Moving from TickTick

Before you start

At the time of checking, TickTick’s export is a backup made from the web app (Settings → Account → Generate Backup), which downloads a CSV file of every list. The file starts with a few lines of notes above the real header, and its columns include Folder Name, List Name, Title, Content, Tags, Due Date, Reminder, Repeat, Priority, Status, Completed Time, Column Name, taskId and parentId. Trust your own file over this page.

OpenTodo reads a CSV with a header row and a title column; spaces in header names count as underscores, so Due Date is already due_date. The columns it understands are in the import reference.

Export from TickTick

1. In the TickTick web app, open Settings → Account and select Generate Backup. Download the CSV. Import formats
2. Open it in a spreadsheet and delete the note lines above the header row, so the header is the first line. Import formats

Tidy the file

1. Rename Content to description. OpenTodo would otherwise read content as a second title column. CSV columns
2. Rename List Name to project and Column Name to section. Lists become projects and Kanban columns become sections. Sections
3. Rename taskId to id and parentId to parent. Subtasks then find their parents. Mapping rules
4. Convert Priority. TickTick writes 5 (high), 3 (medium), 1 (low) and 0 (none); OpenTodo wants 1 to 4 with 1 the highest. Replace 5 with 1, 3 with 2, 1 with 3 and 0 with 4 (or with the words high, medium, low, none). CSV columns
5. Convert Status. TickTick marks completed tasks with 2; rename the column to completed and replace 2 with yes, everything else with nothing. Completion times come from Completed Time if you rename it completed_at. CSV columns
6. Leave Tags, Due Date and Repeat as they are. Tags become labels, Due Date is read as a date-time, and RRULE repeat rules are read when the rule can be expressed; the preview names any it cannot. Recurrence
7. Reminders: OpenTodo reads durations such as -PT15M and 1 day; if the preview does not accept TickTick’s spelling, delete the column and set reminders again in the app. Reminders

Import into OpenTodo

1. Open Settings → Data → Import data… and choose the file. Import from another app
2. In the preview, check the time zone (dates with a zone are converted to it), then read the row list; problems come first with the row number and the reason. Nothing is written yet. Import from another app
3. Select Import. One file brings all your lists; the tasks reach every device on its next sync. An import can be undone. Undo an import

Your first week

• Pomodoro habits: give tasks an estimate (+25m in quick add, or e) and plan them on the Day calendar; the header shows whether the day fits. Plan your day Estimate how long a task takes
• Smart lists become saved views: due <= 7 days & p1, @errand & !completed. Save a filter as a view Save your own views
• Turn on notifications on each device so reminders arrive while the app is closed. Get reminders on your phone Get reminders when the app is closed
• Share the lists you shared before, with a role per person. Share a project Share a project