feat: add time-of-day component to urgencyScore formula

docs/releases/unreleased.md

@@ -23,3 +23,10 @@ Example:
 ```
 
 -->
+
+## Changed
+
+- Updated the `urgencyScore` formula in default base templates to factor in time-of-day, so timed values that are earlier within a day rank above later ones at the same priority and date
+  - Adds a 0..1 boost computed from the fractional day of `nextDate`, keeping priority weight and the days-until-next term as the dominant signals
+  - Resolves a tie-break that previously depended on file-iteration order for same-priority same-date timed tasks
+  - Date-only values fall back to midnight, so they sit at the top of their day bucket

docs/views/default-base-templates.md

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ These formulas work with either due date or scheduled date, useful for finding t
 | Formula | Description | Expression |
 |---------|-------------|------------|
 | `priorityWeight` | Numeric weight for priority sorting (lower = higher priority) | `if(priority=="none",0,if(priority=="low",1,if(priority=="normal",2,if(priority=="high",3,999))))` |
-| `urgencyScore` | Combines priority and next date proximity (due or scheduled, higher = more urgent) | `if(!due && !scheduled, formula.priorityWeight, formula.priorityWeight + max(0, 10 - formula.daysUntilNext))` |
+| `urgencyScore` | Combines priority, next date proximity, and time-of-day (due or scheduled, higher = more urgent) | `if(!due && !scheduled, formula.priorityWeight, formula.priorityWeight + max(0, 10 - formula.daysUntilNext) + (1 - ((number(date(formula.nextDate)) - number(date(formula.nextDate).date())) / 86400000)))` |
 
 ### Display formulas
 

src/templates/defaultBasesFiles.ts

@@ -381,9 +381,10 @@ function generateAllFormulas(plugin: TaskNotesPlugin): Record<string, string> {
 
 		// === SORTING/SCORING FORMULAS ===
 
-		// Urgency score: combines priority weight and days until next date (due or scheduled)
-		// Higher score = more urgent. Overdue tasks get bonus, no date gets just priority
-		urgencyScore: `if(!${dueProperty} && !${scheduledProperty}, formula.priorityWeight, formula.priorityWeight + max(0, 10 - formula.daysUntilNext))`,
+		// Urgency score: combines priority weight, days until next date (due or scheduled), and time-of-day.
+		// Higher = more urgent. The 0..1 time-of-day term ranks earlier-in-day tasks above later same-day
+		// tasks at the same priority. Date-only values fall back to midnight.
+		urgencyScore: `if(!${dueProperty} && !${scheduledProperty}, formula.priorityWeight, formula.priorityWeight + max(0, 10 - formula.daysUntilNext) + (1 - ((number(date(formula.nextDate)) - number(date(formula.nextDate).date())) / 86400000)))`,
 
 		// === DISPLAY FORMULAS ===
 

tests/unit/templates/defaultBasesFiles.test.ts

@@ -68,4 +68,42 @@ describe("defaultBasesFiles", () => {
 		expect((template.match(/column: tasknotes_manual_order/g) ?? []).length).toBe(3);
 		expect(template).toContain('name: "Projects"');
 	});
+
+	it("includes a time-of-day component in urgencyScore so earlier values rank higher", () => {
+		// Without the time-of-day term, two tasks at the same priority and same date but
+		// different times scored identically and tie-broke on file-iteration order. The
+		// 0..1 boost (1 - hourFraction(nextDate)) ranks earlier values above later ones
+		// while staying smaller than the priority and days components so cross-day order
+		// is preserved.
+		const template = generateBasesFileTemplate("open-tasks-view", createMockPlugin() as any);
+
+		expect(template).toContain(
+			`urgencyScore: 'if(!due && !scheduled, formula.priorityWeight, formula.priorityWeight + max(0, 10 - formula.daysUntilNext) + (1 - ((number(date(formula.nextDate)) - number(date(formula.nextDate).date())) / 86400000)))'`
+		);
+
+		// Guard against the time-naive form returning
+		expect(template).not.toMatch(
+			/urgencyScore: 'if\(!due && !scheduled, formula\.priorityWeight, formula\.priorityWeight \+ max\(0, 10 - formula\.daysUntilNext\)\)'/
+		);
+	});
+
+	it("time-of-day boost is monotonic and bounded in [0, 1]", () => {
+		// Verifies the math invariant the formula relies on, independent of YAML shape.
+		// boost = 1 - fractional_day(ms_since_epoch). A given Date earlier in its day
+		// must yield a strictly larger boost than the same date later in the day.
+		const boost = (iso: string) => {
+			const ms = Date.parse(iso);
+			const dayMs = ms / 86_400_000;
+			return 1 - (dayMs - Math.floor(dayMs));
+		};
+
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T00:00:00Z")).toBe(1);
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T09:00:00Z")).toBeCloseTo(0.625, 3);
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T17:00:00Z")).toBeCloseTo(0.292, 3);
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T23:59:59Z")).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T23:59:59Z")).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1 / 86_400);
+
+		// Monotonic: earlier in day → larger boost.
+		expect(boost("2026-04-28T09:00:00Z")).toBeGreaterThan(boost("2026-04-28T17:00:00Z"));
+	});
 });