Due Date vs. Scheduled
What is the difference of Due Date vs. Scheduled? How are people using these?
I think i am going to stop using Due Dates and only used Scheduled.
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What is the difference of Due Date vs. Scheduled? How are people using these?
I think i am going to stop using Due Dates and only used Scheduled.
Comments are currently closed for this discussion. You can start a new one.
2 Posted by candeshouse on 02 Jul, 2010 03:49 PM
Good question...I wondered the same thing, and have ended up using them this way...
Scheduled For- the date that I want this item to show up in my today list...in a "tickler" type manner. I have used it almost as a "start date" in may instances and works well for things that I don't need to start right away.
Due Date- the date something is due for those tasks that actually have hard deadlines. As you alluded to, and in line with GTD, many tasks don't have "due dates" in the sense that they HAVE TO BE DONE by a certain date, but they certainly have dates that I would like to have them completed by. I do use this field for those items, but only for those that I know have hard deadlines.
Hope this helps.
3 Posted by rfo on 02 Jul, 2010 03:59 PM
Agree with your usage... thanks for sharing!
4 Posted by Proximo on 15 Jul, 2010 04:41 PM
I completely agree with candeshouse.
Scheduled is a Tickler but does not mean it's due on that day.
Due date is for task that must be done that day such as a report for a Staff Meeting.
Support Staff 5 Posted by Christiane Magee on 15 Jul, 2010 06:42 PM
This is how it was intended to be used. We have talked about renaming SCHEDULED to START DATE or TICKLE DATE. Thoughts?
6 Posted by convexcube on 15 Jul, 2010 10:37 PM
I prefer "Scheduled", its clean, simple and one word like the other categories.
7 Posted by DC Clarke on 16 Jul, 2010 01:19 AM
I concur with the usage but caution about the over use of Scheduled. While it is tempting to constantly remind yourself about things coming up, you will find yourself fighting the GTD methodology. It is liberating to use as few dates as possible so that real and absolute due dates have real meaning.
"Let go, Luke... trust me..."
8 Posted by Proximo on 16 Jul, 2010 01:29 PM
I have no problems with either Scheduled or Ticker. If we go with Tickler, I don't think you need to put DATE behind it. How else does a Tickler work? It must know when to tickle you and that would be by assigning a date. :-)
Tickler is something most GTD users are familiar with, so maybe it's something to consider.
9 Posted by Glenn on 19 Jul, 2010 09:35 PM
I think Scheduled is fine, or is Tickler. As long as the user understands the definition, not a problem.
Just my 2 cents.
10 Posted by Terminado on 20 Jul, 2010 04:13 AM
I like the term "Review Date" which encompasses START and TICKLE. SCHEDULED is good but remember, a DUE date is also a SCHEDULED date so there is a bit of ambiguity. Also, I would vote against START date since we may want to look at a task on a given date but not start it.
11 Posted by Proximo on 20 Jul, 2010 05:35 PM
Review Date will work, but if we want to stick to the GTD way of labeling, we should just call it a Tickle and be done with it.
Scheduled works for me too, but I am not so sure about "Start" because I may want to be reminded about something, but that does not mean I will start it at that time.
Now I have a headache. :-)
12 Posted by Terminado on 20 Jul, 2010 07:12 PM
Hey Proximo, how about "Slap Date"?
:)
13 Posted by Elurven on 21 Jul, 2010 01:24 PM
I think that Scheduled works best. Having tried out other GTD programs like Things, the transition for me is easier if the terms are the same or at least similar to those in other programs. I also think that Scheduled is more flexible since people can use it for due/start/tickler or whatever.
14 Posted by roddyt on 21 Jul, 2010 04:32 PM
I can accept almost anything, but definitely not "Start."
I agree with @Elurven regarding "Scheduled" in that it is commonly used and understood.
The problem with "Tickle" is that it is a GTD term. While you and I know what it means, Nirvana is courting a wider audience, and they will be fielding the constant question, "What does Tickle mean?"
15 Posted by Proximo on 22 Jul, 2010 10:38 PM
I will be honest here. Tickle just sounds stupid. I like to think I am a professional and I don't need to be tickled for any reason.
Scheduled is easy to understand and it does not make me sound like a 5 year old.
I always say, "I need to Schedule an appointment with my Doctor". This means that I don't really have a due date at the moment, but it's something I need to get done at a given point. Once I contact my Doctor, I will have a concrete Due Date on my Calendar for my appointment.
I DON'T say, "I need to Tickle myself on making an appointment with my Doctor". If I did say that, I would question what kind of Doctor I need to see.
:-)
Support Staff 16 Posted by Christiane Magee on 27 Jul, 2010 05:31 PM
Thanks for all your feedback guys. Sounds like we'll be sticking with "Scheduled" and leave the tickling at home.
17 Posted by Glenn on 27 Jul, 2010 07:42 PM
Christiane,
EXCELLENT executive decision.
No offense, but I think a lot of the discussion was niggling over minutiae when there are much bigger fish to fry. ; -)
18 Posted by Lasares on 27 Jul, 2010 08:21 PM
I concur.
19 Posted by Allen on 12 Aug, 2010 04:01 PM
I realize I'm coming into this conversation pretty late, but...
I'm curious about the reasoning behind making a Scheduled task appear in the Today list when the date comes to fruition. I have started pushing out a lot of my Scheduled tasks to be addressed when I think I'll have more time or attention accordingly, then that day hits and I suddenly have 15-20 items on my Today list.
Sure I could do a better job of using Scheduled so that I don't get overwhelmed on a particular day, but I see Scheduled as more of a quick "not right now, but definitely in the near future." Basically just one place below Next Action in the to-do hierarchy.
Wouldn't it make more sense to make those Scheduled tasks show up in the Next list on their appropriate date? If not, just curious what the reasoning is. Thanks.
20 Posted by Proximo on 12 Aug, 2010 04:13 PM
@Allen,
The idea is that you set a Scheduled date because you wanted to be reminded about something. This does not mean the task is due on that day, but the reminder is much easier to notice in your Today list than it would be in your full Next List.
Once it hits your Today list, you can decide if you want to do it, you can assign it another Scheduled date (Reminder/Tickler) or just simply drag it into your Next list to be worked on at the appropriate time.
Scheduled date is nothing more than a Tickler/Reminder.
The task could go into the Next list, but I think it would be buried in some cases and it won't get your attention as much as the Today list.
This is nice if a birthday or anniversary is coming up and you wanted to be reminded a few days ahead of time to buy a gift.
Since Nirvana does not currently support Due Times, I use the Scheduled feature to remind me about a meeting 1 or 2 days ahead of time, to prepare the meeting materials. This particular task has a Scheduled date and a Due Date.
I choose to do this and prevent creating a tiny project with two task.
It's easier for me to just have a single task for something like this that can show up in the Today list 1 day ahead of the Due Date and allow me to prepare for the meeting.
21 Posted by kevinponeill on 07 Oct, 2010 09:55 PM
@Proximo
"Tickle just sounds stupid. I like to think I am a professional and I don't need to be tickled for any reason."
You "professional" types are too uptight. Maybe you should be tickled from time to time. You'd laugh more. :) J/K
Being a fan of GTD, I myself think the term "tickle" is a little silly. I worked for a Fortune 500 corporation for 10 years and never once heard anyone say, "Tickle me about that later." Dave? DAVE? :)
22 Posted by Proximo on 08 Oct, 2010 03:06 AM
@kevinponeill
LOL
I think I may start using the term and see if HR eventually gives me a call. :-)
23 Posted by kevinponeill on 09 Oct, 2010 03:35 AM
LOL Sure thing. Let us all know how that works out for you. :)
David McLaughlin closed this discussion on 03 Feb, 2011 09:26 PM.