The Decision Matrix (also called the Eisenhower matrix) puts every task into one of four boxes, based on two questions: is it important, and is it urgent?
Use it when your list feels too long and you need to decide what deserves your time today. Open it from the sidebar: Views group, Decision Matrix. You can also press G then M.
What you see
- An Eisenhower Matrix card at the top with "X of Y tasks completed", a percentage and a progress bar. It covers all your tasks.
- Four quadrants in a 2 by 2 grid. Each has a name (Do, Schedule, Delegate or Delete), a subtitle, a task count, a "N done" line and its own progress bar.
- Under each quadrant header, its tasks. Each row has a circle, the task title and, when it has one, the due date (red with a warning icon when overdue). Finished tasks are crossed out.
- A key at the bottom that reminds you how the boxes are built.
The four quadrants
| Quadrant | Subtitle | Important | Urgent | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do | Important & Urgent | Yes | Yes | Do these now |
| Schedule | Important & Not Urgent | Yes | No | Plan a time for them |
| Delegate | Not Important & Urgent | No | Yes | Hand them to someone else |
| Delete | Not Important & Not Urgent | No | No | Drop them, or do them last |
The same four names are used everywhere in Project Manager: the Decision Matrix, the decision tag in the task list, the Decision filter on the Kanban Board, Task Filter and the project charts. A task's name always follows its Important and Urgent boxes.
How tasks get into a quadrant
You do not drag tasks into boxes. The quadrant comes from two checkboxes on the task.
- Open Variable Tasks and press Add Task, or click the pencil on an existing task.
- Tick Important, Urgent, both, or neither.
- Press Create Task or Save.
The task moves to the right quadrant. The quick-add bar also understands the words urgent and important.
A task with neither box ticked goes to Delete. That is where most new tasks land at first, so tick the boxes you mean.
What you can do on this page
- Tick a task off. Click the circle. Click again to reopen it.
- Open a task. Click its title to open the Task Detail Panel.
To change a quadrant, change the Important and Urgent boxes on the task. Tasks you can only view (in projects shared with you) have a disabled circle.
Using it well
- Start with Do. If it holds more than a few open tasks, something is always on fire. Look at the due dates.
- Spend planning time on Schedule. This is where long-term progress comes from.
- For Delegate, give the task a Person other than yourself.
- Review Delete each week and delete what no longer matters.
The same four groups also appear as the Decision filter on the Kanban Board, as the Decision filter on Task Filter, and as a chart on each project's page.
FAQ
New tasks start with both Important and Urgent unticked. Edit the task and tick the boxes that apply.
No. It shows regular tasks. Recurring occurrences appear on the Task Schedule, Task Filter and the calendars. See Recurring Tasks.
Not on this page. It shows all your tasks. For one project, look at the Decision Matrix summary on the project's own page, or use the Decision filter on the Kanban Board.
Yes. They stay in their quadrant, crossed out, and count towards the "N done" figure.