Task Management is Hard
OmniFocus Can Make A Difference.
Version 4.0, May 2024
The OmniFocus Field Guide is a video course that takes you, soup to nuts, through the Omni Group's supremely bad-ass task manager. It can turn an OmniFocus novice into a task-managing ninja.
This course includes 92 videos totaling over seven hours of content.
OmniFocus and Me Go Way Back
I started using OmniFocus in its earliest beta releases over 15 years ago. With OmniFocus, The Omni Group built a task manager that can grow and adjust to your needs. Over the years, I've used the application as a trial lawyer, a professional nerd, and a dad, all to great satisfaction and effect.
In this extended Field Guide, my goal is drop all my OmniFocus wisdom on you so you can hit the ground running.
The OmniFocus 4 Field Guide
- 92 Training Videos
- Over 7 Hours of Content
- With this Plus Edition, you also get an additional 6-part webinar series with more depth, explanation, guests, and group participation. (All webinars are recorded and added to the course once edited.)
- An in-depth guide into one of the most powerful task manager on the market.
- Captioning in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese Simplified, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Hebrew and Arabic.
Plus Edition Content
In addition to the video content, with the Plus Edition, you get:
A 6-part Webinar Series
1. Modern Task Management Concepts
2. Even More Perspectives
3. Task Management Systems and Strategy
4. Going Deeper with Automation
5. Using OmniFocus with External Apps and Analog Tools
6. Questions and Answers
All webinars are recorded and added to the course once edited.
OmniFocus 4 Field Guide • Sample Video
Want to check out 44 minutes of the course? Here you go.
Course Outline
Introduction and Overview
Learn what makes OmniFocus unique and find out how to download and install the apps on the various platforms. You also get a basic overview of how the apps work on the Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
Syncing OmniFocus
This section also demonstrates how to set up the OmniSync Service.
Capture
Emptying your brain into your task manager should be fast and efficient. OmniFocus is both of these things. In this section, you learn how to quickly capture tasks using your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Process
This is the meat and potatoes of OmniFocus. This section teaches you how to set up projects and contexts along with their different types and flavors. There is also an extensive explanation of defer until and due dates, as well as tutorials on how you can use OmniFocus to put these tools to use. You also see how I make rational use of flags and how to set repeating tasks. There is also a lot of content on how tags work and the best implementation strategies for their use.
Perspectives
This section is all about Perspectives OmniFocus. Understanding how the built-in perspectives work—and how to roll your own—will make all the difference in your OmniFocus ninja-hood. This portion of the course walks you through it step by step. Once you figure out how to create custom Perspectives, you'll wonder how you got by without them. This section also explains how to use the built-in Forecast feature to get ahead of the curve and plan your days out into the future.
Action
Next, you learn about how to crank through your days and complete your tasks. This section has practical advice about ensuring you spend your time completing tasks and not fiddling with OmniFocus. Once you've got the process sorted, action will be where you get things done, and it will feel great.
Review
Adding a regular review practice to your projects and tasks can make a huge difference in your productivity (and sanity). OmniFocus supports this, and this section teaches you how to do a thorough review, along with some common-sense tips for everyday use.
OmniFocus for the Web
OmniFocus now also has a web version. Learn how to set it up and how to work with in OmniFocus from any web browser, whether you’re on a Mac or Windows computer.
OmniFocus on Vision Pro
OmniFocus also has a native app on Vision Pro. Learn how it works and how to get the most out of it.
Settings and Interface
Learn how to customize OmniFocus to work and look how you want it to.
Automation
OmniFocus has some mighty automation chops if you know how to use them. In this section you learn about automation through text, Siri Shortcuts, and I also give you a mini-course on creating project templates using Shortcuts alongside OmniFocus.
The Apple Watch
OmniFocus has an impressive and well-designed Apple Watch application. Learn how to make the best out of it.
Systems
OmniFocus has a lot of power—so much so that there are many different ways to harness it. In this section, I cover several of the best systems for managing your tasks in OmniFocus.
Webinar Series
This course wraps up with further discussion about advanced task management concepts like how to deal with too many projects and tasks, the relationship between managing tasks and creativity, and the difference between your internal manager and your internal maker. All webinars are recorded and added to the course once edited.
Praise for the OmniFocus 4 Field Guide
"I've been using Omnifocus for ages, and I learned some very useful tricks to make it work harder for me. I love the way David talks about real-life use cases for the features and how to use it to help you not just get more done, but get the right things done. My favourite things are the sample scripts / shortcuts and the detailed walk-throughs - I came away with ideas to tweak it for my own use-cases AND the skills to do so. Equal favourite is the way to make this work with links so you avoid distraction and go to exactly where you need to be. OF + this Field Guide = Superpowers. If you want to use OF to organise your life a single place then you need this Field Guide."
- Debra H.
"As a long time user of Omnifocus, I was eagerly awaiting David's OmniFocus 4 Field Guide. Boy, he didn't disappoint.Not only does David do his usual high quality job of explaining how to use OmniFocus 4. He provides a wonderful overview of the systems you can implement to manage your daily tasks. Whether you are new to OmniFocus or a long time user, David has you covered. Highly recommend. The OmniFocus Field Guide also complements other recent field guides of David's the Productivity Field Guide and the Obsidian Field Guide. David is slowly but surely building out a suite of Field Guides to help us manage our digital lives."
- Brendan
"Sparky did it again. He took an app I barely understood and made me a power user."
- Grace L.
"An exceptionally well-thought-out course. It provides new insights for those already using OmniFocus, yet is simple enough for people who have not used it previously."
- Michael R.
I'm thrilled to have found the MacSparky Field Guides. David's teaching style makes even complex software such as OmniFocus easy to understand and use. I've implemented many of the ideas I found in the OmniFocus Field Guide, and I'm already feeling more focused and productive as a result. I'm looking forward to learning more from MacSparky in the future.
- Cindy
I've had OmniFocus for years on my Mac, iPhone and Pad. Do I know how it productively works? Not one jot. I have tried various OmniFocus experts on YouTube and frankly given up. Especially when asked to add to inbox “brush your teeth” please!
Its clarity and precision impressed me. I checked further and noticed David’s Field Guides. I played the Digital Paper Trial guide and straight away I knew this was the business.
Maybe it's David’s background as a lawyer that gives his Field Guide Courses clarity and precision. No waffle, just one step leading superbly to the next. In our overcrowded world, it's pure delight to get something in the digital world actually worth paying for.
- Keith
OmniFocus Field Guide Contents
- Introduction and Overview (3:37)
- How to Watch this Course (5:01)
- OmniFocus Versions (3:52)
- Installing OmniFocus on Mac (1:05)
- Interface Tour Mac (3:44)
- Mobile Installation and Setup (1:42)
- Interface Tour - iPhone (3:02)
- Interface Tour - iPad (2:05)
- Light Mode and Dark Mode (1:14)
- MacSparky's Data (1:18)
- Finding OmniFocus Data (3:04)
- Task Processing Overview (0:39)
- The Mac Inspector (7:02)
- iPad and iPhone Inspector (4:31)
- Outline Views (7:27)
- Projects (23:47)
- Projects on iPad and iPhone (6:30)
- Tags Overview (2:27)
- Tag Strategy (19:54)
- The Bench Tag (1:46)
- Assigning Tags on the Mac (4:44)
- Assigning Tags on iPad and iPhone (3:20)
- Using Flags (5:03)
- Defer Dates (8:03)
- Due Dates (5:48)
- Time Estimates (4:20)
- The Notes Field (5:18)
- Repeating Tasks and Projects (10:57)
- Using Subtasks and Subprojects (6:58)
- Keyboard Shortcuts (6:56)
- Capture with Vision Pro (2:32)
- Focus Mode (0:57)
- OmniFocus Notifications (3:18)
- Cleaning My Inbox (14:57)
- OmniFocus and Time Zones (2:58)
- Using OmniFocus with Stream Deck (5:05)
- Perspectives Overview (0:39)
- Perspectives and View Options (4:06)
- The Built-In Perspectives (6:13)
- Forecast Perspective (6:48)
- Custom Perspective Creation (10:11)
- The "Do." List (5:25)
- The Checklist (6:19)
- The Today Perspective (3:18)
- Project Status Perspectives (4:39)
- Date Added Perspective (2:26)
- Date Modified Perspective (1:17)
- Project-Based Perspectives (3:56)
- Tag-Based Perspectives (2:01)
- Why Automate? (1:11)
- Automating with OmniFocus Links (3:05)
- Text Automation (6:51)
- Automating with Shortcuts (4:02)
- Setting OmniFocus Tabs (2:53)
- Automating Using TaskPaper (18:00)
- Project Creation Shortcut (8:13)
- Omni Automation (9:51)
- Date Controls Plug-in (3:52)
- Automating Linking OmniFocus Projects with Apple Notes (5:00)
- Webinar Series Details
- Modern Task Management Concepts (Published) (55:39)
- Even More Perspectives (Published) (52:55)
- Going Deeper with Automation (Published) (49:37)
- External Apps and Analog Tools (Published) (53:10)
- Task Management Systems and Strategy (Published) (45:29)
- Questions and Answers (Published) (48:01)
- 1. Introduction and Overview (29:30)
- 2. Syncing Data - 3. Capture (41:05)
- 4. Task Processing Part I (72:06)
- 4. Task Processing Part II (38:15)
- 4. Task Processing Part III (51:55)
- 5. Perspectives (56:59)
- 6. Completing Tasks - 7. Review (9:16)
- 8. Omnifocus For The Web - 9. Omnifocus Widgets (11:41)
- 10. Settings and Customization (22:47)
- 11. Automating OmniFocus (57:47)
- 12. Using Task Management Systems with OmniFocus (29:13)
- 13. OmniFocus on Vision Pro (8:30)
- 14. Wrapping Up (5:50)
Your Productivity Guide
I’ve been excited about technology since I first got my hands on a computer back in 1980. Since then, I’ve written and published numerous books and video courses from The MacSparky Blog and The MacSparky Labs. I also host several popular technology podcasts, including The Mac Power Users, The Automators, and Focused.
I Have a Mission…
In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive (not less!) with technology.
Finding a method for being more productive about the things most important to me has been a 40 year journey. I'm so excited to share this course with the world.
More Praise for the OmniFocus Field Guide
Upon opening Omnifocus the first time, the robust set of features feels a bit intimidating. So I found the Macsparky field guide on Omnifocus to get me started. At first, I was a bit hesitant -- being a totally blind individual, web based video courses often tend to be inaccessible to me, as "click here and drag this" leaves a lot to be imagined.
I was thrilled to find out that not only the MacSparky field guide's website is accessible; the video guides are extremely well explained and voiced. All UI elements and paths were clear and understandable immediately. This field guide made me believe again into inclusive teaching via the web. I am happy to say that Omnifocus doesn't feel intimidating anymore. :)
- Jakob
I've been using Omnifocus for ages, and I learned some very useful tricks to make it work harder for me.
I love the way David talks about real-life use cases for the features and how to use it to help you not just get more done, but get the right things done.
My favourite things are the sample scripts / shortcuts and the detailed walk-throughs - I came away with ideas to tweak it for my own use-cases AND the skills to do so.
Equal favourite is the way to make this work with links so you avoid distraction and go to exactly where you need to be. OF + this Field Guide = Superpowers.
If you want to use OF to organise your life a single place then you need this Field Guide.
- Debra H.
