#gorillatag #shorts
Key Takeaways
- The Agenda app integrates notes & calendar events for efficient organization.
- With Agenda, you can categorize projects to compartmentalize tasks.
- The app integrates with Apple Calendar & Reminders for syncing tasks & deadlines.
A to-do list is only as good as your memory—if you’re like me and time-blind, you might need the assistance of a calendar notification or two. Luckily, a free macOS app called Agenda merges your notes with your calendar so nothing falls through the cracks.
What Is Agenda?
As a certified jack of all trades, where my freelance work ranges from writing, producing, pet-sitting, and fashion consigning, it goes without saying that notes and to-do lists are essential to keep my life organized. And while I love the simplicity of Apple Notes, it’s easy for things to get lost when it comes to execution.
This is where Agenda comes in. The free note-taking app for macOS integrates your notes and your calendar, so no task or piece of research gets lost in the mists of time. Since downloading Agenda, I’ve been pleased to discover more functionality than any other note-taking or calendar application by itself.
Download: Agenda for macOS | iOS (free)
Adding Projects to Agenda
Agenda organizes notes by Project, and it allows you to sort those Projects into Categories. I can get carried away with categorizing (and sub-categorizing), so I started out with two basic groups: personal projects and work projects.
The way I see it, the word “project” can be interpreted in different ways, depending on your needs and lifestyle. You can use them to track anything from long-term work goals—like app development or a documentary—to more general topics like travel or your side hustle.
For example, I set up a Travel project and a Petsitting Business project. Each project acts like a virtual bulletin board, holding notes for specific trips or clients.
Already, the interface is pretty satisfying for the categorization-inclined. But it’s the connection of these notes to the calendar that launches Agenda to the next level.
Integrating Agenda With Other Apps
Arguably, Agenda’s most impressive feature is its ability to sync with your calendar. Of course, project notes and deadlines go hand-in-hand.
Since this is a Mac app, it integrates seamlessly with Apple’s Calendar. Additionally, if you organize tasks with Apple Reminders, you can integrate them with Agenda.
Once I set up my Calendar integration, I could see my schedule on the right-hand panel of the Agenda app. Aside from connecting projects and notes to calendar entries, the integration also serves as a helpful visual cue.
For example, I linked the outline, research, and deadlines for this very article directly to its due date.
Once you’ve linked your notes with specific dates, Agenda will help sort a to-do list based on priority. You can also find a quick link to your Agenda notes from Calendar.
To offer another example, I linked some behavioral notes for a weekly pet-sitting client to the repeating calendar event. Now, as my calendar reminds me of my notes half an hour before each visit, I can quickly review them before I go in.
The Premium version of Agenda offers more control over integration, including the ability to selectively sync calendars.
Other Standout Features of Agenda
Beyond these essential capabilities of Agenda, I was impressed by some of its finer details as well. There are quite a few features I’m looking forward to exploring further.
Sharing Notes
As long as you set up an account, you can share projects or notes with collaborators. This feels particularly useful for a project team, which needs to be on the same page regarding assignment delegation.
That said, this could also be useful for personal endeavors, such as travel plans with family and friends. The only catch is that both you and any collaborators need to sign up for an account, though you won’t need to upgrade to Premium.
Formatting
Sure, Apple Notes has some formatting features, but Agenda puts them to shame. A well-designed format toolbar, represented by a clean gray dot to the left of your text, brings you plentiful options from text styles to checklists, text colors to highlights, and even current time and table automations.
A Premium subscription will get you even more color-coding privileges.
Importing
Changing over to a new system is never easy. Motion allows you to easily import notes from other note-taking apps, such as Apple Notes or Evernote. Or, you can import an Agenda file that an existing user has already started.
Is Agenda Right for You?
In my first week of using Agenda, I have to say that the app seems perfect for project managers and freelancers who have to keep teams or multiple clients organized. While there is no shortage of modern note-taking apps, from the cleanly designed Tot for Mac to the well-organized GoodNotes, Agenda seems to have an edge when it comes to the calendar component.
When it comes to producing projects, Agenda can keep all of my meeting notes, research, scheduling plans, and casting notes organized and synced with their deadlines. In some respects, the app feels similar to a Cloud-based tool like Google Drive, but I’ve found that I prefer Drive to store finished documents, like talent releases and permits.
That said, if you’re only looking to keep your social calendar tidy, Agenda might feel like overkill. But if you’re a multitasking pro like me, it’s a real productivity powerhouse.
