OmniFocus log / journal style export
 

(This has already been sent via OmniFocus Feedback to the nijnas):

Hello,

Feature request:

Summary: Basically this request amounts to an export option that will export more fields than are currently included in exports. Ideally, to have the option of selecting which fields to export, and an intelligent way for sorting the actions exported according to dates of completion/due/start.

Details:

I would like to create reports from OmniFocus that will reflect the progress of a project in time-line or logbook / journal fashion.
In this way, I could have a summary of the work done on the project over the course of weeks or months. This means that OmniFocus could supplement - if not replace - the function of a journal-taking software or document. Would be neat to have some formatted rtf or plain text export like for example:

Project X

Friday, December 1, 20xx, 4pm: Launch initial meeting for project (Due: date ... completed: date)
Monday, December 4, 20xx, 9m: Email members proceedings of meeting (Due: date ... completed: date)
...
...
Thursday, May 4, 20xx: Send progress report (Due: ..., incomplete)
Thursday, August 5, 20xx: Send results booklet to publisher (future date due)

But all the export or print functions I find omit any time info. So my request for this "Export as journal" or "export as timeline" or "export activity log" feature is:

1. Keep all selected projects and folders in their hierarchical order, as defined by the user in the OmniFocus document, but:

2. Inside each project, sort the actions according to dates using the following rules of precedence, for each action:
1 If a date of completion is given, use that for sorting
2 If not, if a due date is given, use that for sorting
3 If not, if a start date is given, use that for sorting
4 If no date is present, use the order in which the actions appear in the project
I realize some tweaking will be necessary in order to find some way to combine 1-3 with 4 above, but it should be possible.

3. Important: Include start, due, and completion dates in the export. If possible include also context. Or best, create a preference pane for selecting which fields to export or print (besides the title field that is).

If you export more fields than currently, in comma or tab delimited format, then one could import the report in Numbers, Filemaker or any other database and generate or tweak the report from there.

Iannis Zannos

no one has commented on this, but as a blogger/journaler
I can see how this would come in handy