Template with an option to also include tags

[Wvit 9]

Hello, I am really excite about the template feature that Evernote recently added. However, I still use my old way of manually create template (e.g. create a note, then copy/duplicate that note). The reason Evernote's Template doesn't work for me is because note's tag doesn't included with the template.  For example, suppose I have a template called "Point to ponder", I would like it to have some tags (e.g. #opinion, #idea, #meditation, etc.).

Is that possible? My idea of implement that features in Evernote is having an option either when creating the template or when using that template, to also include the tag with the template. 

Wonder if anybody have the same problem and how they solve it.

 

Thank you.

[gazumped 11,652]

Hi.  The way I mainly create and use templates is to create the blank note body and then export that to an ENEX file on my desktop (check that the export options include tags). 

If you then double click on the ENEX file,  it will automatically 'import' that blank template as a new note - complete with tags, if required.  (In my Windows setup that arrives as a new note window)

It's also possible to attach your ENEX files to a note,  so your templates are available whenever you open Evernote.  There's also no maximum number of templates via your desktop or attachments.  Some experimentation may be required - and YMMV depending on your OS and Evernote version!

Without trying all the options again I can't remember where and how all these tweaks work,  but it's worth remembering that:

1. if you add a line "tag1,tag2,tag3" to your note template and copy/ paste that line (without the quotes) into the tags field when the new note is created,  you'll get the individual tags popping up on the note:
   OR
2. use Phrase Express (or similar) to create similar text strings with a keypress,  if you have several commonly-used tag series'
   AND
3. in some desktop OS's the first line of the note will auto-fill the title field,  so put your preferred title prefix there so the ENEX import will create its own title (or you can ENEX the note with title if your prefer) - or see Phrase Express (or similar) to easily set up titles.  (PE allows you to include user-variables too!)

I do use Evernote's template feature too,  but my 'tags' are usually keyword inclusions in "smart" titles,  so I hadn't noticed whether the template tags worked or not.

 

[Wvit 9]

7 minutes ago, gazumped said:

Hi.  The way I mainly create and use templates is to create the blank note body and then export that to an ENEX file on my desktop (check that the export options include tags). 

If you then double click on the ENEX file,  it will automatically 'import' that blank template as a new note - complete with tags, if required.  (In my Windows setup that arrives as a new note window)

It's also possible to attach your ENEX files to a note,  so your templates are available whenever you open Evernote.  There's also no maximum number of templates via your desktop or attachments.  Some experimentation may be required - and YMMV depending on your OS and Evernote version!

Without trying all the options again I can't remember where and how all these tweaks work,  but it's worth remembering that:

1. if you add a line "tag1,tag2,tag3" to your note template and copy/ paste that line (without the quotes) into the tags field when the new note is created,  you'll get the individual tags popping up on the note:
   OR
2. use Phrase Express (or similar) to create similar text strings with a keypress,  if you have several commonly-used tag series'
   AND
3. in some desktop OS's the first line of the note will auto-fill the title field,  so put your preferred title prefix there so the ENEX import will create its own title (or you can ENEX the note with title if your prefer) - or see Phrase Express (or similar) to easily set up titles.  (PE allows you to include user-variables too!)

I do use Evernote's template feature too,  but my 'tags' are usually keyword inclusions in "smart" titles,  so I hadn't noticed whether the template tags worked or not.

 

Wow! Thank you very much for the tips n tricks.

[gazumped 11,652]

You're welcome 😊

[CalS 5,280]

6 hours ago, Wvit said:

Hello, I am really excite about the template feature that Evernote recently added. However, I still use my old way of manually create template (e.g. create a note, then copy/duplicate that note). The reason Evernote's Template doesn't work for me is because note's tag doesn't included with the template.  For example, suppose I have a template called "Point to ponder", I would like it to have some tags (e.g. #opinion, #idea, #meditation, etc.).

Is that possible? My idea of implement that features in Evernote is having an option either when creating the template or when using that template, to also include the tag with the template. 

Wonder if anybody have the same problem and how they solve it.

 

Thank you.

Good idea for sure.  This and including the note title in the template have been requested before.  There may be a voting thread somewhere...

[Mike McGowan 36]

While I dabbled with EN's templates when they first came out, I had been working with personal solutions similar to @gazumped

That experience (and  yours @Wvit) along with numerous better ideas on this forum leaves me extremely underwhelmed with this new "feature" and somewhat embarrassed for EN's "hype"  around the functionality.

Having said that, I do have a very small set of 3 EN templates that I do find useful on my iPhone.    For desktop use, I find the method described above >> useful.

[gazumped 11,652]

Evernote said somewhere that the template feature was an initial beta trial,  and they have said that the limit on numbers will be lifted,  so I would expect them to get better eventually;  but ironically the current advertised focus on getting things to work may have delayed further development here.  I agree with other comments here though that the convenience of templates as a part of the installed app is great,  and with a few more enhancements I'll be pleased to rely completely on the built in feature.  Meantime though - workarounds rule!

[Evernote enthusiast 2]

As an Evernote enthusiast, I too would like tags included in the template to be included in notes created from the template. It seems like a bit of an oversight not to incorporate this functionality. 

The location function seems to work perfectly when creating a new note from a template on my Android phone -- however, it doesn't seem to work when using the Evernote desktop application.

Since the location function seems to be based on location services on an Android device, not including the location in a new note using the desktop application makes sense, although having said that, somehow Google Maps seems to know where my computer is when I launch it, so I'm wondering if I might be missing something.

Does anyone know how to automatically include the location when creating a new note from a template using the Evernote desktop application?

[gazumped 11,652]

Hi.  @Evernote enthusiast - no magic wand I'm afraid.  Location information is required as latitude and longitude and (optionally) altitude and if your device is stationery it isn't hard to get that detail from Google Maps (or presumably any other mapping app of your choice).  It would be possible to store this information in the template along with the tag(s) required on that note so all can be inserted manually when an individual note is created.  (Pro tip - save tags as "tag1,tag2,tag3,tag4" without the quotes and copy/ paste the whole string into one tag field.  Evernote will create the individual tags for you)

If you're mobile with the laptop I guess the Maps trick might be a stretch,  but it's the best we got - unless you take a pic with the mobile app and merge the notes later on a desktop...

From memory,  an ENEX exported note to the desktop can include existing tags,  so using an external template might save you a little time.  

[Evernote enthusiast 2]

The trick about the tags was super-helpful, thanks so much! Too bad about location services on a laptop, but ho hum...  I suppose I'll have to type the location in manually until the magic wand manifests itself.