CNET Editors' review
Call them what you will -- task managers, organizers, or personal assistants -- but software designed to help busy people stay a step ahead of the competition (or disaster) is practically as old as computing, itself. It sometimes seems like we've tried them all, yet few have been "keepers." So we were intrigued by Dextronet's Swift To-Do List since other picky users seemed to like it. It's shareware, so it needs to offer a lot of features and performance to stand out from the freeware crowd -- and it does. But you can try it free for 30 days to see if it suits your needs. Swift To-Do List 8 is ready for Windows 8.
Swift To-Do List's welcome screen offered two options: Empty Database, to start a new database, or Sample Database, to view example data. While the program's neatly partitioned Explorer-style layout and attractive icon suite seemed easy enough to grasp, we nevertheless started with the sample data, which is one of the best and fastest ways to learn to use programs such as Swift To-Do List. The first page of a Quick Start Guide appeared next. For good measure, we also opened the extensive Help file and toured the other resources on the Help menu. The documentation recommends starting with the Basics overview, which describes how to set up the program's tree view-based to-do list, database, and encryption; configure pop-up reminders and alarms; import and sync e-mail, browser, and mobile data and devices; configure filters; and much more. The Import Wizard made it easy to import not only contacts but also tasks from Outlook. We like the ability to completely customize the tree view, icons, and so on; in fact, it seems like there's very little about Swift To-Do List that can't be customized or configured.
We're impressed by Swift To-Do List and don't doubt its claim to help reduce stress and bring "peace of mind" to busy people who take advantage of its many capabilities. The full version costs $44.95 -- not expensive, though more than similar tools. But Swift To-Do List's 30-day trial makes for a stress-free decision.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of Swift To-Do List 8.052.
Publisher's Description
From Dextronet:
Number one to-do list software for Windows suitable for personal and business use. All your tasks and notes in one place. Powerful yet simple and easy to use. Can be used as a light-weight project management tool. Swift To-Do List has many unique features and it has been developed and improved for more than 8 years. No other tool even comes close. Swift To-Do List has all the features you will ever need, but it is still simple and easy to use. The supported features include: - Both for tasks and notes - Organize to-do lists hierarchically in a tree with icons - Subtasks support, break down complex tasks into small action steps - Zero learning time, superbly intuitive and easy to use - All the fields you will need. Fully hide any fields that you don't need (unique feature). Supported fields include: Task Name, Priority, Type, Due Date, Start Date, Completion Date, Context, Assigned To, Time Estimate, Time Spent, Percent Done, Status, Creation Date and Last Changed Date. - Incredible reminder support. Set reminder for any of your tasks easily. - Recurring tasks support - Runs from USB thumb-drive - Task attachments - Tasks archive (view history, recover deleted tasks) - Reorder your tasks and to-do lists easily using drag & drop - Clipboard support (copy, cut & paste your tasks, notes and to-do lists) - Undo/redo - Flexible export & printing options - Helpful view modes and filters - Work with multiple tasks at once - Email your tasks - Fully customize anything (not just the whole interface, but the inbuilt task priorities) - Protect your database with strong encryption - You can hide any unneeded features to keep the program simple and lightweight (unique feature) Swift To-Do List is the best tool to enhance your productivity and to get organized. There is nothing else like it. Why don't you find out why thousands of happy customers are so enthusiastic about it? Just download the free trial and see for yourself.
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All versions:
4.4 starsout of 7 votes
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Current version:
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Results 1-7 of 7
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"Good task manager but could be better"
Version: Swift To-Do List 8.052
Pros
You can create any number of to do lists and sub-to do lists with notes. It has it's own text editor and with version 8, we get sub tasks - a must with any task management program. You can easily port to a thumb drive and sort, arrange and view your tasks by a range of conditions. You can edit columns. STDL is very good at letting you tailor itself to fit your needs very well. The calendar feature helps to focus one's attention on the current day's tasks. The program also comes with reminders, a timer for tasks and quite and other tasks that will help you be productive. Plus, the developer is adding features to the current version
Cons
Other than porting to a thumb drive (which doesn't fit everyone's situation), there are no mobile solutions for STDL. There is one in beta but unsatisfactory at the current time as it needs work and is in beta. I just had a situation recently where I really needed to take STDL with me where I didn't have access to a computer and couldn't. Not good. Also, I'm not sure if every user is experiencing this but every so often, STDL refuses to open on my system. Not sure if it's a bug or not but it's a little annoying to have to shut down my computer, restart it just to get STDL to open. Sometimes even on restart it won't. Not sure what is wrong but I don't have this issue with any other program. Finally, you can't maintain an ordered list in the main to do list area which is a big failing in my opinion. When you create a task with sub-tasks, you have the option of keeping those sub-tasks in order but the main to do lists tasks lose their original created order when you sort by any column.
Summary
I've actually stopped using STDL for now because of the cons I've listed. However, STDL is good for people who are primarily at a desktop computer most of the time or someone who doesn't need to be as mobile with it as some people need to be. It made a wonderful job searching tool for me because I was able to tailor the program so well to my needs so not all was lost. I would recommend trying it out but use the full trial period to see if you encounter the issue with it starting. One other con I forgot to list is that the auto-update feature has never worked for me even though it's supposed to and the developer is constantly updating it due to bugs so not sure if that's a good thing or not. In some ways, it's ended up being a love-hate relationship with me. It's a really good robust task manager but it could be better.
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"A very useful, intuitive and fun organization tool!"
Version: Swift To-Do List 7.50
Pros
I've been searching for years for an organizational software tool [reasonably priced] that could help me keep track effectively of all my ideas, contacts, appointments, accounts, passwords, files, writings, etc. in one location. Swift To-Do was exactly what I've been looking for and I knew it as soon as I started with the trial version. After a few days of using the trial I quickly upgraded to and purchased the Professional version and it's exceeded my expectations. It's compact, expandable, exportable and very visual with its dozens of assignable icons. I find personally that the visuals not only make the program easier to use and follow but also add an element of fun so that inputting data is no longer just a chore. I've tried Evernote and Flashnote and a few others but Swift To-do won out easily and hands down. The ability to export the software to an encryptable flash drive is also great! The possibilities are endless. Len Tannas [leonard92@gmail.com]
Cons
No cons for this software - the more one uses it, the more useful one finds it. I'm looking forward to the upgrades.
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"Easy and it works"
Version: Swift To-Do List 7.463
Pros
Plenty of room to fill in details.
Cons
Good but a little overkill for me
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"Very good, but too pricey"
Version: Swift To-Do List 7.23
Pros
Slick, snappy interface, very customizable in pro version - recurring reminders, due dates, note taking, just a lot of good stuff going on here but it's not overly complicated to learn to use.
Cons
$45 for pro/upgrade version = too much
Summary
Much better than taskulon (other free task manager rated highly on Cnet), or using google calendar/tasks. I tried a lot of other stuff as well, but nothing really could match this.
However, having to pay $45 to get recurring meetings/reminders is too much for what this program does (didn't really want the $25 daily version). Will stick with Lotus Notes to do list, I just didn't want my reminders to show up in my calendar when it wasn't an event/meeting like Lotus does, but it works. If this would have been $20 I would have bought it, but even now I'd rather just stick with Lotus even if the price drops. -
"The absolute best business organizing tool!"
Version: Swift To-Do List 7.0741
Pros
Puts your business on a fully automated task management system allowing you to keep track of all the important things you need to do during the day.
Cons
This is the second product I have tried from this company and i love it to death. I run 3 businesses online and this has just blown my mind away there is no way I could do what i'm doing now without this software.
Haven't found any cons yet! :)Summary
I run over 3 businesses online and i always have a hard time trying to put everything in order and always forget to do the most important things for the day. With this software I am finally able to list the most important things in order and focus on the task at hand. I highly recommend anyone who either runs a business online like myself or if you have a commercial business you really need to try this just download the free trial you get to use it for 30 days i love it so much i just purchased it after 30 days. It's a lot cheaper then anything you would find in stores and does a lot more for your money.
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"Excellent To-Do List software to manage time and tasks"
Version: Swift To-Do List 7.01
Pros
- Powerful reminder feature
- ability to email tasks
- It is portable
- Add file attachments
- Database encryption
- Batch editing of tasks
- Options to customize UI and tasks
- Drag and drop of tasks and lists
- Very easy to set up and useCons
I didn't find any cons in this software.
Summary
This product is very easy to set up and use. The user interface is clean and all parts of the software are easily accessible. There are a lot of options to customize the interface and operation of the software. The visual aids help in identifying task lists, prioritizing tasks, and identifying characteristics of tasks very easily. I particularly like the powerful reminder functionality which has many reminder options to set, the ability to attach files for quick access, the database can be secured by encryption,
the tasks can be emailed, tasks can be edited in bulk saving time, the to do list itself if portable i.e., you can take it on a USB flash drive with you, ability to create as many tasks and task lists as you need, great filter and search capability, functionality to print and export tasks, easily reorganize tasks and task lists using drag and drop feature, plus many more useful features. -
"BINGO!"
Version: Swift To-Do List 5.05
Pros
I must have been through about 30 to-do list programs, from the extremely limited not-worth-the-trouble to ones like TimeTo Pro that are so complicated they freeze up the mind. All I really want is the basics: simple reminders and due dates; sorting on due date, name of task, or priority; and most important of all, UNLIMITED MULTILEVEL TREE STRUCTURE FOR TASKS--that's in caps because I have never found one that has this feature at a reasonable price and without all the geegaws that make the program too busy and too complicated and too expensive. Until today. Swift To-Do is elegantly simple but has the ample tree structure (tasks and sub-tasks and sub-sub-tasks) plus the ability to attach notes to your tasks and insert links to files or web pages.
By the way, the version in this listing says 5.05 but 5.10 is now out with many improvements so the price has gone up to $35. Some people won't like that--I notice in many of the reviews people don't seem to want to pay for software. Sigh. However, this one is absolutely worth the price. Don't forget that you get what you pay for.
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