Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a proud user of the Getting Things Done system and love using a To-Do list to manage my tasks. So when I was asked to write a review of Swift To-Do List, I was pretty excited to try it out and see how it compares with my current pen & paper method.
Swift To-Do List Online is a web application created by Dextronet. Although called a To-Do list, it is in fact much more than that. Being an online application, the biggest reason for using it is that tasks can be accessed and modified whenever you have access to the Internet. Luckily for me, I’m almost always in front of a computer so it is very convenient. It might be interesting to get input from somebody that doesn’t always have access to the Internet to get their thoughts on this tool.
Features
With regards to shear number of features, this is by far the most I’ve seen on any to do list software. Here’s some of the more notable ones:
- Hierarchical tree structure to organize tasks
- Ability to set due dates and use built-in reminders for tasks
- Import lists from XML format
- Export lists to HTML or CSV format
- User management for collaboration and task allocation
- Add notes/files/media to individual tasks
That last feature is a huge one in my opinion. With each task you have to do, you can associate formatted notes, files, folders and links to it. A lot of times the task itself can be described in one line but all of the extra things that go with the task need to be stored somewhere else. By allowing users to add notes and links directly to a task, it really helps with organization.
For example, I might have a task say “Print this document at the office” and then simply attach the document along with the task instead of having to save it to a USB key or e-mailing it to myself. Not a big deal, but definitely helpful!
A lot of people (myself included) like to keep things simple but it is important to remember that just because all of these features are offered, doesn’t mean you have to use it! You can make Swift To-Do List as simple or as complex as you need it to be.
User Interface
In true Web 2.0 fashion, Swift To-Do List Online operates exactly like a desktop application. The UI reminds me of Microsoft Outlook with its 3 panel view. The buttons (very nice icons by the way) are large and intuitively easy to use.
From a web developer perspective, I can really appreciate the detail and effort put into making the user interface usable and free of bugs. Since I’ve done my share of Web UI programming before, I spent a few minutes trying to “break” the UI with common oversights but it was nice to see that it was all accounted for.
In my opinion, a couple things that could be added to improve the experience are:
- Keyboard shortcuts – I love keyboard shortcuts
- iPhone App – This would open the application to a huge audience that wants a featureful to-do list application accessible anytime anywhere.
Price
With a web application of this caliber, it isn’t a surprise to find out that it isn’t free. The online version comes at a monthly cost in 4 different plans ranging from $9.95 to $225.95 a month. The difference between the versions are the number of users allowed (from 1 to unlimited) and the amount of storage given to store files associated with tasks (from 100MB to 50GB).
For most people, the most basic personal plan should be enough. The higher tier plans are clearly geared towards businesses that want to manage large projects with many contributors. I can see it being extremely helpful for a manager to assign tasks and keep track of project progress through this web application, especially if the office is decentralized.
They do offer a free 30-day trial so you can try it to see if you like it. Or check out their live demo to see if the features suit your needs!
Conclusion
Swift To-Do List is one of the most complete and feature packed online to-do list software I have come across. I didn’t try using their collaborative features yet since my To-Do list is only for personal use but I can see many possibilities for it. The only thing I can think of to improve it are the addition of keyboard shortcuts and perhaps the development of an iPhone application to supplement the site.
If you want something for your desktop, Dextronet also offers an award winning to-do list software for Windows, which is what this online version is based off of.
Popularity: 7% [?]
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