Find the Right Work with Views, Smart Lists and Search

Every project, tag and person opens as a board with one column per stage. Filters narrow the board, and a Smart List saves that view so you can come back to it. The examples below narrow the Work board to planned tasks and save the result as a Smart List.

Work on a board

Tasks sit in columns that match the project’s statuses, such as Planned, Active and Completed in Work, or Do, Doing and Done in Home. The number beside each column name counts its tasks. Drag a task to another column to move it on.

The board shows one column at a time. Swipe left or right to change column, and watch the dots at the bottom to see where you are. Pull down inside a column to add a task straight to it.

Open full size in a new tab

Columns sit side by side. Use the arrow keys to move between tasks and columns, and press Return to open one. Hover a column header and click + to add a task to that column.

Open full size in a new tab

Narrow it down with filters

The filter menu lists Date, Status, Tags, Priority, Assigned to and Group by. The options follow the fields the project has.

1. Tap the filter button, then Status, then Planned. The menu now reads Contains: Planned.
2. Add more. Pick several Tags, or choose a rule instead of a value: Doesn’t contain, Contains all for tags, Any value or Unassigned. Ignore turns a filter off.
3. Use Date for ranges such as Late, Today, This weekend or Next month, and Group by to lay the columns out by Status, Tag or Priority.
4. Choose Clear to go back to the full board.

Open full size in a new tab

Open full size in a new tab

Click the filter button at the right of the toolbar. Each field opens a submenu with its values and rules.

Open full size in a new tab

The Home screen has shortcuts too. Under Filters, date filters such as Today and Scheduled gather tasks from every project. Press and hold Filters and choose Manage, or use +, then More, then Filter, to switch others on, such as Late, Tomorrow or Next 7 days. Under Projects, expand a project to see its Status, Tags, Priority and Assigned to groups with a count beside each. Tap one to open just those tasks.

Open full size in a new tab

In the sidebar, click the arrow beside a project to show its groups, then click one to open it.

Open full size in a new tab

Save it as a Smart List

A Smart List is a saved filter that keeps itself up to date across projects. Smart Lists are part of Tasks Plus.

1. With a filter on, choose Create Smart List from the filter menu. Your filters come across, and the list is named after the project, such as Work - Smart List. Or use +, then More, then Smart List to start from every project.
2. Give it a title. Tap a blue rule, such as contains, to change it, or the × to remove that condition. The count, such as 2 tasks found, updates as you go. Assigned to appears here as Collaborators.
3. Add conditions under Add Criteria, such as Task Type, Date or Comment, or add Group by.
4. Tap the checkmark to save. The list appears under Smart Lists, ready to open any time.

Open full size in a new tab

Open full size in a new tab

If a list looks empty, check that the projects you picked actually use the fields you are filtering on.

Search everything

Search matches task titles, notes and comments, plus tags and filters. Results are grouped by project, and Create Task at the end adds a task with what you typed.

Use the Search field at the bottom of the Home screen and type a few letters, such as de. Tap a result to open it.

Open full size in a new tab

Press ⌘F, or click the magnifying glass in the toolbar. A search window opens over Tasks. Type des, pick a result, or press Esc to close it.

Open full size in a new tab

Next, keep your Smart List on the Home Screen with a widget.