GTD Template 1.2

[wussery]

Minor Enhancements with date search filters corrected and documentation cleanup. Please note this template was evaluated with the latest version of UR, 1.2.

[Da5id]

I downloaded GTD1_2 this morning and happily noted that date searches are fixed and that you included a search for todays work. Just what I was looking for. I had been waiting for this to start entering new data. I immediately looked it over and cleaned out your test data. Even though their was very little data I compulsively ran a file compaction (not repair) and was surprised when I received this error message - Error repairing database: SQL logic error or missing database. I have two other databases I created and the compaction and repair functions will not work on them either,after trying it on the GTD1_2 template. To get that function to work I had to uninstall and reinstall Ultra Recall. This problem happens on both of my machines,a desktop and a laptop. Both are running Windows XP Pro and have AVG version 7 anitvirus and clipmate version 6 running in the system tray. I'm also using the latest version of Ultra Recall. Anyone else have this problem? Wil has created a wonderful template and I would like to run it, but need to know why this problem has occurred.

[wussery]

Originally posted by Da5id
I downloaded GTD1_2 this morning and happily noted that date searches are fixed and that you included a search for todays work. Just what I was looking for. I had been waiting for this to start entering new data. I immediately looked it over and cleaned out your test data. Even though their was very little data I compulsively ran a file compaction (not repair) and was surprised when I received this error message - Error repairing database: SQL logic error or missing database. I have two other databases I created and the compaction and repair functions will not work on them either,after trying it on the GTD1_2 template. To get that function to work I had to uninstall and reinstall Ultra Recall. This problem happens on both of my machines,a desktop and a laptop. Both are running Windows XP Pro and have AVG version 7 anitvirus and clipmate version 6 running in the system tray. I'm also using the latest version of Ultra Recall. Anyone else have this problem? Wil has created a wonderful template and I would like to run it, but need to know why this problem has occurred.

I am hoping someone from Kinook can look into this. I have NOT tried the compact, due to the problem that Da5id has described above. The only things that I've done is to create a few new items in the template section, added new Search Buttons and added a few test items to confirm functionality. In addition, I have a large note describing how to use the Template.

[kevina]

What you are seeing is a minor bug in the lastest version. The issue is that a minor change is made to each Info Database when first opened with version 1.2 (which doesn't affect your data). Apparently this change requires some database queries to be reconstructed before the compact method will work again (an undocumented "feature" in the database engine are using).

No data is compromised and the workaround is simple: do a Compact and Repair without checking the Reset all system information to defaults the first time after upgrading to Version 1.2 of Ultra Recall.

Note: Version 1.2 fixes the basic Repair functionality to not replace removed formatted text for the system Info Items (as it previously did). A Basic Repair will only check (and correct) any errors that might exist in your Info Database for errors and is safe for routine use.

Note 2: You can check the Reset all system information to defaults checkbox, but doing so will restore the system Info Items in your Info Database to their initial values (not needed in this case, and will modify user-edited system data unnecessarily).

[Will Eatherton]

Wil,

Great template. After studying this I decided to buy the book and spent the weekend changing my whole method for tracking projects/tasks which is a major deal for me.

I was trying out my new setup based on your template and I think you may have had error in your search for next 7 days. After reading the manual and playing around (I have some rather complex database already so easy to see what affect different options have) I think the attached jpg shows what you intended. I haven't checked the other searches yet but let me know if you (or others) agree.

Thanks,
Will Eatherton

[wussery]

Originally posted by Will Eatherton
Wil,

Great template. After studying this I decided to buy the book and spent the weekend changing my whole method for tracking projects/tasks which is a major deal for me.

I was trying out my new setup based on your template and I think you may have had error in your search for next 7 days. After reading the manual and playing around (I have some rather complex database already so easy to see what affect different options have) I think the attached jpg shows what you intended. I haven't checked the other searches yet but let me know if you (or others) agree.

Thanks,
Will Eatherton

Will, thanks for the feedback. I'll look at the next 7 days later today and get back to you and the group.

[Will Eatherton]

Wil,

I spent another several hours last night with my GTD book and my database dervived from your template and 2 more thoughts.

In your instructions you have a comment "If the task is something that you are primarily responsible for then you should drag the item from your In Basket to your Next Actions folder. You will need to assign a To-Do Date to the Task before dragging it to one of your Next Actions Folders "

However, from the book Next actions don't really need a date unless there really is hard due date for that next action. The way I handled this is to create a "Dated Actions" folder parallel to Next actions". Any next action with a firm due date goes their, and undate next actions go in next actions. So when I sit down to work I check "next seven days" to see dated work then I go to "Next actions" to see undated work.

Another suggestion I have, that I found very useful is to add the fields "need-by" and "to-do", and "waiting-on" to the "document" template so thtat when I drag and drop email and outlook tasks into UR if they are "waiting-for" or "dated actions" then I can update that item without having to put it underneath a UR specric object (like todo).

The waiting-on field I have found useful to add to and to document so that when I open the "waiting-for" folder I can see in child items a column with the names of folks that I am expecting a reply from (or that I delegated to). When I go into a 1:1 with someone I can look at this folder and quckly see what I have outstanding that they are working on.

[PureMoxie]

Those are good ideas. I've ended up adding Context, Due Date, Status and Date Completed to almost all of my template items. This lets you track any sort of item as a next action without worrying about converting types.

[wussery]

Originally posted by Will Eatherton
Wil,

I spent another several hours last night with my GTD book and my database dervived from your template and 2 more thoughts.

In your instructions you have a comment "If the task is something that you are primarily responsible for then you should drag the item from your In Basket to your Next Actions folder. You will need to assign a To-Do Date to the Task before dragging it to one of your Next Actions Folders "

However, from the book Next actions don't really need a date unless there really is hard due date for that next action. The way I handled this is to create a "Dated Actions" folder parallel to Next actions". Any next action with a firm due date goes their, and undate next actions go in next actions. So when I sit down to work I check "next seven days" to see dated work then I go to "Next actions" to see undated work.

Another suggestion I have, that I found very useful is to add the fields "need-by" and "to-do", and "waiting-on" to the "document" template so thtat when I drag and drop email and outlook tasks into UR if they are "waiting-for" or "dated actions" then I can update that item without having to put it underneath a UR specric object (like todo).

The waiting-on field I have found useful to add to and to document so that when I open the "waiting-for" folder I can see in child items a column with the names of folks that I am expecting a reply from (or that I delegated to). When I go into a 1:1 with someone I can look at this folder and quckly see what I have outstanding that they are working on.

Wil, thanks for the suggestion. I'm a proponent of putting a due date, in my case a To-Do date on any Next Action that can't be completed within the next two minutes. This may be outside the scope of GTD, but I work better with deadlines. As a consequence, anything moved to the Next Actions folder has a To-Do date and anything moved to the Waiting For folder has a Needed By date. It's just easier for me to keep focus that way.

I'll like your suggestion of modifying the Document template and will incoporate that change in the next iteration of the template.