What is the use of due dates for projects? | Help Center

What is the use of due dates for projects?

PRO

fladd 03/23/2014 21:42

Platform:All

Can someone please explain to me what the use of due dates in a project is?
If I set one, then it does not affect the due dates of the tasks within that projects. The project will not show in Today, when it is due and I will get no warning whatsoever. Hence, I will miss the due date of the project.
Shouldn't the default for all tasks assigned to a project be the due date of the project itself?

Can someone explain what the exact practical usage of due dates for projects is?

wendy_only post on 03/24/2014 08:07#1

PRO

@fladd
Hi,

You will see the due date. It will remind you that it will be due when you review the project list.

When the project is inactive,when the due date come,the project will be activated.

We are considering this issue to make the default for all tasks assigned to a project be the due date of the project itself.

Shall you need any help or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me back.

Best regards,
Doit.im Team
fladd post on 03/24/2014 19:34#2

PRO

Thank you for your answer.
However, I am a bit confused by this answer.

1) Why would the project be activated when the due date comes? Isn't it a bit late then? Shouldn't it be activated rather when the start date comes? Really confusing...

2) Concerning the first part of your answer: This does not work for me here. When I have a project set up with a due date of today, it will not remind me in any way. It does show up in the project list as being due, that is correct, but it does not remind me. So, without looking into the project list (and why would I), I will not realize that a project is due today.
wendy_only post on 03/25/2014 07:06#3

PRO

@fladd
Hi,

Q: 1) Why would the project be activated when the due date comes? Isn't it a bit late then? Shouldn't it be activated rather when the start date comes? Really confusing...
A: If you set a start date,it will be activated when the start date comes. If you do not set,it will be activated when the due date comes.

Q: 2) Concerning the first part of your answer: This does not work for me here. When I have a project set up with a due date of today, it will not remind me in any way. It does show up in the project list as being due, that is correct, but it does not remind me. So, without looking into the project list (and why would I), I will not realize that a project is due today.
A: Do you do daily review? When you review your project list,you will realize that a project is due soon. Do you mean that you want to get a reminder of the project to be due?

Best regards,
Doit.im Team
fladd post on 03/25/2014 15:33#4

PRO

>> If you do not set,it will be activated when the due date comes.

Doesn't make any sense to me. Even when I don't set a specific start date (simply because it is a "next" project, which means asap) if the project shows up only at the due date it is definitely too late!

>> Do you do daily review? When you review your project list,you will realize that a project is due soon. Do you mean that you want to get a reminder of the project to be due?

Well, single tasks also just show up in a special "Today" list (and thus reminding me of them), even without me reviewing them constantly, right? For projects this is not the case. If I do not constantly review then I will miss them.
wendy_only post on 03/26/2014 07:34#5

PRO

@fladd
Hi,

1. I agree that it is great that you set the start date. I just want to tell that it is one of its function. If you do not want to use the due date,it is OK that you can leave it unset.

2. You'd better review your Project list every day if you have many projects and every day there is one or some of them which will start.

At last, please tell me what you want with the due date in details,so we can consider your suggestions to make Doit.im better.
Folke post on 03/26/2014 12:37#6

PRO

Let me add my two cents:

The existing functionality has its uses:

Having a start date (tickler date) hides all the project's tasks (from Next, Waiting etc) until that date, and activates them automatically on that date, which can be handy The project as such will be listed in the inactive section when you look at the projects lists (either the long project list or the short one under the goal to which the project belongs.)

Having a visible due date for the project, if one is defined (which it might be, e.g. a contracted delivery date) can be handy in the project lists.

As for automatically bringing ATTENTION (Today list) to the project on its start date and due date, this is something I would be all for, in principle, as it would be consistent with how tasks are treated. Project names could be distinguished graphically (icon etc) from task names on the Today list.

Attention does not necessarily mean you will do the task or project on that date. On the due date (deadline date) is often far too late, even for regular tasks, but it is still good to see that the time has almost expired and you may need to scratch the whole thing, or renegotiate the deadline or whatever. In other words, even if you are not going to DO the task or project on that day, you may perhaps decide to do some changes REGARDING the task or project on that day. And the same is true for start dates (tickler dates). When the date comes, you often decide to not actually start doing it on that day, so you remove it from Today, but it is still handy to have your attention and awareness brought to the fact that there is now one more task available for selection, in case you want to review/verify/change anything. (Both of these examples also show some of the reasons why Today should not be a separate "Box", but just a compilation of "flagged" items from all over the place.)
fladd post on 03/27/2014 22:07#7

PRO

Thanks for the detailed explanation Folke!