Siri voice command

[Lindsey_Ross]

How can I set up a Siri voice command to initiate a new card?

i.e. I was able to set up my TickTick so that when I said "Set a reminder," Siri would ask me what I wanted to be reminded about, and whatever I said became a task that was imported to my Inbox in TickTick.

Is there a similar way to initiate a Trello card with Siri so that I can start a card handsfree when I'm driving or running and have an idea?

[Devon Henderson]

Hi @Lindsey_Ross!

Yes, this is possible! I’ve made one below that you’re free to use, but essentially I created it in the Shortcuts app with two steps:

1. Siri dictated text. Use whatever settings you wish here.
2. Add Trello Card. Choose the right board, its list, position, etc. In the Name field, put Dictated Text (from step 1).
3. Once added to your Shortcuts, go to its settings and set your Siri Phrase to whatever you like. In my case, I set it to "Add to work Trello” as I actually already use Set a Reminder ;)

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/693279acb500477991e5172a84b76e5a

Hope this helps!

[Lindsey_Ross]

That's awesome, I actually didn't even know about the Shortcuts app!

So I've added your shortcut to my library, but when I say your exact phrase "Add to work Trello," it just says I will have to continue in Trello, opens Trello for me, but then I'm just at the main screen. Does yours actually add a new card based on what you've dictated? Do you have to say the title of the card first?

Thanks!

[Devon Henderson]

Hey Lindsey! So sorry for the late reply.

I have been trying to figure out why this wouldn’t work for you when I realized it’s probably because it’s looking for my board and list, haha! So you will need to edit the shortcut by tapping the three dots in the upper right corner of the shortcut itself in the Shortcuts app. Then in the group titled “Add Trello Card”, make sure it says:

• Name: Dictated Text (should be a little bubble thing that shows it’s taking what you said from the first Dictate Text step)
• Board: [your board name]
• List [the list you want it added to on that board]

Then it should work! Here’s an image showing what you should change:

Let me know if this doesn’t work for you. I also realized, belatedly, that TickTick is probably just syncing your Reminders to its service, which is a much easier process. Unfortunately, Trello doesn’t support this natively, but a service like IFTTT could easily set it up. You would just create an Applet that says anytime a new iOS reminder is added, create a Trello card. It’s free!

Hope this helps :)

[Lindsey_Ross]

I think I'm getting close (all my settings match yours except I've changed the boards and lists to my own). But am I correct that this should be triggered by holding down the Siri button and saying the phrase, "Add Trello Card"? Because when I do that, it opens my Apple wallet for some reason.

If I tap the shortcut from within the shortcuts app it does prompt me to dictate text, when does then successfully import to the correct list, but I don't seem to be able to trigger this with just my voice yet.

[Devon Henderson]

Oh, you're very close @Lindsey_Ross! What it should do is trigger by voice when you say "Add to Work Trello." You might not want that, so if you want to change the phrase, hit the little toggle buttons symbol in the upper right corner, under Done, and where it says "Siri Phrase", tap it to change it.

That should do the trick!

[Lindsey_Ross]

So when I do that, it says "You'll have to continue in Trello," and then a button to open Trello. When I tap the button, it just takes me to my Trello boards. Is this what's supposed to happen? I was expecting it would prompt me to say something else that it would then turn into a Trello card? 

[Devon Henderson]

Oh @Lindsey_Ross I'm so sorry! This totally slipped through my notifications like a ninja and I missed your reply completely.

This doesn't happen to me, that's so weird! Mine prompts me to tell Siri my message and then converts it to a Trello card. Can you make sure you have all of these turned on in your Settings? (Settings app > scroll down to the Shortcuts app)

[Lindsey_Ross]

You know what, I think I just had a setting off b/c I was not familiar enough with shortcuts yet. I tweaked it a little bit earlier this week and got it working now! 

[Iain Dooley]

@Devon Henderson you also mentioned using iOS reminders from IFTTT, I was doing this initially but it takes several hours sometimes for the card to show up. Using the SMS channel instead makes it instantaneous

[Devon Henderson]

Good to know, thanks @Iain Dooley!

[Iain Dooley]

@Lindsey_Ross in addition to this wonderful shortcut from @Devon Henderson I have found that siri shortcuts takes a long time to run from my apple watch and, as such, I have created an applet on IFTTT for myself (you can do this for free too by just logging into platform.ifttt.com -- I can't figure out how to publish it yet!)

You set up the SMS channel in IFTTT then save the SMS number as a contact. Use something Siri can easily recognise. Then you can have IFTTT add your card to various Trello boards using hashtags.

For example:

Hey Siri, text Riff Raff Laundry Liquid #shopping

will add laundry liquid to my shopping list. You just say the word "hashtag shopping" and Siri will translate it.

I have found that, even those this is kind of ridiculously circuitous, this is a faster way to execute the same basic function of dictating a card "hands free", particularly from the apple watch, but requires a bit more finicky setup.

The other advantage of this method particularly for a watch user if you have series 3 and above is that it works when the phone is not present, where as a shortcut will only run when the phone is present.

[Jill Gilbert]

Did you ever figure out how to publish the applet you wrote for this? Been searching for an easier solution and thought I'd check. Thanks!

[Iain Dooley]

@Lindsey_Ross No I think they want me to pay or something to make it public. I have no idea how all these people are publishing applets!

Anyway it's really easy to set up just go to platform.ifttt.com 

Id be happy to talk you through it on zoom you can see my website in my profile. 

[Jill Gilbert]

You are so kind to offer but I'd really hate to put you out. I am just beginning my Trello ventures and since I use Alexa to add things to my todo list on trello all the time, I thought it best to also use Siri - just bought apple watch :) I often get my best work ideas when I am out and about so trying to figure out how to capture them in a list.

[Iain Dooley]

@Jill Gilbert oh hey look someone made and released a public sms to trello applet:

https://ifttt.com/applets/302787p-sms-to-trello

Just plug that in and you will be able to create cards using voice to txt

[Lindsey_Ross]

Thanks for this! I'm new to IFTTT so just to clarify, once I install this applet, I run it by texting it to myself? I had to enter my own cell number when I tried installing this so I'm guessing that within my contacts on my phone, I name my own number something like "Myself" so that if I press the Siri button and say "Text Myself XYZ" then it will run the applet and add whatever I say to my Trello?

[Iain Dooley]

@Lindsey_Ross you run it by txting your unique inbound sms channel number. If you need to see what that is just go to:

https://ifttt.com/services/sms/settings

and you'll see "Ifttt Phone Number". Save that as a contact under a reasonably easy to pronounce name that Siri will get correct (for example I have clients that use "My Inbox" ... My contact is called "Riff Raff" which is the name of the Butler from the Rocky Horror Picture Show :)

Then when you txt that contact, it will create a card in your Trello board.

[Lindsey_Ross]

Awesome, I love it! Thanks!

[Sam_Gechter]

Hey dropping this here for anyone who comes later like me. Building off @Devon Henderson's work above, and atomicrabbit_'s post here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/9j9s3d/how_to_parse_dictated_text_to_an_app_through/

I've put together one where you can say which list you want it to go onto on a given board. This could be modified to choose a board as well.

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/f3416488f4c2400db1fea1d50a493182