Expert's Rating
Pros
- Manage tasks in Flowchart or List views
- Link tasks to enable or depend on other chores
- Universal app for desktop and mobile, no subscription necessary
Cons
- No startup tutorial or guidance for first-time users
- UI tends to be less than intuitive at times
- Tasks can’t be synced with Apple Reminders or other services
Our Verdict
Taskheat is a visual task manager which allows users to break down responsibilities and link them to build a path toward accomplishing goals, together with a flowchart that helps focus on the steps under your control.
Price When Reviewed
Freee 14-day trial, US$10 in-app purchase
Best Prices Today: Taskheat
Many to-do apps do the same thing in a similar fashion: Display a list of tasks you check off as each one is completed. Taskheat takes a different approach, allowing users to switch between a traditional list-based workflow and a flowchart where similar tasks are connected in a visual way to help better organize how things get done in real life.
Available on Mac, iPad, and iPhone for a one-time $10 in-app purchase after a free 14-day trial, Taskheat features a simple (if not entirely intuitive) user interface. Projects are listed in a sidebar at left, while adding a new task is as simple as double-clicking in the right-hand area of the Flowchart or List view. Name the item, then add optional notes, color coding, tags, due date, contact assignment, or location as desired.
After adding two or more tasks, you can link them together by clicking the “connector outlet”—a small circle along the right edge of the first item—and dragging it to any other task. (On mobile, this is done by choosing from a list of dependent tasks.) From this so-called “spaghetti” view, it’s easy to change the direction or entirely remove a link in just a few clicks; tasks can either enable or depend upon linked items.
Two filters in the left-hand sidebar help users focus on the most important tasks. Actual displays undelegated tasks with no links to incomplete items at your current location—i.e., the stuff you can actually do right now—while Today shows only that which is currently on your plate.
Taskheat links together related tasks, even while performing a search for the correct item. iPad version shown here.
Taskheat links together related tasks, even while performing a search for the correct item. iPad version shown here.
Taskheat links together related tasks, even while performing a search for the correct item. iPad version shown here.
An overview at the bottom of the sidebar provides a bird’s eye view of how many tasks are overdue, upcoming, have no specific due date, and have been delegated to others.
Stay on task with Taskheat
Although Taskheat works independently of other to-do list services like Apple Reminders and Microsoft To Do, tasks automatically stay in sync as you move between devices thanks to iCloud. The iPadOS version works more or less the same as on macOS—other than tapping the middle right edge to hide the sidebar—and the developer has done a good job condensing the UI on iPhone as well.
What really holds Taskheat back at the moment is the user interface, which is at once too simplistic and not quite intuitive enough. A good “getting started” tutorial at first launch would definitely help, if not a full walkthrough instead of the iPad promo video currently on the developer’s website.
Taskheat’s Flowchart view turns an ordinary to-do list into one where you can see how items connect to get things done more efficiently. Mac version shown here.
Taskheat’s Flowchart view turns an ordinary to-do list into one where you can see how items connect to get things done more efficiently. Mac version shown here.
Taskheat’s Flowchart view turns an ordinary to-do list into one where you can see how items connect to get things done more efficiently. Mac version shown here.
Bottom line
Taskheat introduces a new approach to task management, but there’s not enough guidance for those accustomed to traditional list-based to-do apps.