Batch-erasing noteflags

[srdiamond]

Sometimes you apply a series of note flags for a project. After the project's
done, you don't need those flags. Is there a way to get rid of them all? It
seems you have to go through them all, right-clicking on each.

Stephen Diamond

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

Since there's no exposed object model, it's difficult to write a program
which could do this.

If the flags in question are for a completed project, you can move the
completed project's notes to its own section and then Close the section.
Doing this for the entire project's notes (flagged items and everything
else) would let you clean up your hierarchy and quickly get rid of flagged
items no longer needed.

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

That won't be a solution. You're talking about two different things.

There's the dynamic Notes Flag Summary on the Task Pane, which is read-
only, and the page which is created when you click on "Create Summary
Page", which creates a copy of the flagged items. *Those* items can be
selected en masse and deleted (Undo is supported) but the original flagged
items are still present in their original locations among your notes.

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

My usage is certainly not indicative of everyone else in the world, but
I've never needed to delete flagged items like this.

I use the built-in folder/section/page structure logically such that if
there's a completed project whose notes are no longer needed, I
delete/close the page/section and voila! Those flagged items are no
longer around.

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

Not at all. I've been using the same set core of flags for 2 years.
Projects have come and gone but the flags stay the same. I've added one
or two to assist me with my workflow (I'm trying to become more
stringent with GTD) but 95% of my flagged items have the same flag
definitions from ~2 years ago.

Part of the trick I suppose is to tie the flag's purpose to the action
to be performed when you look at the flagged note later on, and *not* to
the topic, which can and will change over time. I think using the
existing folder/section/page hierarchy can replace some of the logic I
see people using flags for.

For example, I only use a generic "To Do" flag for all followup items
for the classes I'm taking. I don't have a "Drexel To Do" flag, nor do
I have a "INFO646 Spring Quarter 2005" flag. I keep my class notes in a
specific folder, one section per class. Navigating to the Drexel
folder, then running a NFS, and changing the Search scope gives me only
the To-Do items for a particular class.

In general I continue to use my generic "To Do" flag for all To Do items
(class, work, etc.) and do not need to recycle or delete the flags when
a class or project is completed.

So what flags do I have? I have @Home, @Work, @Train flags, to let me
categorize actions to be performed when I'm in those locations. I have
a "Phone Call" flag to be used to flag phone calls I have to make. I
have one for each recurring meeting I attend, since followup items for
me typically flow between and among different meetings. For example, I
have the following flags defined:
@Steve (my boss)
@Barb (direct report)

I have a recurring status meeting with Steve. During it, he asks me to
get some information from Barb. I write the note, then flag it with
Barb's flag. When I have my next meeting with Barb, I run a NFS and use
the items flagged with her name as the agenda. When she provides the
information requested, I make a note of it, and flag it with Steve's
flag. The next meeting I have with him - I relay the information from
Barb. Note that in that case, there's no specific action tied to the
flag, just that the currently flagged note is "of interest" to the named
person.

Also note that I can then discuss many different projects with Steve,
and all of my reports, etc. and not have any flags permanently tied to a
project. I happen to keep notes for each project in a dedicated section
in a "Projects" folder. If I need to see all of the "To-Do" items for a
particular project, I navigate to that section and run a NFS and limit
the Search scope to that section.

I guess my point is that more efficient use of flags will prevent the
need to erase flagged items later on. Even if I don't close or delete
the section, I prefer to have the "record" showing that this item came
up during meeting XYZ, I was asked to do something, I did it, then I
checked it off. Using the Seacrh scope and "Only show Unchecked items"
in the Task Pane let you only see relevant flags for items still yet to
do.

 

[Rob McKaughan]

I guess my point is that more efficient use of flags will prevent the
need to erase flagged items later on.

Thanks for the description of how you use flags (I always find it useful to
see how other people work). I agree with your conclusion above IF you're
using a solid system for flagging already. The problem comes up when you
want to change the way that you've been using flags - e.g. tuning your
methodology.

I've been using flags in a way that fit the way I've been managing to-do
items for years. This week, I finally read GTD and decided to jump on the
bandwagon. Unfortunately, the way I want to use flags for GTD doesn't map my
old system at all, so I need to nuke all those old flags. Of course, I doubt
my first go at GTD flags won't be perfect, so I'm sure I'll need to tune &
re-flag again later.

Dunno if anyone from MS is watching, but here's one vote for batch delete or
batch re-flagging.