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alexpgpA typical assignment in my new setup (which I previously neglected to mention is not monochrome, but color-coded) looks like this on my screen:
Back when I started translating full-time, almost 20 years ago, I created a state-of-the-art assignment checklist that attempted to address all of the variables associated with a job. Some of those variables—who sent it, how much they were going to pay—were important; others—the method by which a job arrived (e.g., mail, courier, electronic file)—were not. After carefully crafting my list, and after using it for a couple of weeks, I found I was routinely ignoring about half the entries.
Lesson: Focus on essentials.
Corollary: Start with a minimum number of essentials. Add incrementally, as required. Pretend you're editing source code.
So aside from who sent me the job and what was sent for me to work on, what's essential?
Other stuff that needs to be kept track of with regard to a given document is stored in notes for the document. If a note requires some action on my part, I can create a check box for it.
What do properties do for me? Well, a triplet of key chords (C-c C-x C-c, in emacs-speak) transforms my screen into a table, like this:
Cheers...
* TODO 121226 ABC 12321 (XYZ Attachment)...The three dots at the end of the line tell me there is more to be seen for this TODO. If I fully expand it, I may see something like this:
* TODO 121226 ABC 12321 (XYZ Attachment)Some observations:
DEADLINE: <2012-12-28 17:00>
:PROPERTIES:
:KEYWORDS: shareholder meeting
:END-CLIENT: Acme, Inc.
:END:
* DONE cover email
:PROPERTIES:
:JOB: TR
:QTY: 233
:END:
- [X] requires OCR
* IN WORK XYZ Attachment
:PROPERTIES:
:JOB: TR
:QTY:
:END:
- [X] tell ABC right edge of p. 3 is cut off
- est. SWC is 2000
* TODO Attachment annex
<SCHEDULED 2012-12-28 09:00>
:PROPERTIES:
:JOB: ED
:QTY:
:END:
- do last, ABC is confirming latest version
- link to previous version
Back when I started translating full-time, almost 20 years ago, I created a state-of-the-art assignment checklist that attempted to address all of the variables associated with a job. Some of those variables—who sent it, how much they were going to pay—were important; others—the method by which a job arrived (e.g., mail, courier, electronic file)—were not. After carefully crafting my list, and after using it for a couple of weeks, I found I was routinely ignoring about half the entries.
Lesson: Focus on essentials.
Corollary: Start with a minimum number of essentials. Add incrementally, as required. Pretend you're editing source code.
So aside from who sent me the job and what was sent for me to work on, what's essential?
(a) what do they want done?There may some other items that are important, but these two are essential to a document. And so, my choice of properties for each document must reflect this, with a JOB property and a QTY property. I can add others later, or individually (using an org-mode key binding).
(b) what quantity shall I bill?
Other stuff that needs to be kept track of with regard to a given document is stored in notes for the document. If a note requires some action on my part, I can create a check box for it.
What do properties do for me? Well, a triplet of key chords (C-c C-x C-c, in emacs-speak) transforms my screen into a table, like this:
ITEM |JOB| QTYThe first time I tried this after reading about it in the org-mode manual, my eyes almost popped out of my head! It's not quite everything I need, but the tabular format goes a long way to making the job of invoicing that much easier!
121201 DEF rg-236 (phone logs)| |
October 2012 log | TR| 1023
November 2012 log | TR| 556
December 2012 log | TR| 976
Cheers...
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no subject
Date: 2012-12-28 01:51 am (UTC)Then they hear 'emacs' and they get sullen:"OneNote is better."
Whatever, dude.
I need to expand my emacs and org-mode learning, pick up a new trick every few weeks. I know there are things I _can_ use but I've not been forced to use them, and they're on the table.