Alternative to Outlook, mission management, time management, smart organizer software, to-do checklist, PIM, process supervisor, project supervisor, personal info manager
Article Physique:
LeaderTask - Alternative to Outlook!
I as soon as requested a pal of mine what is the finest organizer? He stated, “Microsoft Outlook, of course”. Then he thought a bit and added, “The preferred one, anyway.” But reputation is just not the important thing challenge for me. And since I’ve to write down (or take into accout) quite a bit in my work, I made a decision to take it extra seriously. I have studied lots organizers and schedulers. LeaderTask from the Almeza firm has turned out to be probably the most acceptable and handy one for me. I can’t compare it with all organizers, but only with the most popular one – Microsoft Outlook. No doubt Microsoft Outlook is a high-high quality software program product, but LeaderTask outdoes it in some things. Though Outlook is best in some other things. I’ll enumerate all these parameters on this article. So…
LeaderTask advantages.
1. Separate object groups.
There are different types of objects outlined in LeaderTask. These embody: projects, duties, notes.
Initiatives in LeaderTask mean those things that have time limits. Something specific outcomes from a venture being completed.
A task in LeaderTask is the description of what should be executed with a purpose to complete a project (project steps).
Notes are chaotic information that can be assigned to projects and separate duties (they could additionally deal with a contact/category/time, etc.). Notes function a convenient device for taking down separate ideas that may be useful for completing a mission or a task.
A venture could include a number of tasks. For example, the “Writing an article” project could include the next: “Studying supplies”, “Writing a draft”, “Sending it to the editor”, “Correcting the article”. The result of the venture is an article. That is, something large is split into smaller components, which could be very handy to use.
Moreover, each challenge has the following properties: a name, a gaggle (logical, the one the challenge belongs to), a contact (the list of challenge contributors), a time period (the time the challenge can be accomplished within), notes (feedback to the mission). You may filter duties by these properties (single out tasks from the listing of tasks). I’ll dwell on filtering a bit later.
Every task can contain subtasks. For instance, the “Finding out materials” process may include the following subtasks: “Visit the library”, “View data on the website”, “View advertising supplies”. Any activity has parameters (tags) that can be additionally used for filtering. These include: “Tasks”, “Contacts”, “Categories”, “Calendar”.
Outlook has nothing like this - no different types of objects are defined in it. There aren’t any separate initiatives, tasks, notes – there are solely equal tasks. It implies that notes (occasional ideas) shall be in one checklist, which is able to make trying to find a particular notice afterwards extra difficult. It’s fully unacceptable for a person who values time.
2. Tree-like tasks.
Duties in LeaderTask are organized within the type of a tree, which is achieved as a result of job hierarchy (splitting duties into subtasks). It allows you to classify tasks, combine them into one undertaking (or into a job of a higher stage). This manner you get duties that aren’t scatterred, however strictly structured. The tree-like construction lets you see the heirarchy and perceive what duties belong to what at any time. It reminds the tree of folders and files in the operating system. It’s rather more handy to keep duties this manner (since you’re quite used to it). Besides, these hierarchies can have as a lot levels as you need.
The tree-like structure lets you:
See all duties without delay;
Type tasks. You may kind duties by any property (important/unimportant, personal/business, etc.);
Group tasks. You can group tasks by standards (either by one or by a number of criteria without delay). Criteria embrace: challenge, time, class, contact;
Use the “Periodic Activity” possibility permitting you to finish duties which will occur at certain intervals;
Customise the settings. It’s potential to customise the duty tree the best way that suits you greatest;
Disguise accomplished tasks. You may show (or cover) accomplished duties at any time. Which is also very convenient and permits you not to concentrate to duties which might be already completed.
Tasks will not be organized as a tree in Outlook. It has one degree only. All tasks are organized in one checklist, there is no embedment, which makes it sometimes tough to make out what a specific tasks belongs to. It’s as if all information on the computer had been situated in one huge folder. It is extremely inconvenient.
3. Versatile interface customization.
It’s possible to flexibly customise interface in LeaderTask (as in many fashionable packages). Any person can customize duties to be displayed in the best way he finds convenient. The following objects can be used to attain it.
Floating panels. All panels in LeaderTask are floating – they can be dragged to any a part of the primary window. The user can set the panel dimension, set its position and kind, specify how many panels ought to be displayed at a time. Apart from, every panel has thee buttons in the fitting nook of its title bar. They permit you to maximize the panel (inside the main window of this system), activate popup mode for the panel (the panel will slide out while you move the mouse pointer over it), shut the panel.
Highlighting. Each person can spotlight task tabs in a particular colour with the intention to see higher in the process tree. Highligting is a perfect instrument for marking a very powerful duties, pressing duties or duties you will need to not postpone or forget about. An important activity that is not highlighted could get lost among different tasks. LeaderTask permits you to avoid it. It appears as if nothing special, but highlighting in different colours is a very useful gizmo for planning your duties right.
Skins. LeaderTask supports all types of skins, among which any user will be capable of choose the one which suits him best.
Fonts. LeaderTask helps all types of fonts. You should utilize it to spotlight various duties in the record as well.
It is attainable to partially customize the interface in Outlook (however it is no so easy to do it). Specifically, panels are static in Outlook (they aren’t floating) and it’s also impossible to highlight particular tasks in several colours in Outlook.
4. Structuring tasks.
That’s where LeaderTask is completely incomparable - it offers extremely vast options for structuring tasks. To start with, it’s structuring duties by initiatives and subtasks (what I discussed above). Apart from, it is attainable to structure tasks by classes, by deadlines, by priority, by contacts.
A very powerful factor in LeasderTask is structuring tasks by priority. Priorities are organized into a library of priorities which you could cusotmize in order that it meets your needs. Tasks structured by priorities allow you to single out crucial tasks amongst all other tasks and full them first.
Duties aren’t structured in Outlook. All tasks are displayed in a single record where it is reall difficult to make something out.
5. Clear view.
One of the main advantages in LeaderTask is a clear view of duties (particularly on the “At this time” panel). Along with the task tree and highlighting, it’s achieved by the following:
Tabs. Multiple duties are grouped with the help of tabs in the “Tasks” panel. Any gadgets in the “Navigator” panels can be utilized as these tabs. Most frequently, they’re projects. Using tabs may be very convenient. For example, there are two projects: “Writing an article” and “Design improvement”. And these tasks embody loads of tasks. To not view tasks from both projects directly, you need to click the corresponding project tab and the “Duties” panel will show duties of one venture solely (for example, these from “Writing an article”).
Filters. It allows you to view information by certain chosen parameters. Parameters (standards) are set whenever you create data: process begin time, accountable individual, physical locations where the task is accomplished and others. It means that filtering lets you choose records (from different projects) amongst all created information by sure criteria. This feature seemed the most precise one to me because it gives huge alternatives in selecting what is required in the meanwhile accoding to some occasion from the complete list.
There isn’t a clear view in Outlook. And much more – viewing duties is made as difficult as possible. As I discussed before, all duties and notes are displayed in a single list. There are not any timber, no highlighting, no tabs and only easy filtering (you can’t create customized filters).
6. Differentiated tasks.
LeaderTask lets you plan your activity assigning duties to a sure context. Context means circumstances that go well with best for completing a activity (for example, “in office”, “at home”, “at a conema” and others). Additionally, it is possible to single out tasks by parameters and attributes set for them. For example, by projects, by contacts, by precedence, by urgency and by others. In different words, LeaderTask considers the same tasks with completely different attributes as different tasks (which they are).
Tasks aren’t differentiated in Outlook. All duties are equal. That is in all probability the reason why it does not have such useful options as bushes, filtering and others…
Microsoft Outlook advantages.
1. Knowledge synchronization.
Microsoft Outlook (to be exact, numerous add-ins each from Microsoft and from third events) allows you to synchronize your knowledge on the computer with knowledge on different gadgets, equivalent to cell telephones, pocket PCs, etc.
There isn’t a such information synchronization in LeaderTask. It needs to be mentioned that LeaderTask just isn’t assigned to any system during its set up – you can store it, for instance, on a flash drive and apply it to totally different computers. It is a bit of excuse.
2. Knowledge import and export.
Microsoft Outlook has automated data impot and export. You’ll be able to import quite a lot of gadgets: address books, e-mail messages, account settings, etc. You can even export this information into various codecs which can be most handy for importing by different programs. In addition to, there are special add-ins enhancing the data import and export features.
I couldn’t find data import and export in LeaderTask.
Summary.
These are the principle advantages and downsides of LeaderTask. Since I plan my time only utilizing the pc and solely in LeaderTask, I don’t have to import, export and synchronize data. However, after all, it’s no excuse for its drawbacks. In all probability, they will be fixed soon. And in the event that they do it, LeaderTask will turn out to be the very best organizer ever. And there is no doubt that they are going to do it taking into account how thoughful software program developers from Almeza are about their software program making it snug, interesting and functional. Most likely, knowledge import, export and synchronization are solely a question of time.
All that may be even applied already within the present model of the program – all of it depends upon if you find yourself studying this article…
LeaderTask is an ideal alternative for everybody who’s on the lookout for an alternative choice to Outlook!
Download the free trial vesion of the LeaderTask organizer
http://www.leadertask.com/obtain/leader.exe
LeaderTask organizer homepage
http://www.leadertask.com/
LeaderTask assist forum
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