FAQ
Where are Statuses, Deadlines, Projects and Tasks stored?
Almost everything is stored in Gmail, as a Gmail label. For example, the status 'Waiting On', for where you expect someone to reply to an email, is really just the Gmail label !Waiting On on which ActiveInbox recognizes the ! as a prefix that means 'status'.
Even deadlines are stored as labels, in the format ZD/yyyymmdd. E.g. the 4th June 2033 would be ZD/20330604.
This means that wherever you use Gmail, even on a mobile device, or if you ever choose to stop using ActiveInbox, all your organization is preserved.
Can I use it on my mobile devices?
We do not have a special app, but we don't really need one! This is because everything ActiveInbox does is stored using Gmail labels, which are available everywhere. So you can view Action'd items by looking in the !Action folder, or action something by adding it to the !Action folder. The same is true for Projects, Deadlines and anything else you use.
The only info not currently available on mobile devices are the private Notes you store on an email; but that will be available soon.
My workflow already uses Gmail stars and a well-ordered inbox, how can ActiveInbox help me?
ActiveInbox does things Gmail simply cannot do: like set deadlines on emails, store private notes, export your email to another service (like GCal), group actioned emails by project or person as well as adding helpful little shortcuts to speed through your email.
We suggest you don't change your habits, but keep ActiveInbox installed and slowly start "mixing in" the new features you find most helpful into your workflow. You'll be surprised* by how quickly you find you can't live without it! (* Based on over 5 years of kind words from users).
What happens if I don't like it, is it easy to uninstall?
It's extremely easy to remove, without losing all the organization it helped you create. This is because ActiveInbox is a browser extension that just uses Gmail labels. So, when you remove it from your browser's Extension page (1 click!), all your Project and Status labels remain in Gmail and on the conversations. If you want those to go too, just delete the labels from Gmail's Settings.
Can I work collaboratively with my team using ActiveInbox?
No - as ActiveInbox is built to the work the same way as email itself: for the single user communicating with peers.
But features like 'Use Your Other Services' make it very easy to escalate the outcomes of email discussions, where tasks and projects naturally start, into your collaborative tools. And you can even link from your collaborative tools into project/task discussions in Gmail.
(Just an FYI, we are very happy to discuss the possibility of some Team-focused addition to ActiveInbox, just come and discuss it on the forum!)
Why do you charge when Gmail itself is free?
ActiveInbox is really a tool for professionals, executives and power users who value their time and mind. So, the closer comparison is to a Google Apps account, which is $50 a year per account.
The most important thing to know is that the premium edition is only for features we think power and business users will benefit from, whereas the core of ActiveInbox is free for life!
But the real answer is that Google is a giant corporation with the scale to give things away for free and make money by advertizing to you. (Which is fine by us - this isn't a rant). Whereas we're a small independent team that works on the rather old fashioned principle that if something helps you it's worth trading for money! Especially as over the years this is a major reason ActiveInbox has moved from a hobby project to an increasingly svelte re-imagining of email, and long may it continue.
Who is behind ActiveInbox and will it be around for a long time?
ActiveInbox is made in Brighton in the UK, by Andy Mitchell and a handful of major collaborators including Pete Lambert, Lisa Reynolds and Mark Perkins; and we've all been aided by a gaggle of helpers over the years.
Our roots trace back to August 2006, and ActiveInbox snuggled into the warm care of our newly founded company in June 2009, where we've weathered just about every conceivable storm since then and survived! We're here for the long haul. And should everyone disappear in a freak wave from the English Channel, Andy's stipulated all assets should be handed over to the community of users.
Power Users
How Best To Use The Features
(Remember, if you already have a workflow you can pick and choose ActiveInbox features to add to it)
- Use Statuses To Turn Emails Into Tasks
- Bring An Email Back With A Deadline
- Use Folders To Surface Your Work
- Integrate Gmail With Your Other Services (inc. Export to GCal)
- Save Useful Notes On Conversations
- See Previous Conversations When Replying