What's your best/very specific use of Evernote?

[JohanDahlberg 0]

I've been using Evernote for years primarily as an idea dump, to save information that I use occasionally and need to access easily, and to save receipt copies. I organise my projects in it and add whatever comes to mind on the go. A few years ago I wrote a book entirely in a single Evernote note simply because I was adding to that note anyway whenever I found some time to write, so it kind of just happened that way.

I've read every "X tips for using Evernote" article that I've come across and know that there are templets for planning, that many use it for research and that the tagging/organising system can be very effective if set up right (and that everyone has their own system that works for them).

But nothing has really blown my mind or been an "aha" experience until recently when I came across an article about the very specific way a guy wrote a novel in Evernote. He set up a notebook for it, used a [name of book] pre-fix on all the notes in it, wrote each chapter in a separate note, had a series of research notes, character notes, a side content note (back text for the book, cover ideas, etc), and more. Nothing new really in terms of what you can do, but the very specific way that he described his system was spot on for me and made so much sense (and now I'm doing the same for my next book).

I've been trying to find more specific uses like this but most articles lack actual examples. So my question is, how do you use Evernote in whatever it is that you do? I'm not looking for what you can do in general, but specific examples.

Thanks in advance for broadening my perspective

[DTLow 5,736]

Task Management
- a separate note for each task
- start dates are stored using the reminder feature; also stores completion status/date
- current task list is generated by a saved search       reminderOrder:* -reminderTime:day+1 -reminderDoneTime:* 

Project Management
- project notes and tasks are tagged with project-id
- GTD; task priority driven by Next Action, and start dates

Daily Journal Note / Dashboard
- generated from a template
- separate note for each day
- contains links to important notes and web resources
- contains links to current task notes

Receipts and Banking Transaction Storage
- scan of every paper receipt
- storage of vendor emails and statements
- transaction feed from bank
- tagged with budget category and vendor
- exported to a spreadsheet for number crunching and reporting

Email Storage
- there's an email>Evernote feature
  I use scripting (Mac)

Storing documents and files; paper, downloads, ...
- Scannable app on my iPad
- Import folder (Mac/Windows)
- I also use the OS share feature

>>I wrote a book entirely in a single Evernote note 

I would use the Evernote service for storing my book notes
I would not use the Evernote Editor for writing a book
I don't recommend lengthy notes
  

[CalS 5,280]

1. Paperless
   1. Statements
   2. Receipts
   3. Manuals and other reference materials
   4. Images of labels and serial numbers
2. Tasks
3. Phone Logs
4. Projects
5. Research
6. Jokes
7. Central repository for second brain in general

[stocky2605 401]

I do a lot, hmm almost everything based on Evernote. You asked for „special“ use cases, rigt?

hm, this depends to individuals of course, maybe that one, it‘s simple, but I really love it: while traveling, hiking, biking, cycling, riding, etc., I just take a photo wihin EN to collect special places (nice view, car parking, nice trail for Mountain Bikes, special environment for Horses). Since the GPS location is attached automatically to the note it‘s easy to find those locations later - unfortunately you need a 3rd party App to browse your Notes using a Map (e. g. ideaplaces)

[gazumped 11,665]

OK - late to the party (again) and I do all of the above too..  the only "unusual" aspect of my use (I guess) is that all of the items I and my family own have a 'master' note with the receipt, the user guide,  pictures of the original box notes and close-ups of serial numbers and those panels around the back that contain all the fiddly little sockets that you only need to use once a year. 

Each new item we buy goes through a little ID pictures process before being set in place and wired up,  and mostly I use the feature to annoy my wife when she says "How long have we had that <insert product here>" and I make a point of telling her the exact date and time that we acquired it.

It has paid off a couple of times with faulty items we thought were out of guarantee but proved not to be - in one case it was due to expire within a couple of weeks!  And there was the time I was able to give a store the item number of something I bought a couple of years ago that I was replacing.  They couldn't find it on their system,  but I had it on my phone...

[CalS 5,280]

15 hours ago, gazumped said:

and mostly I use the feature to annoy my wife when she says "How long have we had that <insert product here>" and I make a point of telling her the exact date and time that we acquired it.

😂

[DTLow 5,736]

16 hours ago, gazumped said:

all of the items I and my family own have a 'master' note

I also have a master table-of-contents note, organized by area (Kitchen, Living Room, ...)

Each entry is a link to the item note.  

The list can be maintained manually, or automated.

[MatS14 19]

On 3/4/2019 at 10:53 AM, CalS said:

1. Paperless
   1. Statements
   2. Receipts
   3. Manuals and other reference materials
   4. Images of labels and serial numbers
2. Tasks
3. Phone Logs
4. Projects
5. Research
6. Jokes
7. Central repository for second brain in general

 

On 3/4/2019 at 8:56 AM, DTLow said:

Task Management
- a separate note for each task
- start dates are stored using the reminder feature; also stores completion status/date
- current task list is generated by a saved search       reminderOrder:* -reminderTime:day+1 -reminderDoneTime:* 

Project Management
- project notes and tasks are tagged with project-id
- GTD; task priority driven by Next Action, and start dates

Daily Journal Note / Dashboard
- generated from a template
- separate note for each day
- contains links to important notes and web resources
- contains links to current task notes

Receipts and Banking Transaction Storage
- scan of every paper receipt
- storage of vendor emails and statements
- transaction feed from bank
- tagged with budget category and vendor
- exported to a spreadsheet for number crunching and reporting

Email Storage
- there's an email>Evernote feature
  I use scripting (Mac)

Storing documents and files; paper, downloads, ...
- Scannable app on my iPad
- Import folder (Mac/Windows)
- I also use the OS share feature

>>I wrote a book entirely in a single Evernote note 

I would use the Evernote service for storing my book notes
I would not use the Evernote Editor for writing a book
I don't recommend lengthy notes
  

I do these, but I also use is for packing lists, phone numbers, and passwords.   ( passwords not written fully ).  😊

[Jeremy England 141]

I guess my specific case is using templates now for tracking a new teacher's process through a mentoring program over 3 months or so. I can just drop in a template with multiple tables formatted just right. I also keep student notes in there so if I search for their name I get a bunch of related notes. 

I'm adopting a one note per task system like @DTLow but I'm not managing it in Evernote, but rather Trello (since a note is attached to a specific card). 

I create a notebook for testing season so I have all of the manuals and accommodations for students just one saved search away. 

Are these specific? I don't really know, but they are to me lol. 

[N.A. 21]

On 3/4/2019 at 4:56 PM, DTLow said:

Task Management
- a separate note for each task
- start dates are stored using the reminder feature; also stores completion status/date
- current task list is generated by a saved search       reminderOrder:* -reminderTime:day+1 -reminderDoneTime:* 

Project Management
- project notes and tasks are tagged with project-id
- GTD; task priority driven by Next Action, and start dates

Daily Journal Note / Dashboard
- generated from a template
- separate note for each day
- contains links to important notes and web resources
- contains links to current task notes

Receipts and Banking Transaction Storage
- scan of every paper receipt
- storage of vendor emails and statements
- transaction feed from bank
- tagged with budget category and vendor
- exported to a spreadsheet for number crunching and reporting

Email Storage
- there's an email>Evernote feature
  I use scripting (Mac)

Storing documents and files; paper, downloads, ...
- Scannable app on my iPad
- Import folder (Mac/Windows)
- I also use the OS share feature

>>I wrote a book entirely in a single Evernote note 

I would use the Evernote service for storing my book notes
I would not use the Evernote Editor for writing a book
I don't recommend lengthy notes
  

Out of curiosity, what's the size of your local Evernote DB file?

 

[DTLow 5,736]

1 hour ago, N.A. said:

Out of curiosity, what's the size of your local Evernote DB file?

I have close to 13,000 notes, 11GB

[Etonreve 188]

For work, I've created notebooks for individual clients.

For courses (I have a college and professional degree, but some sometimes take evening classes), I create notebooks for the course, for individual projects, for books I'd like to borrow from the library.

I have many notebooks for interests such as web design. At one point, I was considering creating a blog. I saved notes with site examples I found inspirational, as well as images and fonts.

I have taken many advanced level sewing and tailoring courses. I have created notebooks by type of clothing and saved images of garments I'd like to make or find interesting. There are notebooks for sewing, couture, pattern making, and tailoring techniques and fashion history. I also have saved vintage sewing and tailoring texts found online.

For any major interest, I have created a notebook, e.g., politics, literature, U.S. history, education.

I have over 33,000 notes.

 

[Etonreve 188]

On 3/4/2019 at 11:56 AM, DTLow said:

 

 

Receipts and Banking Transaction Storage
- scan of every paper receipt
- storage of vendor emails and statements
- transaction feed from bank
- tagged with budget category and vendor
- exported to a spreadsheet for number crunching and reporting

Email Storage
- there's an email>Evernote feature
  I use scripting (Mac)

Storing documents and files; paper, downloads, ...
- Scannable app on my iPad
- Import folder (Mac/Windows)
- I also use the OS share feature

>>I wrote a book entirely in a single Evernote note 

I would use the Evernote service for storing my book notes
I would not use the Evernote Editor for writing a book
I don't recommend lengthy notes
  

3

I save important receipts, emails,  letters and other documents to Evernote. On occasion, I've added book ideas to Evernote, but I wouldn't use Evernote to write a book. I would use a conventional word processing program or one like Scrivener.

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

@Etonreve, I'm pretty much on the same page with you, although with far fewer notes. I use a similar way of organizing Evernote to suit my needs, pursuits, and interests, and it seems to work well.

[DTLow 5,736]

31 minutes ago, Etonreve said:

I have created notebooks by type of clothing and saved images of garments I'd like to make or find interesting. There are notebooks for sewing, couture, pattern making, and tailoring techniques and fashion history. I also have saved vintage sewing and tailoring texts found online.

What's the process if a note fits multiple categories?  (Notes are restricted to a single notebook) 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

8 minutes ago, DTLow said:

What's the process if a note fits multiple categories?  (Notes are restricted to a single notebook) 

 

 

Eh? AFAIK, any note can be duplicated and exist in multiple notebooks. It doesn't sound like a very good idea, unless the info in the note is absolutely static and not subject to being updated in one notebook and not the other(s). But it can be done.

[jefito 5,589]

22 hours ago, DTLow said:

What's the process if a note fits multiple categories?  (Notes are restricted to a single notebook) 

This is of course the raison d'etre for tags. But you knew that already...

[DTLow 5,736]

On 4/13/2019 at 10:53 AM, jefito said:

This is of course the raison d'etre for tags. But you knew that already...

Yep, but I was interested in @Etonreve's process since his use is Notebook centric

As per @Dave-in-Decatur, I don't recommend duplicating notes, but I could see creating a note with a link to the original. 

[Etonreve 188]

On 4/12/2019 at 3:38 PM, DTLow said:

What's the process if a note fits multiple categories?  (Notes are restricted to a single notebook) 

Tags. For the clothing images, I tag by season, by fabric type, by print type, by color, by technique, by design detail, by depth of interest (***). I sometimes wish I could assign a note to more than one notebook but make up for it with copious tags. Still, if I had to choose between notebooks and tags I would select notebooks.

[tomcal 18]

I want to thank JohanDahlberg for starting this topic.  I've been an Evernote user for so long that I've gotten stale and repetitive in my usage of it.  I use The Brain a lot more now than I use Evernote but reading through these ideas is making me realize how powerful and useful Evernote is.  I am 4 notes short of 20,000 and I'm sure I'll get there just by clipping four of the above ideas.  I wish we had more topics like this as opposed to the "Why I'm leaving Evernote", etc.   Whenever I start using new software (Notion, The Brain, task managers), I often try to figure out ways to get some of my Evernote data into those programs.  It's just easier to keep it in Evernote and expand my use of it.  I had forgotten about IdeaPlaces, for example - a great tool.   Thanks for the kick in the butt, Johan, and all of the above contributors.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

4 hours ago, tomcal said:

I wish we had more topics like this as opposed to the "Why I'm leaving Evernote", etc.

I agree! To some extent, the Best Answers/FAQs forum can help with this; but I enjoy (and save into Evernote!) notes on uses and ways to organize Evernote. Some day I plan to get enough time free to look through it all!