FocusCommit imports your Microsoft To Do lists as projects, so you can start a Pomodoro timer on any task without copying it by hand. Changes sync both ways: complete or edit a task in FocusCommit and Microsoft To Do updates too. Importing lists is a Premium feature.
How to import your Microsoft To Do lists
- Make sure Premium is active. Sign in with the email you used to buy Premium (Sign in in the sidebar).
- Click the small + import button to the right of Add Project, at the bottom of the sidebar, and choose Microsoft To Do.
- Sign in to your Microsoft account when asked, and accept the permissions. If you weren’t signed in to FocusCommit yet, this also signs you in with that Microsoft account.
- All your lists are added to the sidebar at once, below your projects, each with a small blue check. There is no screen for picking lists: hide the ones you don’t need. Each list opens with To Do, Next Action, Doing and Done columns.
How to start a Pomodoro timer on a Microsoft To Do task
Open the imported list. Tasks you already completed in Microsoft To Do are in Done; everything else starts in To Do. Drag the task into the Doing column. A start button appears on the task: click it to start a focus interval. When the interval ends, take your break and pick the next task. New to the method? Read how the Pomodoro Technique works.
What syncs between FocusCommit and Microsoft To Do?
- From Microsoft To Do: FocusCommit pulls the latest tasks whenever you open the list, in both list and Kanban view.
- To Microsoft To Do: new tasks, title, notes, due date, completing or reopening a task, deleting a task, renaming or deleting the list. New subtasks become steps in Microsoft To Do.
- Only in FocusCommit: the Next Action and Doing columns, task order, tags, colors, estimates, repeat and reminder times.
- A task you delete in Microsoft To Do stays in FocusCommit. Delete it there too.
- Imported lists don’t appear in All Boards; open them from the sidebar.
How to hide or remove a list
Open the list’s ⋮ menu in the sidebar and choose Hide. To bring it back, click the import button and choose Microsoft To Do again.
Careful with Delete: deleting an imported list in FocusCommit deletes it in Microsoft To Do as well.
Want to run your Microsoft To Do lists as a Kanban board? See how to use a Kanban board for Microsoft To Do.
Troubleshooting
“I have Premium but can’t connect”
This usually means FocusCommit hasn’t recognized your Premium yet. Check that you’re signed in with the same email you used to buy, then quit FocusCommit completely (including from the system tray) and open it again. It checks your Premium status on start.
My lists are gone after restarting FocusCommit
Imported lists come back by themselves only when you’re signed in to FocusCommit with the same Microsoft account. Otherwise click the import button and choose Microsoft To Do again.
Work or school account
Organizations can block third-party apps. If Microsoft says you need permission, ask your IT admin to approve FocusCommit.
Some tasks are missing
Update FocusCommit to the latest version. If tasks are still missing, go to Settings > Integration, click Copy logs, and paste the log into an email to support.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Microsoft To Do integration free?
No. Importing Microsoft To Do lists is a Premium feature. See pricing.
Does FocusCommit sync back to Microsoft To Do?
Yes. Adding, editing, completing or deleting a task in FocusCommit also updates it in Microsoft To Do, and FocusCommit pulls new changes when you open the list. The Next Action and Doing columns exist only in FocusCommit.
Can I choose which Microsoft To Do lists to import?
No. FocusCommit adds every list in the account at once. Hide the ones you don’t need from the list’s menu. Don’t use Delete for this: it deletes the list in Microsoft To Do too.
Can I use a work or school Microsoft account?
Yes, if your organization allows third-party apps. If sign-in is blocked, your IT admin needs to approve FocusCommit.
Can I use the Kanban board with Microsoft To Do tasks?
Yes. Each imported list gets To Do, Next Action, Doing and Done columns, and you drag tasks between them. Dragging a task into Doing lets you start a Pomodoro timer on it.