Image: Rawpixel/Adobe Stock

Planner is an outstanding task management tool with GitHub integration that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The app is straightforward and allows you to create multiple projects, add labels, use a pinboard, and view a calendar for your tasks.

SEE: Hiring kit: Project manager (TechRepublic Premium)

Although it is fairly basic, its simplicity makes Planner a refreshing app to use. Instead of trudging your way through too many features or a complicated workflow, Planner is fairly single-minded and simplistic.

Although the feature list for Planner won’t blow you away, it does include:

  • Reminders and notifications.
  • Quick Find.
  • Night mode.
  • Recurring due dates.
  • Drag and order.
  • Progress indicator for each project.
  • Sync projects with Todoist.
  • CalDav support for Tasklist syncing.

Let me show you how to install Planner and integrate it with your Todoist account.

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What you’ll need to connect Planner and Todoist

The only things you’ll need for this to install Planner (directions below) and a valid Todoist account. You can use either a Free or Pro Todoist account, as the Planner feature functions with both.

Let’s get to it.

How to install Planner

Believe it or not, the easiest operating system to install Planner on is Linux via Flatpak.

Installing Planner on Linux via Flatpak

This is done with the following steps:

  1. Open a terminal window.
  2. Download the Planner flatpakref file with the command wget https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/com.github.alainm23.planner.flatpakref .
  3. Install with sudo flatpak install com.github.alainm23.planner.flatpakref .
  4. When the installation finishes, close the terminal.
  5. Log out, and log back into your desktop.

Installing Planner on macOS

On macOS, you must do the following:

  1. Install Xcode and the Xcode CLI tools .
  2. Install MacPorts *.
  3. Install Planner with the command sudo port install planner .

*There are MacPorts pkg installers for Ventura , Monterey , Big Sur and Catalina , which is the simplest method of installing MacPorts.

Installing Planner on Windows

For Windows, you must install the Windows 11 WSL2 GUI App. You will then have to follow these instructions to install Flatpak:

Open the Windows Terminal in Administrative Role.

  1. Issue the command wslconfig /u ubuntu .
  2. Update WSL with wsl --update .
  3. Restart WSL with wsl --shutdown .
  4. Install WSLg and a new Ubuntu environment with wsl --install -d Ubuntu .
  5. Install Flatpak with sudo apt install flatpak .

You can now install Planner on Windows using the same instructions listed for the Linux installation.

How to integrate Planner and Todoist

Open Planner from your desktop menu, and you’ll be greeted with a welcome page where you can start the Todoist integration. Click Todoist, and when prompted, select your login method ( Figure A ).

Figure A

Planner login with options to log in via Google, Facebook, and Apple
Connecting Planner to Todoist.

Once the connection is made, you can start using Planner with your integrated Todoist account ( Figure B ).

Figure B

Empty inbox in Planner
Planner has successfully been integrated with my Todoist account.

As you can see, I have five different projects that were imported from Todoist. I can add new projects, add tasks to those projects, add labels, search and filter the tasks.

A convenient connection between two handy apps

Todoist is already a great task management service and app. But when you combine it with the well-designed simplicity of Planner, it’ll make your workflow even easier.

One thing to remember is that once you connect Planner to Todoist, that’s your workflow. You can’t have both a local and a Todoist instance. The good news is connecting Planner to Todoist is the way to go with this app, so get a free Todoist account and connect it to Planner for a convenient workflow.

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