First published
Yes, it's a funny name. No, I couldn't live without it.
Tickler files predate spreadsheets, but these days, spreadsheets are where they go. At its core it's a system for remembering dates – anniversaries, on-this-dates, and other scheduled occurrences.
Here's an example of a rudimentary tickler file:
| Event | Event date | Check on date | Last updated | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey of Consumer Finances | Sometime in 2026 | Sometime in 2026 | 2023-10-18 | https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm | Updates every three years |
| FBI Uniform Crime Report | September | 2026-09-01 | 2025-09-?? | https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend | Updates yearly |
| Some big bridge burned on this day | 2025-11-01 | 2026-10-01 | N/A | LINK-TO-THE-STORY | We need to do a piece about what's changed since the bridge burned. |
| Census Bureau 5-year ACS | 2026-12-10 | 2026-12-01 | N/A | https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html | Happens yearly |
What I use a tickler file for
- Keeping track of dataset publish dates of note. Will I remember the exact month I should reach out to the U.S.D.A. and ask them when their Agriculture Census is publishing? That only happens every five years. Not a chance. But my tickler file will.
- Keeping track of anniversaries. Need to know when a newsworthy something happened one year ago? Need to bookmark for a president's it'll-happen-in-two-weeks promise? Tickler files will remember this for you.
How you can use a tickler file
Step one: Make one. I recommend copying my tickler file template (click that link, go to the spreadsheet File menu, choose "Make a copy").
Step two: Set up a reminder to check in on it every week or so.
You can email me at joe.murphy@gmail.com, or find another way to contact me here.