Projects, groups and smart lists

Create a project

A project is a list of tasks with its own overview, deadline, icon and colour. Each task belongs to one project, or to Inbox if it has none.

Projects live in the sidebar. In the compact panel, click Widen panel first.

1. Click the plus at the foot of the sidebar, labelled New Project, or press ⇧⌘N.
2. Type its name and press Return. The project opens, and it's listed under Projects in the sidebar.
3. At Tasks, click + in the project's header to add a task to it.
4. Click Add an overview above its tasks to note what the project is for.

Set a deadline, an icon and a colour

1. Right-click the project in the sidebar, or click ⋯ in its header.
2. Choose Set Deadline… and pick a day. The deadline shows in the project's header, with the days left.
3. Choose Icon to pick the project's icon.
4. Choose Colour to give it a colour. New tasks in the project start in it.

The same menu can Rename the project, Duplicate it with all its tasks, or Delete it.

Deleting a project deletes its tasks, straight away. To keep them, complete the project instead.

Group and pin projects

Group projects

1. Click the folder icon at the foot of the sidebar, labelled New Group.
2. Type a name and press Return.
3. Drag projects onto the group.

Pin what you use most

Right-click a project and choose Pin. It joins Pinned, above Projects in the sidebar.

Complete a project

1. Right-click the project and choose Complete Project.
2. If some of its tasks are still open, choose Complete Tasks to tick them off, or Leave Open. Repeating tasks always stay open.

Project sessions still to come are taken off your calendar. To carry on with the project, choose Reopen Project from the same menu.

Choose where completed projects go

Open Settings → Tasks & Projects and set When a project is completed:

1. Keep in sidebar leaves it where it is.
2. Move to Completed gathers it in a Completed section at the bottom of the sidebar.
3. Move to Logbook takes it out of the sidebar and into the Completed list.

Use the smart lists

The lists at the top of the sidebar fill themselves from all your projects, so you can work by date rather than by project.

1. Inbox holds tasks that aren't in a project.
2. Today holds what's scheduled or due today.
3. Upcoming lists what's ahead by its next date.
4. Overdue holds tasks scheduled before today, or past their deadline.
5. Completed is the Logbook: everything you've ticked off, newest first.

Here each task names its project at the top right of its card, or Inbox if it has none. Click the name to open that list.

FAQ