| name | date-semantics |
| description | Reference for OmniFocus 4.7+ date semantics: due, planned, defer. Use when assigning dates, when the user says "schedule", "remind me", or any time it would otherwise be tempting to overload `due` for non-deadlines.
|
OmniFocus 4.7+ has three distinct date fields with different semantics. Pick deliberately.
due — real deadline
- Use only when missing the date has a real consequence (meeting, flight, court date, hard external commitment).
- Don't use
due for "I'd like to get this done by". That overloads the Forecast view with false alarms and trains the user to ignore overdue.
- The Forecast view's "overdue" and "today" lists are driven by
due.
planned — intended work date (4.7+)
- Use for "I want to work on this on Friday", "my plan is to tackle this Tuesday morning", "schedule it for next week".
- Surfaces in
plannedToday / plannedSoon in omnifocus_get_forecast.
- Doesn't create urgency or overdue alarms — it's a planning aid, not a deadline.
defer — hide-until date
- Use for "remind me about this on X", "this isn't actionable until Y", "follow up next month".
- A deferred task is unavailable until the defer date passes — it disappears from available views.
Repeat anchor (4.7+)
omnifocus_set_task_repetition accepts anchorDateKey: which of due / defer / planned should drive the next occurrence.- Pick
due for hard deadlines that recur (rent), defer for hidden-until-needed recurrences (replace filter every 90 days), planned for habits (write blog post weekly).
Floating time zones
- For dates that should fire at the same wall time anywhere (e.g., "9am every weekday"), pass
shouldUseFloatingTimeZone: true.
Picking among them — quick test:
- Will the world penalize the user for missing the date? →
due.
- Does the task literally not apply until the date? →
defer.
- Otherwise →
planned.
When the user says "schedule X for Friday" without context, ask: deadline, intent, or hide-until? Defaulting to due is the most common mistake.
