Many times over the years, I have had people write to ask me about note-taking applications. There are many different ones out there. To be honest, I have only tested three to four of them. They all have pluses and minuses. But today, as it was when I wrote about it the first time, that app is OneNote. OneNote was released by Microsoft, who still owns it, in 2003.
Why take notes, well, heck there are thousands of reasons but a couple that come to mind for me are classes, recipes, work, things to do with extra information, how to do things, etc. Think about all the things you could keep track of as your needs arise. Where can you keep these notes? A paper notebook, a piece of paper, or my favorite on my phone, computer, tablet, or many other devices.
One of the first good things about Microsoft OneNote is that it is free. When I wrote about it ten years ago it was free with certain devices which included some limitations. Yet, today it is free, no matter where you choose to use it. It is available for almost any electronic device you have. There is also an excellent version available on the web which will work in any browser (OneNote.com). You may also download it for any of your devices there.
One caveat about OneNote is that you need to have a Microsoft email account to use it. But they are also free. They, just like all others, have advanced features you can get for money with your email account, but OneNote’s full feature set is still free. Go to Office.com to sign up for your free account.
OneNote is made up of three parts: Notebooks, Sections, and Pages. Remember back to your regular old spiral-bound notebook like you used in the previous century. Your notebooks consist of Sections like one for each subject…History, English, Math, etc. Then in each section, you had pages with all of your notes for each of those subjects. OneNote works the same way your paper notebook did with many, many more useful features.
One great feature is that you can search your notebooks by a word or phrase without flipping around the notebook and frantically looking for “that specific” thought. Furthermore, you can draw diagrams in OneNote. You may type, handwrite, and even dictate your notes. If you dictate your notes, you can have OneNote transcribe them for you into text.
I use OneNote for keeping research on my articles, named Columns. I only have one notebook for my articles; however, you can have as many notebooks in OneNote as you want – until you run out of storage space. I then create a Section for where they were published, another for ideas I am working on, and other subsections for each article. In that tabbed portion of my notebook, I keep all the information I have thought of and read about related to that subsection. I can add links to websites where I found information and even add graphs I paste from the web. The interesting thing about those graphics is that if they contain text, I can even search for the words in it, and they will be found by OneNote.
Next, I have created Pages that also have labels running down the right side of the notebook. I have one labeled “Thoughts” which are the things I think about writing regarding OneNote. I have another page titled, “Microsoft” which is information I have found about it on their site.
When I am finished gathering information on a topic, I open OneNote and write about what I have found.
With OneNote, you can capture ideas, make to-do lists, record audio, draw diagrams, and more, all in one place. The ability to access your notes across devices and platforms ensures that you can stay productive on the go. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone who likes to stay organized, OneNote is a powerful tool that simplifies your digital life and enhances your productivity.
