I struggle with organization. If I don't have a list of things to do and when it needs to get done, it simply *doesn't* get done.
I've used Basecamp and Huddle and a number of other different project management tools, but really didn't like paying for a tool in order to get all the functionality I needed.
Basically, I needed something to do the following:
+ Allow me to put tasks into a "to-do" list under each client and then dump all of that to a main calendar
+ Remind me of my tasks via email so I got them done
+ Have milestones to remind me to report to the client how I'm doing and what steps are next.
+ Allow me to add consultants/ partners/ serfs to my lists and assign them a task
+ Upload files so my consultants can see them, if necessary
+ Time recording - Be able to record my time if I was doing something for an hourly rate
+ Have a conversation area "forum type area" where I can talk to my consultants/ partners/ serfs who are in different time zones
and was cheap to purchase and easy to administer.
Feng Office, (http://www.fengoffice.com/web/opensource/) so far, has met all of those and is actually much more robust than that. The set-up has a one click install very similar to wordpress. Literally, fill in a few blanks, click and away you go. In fact, I could go on and on about how to work the inside, but it is so self-explanatory I don't need to. From the feng office front page:
QuoteFeng Office is a Web-based Software that integrates
Project Management, Client Relationship Management,
Billing, Financing, among other features that help you
efficiently run your Professional Services Business.
It does what it says it will do. I've been so far very pleased with it. And, there is an open sourced version that is the same as the regular version. OK, so I can't ask them for help, but I've seen no need to do it.
What do you guys use to stay organized?
I tried using a couple of apps, but found I spent way too much time inputting data.
I still use notepads, the digital winders version as well as the old dead tree analog style.
We're using g docs for collab.
Just read about this today: Streak.com Takes On Salesforce With A Simple CRM For Gmail
http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/21/gmail-streak/
Timesheets :
http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/timetrek/
Mostly stay disorganised :'(
Well not entirely. google calender, gmail with boomerang, and still paper lists. Cannot get away from pen and paper.
Stick them to the wall.
I use the free version of RememberTheMilk.com.
Evernote and my smartphone calendar.
The calendar gets appointments and to do reminders. Evernote app gets the details so I don't have to remember them.
Oh and Dropbox to store my docs in the cloud.. None of this would make sense without a smartphone and a couple of tablets.
I'm coming to the end of a big re-shuffle of the way I try to keep things organised. I had ended up using too many different tools for different things and had got to the point where it was tricky to keep abreast of what was happening in each tool.
The set-up we're settling in to now is:
* teamworkpm.net : Like basecamp, but better (for us). This is being used to handle project management, general task lists, scheduling, time logging and eventually client communications. This replaces basecamp, internal project system, 4 google docs and a helpdesk.
* Diigo : Bookmarking on steriods. Using as my "read later" (stuff spotted when mobile that I want to read on desktop/laptop) & also for general note-taking/reference building across the team. This replaces springpad/evernote and an internal wiki
* Notebook - the paper kind. It's being used less, but you still can't beat it in meetings.
I've tried so many things, but I mostly come back to this:
Quote from: Rupert on March 21, 2012, 09:45:15 PM
Mostly stay disorganised :'(
Well not entirely. google calender, gmail with boomerang, and still paper lists. Cannot get away from pen and paper.
Stick them to the wall.
- If it's important, the note goes either on my computer screen or on the door to exit the house.
- Many Google calendars for different things. This is the one really big one.
- Notepad++ is always open and one tab is always the "dreamcatcher" tab. When something comes across my mind, either an good idea, bad idea, a task I have to do, it goes in the dreamcatcher and eventually gets "processed" (moved to something more permanent, accomplished, or deleted).
- Rachota time tracker, which I consistently forget to start and stop and which, therefore does not track my time very well.
Quote from: ergophobe on March 26, 2012, 07:23:47 AM
... or on the door to exit the house.
Virtually foolproof.
I like the "dreamcatcher" tab idea.
To-Do Desklist and Outlook calendar synced with my iPhone
Interesting, I just saw this on Google Apps...a free application called Mavenlink that works with google email, google calendar and other google apps.
https://www.google.com/enterprise/marketplace/viewListing?productListingId=4970+4188150475217982560
Anyone ever use that?
I don't trust hosted apps.
I have become very disorganised, the perils of just having myself in the "office" to care about.
I use Dropbox to curate a lot of information.
I use QuickNote.
I try to avoid calendars like the plague, if it needs doing, I just do it.
I came across a new service the other day called IFTTT (http://www.ifttt.com ) it stands for If This, Then That. The gist is you create "recipes" for a task. E.g. if I send a tweet, it posts to my google calendar, so I can see where I might be wasting time.
So far I have the following tasks set up :
If you like an Instagram Photo, post it on Posterous
Post new videos from vimeo on facebook
Post YouTube upload to Facebook page
Tweets with #in post to LinkedIn w/ link to original tweet
Add your foursquare checkin history to your Google Calendar
Keeping all the images you upload to FB photos in one safe place (Facebook images to Dropbox)
Archive my tweets to Google Calander
Starred Google Reader posts to Evernote
You can do a lot of mix and match.
Will it make me stay organised? I doubt it, but to be honest I'm probably more productive dis-organised. If I ever get back to having employees I'll get organised then.
Just got a paid subscription to RememberTheMilk. I sync this with my Outlook calendar, and sync my Outlook calendar with a Google calendar that I can manipulate with my iPhone. Then I have OneNote on all my desktops and iPhone as well. It's great for taking notes and organizing random thoughts. I now have all my tasks, to-do lists and notes available anywhere.
(Caution. Time warp)
>Timesheets :
>http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/timetrek/
Worked fine but I wanted more access to the log files and backup. Editing was clunky.
Switched to
http://www.spudcity.com/traxtime/
I don't write anything down, in anything. Ever. Not saying that's one of my better ideas, but at least I'm consistant and I don't ever forget to do it:)
Well, since I switched almost all of my income this year to (in-house) consulting and management gigs I'd better write it down or I'll starve.
>I'd better write it down
My way is no good. That's why I'm interested in what's going on here, even if I can't contribute.
IMO, what needs to happen is a really basic system of efficiency needs to be designed, on an open source/CMS level... and then individuals need to come in and be able to tweak it for their needs and contribute code for others.
In other words, my 'todo' list needs to reflect jobs around the house, car maintenance, bill pay, grocery shopping, online project management of different jobs/clients - so that when I say 'pick up apples and cut the grass' I don't switch from my business agenda, to my yellow stickies, to my notepad....assuming I had all those things.... and if I want to change format, then it would be as easy changing skinz in WP.
One program to rule them all:)
Why am I not an Evernote affiliate lol
My original setup used to be setting up projects in TextMate on my Mac and keeping files / notes on each topic in their own separate projects. Like, I would have one project for the code, the code for specific tasks further split by folder in that project, then I'd have a project for client #1 with all notes concerning that specific client, same for client #2 through n, then a project for my own project with the same setup, then a project for my unrelated notes, etc. Worked just fine while I was using one computer only but then I got an iPad so needed a way to sync stuff. This is when I switched to Evernote at least partially as it syncs across multiple devices. It also allows for attaching files, e.g. if I have a certain note for a certain project and it is associated with a certain file (be it an Excel spreadsheet or a Ruby script or some screenshot or whatever), I can attach that file to the note and it syncs all the way too. Evernote is also very good if you need to share your info with anybody else working with you so you can set up notebooks that you share with people, in the paid version you can give them not only view access but also edit access. For the checklists of tasks to do I have kinda started using Reminders on my Mac but seeing as it syncs in a really gay way through the cloud and not directly with the same app on the iPad I do not quite like that and also tend to use Evernote for checklists - not quite as graphical and no actual popup reminders but if you know you gotta have a look at it every now and then to see what needs to be done then it can work pretty well.
>ipad
Add a Samsung Galaxy and a couple of legacy Win XP & Vista laptops and desktops to the mix and that pretty much lays out Louise's digital lifestyle.
Evernote & Gdocs is about the best we've found to bridge it all. Evernote allows you the most "freestyle" formatting, DB, you can just wing it. When you get really lazy, just take a photo with the smartphone and file it.
am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
I just find it easier. Work wise, I start my day by making a list, I hope to end my day with everything crossed off it. If I don't I add the leftovers to the next days list.
When the list gets to be longer than a page, I handover half of it to someone else even if they're not qualified/capable/sober. It rarely goes too badly wrong.
>am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
Yes.
Well, no. I try to keep a notepad on construction job sites.
I use gmail "drafts" to keep notes -usually in list form. I have gmail open in the background anyway. It a cheap cloud.
QuoteI use gmail "drafts" to keep notes -usually in list form. I have gmail open in the background anyway. It a cheap cloud
OMG so unparanoid of you!
Why if there is Evernote? Even cheaper and more flexible cloud...
Quote from: Gurtie on December 21, 2012, 09:17:01 PM
am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
I used to do it but because I work from at least two places, sometimes more, carrying around paper lists led to losing them so I switched to digital notes
>unparanoid
I'm old and toothless now. Google wouldn't waste the keystrokes searching for me. Besides, my sites went white-ish the day Cutts joined the private group at Wmw.
>evernote
I don't carry a smartphone. I like stupidphones.
I've been using Reminders on my Mac and setting up geo fencing eg Buy kitchen towel - location Sainsburys. It's works well for simple things like that and telemeeting reminders because it buzzes my iphone so doesn't matter where i am.
I've been using Evernote since IW suggested and I love it, but I mainly use it for personal things such as lists of nice hotels, recipes, suitcases I like, basically bookmarks so far.
For sites and links I use spreadsheets in a shared dropbox folder. I find that the best way to ask for work to be done, and the best way to track it. It also makes it easy to take a bunch of links, stick them in spin syntaxes and do whatever I do with that.
>am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
Nope. The satisfaction of crossing that list off, just ain't the same when hitting delete.
Quote from: Drastic on December 22, 2012, 02:15:44 PM
>am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
Nope. The satisfaction of crossing that list off, just ain't the same when hitting delete.
Yes that feeling was indeed highly satisfying but a few apps have nice animation, might be just the same effect
You should go see Drastic's office sometime, he's the poster child for anal-rententive record keeping. I wish I had that skillset.
>>Evernote
I have been trying to use this more and more. My biggest use for it right now is a shopping list. But I also use it to write a quick note of stuff to do the following day before I go to sleep.
>>Google Docs
I use this for anything I need to share with clients, co-workers, etc. So much nicer than attaching files and emailing back and forth.
For time tracking for clients I have been using http://toggl.com. I only have a couple clients so something simple like this works just fine for me.
And for day to day stuff I still use a ton of post-its. Makes a nice to-do list since you can just throw the note away once it is done. Every now and then I find a post-it somewhere on my desk with some numbers or notes on it and have no idea what it means though.
https://www.wunderlist.com/
Is rather awesome
I think this is exactly what I've been looking for - thanks nffc!
Installed on my iPad, will give it a try - this should be just the solution for me t sync my checklists across different devices, very handy.
I've just started with Wunderlist too, and it looks really good. Thanks, NFFC!
>>wunderlist
I've been using Wunderlist for a while and share a shopping list with my wife. Back in November I was visiting my in-laws and they were blown away to see that I had been away for two weeks, but I had a shopping list that had been updated by Theresa five minutes earlier with things to pick up on my way back from the airport. Honestly, it was one of those "holy crap, this is sci-fi" moments. I'm telling you... the implants are coming.
>am I the only person who still writes lists? With a pen and paper.
I will still take notes with pen and paper quite often. And I do lists on pen and paper, but if I were to notice a trend in my life, I would say that I have increasing impatience with
- information that occuppies space - pictures, books, movies, notes, lists
- information that is not searchable.
And so I see myself becoming paperless except for junk mail.
aside from paper I do quite like Trello (Trello.com). I find it good for tasks which move through stages - so if I'm running a blog for example I may setup a board and within that have ordered lists for 'planned', 'being written', 'being loaded', 'approved', and then 'published Jan' 'Published Feb'. I tag responsibilities and attach info and/or images, and share the board with everyone concerned so they can see things progress across the lists.
It's a nice way for copywriters and juniors and clients to be able to see what they need to do without me constantly having to tell everyone what's next on their list or people are waiting on. Its also nice to be able to say "well I did everything allocated to me last month" when you're in one of those relationships with someone!
Wunderlist looked great but it won't sync across two devices and I am pretty fucked off with trying.
Didn't sync for me at first but eventually started to. Everything fine right now, between the Mac, iPad and an Android phone
Quote from: ukgimp on January 01, 2013, 05:19:08 PM
Wunderlist looked great but it won't sync across two devices and I am pretty f###ed off with trying.
Except during the server debacle during he WL 1 to WL 2 upgrade (everyone synching their whole lists across multiple machines at the same time to import data into WL2), I've never had a problem. Currently synching to five devices if you count the fact that my wife and I share three lists.
>> I do quite like Trello
No offline access = big problem for me.
I've tried online stuff, but I never keep the habit. If something needs to get done, if it's not written down on something on my desk, it typically is ignored.
I do use tree based note programs for taking notes I may need to refer back to later. treedbnotes is my fav.
Been trying Trello and really like it.
For teams working around projects it beats wunderlist by a fair margin. For one or two or maybe three people doing stuff I think wunderlist wins.
Thank you Gurtie.
Glad its working for you - if you haven't already discovered it then beware the limited number of labels. It's six max I think, which can be a pain.