First Run

What happens on first load

1. Pensum scans all markdown files in your vault
2. Tasks (any line matching - [ ] or - [x] format) are indexed
3. Project files (with type: project frontmatter) are detected
4. The Today view opens in the right sidebar
5. A status bar widget shows your due/overdue task count

No configuration is required. Pensum works with sensible defaults.

Try these first

Quick Add (Cmd+Shift+A)

Type a task in natural language:

Follow up with Jamie about pricing deck p1 tomorrow #work

Pensum parses the priority, date, and tags automatically. The task goes to your inbox file (Tasks/Inbox.md by default).

Quick Complete (Cmd+Shift+X)

Place your cursor on a task line and press Cmd+Shift+X to toggle completion.

Capture from selection (Cmd+Shift+T)

Select text in any note and press Cmd+Shift+T. A task is created with that text and a link back to the source note.

Views

Open the command palette and search for “Pensum” to see all available views:

• Today: tasks due today + overdue
• Inbox: unprocessed tasks
• Forecast: upcoming 1-4 weeks
• By Project: tasks grouped by project
• Calendar: month/week grid
• Search: full-text search
• Activity: completion history
• Filters: saved custom queries

Right-click tasks

Right-click any task in a view for quick actions: complete, reschedule (Today, Tomorrow, +3 days, Next week), edit, open file, delete.

Customization

Open Settings > Pensum to configure vault paths, capture defaults, view preferences, AI features, and task cleanup retention.