MindManager has always managed task information and exported/linked it to other applications that can process it. In fact it's ability to link topics to Outlook tasks is crucial to my work flow. MindManager 8 greatly improves reporting with automatic aggregation of task completion and date information. Select the topic you want to see the "roll-up" on then on the task pane tick:. There are a few other options for task management including dependency (Start to Start etc), status colours and a calendar to set work days and holidays.
The topic below shows tasks demonstrating priority, start & finish dates, % complete, resources and relationships. Without expanding sub-topics you get a dashboard like report of the status of child topics. If dates have been added you also see colour change and icons warning of "at risk" or "overdue" tasks on the child topics.
The roll-up icon indicates this topic is aggregating child topic information. A faded appearance and dot
on the % icon shows this topic is "rolling up" progress marks from the topics below it in the tree. Days and % complete update as you adjust the sub-topics.
Although you can add complete data to a topic it's not necessary to populate all the task fields. Just using % complete without dates and the roll-up function makes for a very useful checklist for tasks, meetings or projects. This is one I used for documenting the upgrade of a cad machine:
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Below is my map for the MindManager for Kiva auction and posts, like this one, supporting it. It shows varied use of task information including dates, % complete along with standard MindManager topic features like topic hyperlinks, topic relationships (the arrow topic link), and call-outs. Being able to mix date driven and generic "to do" topics in the same tree allows different aspects of a project/task to be tracked. Create a higher level report by simply collapsing the tree as required.
Benefits
- Simple roll-up of task info
- Work week and holiday aware
- Quick to review progress in nested map topics.
Limitations:
- Applying roll up to many topics, a deep tree, can take a while. Once done the map will perform normally but the initial application on a large map had me thinking MindManager had locked up. If that happens wait for MindManager to come back to life, you'll see signs of life on the MindManager Process in Task Manager.
- Durations are only displayed in days:
- Durations added in Weeks/Months convert to days, honouring the calendar settings
- Durations added Hours round up days, 1 hour is seen as 1 day?
