Intelligent Reminders

JeffG

I'd like to see some additional intelligence built into Reminders. 

So instead of just "Send user a reminder 1 day before Due Date",

Something like: "Send user a reminder 1 day before Due Date if..."

For example:

"Send employee a reminder 3 days before Due Date if Finished? is not checked"

"Send manager a reminder 1 day before Due Date if Finished? is not checked"

Mike Wilday

I create a helper column to build my reminders off of. The helper column contains the IF functionality you are looking for and returns text if the Finished checkbox is checked off. Reminders won't fire if there is text in the reminder column.

1. Create a new date column to the right side of the sheet I always call it reminderDate.
2. Add the following Formula
   
   =IF(Finished@row = 1, "Complete", [Due Date]@row)
   
   *this assumes your checkbox column is called finished and your due date column is called Due Date. 
3. Then test to see if the checkbox is checked that it populates the column with "Complete" 
4. Set up your notification on the reminder column. If the task gets marked as complete it will replace the date with text which will cause the reminder to NOT fire. 

 

JeffG

Clever - that's a great workaround. Thanks for sharing, Mike. 

I would still like to see it built directly into Reminders to save the sheet from the extra column, but I'll definitely use this in the interim. 

Mike Wilday

You're welcome! Glad I could be of help.