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How to automate your OmniFocus workflows with Zapier

By Nicole Replogle · December 4, 2023
A hero image of the OmniFocus app logo connected to other app logos on a light purple background.

There's a reason OmniFocus is a popular task manager for Apple users—it's a powerful to-do list app with streamlined navigation and deep integrations with both macOS and iOS.

While OmniFocus is a powerful tool on its own, automation can turn it into your go-to project hub for your work and personal life. Zapier's automated workflows (called Zaps) help corral tasks from your email, calendar, AI assistants, and other project management software so you can check one simplified, reliable place for your daily to-dos.

Here are the top four ways to automate OmniFocus and save yourself hours of busy work.

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Table of contents

  • Create OmniFocus tasks from chat messages

  • Create tasks from to-do and project management apps

  • Create tasks from email

  • Create tasks from calendar events

To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on the button. It only takes a few minutes to set up. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.

Create OmniFocus tasks from chat messages

If you're like most modern remote or hybrid teams, many of your new action items originate in chat apps like Slack. Manually copying tasks from one app to another can be clunky and time-consuming, though—and you always risk forgetting to add something crucial to your to-do list.

Automation can take over that busy work for you. These Zaps will automatically send Slack messages matching your preferred condition to your OmniFocus inbox as a new task. You might save important messages, post them to a dedicated channel, or push them directly to Zapier

Or maybe you want to have fun with it and choose a specific reaction (like "👀") to signal that a message should be turned into a task. Whatever workflow works best for you, these Zaps can make it happen.

Create OmniFocus tasks from new saved Slack messages

Create OmniFocus tasks from new saved Slack messages
  • Slack logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Slack + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks for new pushed Slack messages

Create OmniFocus tasks for new pushed Slack messages
  • OmniFocus logo
OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Slack messages

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Slack messages
  • Slack logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Slack + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks from Slack reactions

Create OmniFocus tasks from Slack reactions
  • Slack logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Slack + OmniFocus

Create tasks from to-do and project management apps

Very few people—and even fewer workplaces—use only one productivity tool. OmniFocus is a great app for managing your personal to-do list, but the odds are good that you use other apps at work or to manage larger projects. 

No matter your blend of task and project management apps, there's a way to connect them and simplify your task management with automation.

To-do list apps

If you had your way, you probably wouldn't use more than one to-do list app. After all, these apps are supposed to simplify things by letting you brainstorm ideas, organize action items by due date and priority, and then not think about them again until it's time to act. But if you're stuck juggling different apps for the different parts of your life, they can be more effort than they're worth.

If your workplace uses Todoist or Microsoft To-Do, you don't have to be glued to that app. You can keep using OmniFocus as your main task manager; just use one of these Zaps to automatically copy new action items into your OmniFocus inbox. That way, you'll never miss important tasks—all without checking multiple to-do lists.

Send new Google Tasks to OmniFocus

Send new Google Tasks to OmniFocus
  • Google Tasks logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Google Tasks + OmniFocus

Send new incomplete Todoist tasks to OmniFocus as new tasks

Send new incomplete Todoist tasks to OmniFocus as new tasks
  • Todoist logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Todoist + OmniFocus

Add new Microsoft To-Do tasks to OmniFocus

Add new Microsoft To-Do tasks to OmniFocus
  • Microsoft To Do logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Microsoft To Do + OmniFocus

Project management apps

Some platforms are great for planning projects, but they lack the simplicity of a to-do list. If you or your team use a project management app like Asana or Airtable to manage projects, you don't have to choose between juggling multiple task lists and settling for an overcomplicated project planner as your only productivity app.

Or maybe you'd like to organize your projects in one app and automatically send new tasks to your simple OmniFocus to-do list. No matter your vision, these Zaps can get it done. Every new task added to a specific Asana project or tag, Airtable record, Trello board, or Notion database is sent automatically to OmniFocus. You can even include a link to the original task or project, making it easy to refer to team conversations or linked docs from OmniFocus.

Create OmniFocus tasks for new tasks in Asana projects

Create OmniFocus tasks for new tasks in Asana projects
  • Asana logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Asana + OmniFocus

Add tasks on OmniFocus for new tagged Asana tasks

Add tasks on OmniFocus for new tagged Asana tasks
  • Asana logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Asana + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks for new Airtable records in real-time

Create OmniFocus tasks for new Airtable records in real-time
  • Airtable logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Airtable + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks from new or moved Trello cards

Create OmniFocus tasks from new or moved Trello cards
  • Trello logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Trello + OmniFocus

Create Omnifocus tasks for new Notion database items

Create Omnifocus tasks for new Notion database items
  • Notion logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Notion + OmniFocus

Create tasks from email

It can be frustrating to have a million tabs open during the workday. But managing incoming tasks often means switching between Slack, your email inbox, and your to-do list to ensure you don't miss any new assignments.

One way to simplify your workday is to automate your email. Anytime you receive a new action item or idea you want to return to later, use one of these workflows to trigger a new task in your OmniFocus account. 

Your preferred trigger might be starring the email in question, giving it a specific label, or forwarding it to your dedicated Zapier email address. Either way, you can create new action items with a click—keeping your inbox clutter-free while ensuring you never miss another important task.

Create OmniFocus tasks for new starred emails on Gmail

Create OmniFocus tasks for new starred emails on Gmail
  • Gmail logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Gmail + OmniFocus

Add tasks on OmniFocus for new labeled emails on Gmail

Add tasks on OmniFocus for new labeled emails on Gmail
  • Gmail logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Gmail + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks from new inbound emails in Email by Zapier

Create OmniFocus tasks from new inbound emails in Email by Zapier
  • Email by Zapier logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Email by Zapier + OmniFocus

Create tasks from calendar events

There's nothing worse than organizing your daily to-do list, then realizing your whole afternoon is booked with meetings. One crucial element of time management is building tasks around events that can't be changed or missed—so why not consolidate tasks and events into one app? 

But copying calendar events into your OmniFocus to-do list can be time-consuming. Instead, use Zapier to keep your calendar and task list synced automatically. This Zap creates new OmniFocus tasks anytime an event is created in Google Calendar. 

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Google Calendar events

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Google Calendar + OmniFocus

Or, if you want an alert a set number of days or hours before an event, you can use these Zaps to set up automated reminders in OmniFocus. Just choose your desired lead time before the event starts, and let Zapier take care of the rest!

Create OmniFocus tasks for new Google Calendar events about to start

Create OmniFocus tasks for new Google Calendar events about to start
  • Google Calendar logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Google Calendar + OmniFocus

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Microsoft Outlook calendar events

Create OmniFocus tasks from new Microsoft Outlook calendar events
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
  • OmniFocus logo
Microsoft Outlook + OmniFocus

Simplify your task management by automating OmniFocus

Unless you have superhuman mental powers, you probably depend on a to-do list to get anything done. A reliable task management system is key for avoiding missed deadlines and staying on top of projects—but juggling multiple productivity and scheduling apps can make wrangling your to-do list an all-day affair.

Instead, use automation to create new OmniFocus tasks from chat messages, emails, and calendar events. You can even automate communication between other task management tools so no to-dos fall through the cracks. You'll be amazed at how much clearer your mind is when you only need to check one to-do list for your day's tasks!

And this is just the start of what you can do with OmniFocus and Zapier. What will you automate first?

Related reading:

  • How to automate your to-do list and task apps

  • Automatically create tasks from email or Slack messages

  • Todoist automation ideas to assign and manage tasks

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A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'