Greetings.

In pondering why I am currently dissatisfied with my current data collection methods (mostly Evernote) I've realized my issue is that I'm looking for more of an electronic tickler file.
Essentially, I'm looking for something that can remind me to look at certain data I've collected at a later.

For example, I'm a freelance journalist and one magazine I write for sends me their editorial calendar as a spreadsheet which lists upcoming theme issues and the deadline to submit story proposals. I'd like something that I can easily put the spreadsheet in and quickly set an alarm to remind me at a certain data that I need to come up with a brilliant idea before the deadline.

Zoot seems best suited for the task, but I can't seem to get the spreadsheet into it without mangling it. Evernote keeps it looking correct if I copy and paste (though I can't just drag and drop, seems storing spreadsheets requires a premium account even though older versions had this capability...and I'm just not read to commit to the software as a service model yet) but it doesn't have any kind of alarm feature.

So, is there anything like this?

Bob,

Can't you just take the dates from the spreadsheet and enter them into a calendar program with alarms? Given your brief description, I am not certain of the value of having the spreadsheet itself (since I do not know it contents) attached to the alram or alarms.

--Ken

Along with dates, it lists the topics in a separate cell and a longer description in another.

Ken wrote:

Bob,

Can't you just take the dates from the spreadsheet and enter them into a
calendar program with alarms? Given your brief description, I am not certain of the
value of having the spreadsheet itself (since I do not know it contents) attached to
the alram or alarms.

--Ken

Bob,

You might want to look at Smartsheet. They used to have a free version, but I think that is no longer offered. I believe that you can attach reminders to specific lines in a spreadsheet. Take a look and see if it will work. I liked the program a lot. Its just that their new pricing model is too expensive for me.

--Ken

Bob,

Maybe I don't understand your needs, but why do you need to save the spreadsheet's contents into another program? Presuming they email it to you, I'd just save a copy into a folder.

After that I think you just need a decent alarm program (I use Kirby Alarm Pro - http://www.kirbyfooty.com/product-kirbyalarm.php

At the set time, the alarm can: launch a file (e.g. your spreadsheet), run a program (with parameters), open a web page, display a message etc etc. Kirby has countless options, and I'm sure there are many similar programs.

It's not just the dates but the extra info which wouldn't fit well in a standard calendar (in my case, GCal, which also syncs to my Blackberry which I don't want stuffed with "look at this file" appointments)

Also, the spreadsheet was only one example. There's cases where I come across information that might not be relevant for a year. I imagine Zoot would work for that, but I was hoping for one place cram everything, including those spreadsheets.

Really just wondering what's out there

JohnK wrote:

Bob,

Maybe I don't understand your needs, but why do you need to save the
spreadsheet's contents into another program? Presuming they email it to you, I'd
just save a copy into a folder.

After that I think you just need a decent alarm program
(I use Kirby Alarm Pro - http://www.kirbyfooty.com/product-kirbyalarm.php


At the set time, the alarm can: launch a file (e.g. your spreadsheet), run a program
(with parameters), open a web page, display a message etc etc. Kirby has countless
options, and I'm sure there are many similar programs.

You can still use Zoot. Just save the spreadsheet in a reasonable place, then create a note in Zoot that is attached to the spreadsheet file and set an alarm on the note. When you open the note, you'll automatically open the file. I find Zoot is particularly good at doing ticklers.

Steve

Actually, a little correction to what I wrote here. I just tried my technique and it looks as if the attached file does not automatically open when you open the note, but you can easily open the file by double-clicking the link or using the open link command.

Steve Z.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

You can still use Zoot. Just save the spreadsheet in a reasonable place, then create a
note in Zoot that is attached to the spreadsheet file and set an alarm on the note. When
you open the note, you'll automatically open the file. I find Zoot is particularly
good at doing ticklers.

Steve

I use UltraRecall for my data collection tool as well as for a todo list and project management. I set up a GTD like system.

This is how I handle tickler items-
I drag and drop the tickler item into UR, then
I create a task that automatically appears in my todo/NextActions list at the date/time specified and I link the task to the saved tickler item(drag/drop).

I have also used Zoot to do this but not in the most recent version... someone very soon will tell you that this can be done in IQ. I think having a data collection system with management capabilities is best but will require some time and effort to master. Pick one and learn it well.

$Bill wrote:

I use UltraRecall for my data collection tool as well as for a todo list and project
management. I set up a GTD like system.

This is how I handle tickler items-
I drag and
drop the tickler item into UR, then
I create a task that automatically appears in my
todo/NextActions list at the date/time specified and I link the task to the saved
tickler item(drag/drop).

I have also used Zoot to do this but not in the most recent
version... someone very soon will tell you that this can be done in IQ. I think having a
data collection system with management capabilities is best but will require some
time and effort to master. Pick one and learn it well.

You're probably correct. Since signing up for the forum, I've downloaded the trials for most of the software that gets raved about here and almost all of them have serious learning curves. The power is clearly there, it's just a matter of investing some serious time into making it do what I want...but of course, there's just that, time (I still haven't figured out Office 2007 yet...)

To think, I found this forum while trying to find a good WRITING outliner, nothing more and then learn about all this other crazy stuff.

there is no way back now, once you start with some PIM you'll wonder how could you do without it ...


shatteredmindofbob wrote:

I found this forum while trying to find a good WRITING outliner, nothing more and then learn about all this other crazy stuff.

This really sounds to me like something for a calendar program. Which email program do you use? Most support attachments and, of course, alarms. Indeed, that is the way that I do it.

Tom S.

My apologies. I didn't see the other replies until it was too late.

Tom S.