Repetitive Task Automation
 

I have a set of actions in a project that have all the same children. Is there a way to create a "child set" so that I can apply the series of children to new actions created in the project?

We've got an open feature request on templates like this, but it's not supported in current versions of the application. If you email the [EMAIL="omnifocus@omnigroup.com"]support ninjas[/EMAIL], they can vote that request up on your behalf. Thanks!

You can approximate a templates feature now by simply creating a folder in your library (I call mine "Templates") and marking it as dropped. Then create whatever template projects you want inside that dropped folder. For extra convenience, create a perspective that focuses on that folder and opens it in a new, smaller-sized window off to the side of your display and assign a keyboard shortcut to it (I use Control-Shift-T).

Now when I want to use a template, I hit my keyboard shortcut and Option-drag template projects from my Templates perspective to my main window. Note that it's important to hold the Option key when dragging so a copy is inserted, not the original!

There's no automation involved in this tip, but maybe it's still of some help. Or I suppose you could write an AppleScript that automatically inserts a series of actions when the script is invoked.

-Dennis

Thank you Toadling! You just gave me a way to use recurring checklists. I've been combing the forums for ideas and your was the cleanest one I've found. Thanks so much.

Toadling's solution is a pretty awesome hack, but I'd rather have templates as part of OmniFocus—I've voted via email!

Thanks, Toadling. Nice tip. =)

Check out Curt Clifton's applescript "Populate Template Placeholders" to automate Toadling's solution. [url]http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~clifton/software.html[/url]