[Dale]

It seems I am misunderstanding your question. I thought I answered what you asked in your original post. Do you not want to clean out duplicate items, or figure out why future items are visible?

Originally Posted by Neville310

The key issue in my scenario is stop repeatable tasks after a duplicate exist.

So, now having your key issue stated. This functionality is not possible in OmniFocus. There is no mechanism I know of in OmniFocus to do any such thing. The repeating task parameters are pretty straight forward and as you say you know how to set these up. I will take you at your word.

I know your example is just an example, but we forget that in these examples many approaches can be deemed acceptable — and unacceptable. Here are two ways of how I would approach your email backlog example. Your mileage may vary.

1) I would have foreseen a two week vacation I had planned for and scheduled. In this planning I would proactively address any email needing a response, setup an out of office notification illustrating what to do to have items handled during my absence, and prepared time to address such issues as catching up on email as a separate temporary side project throughout my first week back. Even scheduled specific time allotments for this as it pertains to the performance of my job. Finally, I adjust my repeating daily "check email" task to begin again after I return from vacation.

2) As this scenario is an example. Let's suppose I was not aware of a sudden event which resulted in my unexpected time away from my email. Nothing was planned and I have a backlog to deal with.

I would then address this issue.

• Move any back log email (things in my inbox prior to today) to a temporary folder in my Mail application.
• I quickly scan, not read or open, all the backlog email to see if any "emergency" or "vital" emails are present; if so, handle them first.
• Adjust my daily repeating "check email" task's date for today.
• Setup a side project to address this email back log in a tight frequency and an overall due date for the project to be competed within a week.
• Upon addressing all of the back log email - instead of marking the task complete, delete it and mark the project complete.

Essentially, the email backlog scenario is not your routine "check email" repeating task. It is a separate mini project which holds a different timeframe, objective, and result from your standard daily email task. This scenario is something you either plan for or are reacting to and is a deviation from your routine which needs to be addressed in a manner separate from said routine.

Originally Posted by Neville310

Should I set the task on repeatable on the start date or completed date?

I do not have enough information to begin to answer this question. Especially since I missed the mark on your key issue from your original posting.