Locus GTD User Manual
This manual reflects the current version of Locus GTD and applies to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Unless a page says otherwise, the concepts and data rules are the same across platforms; the exact placement of controls can vary with platform, window size, and OS version.
New to Locus?
Start with Quick Start to build a working system in about ten minutes. Return here when you need a complete reference.
How Locus Organizes Your Work
Each object answers a different question:
| Object | Question | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Task | What is the next concrete thing to do? | Make a call, draft a proposal, buy milk |
| Project | Which outcome takes more than one action? | Move house, launch a website, plan a trip |
| Action List | What is this action's current commitment state? | Next Action, Waiting For, Someday / Maybe |
| Tag | Under which context can I do it? | Office, Phone, Low Energy |
| Filter / Perspective | Which tasks and projects do I want to see now? | Work today, under 15 minutes, waiting for Alex |
| Schedule & Calendar | When will I work on it, and when is it due? | Plan, due date, event, Apple Calendar |
The Inbox temporarily holds items you have not organized. Capture first; later decide on a project, date, action list, or tag.
Recommended Reading Order
1. Build the Basic Workflow
- Quick Start: complete one capture–clarify–organize–engage–review cycle.
- Tasks & Subtasks: learn statuses, hierarchy, availability, and task fields.
- Inbox Processing: turn input into a trusted system.
- Project Management: organize outcomes with projects, folders, categories, and sections.
- Action Lists: distinguish Next Action, Waiting For, and Someday / Maybe.
2. Adapt the System to Your Work
- Tags & Tag Groups: organize by place, tool, energy, or person.
- Custom Filters (Perspectives): save reusable rule-based views.
- Schedule & Calendar: see tasks and calendar events together.
- Dates, Repeats & Reminders: understand plan, due, defer, recurrence, and notifications.
- Review & Logbook: keep projects trusted and revisit completed work.
3. Use Advanced Capabilities
- AI Assistant: query, create, and organize data with natural language.
- Sync, Backup & Restore: understand iCloud, automatic backups, and recovery.
- Imports, Web, Widgets & Shortcuts: migrate data and capture from system entry points.
- Platform Differences & Mac Features: learn Global Capture, keyboard controls, Insights, and MCP.
Three Commonly Confused Groups
Plan, Due, and Defer
- Plan date: when you intend to work; an unfinished past plan rolls into Today.
- Due date: the latest completion boundary; it remains overdue once passed.
- Defer date: the task is unavailable until this date.
See Dates, Repeats & Reminders.
First Available and Next Action
- First Available is calculated from project type, hierarchy, order, status, and dates.
- Next Action is an action list you select manually.
They can overlap, but they do not mean the same thing. See Action Lists.
Tag Groups and Tag Hierarchy
The current app supports one level of “Tag Group → Tags.” Tags cannot contain other tags. See Tags & Tag Groups.
Find an Answer
- FAQ: common questions about sync, reminders, the Inbox, projects, filters, and data.
- Glossary: concise definitions by topic.
- Detailed Term Index: one page for each core term.
- What’s New: release history.
- Support: contact the support team if the manual does not resolve the issue.
Terminology
“Settings” means settings inside Locus unless the text explicitly says “System Settings.” This manual uses “Custom Filter (Perspective)”: the Mac navigation says Filters, while iPhone and iPad currently say Perspectives. Both are the same feature, and internal or legacy identifiers can still use Perspective.