Checklist due dates based on a card due date

Question

I'm trying to build a Butler Rule to schedule tasks on a checklist based on a specific, desired publishing date.

In other words, how do I set up the rules to see when must I start working through the checklist in order to publish something on October 1? (Assume I know all the steps in the process and how long each takes.)

Another really helpful use for this would be to show the team (the client?) the implications of changing a due date: What happens to the schedule if we want to move the date forward from October 1 to September 15?)

I can kinda do this based on an action (i.e. adding a card to a list), adding a checklist to the card, and then adding due dates to a checklist going forward on a calendar, but I can't figure out how to go backwards on a calendar and assign a due date based on a card's due date.  (Remember, ideally the due dates for a task on a checklist would automatically update if changes were made to the card's due date.)

Tom Daly_etou55 · Answer

@Iain Dooley I very much appreciate your response.  Thank you.  I think I figured out a work around that does most of what I want:

* Create Custom Date Field i.e. "Start Project"
* Rule: Create an Empty Checklist (i.e. "Long Form Content") when a date is entered in Custom Date Field
* Rule: Add item to checklist; Each task required for "Long Form Content" is an item.
* Rule: Set Item Due Date as Custom Date Field Plus X Working Days

When Butler finishes creating the checklist (which includes a "publish" task and due date) I reconcile the due date automatically generated with the one manually set.

The only thing I can't do is automatically adjust due dates on the original list when adjusting the due date in the custom field.  Any change to Custom Date simply triggers a new checklist. Not ideal, but pretty manageable.

Iain Dooley · Answer

@Tom Daly I don't think you'd be able to do this with Butler, but this more complicated type of automation is still available to you through the API, albeit using code rather than a command build. I created a framework to do this type of thing from Google Apps Script:

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Marketplace-Apps-Integrations/Introducing-Trellinator-Automate-Trello-with-Google-Apps-Script/ba-p/925271

It doesn't yet support advanced checklist due dates, but it appears that support does exist for it in the API:

https://community.developer.atlassian.com/t/trello-rest-api-checkitem-due-dates/39169/2

although the link that the dev gives to the documentation doesn't actually work yet, or you could use sub-tasked linked cards in a checklist to manage the dates, rather than advanced checklists:

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Trello-articles/Trello-Subtasks-with-Butler/ba-p/1060392