Labels

Labels in Routine let you categorize and organize tasks, events, contacts, pages, and custom objects using a unified tagging system. Unlike most productivity tools that limit labels to tasks alone, Routine applies labels across all object types, giving you a consistent organizational framework throughout your entire workspace.

Labels are not metadata — they're first-class database objects that can be queried, filtered, colored, and displayed in custom views.

✍️ Functionality

With Labels, you can:

• Apply labels to tasks, events, contacts, pages, and custom objects

• Create custom labels for different contexts (Work, Personal, Client, etc.)

• View labels at a glance in your agenda, calendar, and all views

• Automatically color events and task allocations based on their label

• Filter and sort objects by label across any view

• Use the Labels screen to see all objects with a specific label

• Add labels during quick capture from the Console

• Create custom views and databases of your labels

• Copy a link to any label object for quick reference

• Use label changes to trigger AI automations

• Query labels like any other database object

• Label colors are applied consistently across task rows, agenda and planner events, Console completions, and grouped views

Labels work across all object types — not just tasks.

⁉️ Why use Labels

Most productivity apps treat labels as simple tags limited to tasks. In Routine:

• Labels work across all object types (tasks, events, contacts, pages, custom objects)

• You can see which meetings, people, projects, and custom records share the same label

• Labels are queryable objects with their own database

• Labels can drive automatic event and allocation coloring in the calendar

• You can build custom views filtered by label

• Quick capture lets you apply labels instantly without opening full details

• Label changes can trigger automations — react to work being categorized automatically

• The same organizational system applies everywhere, reducing cognitive overhead

This unified approach ensures your organizational system scales across your entire workspace.

📝 How to use Labels

Adding labels to existing objects:

1. Double-click any task, event, contact, page, or custom object to open it

2. Click the label field and select or create a label (e.g. "Work", "Personal")

3. The label appears on the object in your agenda, calendar, and all views

4. Hover over compact views to see full label details

Using labels with quick capture:

1. Open the Console (CTRL+SPACE or CMD+SPACE)

2. Type your task (e.g. "Call John")

3. Add a label inline (e.g. "Work")

4. Plan for today or schedule as needed

5. The task appears with the label already applied

Using labels to color events and allocations:

1. Go to Settings → Calendars

2. Under the event coloring section, set the color source to "Label"

3. Events and task allocations now automatically take the color of their assigned label

4. Set different coloring rules for events and allocations independently

Viewing and managing all labels:

1. Click Labels in your sidebar (under your personal organization)

2. See all labels with object counts (tasks, events, pages, contacts, custom objects)

3. Click a label to view all objects tagged with it

4. Filter, sort, and customize the view

5. Create new labels directly from this screen

6. Copy a link to any label using the ... menu

Creating custom label views:

1. Create a new page or view

2. Add a database view

3. Select "Labels" as the database source

4. Your labels appear as queryable objects

5. Filter, group, or visualize however you need

🗣️ Use cases

Labels are especially useful for:

• Context-based work — separate "Work", "Personal", "Side Project" tasks, events, and notes

• Client or project tracking — label all tasks, meetings, contacts, and custom records related to a specific client

• Calendar color coding — instantly see the nature of your day from your calendar's color pattern

• Team coordination — use shared labels for team projects, departments, or priorities

• Custom workflows — create labels for statuses, phases, or categories unique to your work

• Cross-object organization — see all work-related items (tasks, meetings, people, pages, records) in one place

• Automation triggers — react automatically when a label is applied to an object

Labels ensure you can organize and retrieve information by context, not just by object type.