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A task inbox gives new work a visible place before you decide when to do it. Capture the task once, then schedule that same record when you are ready.
1. Keep capture and scheduling separate
When a task arrives, you may know its deadline before you know when you can work on it. Keep those decisions separate: Due Date records the deadline; Planned Date records the intended work day.
For this first recipe, Inbox means unfinished work without a planned date. It can include new requests and older tasks that still need scheduling. If you later need a separate reviewed/not-reviewed process, define that deliberately rather than assuming an empty date tells you whether a task has been reviewed.
2. Prepare four properties
- Name: Title.
- Planned Date: Date.
- Due Date: Date.
- Done: Checkbox.
Use single dates without times in a private practice database. Keep All tasks unfiltered as your reference. If an existing workspace uses Status for completion, adapt the rule to that workflow instead of adding a second completion system without a maintenance rule.
3. Add the Inbox view
Add a Table view of the same database, name it Inbox and combine these conditions with AND:
- Planned Date is empty.
- Done is unchecked.
A task must meet both conditions. For grouping mistakes, follow the AND/OR filters guide. Notion’s official view documentation explains view filters.
Six tasks, three inbox records
This fictional dataset illustrates eligibility; it is not a Notion screenshot or an executed test. “Assigned” means you have selected an actual date in Planned Date.
| Task | Planned Date | Due Date | Done | Inbox? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarify website request | Empty | Empty | Unchecked | Yes |
| Prepare client proposal | Empty | A selected deadline | Unchecked | Yes |
| Collect reference images | Empty | Empty | Unchecked | Yes |
| Review homepage | Assigned | A selected deadline | Unchecked | No |
| Send meeting summary | Empty | Empty | Checked | No |
| Prepare launch notes | Assigned | A selected deadline | Unchecked | No |
4. Process the inbox with a next action
For each task, decide whether the request is clear, whether it has a real deadline and what action you can take next. Clarify vague work before giving it a production date.
| Task | Decision |
|---|---|
| Clarify website request | Ask which deliverable and change are needed; record the follow-up action |
| Prepare client proposal | Choose a work date before its agreed deadline |
| Collect reference images | Define the required references, then schedule a manageable session |
Assign Planned Date when you have decided when to take the action. The task leaves Inbox because it no longer has an empty planned date. Use the weekly planner guide to display scheduled work.
5. Test one record
- Choose Collect reference images in the practice database.
- Assign it a Planned Date inside your selected planning week.
- Confirm it leaves Inbox and qualifies for the weekly view.
- Find the original record in All tasks.
- Clear Planned Date and confirm it returns to Inbox.
Restore the original practice data when finished. If the weekly view does not show it, inspect that view’s date boundaries and completion filter rather than creating a duplicate.
6. Review deadlines alongside the inbox
An inbox task can have an overdue Due Date. Capture is not a deadline review. Keep an overdue tasks view available and inspect it before choosing the day’s work.
When waiting on a client, write what is missing and the next follow-up. Avoid assigning an arbitrary Monday date merely to empty the inbox.
Common mistakes
Using another database for every queue: start with different views of the same task records.
Giving every new task today’s date: that removes it from this inbox without making a realistic plan.
Inventing deadlines: leave Due Date empty when no deadline exists and review the task deliberately.
Treating an empty inbox as completed work: scheduled tasks can remain unfinished. Check the underlying records and deadline views.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate database for my task inbox?
No. This recipe uses an Inbox view of the same task database, filtered to Planned Date empty AND Done unchecked.
Can an inbox task already have a deadline?
Yes. Due Date and Planned Date answer different questions. A deadline does not automatically schedule time to work.
Why does a task leave the inbox when I schedule it?
A populated Planned Date no longer matches the empty-date filter. The record remains in the source database.
Does an empty inbox mean all my work is finished?
No. Tasks can be scheduled, completed or hidden by other settings. Review All tasks and your deadline views separately.