Advanced Reminders for iOS and macOS

[GGJstudios]

I’m looking for a more advanced alternative to the Reminders app on iOS and macOS.

Specifically, I’d like to be able to create and save a series of reminders and than schedule that series with one action. Each time an event happens, I want to be reminded to make a series of follow-up calls or emails related to that event, such as:

• 1 week: call
• 2 weeks: email
• 1 month: call
• 3 months: email
• 6 months: email

I’d then like to schedule that same series of events whenever needed, without having to manually create 5 separate reminders. Naturally, I'd like the reminders to sync between my devices. Any suggestions?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Things3 can do what you are looking for, and comes with a 15 day free trial.

 

[GGJstudios]

Things3 can do what you are looking for, and comes with a 15 day free trial.

Thank you for the suggestion. I've been reading through their support material but I can't find where it can do what I'm looking for. $80 is a bit much if I want to use it on my Mac, iPhone and iPad, but if it does what I need, I'd consider it. I'll keep looking for alternatives, unless you can point me to how to create a re-useable series of reminders. Do you use the app?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thank you for the suggestion. I've been reading through their support material but I can't find where it can do what I'm looking for. $80 is a bit much if I want to use it on my Mac, iPhone and iPad, but if it does what I need, I'd consider it. I'll keep looking for alternatives, unless you can point me to how to create a re-useable series of reminders. Do you use the app?

I use the app.

Take a look at this link. It will give you a better idea if Things3 will meet your need.

 

[GGJstudios]

I use the app.

Take a look at this link. It will give you a better idea if Things3 will meet your need.

Thank you. If I understand it correctly, it appears that only allows you to set repeating reminders for the same to-do item. I'm looking for a series of to-dos, which may be different, such as phone calls, emails, text messages, reports, meetings. They would occur at some interval (days, weeks, months, years) from the first item on the list.

For example:

Reminder series:

1. Follow up phone call, set for day 1.
2. Follow up phone call, one week later.
3. Follow up email, 2 weeks later.
4. Follow up phone call, one month from day 1.
5. Call to schedule a meeting, 2 months from day 1.
6. Follow up email, 3 months from day 1.
7. Send report, 3 months from day 1.

I'd like to save that series of reminders, then schedule it for today with Bob Jones, which would drop 7 to-dos on my reminder list beginning with today, for a follow up campaign with Bob Jones. Then 2 days from now, I'd like to drop the same series of reminders for Mark Smith, creating 7 new to-dos for following up with Mark. Etc. Does that make sense?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thank you. If I understand it correctly, it appears that only allows you to set repeating reminders for the same to-do item. I'm looking for a series of to-dos, which may be different, such as phone calls, emails, text messages, reports, meetings. They would occur at some interval (days, weeks, months, years) from the first item on the list.

For example:

Reminder series:

1. Follow up phone call, set for day 1.
2. Follow up phone call, one week later.
3. Follow up email, 2 weeks later.
4. Follow up phone call, one month from day 1.
5. Call to schedule a meeting, 2 months from day 1.
6. Follow up email, 3 months from day 1.
7. Send report, 3 months from day 1.

I'd like to save that series of reminders, then schedule it for today with Bob Jones, which would drop 7 to-dos on my reminder list beginning with today, for a follow up campaign with Bob Jones. Then 2 days from now, I'd like to drop the same series of reminders for Mark Smith, creating 7 new to-dos for following up with Mark. Etc. Does that make sense?

Makes sense. And if I understand correctly, you would need to set up a separate list for each client, in order to have it trigger the specific time frames.

Omni Focus is another powerful app that may be a little more to your liking.

 

[GGJstudios]

Makes sense. And if I understand correctly, you would need to set up a separate list for each client, in order to have it trigger the specific time frames.

Yes, I would want to create a duplicate list of these tasks for each client, with the same time frames, but a different starting day.

Omni Focus is another powerful app that may be a little more to your liking.

Thank you! I'll check it out.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Couldn't this be done with a Shortcut and iOS Reminders?

You'd have "Text" with "Ask when Run" (where, for example, when the Shortcut runs you'd type something like "Bob Smith, re:Widget Project")

then

"Add New Reminder" with the title "Call [Text]", and below that, Remind "At Time" you'd enter "in 1 day"

So, when you run this Shortcut and enter the text it would create a reminder for tomorrow to "Call Bob Smith, re: Widget Project".

If you add another "Add New Reminder" under the first one with the parameters of the 2nd reminder you desire, then when you run the Shortcut both reminders will be created.

So, for your seven reminder series the Shortcut would contain one "Text" entry and seven of the "Add New Reminder" steps.

 

[GGJstudios]

Couldn't this be done with a Shortcut and iOS Reminders?

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll experiment with it.