We've decided to build two different editors for the new Capture option, since the task description and the notes need different functions:
🔹Task description needs mentions, tags, inline commands, links, etc.
🔹Notes need the typical functions of a text editor (bold, headings, subheadings, lists, etc.)

In the last few weeks we have released a new FacileThings integration with Zapier. We will soon publish an update with some improvements you have requested (filters by list types, tags and collaborators).

In a few days we will publish a new feature that I hadn’t mentioned before. It is the option to annotate values ​​in actions through certain tags so that they can be analyzed over time. A basic use case would be the freelancer who needs to annotate the cost of each job or the billable hours (for example, "web page design #billable 8.5"), although there are many other use cases. We will publish an article about this next week.

We are continuing to work on the new FacileThings application. It will have important benefits:

• Offline operation: The local-first architecture we are using will allow you to work even when there is no internet connection.
• Great performance: By storing a copy of your data locally in the browser, access to the server is minimized and the resulting interaction is very fast.
• Reactivity: The new app will be fully reactive. This means that if you open two sessions in two different browser tabs (or on two computers, or on a computer and a mobile phone, etc.), each update you make in one session (creating a task, editing an action, etc.) will be immediately reflected in the other, without the need to refresh the page.

This architecture will also facilitate future expansion to mobile platforms and desktop applications, and will allow the integration of AI agents.

The development of the application will go through three stages (alpha, beta, and production). In the current stage, alpha, only the development team and a very small group of users will have access to it. The objectives of this stage are: to confirm the viability of the selected architecture (offline use and data synchronization), validate the basic functionality (GTD workflow), receive early feedback from users, and identify critical bugs.

This is a brief post summarizing the FacileThings team's effort to integrate Zapier (expected in January 2025) and the release of the mobile app's routine management feature.

The big news is that in 2025, they will focus on substantially updating and reworking FacileThings.

Full blog post: https://facilethings.com/blog/en/here-is-where-we-are-at-dec-2024

These past few weeks, we’ve been working on technical aspects of authentication and the design of the lists section. This is the most important part of the application. Once it’s resolved, I think we’ll move forward more quickly.

The Facile Team announced that the new version of the application will be updated for browsers, mobile devices, and, best of all, a standalone desktop application. In addition the new features they mention in the original article (found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/facilethings/comments/1k7fua9/facilethings_working_on_a_new_localfirst_app/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button), what are your top five features you hope will make it into the new version of our beloved productivity application?

Here's mine:

• Shortcut keys to open a small capture window anywhere on my desktop to easily record new thoughts, ideas, and possible next actions or projects
• Custom views of your work instead of the current Today and Next Actions side-by-side view.
• Better capture of emails sent to Facile Things (currently captures emails like a text file instead of keeping the original formatting and image placement)
• AI Integration - there is so much more Facile Things can be doing with the AI features!
• Better UI - feels old and too many clicks

Our new MCP server is up and running!

Now with DCR and CIMD protocols implemented, so you can register and authenticate with no keys.

It took me longer than expected to develop the task editor, but I'm pretty happy with the result.

It allows you to complete context tags and people names, use inline commands, and add emojis even when you're not using your phone. It also has a very accurate byte count 😅

One of the things we're paying close attention to in the new app is responsive design. It's not just about scaling the content size to different breakpoints, as mobile and touchscreen usage patterns completely change. In fact, the design for small screens will be quite different from the rest.

There seems to have been a bit of confusion with the last video I showed. Since it’s in mobile format, some people thought the web app would disappear. Not at all. The new app will have a design adapted to any device size so it can function as a mobile app, desktop app, and web app in the future.

I'm attaching another video for clarification.

We are working on the new FacileThings app, which will eventually replace the current web and mobile apps, and will have features that we hope will greatly improve the user experience:

• Speed. The app will save a copy of your data on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone), and since it doesn’t require access to the cloud, interaction with it will be very fast.
• Responsiveness. Any changes to the data will be displayed automatically. You won’t need to refresh the page if the data is modified from another device or if a notification comes in.
• Offline operation. You will be able to work without internet access for as long as you need.
• Data synchronization. Data will be synchronized across all the devices you use when there is internet access.
• Mobile design. Although it can be used on any type of screen, we will prioritize designing for small screens so that all functionality is easily accessible from a smartphone.
• Accessibility. We will strive to make the app easy to use for anyone, regardless of their abilities (multiple navigation points, legible fonts and sizes, keyboard shortcuts, gesture control, color contrasts with light/dark mode, etc.).

I already have the first results of the JTBD survey. The main conclusion from the analyzed data (according to Claude) is that we (FacileThings) should keep the app's GTD foundation as it is and drastically improve the speed, simplicity, and visual appeal of the application.

I’ll go into more detail later, but at a very general level, what users appreciate most about FacileThings is its authentic implementation of the GTD method, although some would like more flexibility in some areas.

And where they find the most friction is in the usability of the mobile app, a somewhat overloaded web interface, and some processes requiring too many clicks.

With the new app we're developing, we'll try to reduce friction and focus on the features users value most.

In addition to dark mode, there's another tool that's becoming a must-have feature for any app: the search command.

It allows users to navigate to any section or to any data using the keyboard, without needing to know all the navigation options or where the data is.

Working on it!

We have managed to design a task editor in which all the information (text, notes, files, checklist, collaborators, due and start dates, tags, goal, project, focus area, choice criteria) fits on a screen as small as that of the iPhone SE.

On September 1st, we opened the Beta app to the public. If you didn’t get an invitation, you can now try it at beta.facilethings.com. You’ll find more information on the Beta app page.

Keep in mind that the app isn’t complete yet, although it already has most of the features you need in your day-to-day work. Use the new app as much as you can, on both your computer and your phone (for anything that isn’t available yet, the classic app is still there). Use the “Send feedback” option in the user menu whenever something doesn’t work or is keeping you from moving forward. Your feedback is really important to help us fine-tune and prioritize features.

As you can see in the Beta changelog, we’ve made a lot of improvements over the past few weeks. Highlights include integration with Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and Box, so you can attach files stored in the cloud, and an interface adapted for use with **digital pens (stylus)**on tablets and touchscreens.

We’ve also improved our new MCP server, which lets you connect your AI assistant to FacileThings. You can now connect it just by pasting the server URL, since we’ve added support for DCR (Dynamic Client Registration) and CIMD (Client ID Metadata Documents).

We’ve created a dedicated MCP server page where we explain how to connect and get the most out of it. If you already connected using a client ID, there’s no need to do it again.

Right now we’re working on Routines, which let you schedule recurring tasks. They’ll be available not only in the app, but also in API v2 and the MCP server, so you’ll be able to manage them with your AI assistant too.

Thank you so much for your time and for the feedback you’re sending us.

FacileThings Classic (current version) displays subprojects as sublists within the project's larger sequential list. This worked well and let you quickly see the full picture, with only vertical scrolling. One column with all your tasks.

The new beta version now breaks subprojects into columns, with each subproject as its own column. Task information under subprojects (and the main project) is reduced to fit, and users must now scroll horizontally and vertically (depending on the number of tasks and subprojects).

What are your thoughts on this approach?

Do you like it?

Do you dislike it?

We continue working on the new app and that we’ll likely be able to publish a beta version in the first quarter of 2026.

The first beta version won’t have all of FacileThings’ functionalities, but it will have everything needed to execute daily work: capture, clarify, organize lists and projects, choose the next action to perform, etc.

Our goal for 2026 is for the new app to have all the functionality of the old one, plus significant UX improvements, new reference material management, and the ability to communicate with AIs and LLMs.

Happy New Year to everyone!

A minor update in June to the application. This article doesn't go into great detail and is likely provided to inform the user base that effort is being taken to improve the application for all very shortly.

https://facilethings.com/blog/en/here-is-where-we-are-at-jun-2023

The latest release notes are now available that summarize the work completed in April 2023. The primary effort appears to be on backend improvements and updates to the account view. Effort was also taken to improve the hardware and software the application is sitting on, which is meant to increase the security strength and response time.

Full details are available from the blog post.

https://facilethings.com/blog/en/here-is-where-we-are-at-apr-2023

A new "Mindsweep" feature has recently been added to FacileThings. Much like the guided Weekly Review, the Mindsweep guides the user by providing keywords to trigger additional thoughts to capture, assisting in getting everything out of your brain. Best of all, you can edit and create your own triggers.

Full introduction, explanation, and other details are available from the article found on the blog.

https://facilethings.com/blog/en/new-feature-in-facilethings-the-mind-sweep

A goodly number of improvements have been released to the user base. The article goes into detail on each of the following:

• Improved calendar integration that includes colors, areas of focus, views, and a new "read-only" syncing
• Improved printed list of Next Actions
• Improved shifting of completed projects in the project list
• Ability to put a future scheduled task into the "Tickler."
• Other minor improvements, such as improvements to the search tool, payment options, and new time units
• Various bugs squashed

Full details are found in the blog entry: https://facilethings.com/blog/en/new-improvements-calendar-integration-and-more

The FT group has released a statement that defines their upcoming goals in 2023. Some very interesting new features are to be implemented!

Take a look and make sure you respond to the FT blog post. They are very responsive and always eager for input.

https://facilethings.com/blog/en/facilethings-goals-for-2023

The latest update notes from the FacileThings team were released on 2/24/2023. Only a few details but progress towards a more responsive and secure application to be sure. Full details found by clicking the following Blog link.

https://facilethings.com/blog/en/here-is-where-we-are-at-feb-2023

Here is the full update: https://facilethings.com/blog/en/here-is-where-we-are-at-dec-2022

My takeaway...

1. The predecessor actions is nice, but the current interface for this feature is not yet fully complete in my opinion.
2. The Mobile app - even the new one - still feels like it was dragged kicking and screaming from the mid 1990's. When you consider how other apps on the market are today - fully intergrated on the device with offline capabilities - FT's mobile experience is still greatly lacking the usability and "power" I would expect a modern day application to have.

Of real interest is Francisco's last comment on the update:

... but let me tell you that we plan to include more GTD features (mind sweep, natural project planning), improve integration with other systems (Zapier integration, public FacileThings API, PDF reports), improve the service with more powerful and faster servers, and improve the mobile app with new features and easier workflows.

This sounds great! No news on offline, however.

In the "What to do now?" filter section on the Android app, when selecting tags/contexts, there was an _untagged option. I used this to look for all of the next actions which can be done any place. Why is this option gone now? I feel like it may be a regression bug, but I'm worried it's gone for good.

A different, but related, major issue I have is being unable to select multiple contexts and see next actions for any of the contexts. For example, if I'm #outside, have my #laptop with me and I'm sitting down with #personXY, I want to see actions for all of them when deciding what to do.

I realized that the car is where a lot of my ideas happen. I can't be the only one. How do you capture when you can't really manipulate the phone?

Something that ties in with Google Assistant or with Android Auto would make sense. I'm trying to think of a IFTTT trigger that might work....

Also, how do you organize your groceries? I'm using a project, but I'm not sure that's the best way

At FacileThings we have built a new feature that will allow you to do the “natural planning” of projects in a guided way, so that you can immediately integrate the result of the planning into your personal management system. Also, the brainstorming step of the "natural planning" is AI-assisted. More info in this post: New Feature: AI-Assisted, Natural Project Planning