When would I use recurring due dates in Trello?

Need some inspo on this new feature?

Happy Thursday, last week I showed you the HOW of Trello’s new feature with recurring due dates. Today, I’ll show you some inspo for WHY. But first, let’s look at copying cards without custom fields, and announce my next livestream, which might make you wonder if it’s still Halloween, or already April Fools.

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🌮 Dear Taco

This is a section where readers can submit their Trello questions, and each week I’ll pick one and answer it! It’s like “Dear Abby” but make it trello. Have a question you want to submit? Share it here.

Hello Brittany, I am looking for a way to clear all custom fields at once. The need is to copy a card from one Board to another, and I want to avoid that custom fields from Board 1 are added to Board 2. Right now I clear them one by one in Butler. But since I have quite a few, I had to cut my Butler Rule into 2 because I hit the limit on the number of instructions…

~Eric Bouchet

Hey Eric! First of all, if you’re using automation A LOT, I recommend being a Premium subscriber, which will help you avoid any limits!

Second of all, as far as clearing fields, there’s not a better way that I know of besides what it sounds like you’re doing where you use the “clear custom field” action and just keep stringing them together. If you’re looking for a “for each custom field, clear it” action, that doesn’t exist.

Another option you might be interested in… just create a new card and only pass over the attributes you want, instead of copying a card.

For instance, you can still reference content from an existing card when creating a new card, by using Butler Variables.

Want to submit your question? Maybe it’ll be featured next week!

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🛎️ Newbie tips (And Automation Tips!)

Term of the week

• Triggers: events that launch automations in Trello. There are several types, from Rules (events that happen on a board/card, like a card being added, or a date being changed, member being added, etc) to Scheduled (recurring dates, like every monday or on the first of the month) to Due Dates (a current date related to a due date, ie, something due a week from today or within the next 30 days), and “manual” ones, aka when you click a button on a Card or Board.

Tip of the week

When you want to automate something in Trello, before you even open the automation tools, try to write in plain english what you want to happen, specifically using “when” and “then” language.

“When I add a card to a board, then set the due date to a week from today.”

This helps you understand what trigger you’ll need to use.

💡 Inspiration and ideas

Did you see the latest updates in Trello? You can now set recurring due dates without any Power-Ups or Automation required!

If you’ve already been doing this via Automation or Card Repeater Power-Up, then you know exactly where you’ll use this new feature.

But if you haven’t, you might be drawing a blank. Here are some ideas!

Recurring Chores or “Adulting Things”

I have a pretty robust system that I created with automation (before this feature) to help me create due dates for certain chores that happen in specific intervals.

Weekly Meetings

Set recurring weekly due dates for agenda items in meetings so that you can check it off, and still have it queued up for next week.

Event Reminders

Sure you can use a Google Calendar, but if your calendar is busy, or if you want to remember to DO something (like actually wish someone a happy birthday), you can create a Trello board of these recurring events, and check it off when you’ve completed it so there’s no more wondering “did I actually send them a card for their birthday?”

What are you using your repeating/recuring cards or due dates for? Comment below and I’ll help you sort out if it could work with this new feature!