This is an inventory of software which can support the standard GTD process. It’s not an exhaustive list, or the only solution. It’s just that we like these tools, have used them extensively, and understand how they can implement GTD. In some cases, the software can apply at all stages. At others, it depends on how you interpret each stage, each part of the process, and to what extent you want to do all the GTD processes within one tool. For instance, you can use Obsidian at every stage. But perhaps you want more of a focus on using KanBan, and while obsidian can do that, you prefer the way Trello implements KanBan. ![[software-for-GTD.png|Mind map of key stages and software tools supporting the GTD process]] ## Software at each stage of GTD | Software | Overall | Capture | Clarify | Organize | Reflect | Engage | | -------- | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Obsidian | | Capture ideas in notes | Clarify means making information and actions clear enough to know what to do. | Organize using kanban, action notes, tasks and dataview | Reflect using graph view | Engage using tasks | | Ayoa | Strategy, reflecting | Capture in an Ayoa mind map | Clarify by making notes in a task board, whiteboard or mind map | Organize with Ayoa task board | Reflect by reorganizing a mind map, the order of tasks, and making notes | Engage using a task board | | Trello | Projects and issues | Capture in task card comments | Clarify by arranging tasks and columns to form a logical executable pattern | Organize the kanban on boards | Reflect by making notes and comments in task cards | Engage by executing task cards and checklists | | Notion | | Capture web and other types of content | Use notes and comments anywhere within any document | Arrange data in tables, databases | Reflect using space in note body, create fields | Engage by building a custom task system, easy to check off and filter tasks. | | Todoist | Daily to do, time blocking | You can capture tasks, but Todoist not adapted to capture simple ideas. It is primarily a task organizer. | Clarify by arranging tasks into coherent project boards | Organize tasks on projects | Make notes in task comments, but todoist doesn’t offer the full note format | Engage by doing and checking off tasks | | Calendar | Hard Landscape | Capture your hard commitments and milestones | Clarify whether your time allows you to execute tasks and projects. | The calendar is the hard landscape, the context in which you execute tasks. | Reflect as to the feasibility of executing tasks against commitments | Time-block tasks against your calendar commitments | | Evernote | | Capture information from the web with chrome extension | Clarify by adding notes and annotating images, using freeform note format | Evernote now has a useful task function embedded in notes and is available as an overview | Reflect using the freeform note format | Engage by checking off tasks, but the task function is not very advanced, and does not allow much customization. | ## Management Software The following systems are included in the diagram below: [[#Odoo ERP for all formal processes]] [[Evernote to capture ideas and issues]] [[Ayoa project planner and mind mapping]] [[#Akiflow to block time and focus]] [[The Features of Trello for Planning]] [[Todoist as an effective task manager]] #Notion ![[Management Software.canvas|Canvas diagram showing management software relationships]] ![[management-software-canvas.png|Canvas of management software tools for GTD]] The associations are by no means hard and fast, just an indication of software that can be useful in the GTD process and an opportunity to expand on each. ![[Ayoa Trello and Todoist.canvas|Canvas showing relationship between Ayoa, Trello, and Todoist]] ![[ayoa-trello-todoist.png|Obsidian canvas comparing Ayoa, Trello, and Todoist features]] There is some degree of competition between Trello, Ayoa and Todoist. Ayoa is for planning. Items can be scheduled on the mid-term horizon, but it’s not so useful for everyday scheduling. The following software is suggested for use at these stages in GTD. Capture tasks and thoughts in Trello, Obsidian or Notion. Clarify thinking in Obsidian notes. Organize with Tasks plugin and Bases in Obsidian. Reflect in an Ayoa mind map or in Obsidian notes. Engage using Todoist for tasks and Odoo for transactions (orders, invoices). Hard Landscape is the Calendar. ## Productivity Software ![[productivity-software-map.png|Mind map of themes in productivity and software to be productive]] It’s a complex process. The idea is to store all that experience and then filter ideas into workable action plans. The names might change, but the functions remain. Notion might replace Evernote but the function is the same: to journal effectively, capture work experience and turn it into valuable knowledge. ## Obsidian for all of GTD *Capture and reflect*. Obsidian offers note taking, easy document storage, and content creation. But also excellent document management functions with the Dataview plugin and more. There is an Obsidian mind mapping plugin. You can link documents with a visual graph, very useful for writing and publishing. Obsidian is solid on the desktop, the phone and offline. But I like to keep my value-added content in obsidian, not the collection, which I keep in Notion. Obsidian addresses the idea of hierarchy with folders. But obsidian also allows you to have longer notes because the outline allows you to reorganize headings easily. You can find any text wherever you are, online or offline. But if you have a very large dataset in obsidian, you have to get into Dataview. Obsidian is open to the skilled developers who produce incredible plugins: mind maps, massive or focused visual views. It’s easy to write in Obsidian. But capture is not just about software. It’s about expressing and then capturing, and putting it in a place you’re going to review. Obsidian is great to reflect on specific technical issues, for instance. It’s really clear in obsidian. You know where everything is. And tasks can be embedded in the content. Obsidian is content with tasks in it. You can build project lists in obsidian. *Clarify in obsidian*. Obsidian is useful for clarifying. Because it can really put paragraphs in their place to straighten things out. Obsidian is a lot about content. ## Evernote Mainly for Capture Use [[Evernote to capture ideas and issues]], to store and recall experience and to feed into bottom-up projects. Evernote now also includes task management functions. The freeform allows you to place anything in a note. But when it comes to suppliers and customers, there is a formal set of data needed that is best structured by a relational table type database. ## Todoist mainly for Organize Todoist is good for ad hoc tasks. It’s OK for projects but things get a little confused with many levels of nesting. It’s a lightweight task manager, great to use in everyday engagement, and includes very useful Today and Upcoming views. You can slide items around easily and (above all) modify scheduled items from the (Google) calendar. The presentation is, however, rather bland, with no colour. You can’t paste images onto cards unlike in Trello. *Organize in Todoist*. Todoist is for small tasks to schedule real-time with Google Calendar and with dual-direction sync. A calendar item can be updated or added from the calendar, and updates or additions reflected in the tool. ## Trello to capture and organize [[The Features of Trello for Planning]] and allows you to capture, clarify, organize, reflect, and engage in accordance with the principles of the [[Getting Things Done (GTD) framework]]. Trello uses lists as recommended in GTD, and card header images provide an additional visual element. In Trello, you display upcoming tasks with a filtered table view. *Clarify* in Trello through comments and thoughts, to clarify what the thing is and how to move it forward. Try to make Trello embody desired outcomes. Like where you’re going? What do you want to achieve? Its themes or outcomes with actions in Trello. *Organize in Trello*. In Trello, you can model time. You can play with priorities in a Tetris-like KanBan, and you can see what feels the most important. Trello can be reviewed regularly, and you can be confident that your stuff will be there. Once you have established your areas of focus and tasks, Trello is a system that you can follow. It’s easy. It’s fun. You can use colour and pictures. Trello is fun to use, playing with time, playing with priorities. Moving things around to see what feels the most important. It’s a visual environment. It’s fun, enjoyable and reliable. Furthermore, it can do a lot of stuff. Trello calendar sync is slow, however, and you can’t change a Trello item from a synced Google Calendar. The primary quality of Trello is its reliability and fast accurate sync between platforms (mobile, desktop). ## Ayoa for most stages in GTD Ayoa’s interface is very pleasing and fun to use. ![[ayoa-canvas-view.png|Screenshot of Ayoa canvas view interface]] It’s great to be able to link tasks to a mind map, but it’s difficult to use the task board on a day-to-day basis, because the mobile app is not optimized. ![[mjl-tek-content.png|Ayoa mind map showing project planning content]] Ayoa is great to *organize* content from Evernote. You can tag notes in Evernote to send them to Ayoa, arrange and prioritize them as in the Ayoa workflow view below. ![[ayoa-workflow.png|Ayoa workflow view for organizing and prioritizing tasks]] Ayoa is great to prepare actions from a mind map on the built-in task board. - It includes mind mapping and AI. - The calendar is the key to centralizing all scheduled tasks - Ayoa calendar sync is fast. A project can be divided into categories, and arranged into a useful horizontal KanBan. Additional categories keep the number of items to a minimum or use checklists as sub-items. The task is then more akin to an objective. Ayoa is easy to use on desktop, but it’s limited on mobile. Ayoa isn’t a task leader. It’s not dynamic enough. *Reflect in Ayoa*. Ayoa is for reflecting. You can use Ayoa as a planner, to mind map, create whiteboards to organize thinking into work breakdown structures and then schedule onto a Gantt chart. In Ayoa, you can link tasks to a mind map. ![[technical-content.png|Linking tasks to a mind map in Ayoa]] Ayoa is a great system to structure ideas and thoughts into achievable tasks and schedule them into an available time slot. See an [[Ayoa project planner and mind mapping]] which is great for mind mapping and establishing a work breakdown from a mind map. ![[compare-todoist-trello-ayoa.png|Comparison chart of Todoist, Trello, and Ayoa features]] ## Notion is mostly for capture Use #Notion to capture and work with collaborative documents. Tasks are generally transient and better managed with dedicated task management software. ## Mind Mapping to Reflect and Organize Particularly useful to reflect is a mind map. Here is a mind map of the elements to consider when choosing mind mapping software. ![[mindmap-software.jpg|Mind map of the elements to consider when choosing mind mapping software]] ## Akiflow to block time and focus Use [Akiflow](https://akiflow.com/) to block time on the calendar, to focus your attention on the task at hand. ![[akiflow-today-view.png|Akiflow today view showing time-blocked tasks]] Akiflow to time block. It syncs with Notion and Todoist. ## Toggl to measure engagement Toggl is time management software useful for measuring the time spent on projects or other work. *Useful week summary* ![[toggl-useful-week-summary.png|Toggl weekly summary report]] *Useful summary by project* ![[toggl-summary-by-project.png|Toggl summary of time tracked by project]] *Useful summary of projects* ![[Toggl-summary of-projects.png|Toggl overview of tracked projects]] ## Odoo ERP for all formal processes Odoo is an open-source enterprise planning (ERP) system that provides a comprehensive solution for nearly all business processes. It includes a range of modules and applications to manage operations such as accounting, sales, purchase, inventory, human resources, marketing, and more. ![[odoo-cross-functional-ERP.png|Odoo ERP cross-functional modules overview]] Odoo provides a user-friendly interface and allows you to tailor it to your specific needs. You can start with the modules that are most relevant to them and add others later. Overall, Odoo is designed to help streamline operations, improve efficiency, and make better decisions. With its open-source architecture, flexible customization options, and integrated solutions, Odoo is a popular choice for businesses looking for a comprehensive management system. It has a user-friendly interface. For example, when creating an opportunity, you can enter a name quickly and come back to complete the detail on the customer’s record. It handles the whole workflow from order to accounts, allowing you to output a balance sheet and income statement, including a data exchange for your accountant. Odoo includes a wide range of modules and applications. Here are some of the most common ones: 1. *Accounting*: for financial operations, such as the general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, and banking. 2. *Sales*: customer relationship management (CRM), quotes, orders, and invoicing. 3. *Purchase*: purchase orders, vendor bills, and inventory. 4. *Inventory*: inventory levels, such as stock control, inventory valuation, and product tracking. 5. *Human Resources*: employee payroll and benefits. 6. *Marketing*: email marketing, leads, and segmentation. 7. *Project Management*: project planning, tasks, and project reporting. 8. *Manufacturing*: manufacturing operations, such as production planning, work orders, and bill of materials. 9. *E-commerce*: e-commerce such as online stores, payment processing, and shipping. These are just some of the modules that are commonly found in Odoo. The exact ones available vary depending on the specific version of Odoo being used. Additionally, businesses can add custom modules or develop their own to meet specific requirements. This is a typical workflow using Odoo ERP from initial customer order, through the CRM, into an order, project setup (for translation) and invoicing: ![[odoo-système-de-gestion-erp.png|Odoo ERP workflow diagram]] Odoo allows you to manage customers, orders, purchasing and billing. ![[odoo-customer-record.png|Odoo customer record interface]] You can manage your product base with variances, prices and cost. ![[odoo-products.png|Odoo product management screen]] Odoo product record: ![[odoo-product-record.png|Odoo product record details]] Odoo manages purchasing with Requests for Quotation (RFQ) ![[odoo-rfq-articles-fournisseur.png|Odoo RFQ (Request for Quotation) interface]] Odoo can manage a touch checkout on mobile and your website with a customer account. ![[odoo-caisse.png|Odoo point-of-sale (POS) checkout screen]] in short, it deals with all the administrative functions of a company. [Odoo](https://www.odoo.com/) can help you can qualify leads, convert leads to orders and orders into invoices and provides accounting and business management data. ![[odoo-evernote.png|Odoo and Evernote integration diagram]] - Odoo has a graphical kanban presentation for activities, tasks, and priorities. - Opportunities received in Gmail can be sent straight to the Odoo sales team inbox. - Odoo timesheets are for customer work (production) and for projects. Odoo is a good fit because: - There is a single flow from opportunities to invoices - It functions well on desktop and on mobile. - It has an online customer and supplier account portal. The classic kanban is shown here in Odoo. You can easily slide the blocks (actions) from column to column, organized by (GTD) horizon. ![[odoo-kanban-view.png|Odoo Kanban view for task management]] Odoo is interesting for planning: - Capture is easy on a task, which can include subtasks. - In Odoo Gantt view, you can drag a period first, then choose a task. - Can’t sync activities to the calendar. - But tasks are scheduled on project tasks. ![[odoo activities scheduled on tasks.png|Odoo scheduling activities on project tasks]] You can get an overview of tasks planned for a project on the Gantt. ![[odoo-gannt.png|Odoo Gantt chart for project planning]] When you get an order, ensure that it has sufficient priority (top priority) overall. To deliver on time, measure production rate, and to use as an input into estimates. This allows you to estimate how much time an order will take and is part of the agreement with the customer on delivery timescales. Use Odoo to establish estimates and orders and output turnover, costs and margins, end of year accounts and breakdowns of costs by category. - Odoo tracks invoices and monies owed and therefore helps to follow up late payments. - Odoo is used for operations, from leads to orders and invoices to accounting. - Odoo is the formal system to manage opportunities and orders and much more. ![[odoo-task-planner.png|Odoo task planner interface]] There are many ways to build a management system: either an integrated system like Odoo or separate software modules that clip together and exchange data. ## Summary of GTD software It is difficult to find one perfect system and it may take some time to adapt to a new system and find all the functionality that you need. I guess all software editors would like to have the perfect tool, the perfect trusted system. For this to be the case, the system needs to be functional and yet available and synced on all platforms. You could use just one system, or at least fewer systems, and put up with the inconvenience of not having all the desired functionality. Everyone has their idea of the functional scope to include in their system. For now, it is up to us to make the best of the tools available. This is an alternative workflow for the Trusted System using Gmail, Sortd, Todoist, Access, Evernote and Ayoa, Essentially, the idea is to - bring in requests (for work) into Gmail, - sort email with Sortd for Chrome, - manage and ad hoc tasks in #Todoist - brainstorm and plan strategy in #Ayoa. ## GTD System with Evernote, Ayoa, Access Below is the sequence diagram for a trusted management system, including Gmail, Sortd, Todoist, a custom order and project management database (in Access), Evernote and Ayoa. ![[trusted system sequence.png|Sequence diagram of trusted management system workflow]] The following diagram lays out the functional relationships in a configuration using Sortd, Todoist, Ayoa, Evernote and Access. ![[my-trusted-information-system.png|Diagram of trusted information system components]] Software is there to protect the plan, intertwine it with reality, objectives, dreams, and desired outcomes. ![[Trusted Systems.png|Trusted systems diagram showing software integration]] Todoist, Ayoa, Sortd, and mind maps can help fulfil the [[Plan Do Check Assess cycle]] in terms of planning, doing, and assessing next actions. This following configuration implements the GTD idea of the Trusted System. ![[Trusted System Flows.png|Diagram of trusted system flows for GTD]] ## Summary These are the functions of each module and how it meets the requirements. **Sortd** is a useful overlay to qualify emails into actions, opportunities, etc. **Evernote,** surrounded by Ayoa, Todoist, Sortd is great for audio journalling, content creation and links to Ayoa for planning [[Todoist as an effective task manager]] and is fast and lightweight [[Ayoa project planner and mind mapping]] is a great content planner. **Quickbooks** provides valuable financial indicators for the GTD Review **Access** manages translation projects and measures data for the GTD review.