include more context about a task, try adding a Rich Footnote to the description text.

How do recurring due dates work?

Repeating Schedule Options

When creating tasks, you can set a one-time due date or create recurring tasks.

Doesn't repeat

Set a one-time due date for a task

Example: Have a kickoff call for a project on Friday, January 3.

Repeat on a fixed schedule

Set up a recurring schedule, so that task is due on specific day(s)

Example: Send a report to your boss every week on Friday

Repeat after task is complete

Set up a recurring schedule, so that a task is due a certain number of days after you last completed it

Example: Hold a checkin with your employee 30 days after the last meeting

Set a Due Date

To select a single due date

Select a date from the calendar

Or, type a date into the field (various formats accepted)

Note that the due date is date only – it doesn't include time of day (yet).

Reminders would be a good way to include time of day (see more on reminders below).

Repeat on fixed schedule

Select an option from the menu

Every day

Every week on [day]

Every month on [date]

Every year on [date]

Or, create a custom schedule. Type "every" + a number, day of the week, or time interval to see options.

Every 2 days

Every 3 days

Every 2 weeks

Every 3 weeks on Monday

Every 2 months

Every 3 months on the 1st

Every 2 years

Every 3 years on the 20th

Once you select an option, the next due date will be visible

You can use the snooze button to change the next due date

Repeat when task is complete

Select an option from the menu

1 day after complete

2 days after complete

3 days after complete

1 week after complete

1 month after complete

1 year after complete

Or, create a custom schedule. Type a number into the field to see options.

5 days after complete

5 weeks after complete

5 months after complete

5 years after complete

Snooze the Due Date

Use the snooze button to change the due date for a todo. This is useful for overdue tasks or tasks with repeating schedules.

Click the snooze icon to the right of the due date field

Select an option from the menu

Today

Tomorrow

2 days from now

3 days from now

1 week from now

For one-time due dates, you can also change the date directly in the field

Choose a Start Date

Pick a day and time that you want to start on the task

Click the "start" option in the right menu

Select a start date from the menu. Note that this is relative to the due date.

1 day before due

2 days before due

3 days before due

1 week before due

1 month before due

1 year before due

Or, type in a number or time interval to get more options

4 days before due

4 weeks before due

4 months before due

4 years before due

Select a time of day to start showing in the list (optional)

Hint: enter number(s) to narrow the menu options down

The task will be minimized until that date to keep your list clean and focused.

You can view any tasks with a future start date by clicking "Pending Tasks" link at the bottom of the list (note)

Set a Reminder

(Coming in Q1 2019)

Pick a day and time that you want to be reminded about a task

This will send a notification on the day and time you specify

Notification options can be managed in Settings > Notifications

Select any:

Push notifications

Browser notifications

Set the Priority

If you're a fan of the world-famous Eisenhower Method, you understand prioritizing your todos by urgency and importance. Amplenote can help you accomplish that by assigning a priority to each task.

Determine whether a task is important, urgent, or both

This has the biggest impact on the Task Score, especially if a task is urgent

Urgent tasks add 5 points*

Task immediately turns yellow (med-high priority)

*More about this in the task score section below

Set the Duration

Duration allows you to specify how long you think a task will take.

Choose from four options:

15 minutes

30 minutes

60 minutes

90+ minutes

Tip: if you have tasks that are 90+ minutes, it might help to break them down into a few smaller tasks

We find that tasks in the 15- and 30- minute range are often easier to take action on

Task Score is designed to prioritize shorter task

How do Task Points work?

Task Points are designed to help you organize your list and determine which tasks to focus on. Each task you create earns points based on the Task Details you assign and the amount of time it's been in your list. Task Points thresholds are color-coded to help you see which have the highest value or are most urgent.

How are Task Points determined?

Initial Values

When you create a task and Task Details, the task receives Task Points:

Create a task: 1 point

Due Today: 10 points

Due Tomorrow: 3 points

Due any other day: 0.1 points

Due 1 day after complete: 3 points

Priority is urgent: 4 points

Priority is important: 1 point

Duration is 15 minutes: 3.3 points

Duration is 30 minutes: 1.2 points

Duration is 60 minutes: 0.5 points

Duration is 90+ minutes: 0.5 points

Note that if you remove any of the Task Details, the Task Points are automatically deducted.

Incremental Values

Each task earns points based on the number of days it's active in your list:

Task is still open: +0.1 points/day

Task becomes Due Today: +10 points

Task becomes Due Tomorrow: +2 points

Priority is urgent: +1 point/day

Priority is urgent: +0.3 points/day

Any Duration selected: +0.1 points/day AND

Duration is 15 minutes: +0.2 points/day

Duration is 30 minutes: +0.1 points/day

Color Coding + Priority

As your Task Points hit certain thresholds, the color associated with the task changes. This helps draw attention to tasks that are urgent and important, or have been on your list for a while.

Red - 10 or more Task Points

Gold - 5 or more Task Points

Blue - 2 or more Task Points

Gray - 1 or more Task Points

Read more about how to use Task Points to manage your todo list:

Repeal the Todo List Tax

How can I measure my productivity?

Amplenote displays graphs for recently completed todos, and todos completed over the longer-term. The graph shows how many tasks have been completed per day as well as the total Task Points from all completed todos. This helps answer questions like: