# Task Actions - Automatic Workflow Automation ## What are Task Actions? Task Actions automatically set up your work environment when you start working on a task. Include URLs or keywords in your task title or notes, and MakeTimeFlow detects them and launches everything you need when you begin. By default, actions run automatically when you start a task. If a task has more than 5 actions, you'll be asked to confirm before they launch -- preventing a flood of tabs when you didn't expect it. **What Task Actions do for you:** - Open relevant URLs in your browser - Launch communication tools you've configured - Navigate to rituals (shutdown, weekly planning, begin well) - Return you to where you were when you stop or complete the task --- ## How Actions Work ### Lifecycle Hooks Task Actions operate at three points in a task's lifecycle: | Lifecycle | When it fires | What it does | |-----------|--------------|--------------| | **On Start** | You start working on the task | Opens URLs, launches tools | | **On Stop** | You stop the timer | Navigates you back (e.g., to where you came from) | | **On Done** | You complete the task | Navigates you back (falls back to On Stop if not set) | Most actions you create through keywords and URLs are **On Start** actions. **On Stop** and **On Done** actions are used by features like [[Communication Tools#Scan and Process|Comms Scan/Process]] to return you to where you were when the timer ends. ### Detection at Save Time Actions are detected the moment you save a task -- not when you start it. MakeTimeFlow scans your task title and notes for URLs, communication keywords, and ritual references, then stores the detected actions. This means: - The lightning bolt indicator appears immediately after saving - You can see exactly what will happen before you start - Detection is fast and consistent --- ## Types of Actions ### 1. URL Actions Any URL in your task title or notes will automatically open when you start. **Supported URL schemes:** - **Web URLs**: `http://` and `https://` - **Note-taking apps**: `obsidian://`, `notion://`, `roam://`, `bear://` - **Task managers**: `things://`, `omnifocus://` - **Communication**: `slack://`, `teams://`, `zoom://`, `meet://` - **Development**: `vscode://` - **Media**: `spotify://`, `music://` - **And more!** Any custom URL scheme your apps support **Examples:** ``` Review PR https://github.com/company/repo/pull/123 Design mockup https://figma.com/file/abc123 Open notes obsidian://vault/project-notes ``` **Multiple URLs** all open at once: ``` Review https://github.com/repo1/pull/1 and https://github.com/repo2/pull/2 ``` --- ### 2. Communication Actions Open your communication tools with simple keywords. First, configure your tools on the Communications page (see [[Communication Tools]]). **Generic "comms" action** -- Opens ALL configured communication tools: ``` Check comms Comms Do comms ``` **Specific tool actions** -- Open just one tool: ``` Do Gmail Check Slack Open Basecamp Do Teams ``` The tool name is matched against your configured communication tools (case-insensitive). If you have a tool called "Gmail" configured with its URL, writing "do Gmail" in a task will open that URL when you start. --- ### 3. Ritual Actions Jump directly into your rituals with keywords: ``` Do shutdown --> Shutdown ritual Shutdown --> Shutdown ritual Do wrap --> Weekly planning ritual Wrap --> Weekly planning ritual Weekly reflection --> Weekly planning ritual Weekly planning --> Weekly planning ritual Do begin --> Begin well ritual Begin --> Begin well ritual Begin well --> Begin well ritual ``` **Example tasks:** ``` End of day - do shutdown Weekly review - wrap Morning routine - begin well ``` --- ## Visual Indicators ### Lightning Bolt Icon Tasks with actions show a lightning bolt on their Start button and next to the task name: ![[Flow Action with Tasks.png]] This tells you the task will do something automatically when you start it. Hover over the bolt to see a tooltip listing exactly which actions will run. ### In the Active Timer When you're working on a task with actions, the lightning bolt appears next to the task name: ![[Flow Active Task Actions 1.png]] Click the bolt to re-run the actions if you need to open those URLs again. --- ## Controlling When Actions Run ### User Preference You can control how Task Actions behave globally in your preferences. There are three modes: | Mode | Behavior | |------|----------| | **Automatic** (default) | Actions run automatically if 5 or fewer. If more than 5, you're asked to confirm first. | | **Always Ask** | You always see a confirmation dialog before actions run, regardless of how many. | | **Never** | Actions never run automatically. You can still click the lightning bolt to run them manually. | ### Actions Run Once Per Timer Actions only execute **once per timer start**. If you: - Pause and resume: actions don't re-run - Return to the timer page: actions don't re-run - Refresh the page: actions don't re-run Click the lightning bolt in the active timer to manually re-run actions. --- ## Using Task Actions ### Basic Workflow 1. **Create a task** with a URL or keyword: ``` Review PR https://github.com/company/repo/pull/123 ``` 2. **Notice the lightning bolt** on the Start button 3. **Start the task** -- the URL opens automatically 4. **Focus on your work** -- your environment is ready 5. **Stop or complete** -- you're returned to where you were (if the task has On Stop/On Done actions) ### Combining Multiple Action Types ``` Morning standup - check comms and https://calendar.google.com ``` This will: - Open all your communication tools - Open Google Calendar ### Using the Notes Field Actions work in notes too -- you don't have to cram everything into the title. **Title:** `Review design feedback` **Notes:** ``` Check the Figma file: https://figma.com/file/abc123 Also review Slack thread: https://workspace.slack.com/archives/channel/p123456 ``` Both URLs open when you start. --- ## Security and Privacy ### Safe by Design MakeTimeFlow blocks dangerous URL schemes: - `javascript:` URLs (XSS attacks) - `data:` URLs (embedded code) - `file:` URLs (local file access) - `vbscript:` URLs (script execution) Internal navigation actions (like ritual shortcuts) are validated to ensure they only navigate within MakeTimeFlow -- they cannot redirect you to external sites. ### Your Privacy - Actions run locally in your browser - No data sent to external servers beyond the URLs you chose to open - All actions are visible in your task title and notes - You control what opens and when ### Custom URL Schemes If you use an app scheme we don't specifically recognize (e.g., `myapp://action`), it will still work. Your browser may prompt you to confirm opening the app. --- ## Platform Support **Web Browser:** - URLs open in new tabs - Custom schemes prompt "Open in app?" - Works in all modern browsers - Popup blockers may need to allowlist MakeTimeFlow **Desktop App (Electron):** - URLs open in your default browser - Custom schemes launch apps directly - Smoother integration with native apps --- ## Tips and Best Practices ### Create Reusable Task Patterns **Daily standup:** ``` Title: Daily standup Notes: check comms https://calendar.google.com https://notion.so/standup-notes ``` ### Use with Recurring Tasks Add actions to recurring tasks for automatic setup every time: ``` Monday planning - https://notion.so/week https://calendar.google.com Friday wrap-up - check comms and do wrap ``` ### Project Context Bundles Keep all project links together in one task: ``` [Project Alpha] Work session https://jira.com/board/alpha https://github.com/company/alpha https://figma.com/file/alpha-designs check Slack ``` ### Keep It Focused - Only include URLs you actually need for the task - If you have more than 5 actions, consider splitting into smaller tasks - Use communication tool groups to keep "check comms" manageable --- ## Troubleshooting ### Actions Not Running 1. **Does your task show a lightning bolt?** If not, the action pattern wasn't detected. Check spelling and URL format. 2. **Did actions already run?** Actions only run once per timer. Click the lightning bolt in the active timer to re-run. 3. **Is the URL format correct?** URLs need `://` (e.g., `https://`, `obsidian://`). 4. **Check your preference.** If set to "Never", actions won't auto-run. Click the lightning bolt manually or change your preference. ### URL Not Opening - **Popup blocker**: Look for the popup blocker icon in your address bar and allow popups from MakeTimeFlow - **App not installed**: Custom schemes like `obsidian://` require the app to be installed - **Custom scheme prompt**: Your browser may ask "Open in app?" -- click Open to allow ### Communication Tool Not Launching 1. Check that you've configured your tools on the Communications page 2. Verify the tool has a URL configured 3. Make sure the tool name in your task matches (case-insensitive) 4. Try "check comms" to launch all tools and verify the URLs work --- ## Related Features - **[[Communication Tools]]** -- Configure your tools and use Scan/Process mode - **[[Rituals]]** -- Shutdown, wrap, begin well routines - **[[Keyboard Shortcuts]]** -- All shortcuts - **[[Focus Mode]]** -- Deep work without distractions