So if you are an OmniFocus user who doesn’t currently utilize some form of Today Dashboard, I urge you to set one up and just go play with it, see how it works for you and what you need to do to make it work for you. You’ll notice the change in your output very quickly.
For your convenience, the Omni Automation plug-ins (actions) contained in this website’s documentation for OmniFocus are listed here. All plug-ins are fully documented on their “More info…” links, and are completely user-editable, should you wish to make changes or alterations.
Installing the Plug-Ins
- May 17, 2019 Now in version 3, OmniFocus is a powerful, albeit pricey, to-do app for Mac and iOS, and a good option as long as you're working solo. It's well suited for people who follow GTD, too.
- Automating OmniFocus 3 with Launch Center Pro 3 – Learn OmniFocus; Efficient iOS Capture into OmniFocus using Drafts 5 – Learn OmniFocus; Guided MindDump Shortcut – This Shortcut for iOS prompts you for triggers you have set up to help you remember tasks to add to your OmniFocus. I find this makes it much easier for me to capture those.
- Learn OmniFocus is an online resource dedicated to supporting you in living a fulfilling, productive life.with some help from OmniFocus, the premiere personal task manager for Mac and iOS.
- Aug 16, 2019 OmniFocus is very good at getting things into your inbox, whether it be on iOS or macOS. On iOS it simply has a share sheet item that can save pretty much anything from a file to a website. It's a little less universal on the Mac, but there is a Chrome extension, as well as a system share extension for Safari and other native Mac apps.
Detailed instructions regarding the installation and removal of plug-ins is available in the Plug-Ins documentation. Other related Plug-In Links: Automation Controls • Edit Plug-Ins • Assign Keyboard Shortcuts
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APPLICATION
Omni Automation Website
This action will display a form from which you can choose which page in the OmniFocus section to display. Such as: Plug-In Collection, Action Templates, etc.
PROJECT
Create Packing List for Trip
Action uses Forms to present input controls for creating and displaying a packing list based on title and date parameters entered by the user.
PROJECT
Sort Non-Sequential Project Tasks by Name
This action will alphabetically sort the tasks of the selected non-sequential project.
TASK
Copy Tags Between Selected Tasks
This plug-in copies the tags of a chosen task to the other selected tasks selected in the OmniFocus window.
PROJECT/TASK
Adopt Tags from Tag Groups
This action plug-in will “adopt” the tags contained in tag groups that are assigned to the selected task or project.
APPLICATION
Tag Check
This action plug-in will select all tags whose name matches the provided title. If the tag is not found, an option to create and reveal it will be offered.
TASK
Clear Tags from Selected Tasks
This action will clear all tags assigned to the selected tasks.
PROJECT
Clear Tags from Selected Projects
This action will clear all tags assigned to the selected projects.
APPLICATION
Import Tags from File
This action will convert the paragraphs of the chosen text file into OmniFocus tags.
Omnifocus Youtube Video
TASK
Display Parent Project of Selected Task
This action will focus the display of the parent project of the selected task.
PROJECT
Move Selected Projects into New Folder
Plug-in will move the selected projects into a folder created using the user-provided name. Option to ensure that folder name be unique.
TASK
Move Selected Tasks into New Project
Here’s an action plug-in that will move the selected tasks into a new project created using the user-provided name.
TASK
Move Selected Tasks into New Action Group
Move the selected tasks into a new top-level action group.
TASK
Duplicate Selected Tasks
This action will duplicate the selected tasks in their parent container.
TASK
Duplicate Selected Tasks and Set New Due Date
This action will duplicate the selected tasks in their parent container, and assign the user-provided date as the due date.
TASK
Tag Tasks whose Notes Contain…
This action will add the provided tag to every task whose note field contains the provided string.
TASK
Send Task Link
Here’s an example action plug-in that creates a new mail message containing a OmniFocus URL for generating a copy of the selected task.
APPLICATION
Send Database Backup
This action will add a copy of the OmniFocus database to a new outgoing mail message.
PROJECT/TASK
Open Project|Action Note URL
This action will open the URL string that is the value of the note of the selected action.
TASK
Delete All Tasks Tagged with Tag
This action will delete all tasks that have been tagged with the specified tag.
TASK
Set Time Zone Type for All Tasks
Converts the time zone type for all tasks to the chosen type.
TASK
Copy Selected OmniFocus Tasks to OmniPlan
This action creates copies of the selected OmniFocus tasks in the current OmniPlan project.
PROJECT
Push-Out Project Due Date
Will add specified number of days to due date of selected projects. If project has no due date, target date will be based upon today.
TASK
iCal File for Task
This action will create an iCal (ics) file matching the parameters of the currently selected task.
APPLICATION
Import TaskPaper Document
This action will import the contents of the chosen TaskPaper document.
APPLICATION
Import Chosen TaskPaper into Selected Folder
This action will import the contents of the chosen TaskPaper document into the selected folder.
PROJECT
Export Selected Projects to TaskPaper File
(macOS) This action will export plain-text descriptions of the selected projects to a new TaskPaper document.
TASK
New Link-Back Task
Creates a new task in the Inbox with a link to the selected task placed in the notes of the new task.
TASK
Repeating Task Rule Info
This action will display an alert showing the ICS rule string and repetition method of the selected project or task.
TASK
Add Chosen Files to Task
This action will add chosen files as attachments to the selected task.
TASK
Add Chosen Files to Task as Links
This action will add chosen files as file links to the selected task.
TASK
Export All Task Attachments
This action will export all of the attachments of the selected tasks into a new folder placed in a user-chosen directory.
APPLICATION
Add Today’s Forecast
Creates a new window (tab on macOS) displaying the forecast for the current day.
APPLICATION
Add 7-Day Forecast
Creates a new window (tab on macOS) displaying the forecast for the next seven days.
TASK
Tasks to Projects
Convert the selected tasks into projects placed at either the beginning or ending of the library, or in a new folder placed at the beginning or ending of the library.
APPLICATION
Add Chosen Perspective
This action will open a new tab (macOS) or new window (iOS or iPadOS) displaying the chosen perspective.
TASK
Copy Plaintext & Delete
Omnifocus Youtube
Copy a plaintext list of task titles and delete the selected tasks.
TASK
Complete and Await Reply
Mark the currently selected task as complete and add a new task to await the reply.
APPLICATION
Select All Items in View
This action will select all of the tasks and/or projects in the current content view. (macOS only)
PROJECT
Push Out All Deferred Projects
This action will push out all deferred projects the entered number of days.
APPLICATION
Delete All Unused Tags
This action will delete all tags that have not been associated with items.
TASK
Append to Note
(v3.8.2+) This action will append the provided text (and optional date/time stamp) to the end of the note of the selected task.
TASK
Assign Tags to Tasks
(iPadOS/iOS) This action will display a list of all tags (sorted), any or all of which may selected to be assigned to the selected tasks.
APPLICATION
Eisenhower Matrix (tags)
The Eisenhower Matrix as a set of 4 plug-ins perfect for the assignment of keyboard shortcuts. Tag selected projects and/or tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix from the keyboard!
TASK
Note to File
This action will save the note text of the selected task to a file.
TASK
Note to Email
This action will add the note text of the selected task to a new outgoing mail message.
APPLICATION
Export Custom Perspective (v3.9)
Exports the chosen custom perspective to file.
APPLICATION
eMail Custom Perspective (v3.9)
Creates a new outgoing mail message with the chosen custom perspective.
APPLICATION
Share Clipboard Text
Here’s a useful plug-in that summons the system Share Panel to share the current text contents of the clipboard.
TEMPLATE
New Task with Tasks
This plug-in creates a new task with the specified sub-tasks. Empty fields will be ignored.
TASK
Add Call Task
This plug-in will create a new task with a call link in its notes.
TASK
Add FaceTime Task
This plug-in will create a new task with a FaceTime call link in its notes. Option to make FaceTime Audio call.
TAG
Toggle Tag Status
This plug-in will toggle the status of the selected tag between active and on-hold. The status of any child tags will changed as well.
PASTEBOARD
Clipboard Objects to Markdown
Converts the OmniFocus objects currently copied to the clipboard, into a series of markdown text links, replacing the current clipboard contents with the markdown text.
PASTEBOARD
Clipboard to New Bear Note
Creates a new note in the Bear app with the text contents of the OmniFocus pasteboard.
TEMPLATE
New Project with Tasks
Creates a new project containing the specified tasks.
PASTEBOARD
Sort Active Tasks by Creation
Places on the clipboard a list of Markdown links to all active tasks sorted by creation date. Works with “Clipboard to New Bear Note”
PROJECT
Focused Outline Items to New Project
Create a new OmniFocus project containing the focused OmniOutliner items as tasks.
PASTEBOARD
Clipboard Text to Drafts
Omnifocus Youtube Downloader
Creates a new draft in the Drafts app with the text contents of the OmniFocus pasteboard.
Omnifocus Youtube Channel
EXPORT
Export Contents to Drafts TaskPaper
This plug-in creates a new note in the Drafts app with the displayed contents expressed in TaskPaper format.
TASK MANAGEMENT
Kanban Board
A plug-in for creating and maintaining a tag-based Kanban Board in OmniFocus where the Kanban categories are displayed as stack of horizontal sections.
NAVIGATION
Show 1st Active Forecast Day
Selects the first forecast day in the Forecast perspective that has a positive badge count.
TRAINING
Learn OmniFocus Website
Provides a menu for quickly accessing resources on the Learn OmniFocus website.
IMPORT
Import TaskPaper Template
Presents a menu of the TaskPaper files stored in iCloud > OmniFocus > TaskPaper Templates folder. Chosen template will be imported.
ADJUST
Task Date Controls
A bundle plug-in providing actions for quickly changing defer and due dates of selected tasks.
TASK
Quick Appointment
Presents an interface for quickly creating an appointment task.
TASK
Add Standard Notifications
Replaces existing notifications of the selected task with: day before task due date/time; morning of task due date/time; and hour before task due date/time.
TASK
Process Inbox (Scotty Jackson)
Based upon a concept by Scotty Jackson, this plug-in will iterate each inbox task prompting the user to choose a set of procedures to apply to the iterated task.
- If you have attended my workshop on OmniFocus then I hope the following resources will be useful to you!
Inside OmniFocus – this blog is run by OmniGroup and showcases workflows in OmniFocus across the three platforms, you’ll also find two articles by me:
Learn OmniFocus – a great resource created by the lovely Tim Stringer. As well as many workflow videos there are also dives into how to use other applications with OmniFocus, as well videos on how to manage specific areas of your life with OmniFocus. I have created several videos for Tim:
Guided MindDump Shortcut – This Shortcut for iOS prompts you for triggers you have set up to help you remember tasks to add to your OmniFocus. I find this makes it much easier for me to capture those tasks that I might otherwise forget.
Build Your OmniFocus Workflow – This is the book I wrote with the wonderful Ryan Dobson on creating a setup in OmniFocus that works for you. Actiontec gateway driver.