Day Planner View
Time-block one day with inbox tasks, Quick Notes, Apple Calendar events, drag scheduling, task actions, and Focus Mode.
Day Planner is the Calendar view for turning a loose task list into a timed plan for one date. Use it when you know what needs doing, but still need to decide when each item will happen.
Day Planner combines your scheduled tasks, unscheduled work, Quick Notes, and Apple Calendar events for the selected date. You can create new timed tasks, schedule existing tasks, convert notes into tasks, move work when plans change, and start Focus Mode when it is time to work.
Use Day Planner to build the day
Start here when you have tasks and notes ready, but still need to decide when each one belongs in the schedule.
What you can do
Plan one date
review the selected day and decide when work should happen
Schedule inbox tasks
drag unscheduled tasks into the day or add them to the next open time
Schedule dated work
assign a time to tasks that belong to the selected date but do not yet have one
Turn Quick Notes into tasks
schedule a Quick Note to create a task from it
Create timed tasks
choose a time in the day to create a task with the date and time filled in
Move timed tasks
drag tasks to a new time when the plan changes
Unschedule work
send a timed task back to the inbox when it no longer belongs on the day
Convert Apple Calendar events
turn an event into a PrimeTask task when you want it in your task system
Use task actions
change duration, status, priority, checklist, subtasks, custom fields, details, or deletion from the selected task
Use Focus Mode
start a focus session when a scheduled task is active and still incomplete
Filter the day
use Calendar filters to narrow tasks and Apple Calendar events
Use keyboard shortcuts
2 for Day Planner from the Calendar pageHow to open Day Planner
- Calendar page: Open Calendar, then choose Day Planner from the view controls.
- Keyboard shortcut: Open Calendar, then press
2. You can also use the plain left and right arrow keys to move through Calendar views. - Command palette: Press ⌘+K (or Ctrl+K) and search for Calendar, then choose Day Planner after the Calendar opens.
- From another Calendar view: Select the date you want, then switch to Day Planner.
Choosing the date
Use Today to return to the current date. Use previous and next to move one day at a time. You can also press Cmd + ← (or Ctrl + ←) and Cmd + → (or Ctrl + →) from the Calendar page.
When you return to today, Day Planner scrolls toward the current time so you can compare the plan with what is happening now.
Scheduling inbox tasks
The Day Planner inbox collects work that is not yet assigned to a specific time. It includes unscheduled incomplete tasks and tasks for the selected date that still need a time.
Drag a task from the inbox into the day to schedule it. PrimeTask keeps the task on the selected date and adds a start time. If the time you choose is already busy, PrimeTask can place the task in the next open time instead.
You can also choose Add to today on an inbox task. PrimeTask schedules it into the next available time on the selected date using the task's duration when one is set.
Use inbox search when the list is long. Search checks tasks and Quick Notes so you can find the work you want to schedule without changing the Calendar filters.
The inbox is not a separate task list
It gathers unscheduled work for the selected date so you can place it into the day.
Working with Quick Notes
Quick Notes from the Dashboard can be scheduled in Day Planner. This is useful when a quick idea becomes real work.
Drag a Quick Note into the day, or choose Add to today for that note. PrimeTask creates a task from the note and schedules it for the selected date. The new task keeps the note text so you can continue from the original idea.
Scheduling a Quick Note creates a task
Use this when the note is ready to become actionable work.
For more about Quick Notes, see Quick Notes Widget.
Creating tasks from the day
Choose an empty time in Day Planner to create a new timed task. PrimeTask opens the task creation form with the selected date and time already filled in.
Use this when you are planning from the schedule first, rather than from an existing task list. For example, you can reserve time for a call, a review session, or a block of focused work and then fill in the task details.
For more about task creation, see Creating Tasks.
Moving and unscheduling tasks
Drag a scheduled task to another time to reschedule it. PrimeTask updates the task so its start time, due time, and duration stay aligned with the new plan.
Use Send to inbox when a task should no longer be scheduled for the day. The task becomes unscheduled again, so you can decide later whether to place it back into the day, schedule it elsewhere, or edit it from the Tasks page.
Send to inbox when timing is uncertain
This keeps the task available for planning without forcing it into a specific time.
Selecting a scheduled task
Select a task in Day Planner to work with it directly. From the selected task, you can:
- Change duration
- Change status
- Change priority
- Open or edit task details
- Mark the task complete
- Add or update a checklist
- Add a subtask
- Edit custom fields when the active Space uses them
- Delete the task
- Start Focus Mode when the task is eligible
Double-clicking a task opens it for more detailed editing. Right-clicking a task opens the Calendar task menu. See Right-Click Context Menu and Task Details Page.
Working with Apple Calendar events
On macOS, Apple Calendar events can appear in Day Planner when the integration is enabled and available for the active Space.
Use Apple Calendar events to plan around meetings and commitments. If an event should become PrimeTask work, convert it into a task from Day Planner. PrimeTask keeps the event timing when it creates the task, and you can choose whether to keep the original Apple Calendar event.
To configure Apple Calendar, open Settings → Integrations. See Apple Calendar Integration and Integrations Settings.
Using Focus Mode from Day Planner
Day Planner is built for working the plan, not only arranging it. Select a scheduled task and start Focus when the task is active and still incomplete.
Focus is available when the task has a scheduled time, the scheduled time has started, the scheduled time has not ended, and the task is not complete. If Focus is not available yet, keep planning or start from another eligible task.
Focus follows the scheduled time
In Day Planner, a future time block is not ready for Focus until its scheduled time arrives.
For the broader Calendar Focus Mode rule, see Focus Mode from Calendar. For Focus Mode itself, see Task Focus Mode.
Filtering Day Planner
Calendar filters apply to Day Planner. Use them to narrow the day by:
- Status
- Priority
- Tags
- Completed tasks - hide completed work from the Calendar
- Archived project tasks - hide tasks that belong to archived projects
- Recurring tasks - show only recurring tasks, hide recurring tasks, or show all tasks
- Apple Calendar events - show or hide events from Apple Calendar
Filters are saved for the active Space. Switching Spaces can restore a different Calendar view and filter set. See Calendar Filters.
Navigation and zoom
Use previous, next, and Today to move between dates. Use + and - to zoom the timed schedule in or out.
Day Planner shows a current-time marker on the current date and updates it as time passes. This helps you see whether the plan still matches the day.
Day Planner compared with Day View
| View | Best for |
|---|---|
| Day Planner | Building and working a time-blocked plan from inbox tasks, Quick Notes, and Apple Calendar events |
| Day View | Reviewing all timed work for one date in a simpler Calendar schedule |
Use Day Planner when you are actively deciding how to spend the day. Use Day View when you mainly want to review the day's scheduled tasks and events. See Week and Day Views.
Things worth knowing
The inbox is for unscheduled work
If a task is already scheduled with a time, it appears in the day instead of the inbox. If you send it to the inbox, PrimeTask removes the scheduled time.
Dated tasks can still need a time
A task can belong to the selected date without having a start time. Day Planner treats that as work still waiting to be time-blocked.
Quick Notes become tasks when scheduled
Scheduling a Quick Note creates a PrimeTask task from it. Use this when the note is no longer just an idea and needs a real place in your day.
Apple Calendar events are separate until converted
Apple Calendar events can guide your planning without becoming tasks. Convert an event only when you want to manage it as PrimeTask work.
Focus Mode depends on the scheduled time
Future scheduled tasks are not ready for Day Planner Focus yet. When the task's scheduled time arrives, Focus becomes available if the task is still incomplete.
Common questions
"Why is a task in the inbox?"
The task is incomplete and does not have a scheduled time, or it belongs to the selected date but still needs a time. Drag it into the day or use Add to today to schedule it.
"Why did a task leave the inbox?"
It was scheduled with a time, completed, filtered out, or moved to another date. Check the task's dates and the active Calendar filters.
"Can I move a scheduled task back to the inbox?"
Yes. Use Send to inbox to remove the scheduled time from the task.
"Can I schedule Quick Notes?"
Yes. Drag a Quick Note into the day or use Add to today. PrimeTask creates a task from the note and schedules it.
"Can I create a task directly in Day Planner?"
Yes. Choose an empty time in the day to create a task with that date and time filled in.
"Why are Apple Calendar events missing?"
Check that Apple Calendar integration is enabled in Settings → Integrations, that events are available for the active Space, and that Calendar filters are not hiding events.
"Why is Focus not available for a task?"
Focus in Day Planner requires a scheduled task whose time has started, has not ended, and is not complete. Edit the task time or choose another eligible task.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Understand the full Calendar page | Calendar Overview |
| Review work as a list | Agenda View |
| Review work across a month | Month View |
| Plan by week or day | Week and Day Views |
| Filter Day Planner | Calendar Filters |
| Use task and event right-click actions | Right-Click Context Menu |
| Start Focus Mode from Calendar tasks | Focus Mode from Calendar |
| Create tasks | Creating Tasks |
| Edit task details | Task Details Page |
| Use Quick Notes | Quick Notes Widget |
| Configure Apple Calendar | Apple Calendar Integration |
| See Calendar keyboard shortcuts | Keyboard Shortcuts |