Software for staying organized at work

[Maphisto's Sidekick]

Originally Posted by BG5150

Anyone use Evernote?

I've played with it, and it feels like it ought to be very useful (particularly since I like having a tool where I can just "dump stuff" and search for it later) and likely to work better on a smart phone, but I end up sticking with OneNote.

Part of that is because OneNote's notebook / folder / page structure feels more intuitive to me (but I'm old enough to remember when having a good dead-tree filing system was key to planning and organizing), and part of it is that if I'm doing "corporate stuff", I'm ethically limited to "corporate-approved tools". OneNote is included in the Office Enterprise license; Evernote would require bureaucracy to get blessed.

If all I needed were a simple app to take notes and rely on search to find stuff when I need it, I'd probably use Evernote (and find a way to justify personal use). But when I looked at it, I couldn't intuitively see how to easily use it for tracking the big picture, and I couldn't justify using an extra tool just for the notes aspect.

I keep thinking that a killer app that meets all my needs is out there somewhere (some twisted love-child of an Outlook, OneNote, and Project ménage-à-trois, perhaps?), but I haven't found it yet.

Note: I'm aware that Microsoft is making noise about de-linking OneNote from Office. I've seen enough folks at my company using OneNote that I'm hopeful it will remain corporate-approved. But, I think the system I have set up can be translated to other tools...and I mean to keep it that way, just in case.

[Egghead]

I changed jobs, and I am facing similar struggles as before. One thing that has been a killer with both positions is the volume of emails. I have to delegate work quickly, and then remember to follow up with folks to make sure they've done what they need. What systems have folks come up with for this?

Just create a quick task list, with a reminder to follow up by a certain date/time?

Something in OneNote, where you capture the email sent?

Do you copy yourself on such emails, and leave them in your Inbox as a reminder to check back?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

[Kenny]

Originally Posted by Egghead

I changed jobs, and I am facing similar struggles as before. One thing that has been a killer with both positions is the volume of emails. I have to delegate work quickly, and then remember to follow up with folks to make sure they've done what they need. What systems have folks come up with for this?

Just create a quick task list, with a reminder to follow up by a certain date/time?

Something in OneNote, where you capture the email sent?

Do you copy yourself on such emails, and leave them in your Inbox as a reminder to check back?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

Are you getting assignments via email and/or assigning work via email (or at least following up a conversation with an email)? You can add a follow-up reminder to that email (either for yourself and/or for the person you send it to) on Outlook and get a pop-up reminder as well as see it on your to-do list.

[redprinceton]

I use something akin to the "Getting Things Done" method. I capture most things I need to do on a notepad. If they're actionable, quick, single step processes, I do them immediately and get the sweet sweet endorphin rush of crossing it off the list.

If they're important, long-term projects, they get off the notepad and into an excel spreadsheet that I have open at all times. I use the TODAY() function to compute upcoming due dates for projects and tasks, and then conditional formatting tells me quickly, which dates are coming up.

I used to use OneNote. It's prettier, but I get more use out of excel.

[redprinceton]

Originally Posted by Kenny

Are you getting assignments via email and/or assigning work via email (or at least following up a conversation with an email)? You can add a follow-up reminder to that email (either for yourself and/or for the person you send it to) on Outlook and get a pop-up reminder as well as see it on your to-do list.

This too. Especially when I'm really busy. If an email looks important, I'll flag it and have Outlook remind me to read it at the end of the day before I go home.

[Maphisto's Sidekick]

Originally Posted by Egghead

I changed jobs, and I am facing similar struggles as before. One thing that has been a killer with both positions is the volume of emails. I have to delegate work quickly, and then remember to follow up with folks to make sure they've done what they need. What systems have folks come up with for this?

Outlook has VBA (although Outlook security concerns can make it a big pain to work with). Where there's VBA, there's usually a way.

In one past assignment, whenever I sent an email, I had Outlook automatically ask if I wanted to create a follow-up task item. It was helpful during a project that was consuming most of my time and where I was coordinating work from a number of other people....but I disabled the code soon after that particular project was complete, because the nagging got annoying.

(I'm still waiting for that killer love-child of Outlook/OneNote/Project I mentioned previously. The current versions of those applications, plus the current version of SharePoint, is actually pretty close to providing the functionality I want...if it weren't a bloated mess of expensive overkill-ness.)

[panther]

encourage them not to send you emails unless they're absolutely necessary. if a phone call or in-person discussion is possible, then have them do that instead

[dabears32]

Originally Posted by Abelian Grape

I just got a new laptop at work that has Windows 10 - so no more Sticky Notes

Can you elaborate on why? I use sticky notes on my personal Win10 machine and work windows 10 laptop so not sure what I am missing.

Thanks

[Egghead]

Originally Posted by Kenny

Are you getting assignments via email and/or assigning work via email (or at least following up a conversation with an email)? You can add a follow-up reminder to that email (either for yourself and/or for the person you send it to) on Outlook and get a pop-up reminder as well as see it on your to-do list.

Finally getting back to this thread! Yes, I get a ton of my assignments through email, though certainly not all. And, yes, I often send emails to pass the baton to others (on my team or off), and I need to remember to follow up and make sure they didn't drop said baton. I'll look into this functionality, as I suspect it could be super helpful. Thanks!