Apple Reminders Integration

Overview

In general, the integration works like most of the other integrations in Sunsama. You can import Reminders into your Sunsama task list, which creates a Sunsama task linked to that Reminder, and can sync the completion status back to Apple Reminders.

However, there are some specific qualities of this integration which make it a bit different than the others.

Installing

Apple Reminders requires you to use the macOS native desktop app so we can use Apple's native API to fetch reminders and display them. In this document, whenever we mention the "Sunsama desktop app", we mean the macOS version.

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Notes on using the integration while not on desktop app

If you are using Sunsama in a web browser or the mobile app, you will not be able to browse your Apple Reminders in Sunsama. Only via the Sunsama desktop app can you browse and import from Apple Reminders.

Additionally, Reminders will not be automatically imported until the desktop app is opened.

Furthermore, completion sync of Reminders can only occur if the task is completed via the desktop app.

Settings

Go to Settings > Integrations > Apple Reminders in Sunsama to connect your account and to configure your integration settings.

"Delete Apple Reminder on Import?"

If this is enabled, Reminders will be deleted from your device (if they're synchronized via iCloud, they'll be deleted in all your devices) once you import them. Enable this if you do not wish to see them in Apple Reminders after importing them into Sunsama.

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Recurring Reminders not deleted

Note that when you import a Reminder which has a recurring date it will never be deleted. If you have that setting turned on, the specified instance is marked as complete upon import instead, causing the next instance to show up in the panel and in your Reminders app.

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Advanced fields

Sunsama does not have access to certain fields in Apple Reminders (see below), so these fields and the information in them will be lost when you import the Reminder and you have "delete Apple Reminder on Import" turned on.

If the "Delete Apple Reminder on Import" setting is turned off (the default), nothing happens to the Reminder when it's imported, and its completion status will sync.

Sync Reminders Lists to Sunsama Channels

You can choose a specific channel or context from Sunsama to be mapped to a Reminders list, so that any Reminder imported (manually or automatically) from that list will be assigned to that channel.

Note: You cannot link "Today" or "Scheduled" Reminders lists to Sunsama channels.

Auto Import

Once you enable "auto import" for a given Reminders list, any newly created reminders will be automatically imported once you open the Sunsama desktop app, and new ones will be checked for and automatically imported every minute.

Note that recurring reminders will not be automatically imported.

Note that the desktop app must be opened and focused to automatically import new Reminders.

Note that "Today" and "Scheduled" Reminders lists cannot be auto-imported.

Browsing Apple Reminders

In the Sunsama desktop app, the Apple Reminders integration lives with the others in the right hand panel.

In the integration panel, select which list you wish to view, and manually import Reminders into your Sunsama task list.

You can filter to show or hide completed Reminders, as well as Reminders already imported into Sunsama.

You can sort your list of Reminders by creation date, modified date, or none. "None" should reflect the order you have in Apple Reminders.

You can search for a Reminder in a list via the search bar.

Completion sync

After a reminder has been imported (manually or automatically) and it's not deleted on import, if it's completed in the Reminders app, it'll be automatically marked as completed in Sunsama as well, as long as you've got the Sunsama desktop app open.

Additionally, when you complete an imported reminder in the Sunsama desktop app, it's also completed in the Reminders app.

Reminders with advanced fields

Apple's API doesn't share some "advanced" fields like like assignee, section, subtasks, tags, location, or attachments (e.g. URL or images). If you have the setting enabled to delete reminders when they're imported, this may result in permanent data loss.

Sunsama does have access to and can show a Reminder's title, notes, due date, due time, priority, and whether it repeats.

Smart Lists

Unfortunately Apple's API doesn't allow access to any "Smart List ". We are, however, able to fetch due date information from reminders, so we can show the special "Today" and "Scheduled" lists.

Data access

We do not store any information from your Reminders, unless you've imported them into Sunsama. In that case, we will import the title, notes, and due date, into the imported Sunsama task.