A Game-Changer in Task Management: Google’s Integrated Tasks and Reminders

Google has announced a new move to streamline task management across its various apps, with a rollout beginning in March 2023. 

Key Takeaways:

• Google to Launch Task Management System – New system to streamline workflow across Google apps to be released in March 2023
• Google Tasks to Act as a Task Management Hub – Users can manage tasks from various Google apps in one location, simplifying task management and improving productivity
• Easy Task Management Across Google – Users can manage tasks in Google Workspace apps, such as Gmail and Docs, without switching between apps, making task management more efficient
• Voice Reminders – Starting from May 22, 2023, users can create voice reminders with Google Assistant, which will appear in Google Tasks for better task management
• Advanced Task Management – Users can prioritize important tasks and create multiple lists in Google Tasks for more efficient task management
• Seamless Transition with Google’s Prompt to Migrate Reminders – Google will prompt users to migrate reminders to Google Tasks by March 6, 2023, and Workspace customers by April 12, 2023, for a seamless transition to the new task management system.

Managing Tasks with Google Tasks

According to the tech giant, users can manage tasks created in various Google apps from Google Tasks. 

Moreover, from May 22, reminders made in the Google Assistant and Calendar apps will be transferred to Tasks automatically. However, users can start doing this manually ahead of time if they wish.

Creating and Managing Tasks from Google Workspace Apps

In addition, once the process is complete, users will have access to create and manage tasks from Google Workspace web apps, such as Gmail, Docs, Chat, and Calendar. 

This means that users will no longer need to switch tabs to remind themselves to complete a task or respond to an email, as they can simply add it to their task list with the click of a button.

Voice Reminders with Google Assistant to Enhance Task Management

Moreover, the new system allows users to create reminders using their voice with Google Assistant. 

These reminders will also appear in Google Tasks alongside tasks created in other apps like Gmail. 

Effective Task Management Features of Google Tasks

Google Tasks offers several features that enable users to manage multiple tasks effectively. These features include creating multiple lists and prioritizing important tasks.

Drawbacks and Issues

However, the new Google Tasks and Reminders system still has a few issues to work out. 

One of the drawbacks is that reminders created in Google’s note-taking app Keep won’t be transferred to Tasks, which means that they will no longer be displayed in Google Calendar. 

Additionally, Google Tasks lacks some features that are available in other project management apps, such as the ability to search for tasks and prioritize them.

Prompts and Transition Plans

To ensure a seamless transition, Google will prompt individual account users to start migrating reminders to Tasks no later than March 6, 2023. Google Workspace customers will receive these prompts later, starting April 12, regardless of whether the task service is turned on in the organization. 

In case the task service is disabled, any reminder information will not be transferred to Tasks. Google will erase all reminder data after June 22 if this happens.

It is important to note that Google wants to ensure that the transition to the new Google Tasks and Reminders system is as seamless as possible. 

In order to achieve this, Google will be sending out prompts to personal account users from March 6, 2023, to start migrating their reminders to Tasks. 

For Google Workspace customers, these prompts will be sent out starting April 12th, regardless of whether or not the task service is turned on within the organization.

However, it is crucial to keep in mind that if the task service is turned off, reminder data will not migrate to Tasks. As a result, Google will start deleting reminder data after June 22nd. 

In light of this, administrators are encouraged to double-check their settings and modify Search and Assistant users’ settings so that they can continue to use Assistant to manage tasks after migrating. Moreover, organizations should enable Google Takeout so users can export their Assistant and Calendar reminders.