(Archived) HELP: Share a notebook with a colleague: the best workflow?

[fredhammersmith 54]

I am completely hooked on Evernote. I use it everywhere, all the time. For personal matters, and professional matters. I have a premium account.

Now, here is the thing:

I work as a team of two people, and i have to share notes, pictures, contacts, maps and web clips etc with my colleague. Constantly, instantly. I immediately thought of Evernote, as the best way to do it.

So i created a stack on notebooks, related to professional matters. And i shared it with this colleague, who has a free account (she does not use it half as much as me).

Now this was not the satisfying experience i expected.

To access the notebook, she has to access it through the Web. The shared notebooks won't appear in her Evernote desktop app. The web interface is nice, but we use the desktop app most of the times.

Then i thought, ok, we'll create a pro account, that we will both use. Like a single user. Ugly solution: to switch to my personal notebooks, i would have to re-log as a different user every time. But it looks like the only solution.

Then i thought: OK, she's my friend, i don't mind that she sees my personal notebooks. But then she is cluttered with notebooks not related to our common professional projects. Even worst, the 1st time she'll connect her iPhone, she'll use precious bandwidth to load loads and loads of my unrelated notes.

Is there a better workflow i did not think of?

And BTW, it would be nice to be able to share "stack of notebooks". Depending of the way you work, you can, like me, ends up having dozens of notebooks and it would be nice to be able to act upon a group of notebooks at once.

[gazumped 11,667]

i have to share notes, pictures, contacts, maps and web clips etc with my colleague. Constantly, instantly.

Those words 'Constantly' and 'Instantly' are a problem for Evernote when it comes to sharing. Real time shares are too subject to out-of-sync syncing and the delays in two-way transfer from you to web to them and back.

Said it before, but I'll Evernote it this time so I don't have to type this again.. Evernote is good at filing and finding things easily. One-to-many fixed shares, as in you sharing finished notes with colleagues = Good. Collaboration shares as in both sides making changes = technological gastrastrophy* because you're syncing to the web server, and they're syncing to the web server, and you're changing stuff they already changed, and they're... contributing to the problem.

Evernote is a wonderful way to store and retrieve data, but it breeds chaos if you use it for collaboration. Until Uncle Phil decides he'd like to help us out in that direction, use Google Docs. If you own your own server and don't mind the small admin overhead, set up a Wiki.

* a catastrophe so bad it makes you feel really, really sick

[fredhammersmith 54]

OK. So we have to handle this with care.

Another thing i seem to notice: if i share a notebook, the tags don't seem to appear on my colleague iPhone Evernote app.

Hopefully, it is a mistake on my part, otherwise, the flow of notes has to be divided into individual notebooks that has to be shared and retrieved, one by one.

[Metrodon 2,184]

Why doesn't she see the shared notebook on the desktop client? Are you sure you are set up correctly?

[fredhammersmith 54]

You are right about this, I can see it on her desktop client now. She has to "activate" it through the sharing email i sent her. Sorry about that.

What about tags? Somebody opening a shared notebook has to put his/her own tags, right?

[Owyn 457]

The only tags available in a linked notebook are those assigned by the sharer (owner) in that notebook. Those tags may be assigned to other notes but new tags can not be created or assigned by other updaters.

[C6REW 416]

Hi Fred,

Interesting this one. I am using my Evernote in the way you suggest. One premium account, synched to all my computers plus Claire's. If I am in the office and Claire is at home she can type into my 'day' note. Then press on synch. I will then get this the next time I synch.

Seems to work well so far.

Based on the way I used OneNote, I have also thought of having a separate 'Notebook' so Claire can put info in. I would then check her notes and if there is anything for me to do, get it done then 'Complete' as necessary.

Regards

Chris

[Jackolicious 808]

Thanks Fred, for sharing your story. These are just the types of scenarios we like to hear about. Keep the stories coming and let us know how your workflow ends up.

[DanielJSJ 0]

I'm with Fred on this one: I want to share notebooks with my wife.

When I saw that Evernote had a feature to "share this notebook with a friend" I automatically assumed (spoiled by the information age, of course) that it would be just like folder sharing with DropBox.

In respectful disagreement with Gazumped (who has a great username), it seems to me that the precedent of Dropbox suggests that this kind of thing would not be a "gastastrophe". Sure, you'd probably need to increase the frequency of sinking to something more like what Dropbox has, but fundamentally it's the same proposition. Files sit both on desktops and a server, and that sync between all the desktops and servers of any who have access to the shared folder / notebook.

I would file this as a STRONG feature request. In many respects Dropbox is a competitor here, and it's sad for me -- an all day long Evernote user (of the premium variety as of today) -- to sit here and wish for the feature to arrive. I would even donate some (not much... I'm a recent grad) to help see this feature come to reality... if such donations were possible.

(That's actually an idea I've been having... that some enthusiasts might be able to help sponsor their desired features through donations... probably serving more as a signal of urgency than as an actual subsidizing factor... but still helpful...)

[jefito 5,589]

I'm not exactly sure that funding is the issue here, e.g. http://blog.evernote.com/2011/07/13/evernote-gets-50-million-in-funding-with-faq/. And do you have any idea how much software development costs?

Trust me, sharing is important to Evernote, it's something that they're working on, but it will take some time before it comes to full fruition.

[gazumped 11,667]

I'm hoping that if/ when Evernote release a collaboration version it will be as an add-on like "Hello" so I can ignore it if necessary.. I've stressed before that while I look forward with interest to new functions and new releases, it's always with the hope that Evernote will not become a multi-menu behemoth like certain software-that-cannot-be-named - but have the initials MS. Evernote does a cracking job of making it easy to get information into and out of my 'external brain', and of working with a high degree of speed and reliability. Once you get into a new field like collaboration there's a whole raft of new decisions to make*.

Wiki- or Sharepoint level facilities would mean software at least as complicated as Evernote is now, so involve considerable time and effort to develop. Some level below that would be quicker, but then we'd have posts here bemoaning the fact that (example only here folks..) the collaboration function doesn't have multi-level permissions so you can lock some of your users out of some of the pages.

I'm happy to use Evernote as my data store, and as a passive sharing option - to list out (forinstance) the reference documents I have available for the people who might want to use them. It saves lots of me-to-them emails along the lines of "XYZ information is now available" which they then have to file somewhere searchable. It also saves the occasional fight because two people want the same information at the same time.

If I want to collaborate on something I'd use one of the many flavours of Wiki who have sorted out all the issues listed below plus thousands of others I couldn't think of off the top of my Sunday head, and offer tried and tested security and real-time collaboration. Since it's possible for Wikis to hyperlink to external files I can still include one or more Evernote pages, but capture suggested changes / ongoing conversations like this one in connected pages.

I'm not against a collaboration option, or arguing purely for the status quo - just pointing out that 'proper' collaboration facilities are a lot more complicated than you may initially think.

* For example: how do you deal with -

• security - should there be different levels for different people? - who deals with password reminders / changes for users' users? - do we notify users of failed access attempts?
  
• pages - does everyone see the same pages, or do some users get more access than others?
  
• updates - are they published immediately or subject to the owner's permission or a mix of both?
  
• editing - if a user starts to make changes, edit on that page should be locked. What if they leave the page open and walk away? How to unlock? Do we allow 'read only' access while changes are being made?
  
• chat - collaboration involves discussion: should we build in an IM clone, text chat or a BB?
  
• usage limits - multiple users will eat up more bandwidth - do they each have a mini-limit or does it all go on the main account? - can collaboration accounts get higher limits?
  

[JimmyD 0]

I have poked around a bit and done some searches but I am still not 100% clear on sharing notebooks. I have no problem purchasing a premium account if that will allow my friends that have a free account access to my notebooks.

I would like them to be able to access the notebook from a desktop, smartphone or tablet.

Do they all need a premium account for that to work?

[jbenson2 2,147]

I've stressed before that while I look forward with interest to new functions and new releases, it's always with the hope that Evernote will not become a multi-menu behemoth

I had similar concerns about Evernote becoming an enterprise Goliath when they announced sponsored accounts back in 2010.

Fortunately, Phil Libin stepped in and dismissed my concerns with a strongly worded explanation.

we think eventually more and more corporate folk will realize that their normal enterprise software is crappy and unappealing and, as these people get into senior management positions, things like Evernote will gain some official traction. We're not going to make an "enterprise" version of Evernote.

http://discussion.ev...dpost__p__71869

[edit] Looks like I was wrong. Evernote is moving forward with a corporate version of their software.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

I have poked around a bit and done some searches but I am still not 100% clear on sharing notebooks. I have no problem purchasing a premium account if that will allow my friends that have a free account access to my notebooks.

I would like them to be able to access the notebook from a desktop, smartphone or tablet.

Do they all need a premium account for that to work?

hi jimmy. welcome to the forums. i am no expert on shared notebooks, but my understanding is that anyone in the world can see them if they have a link to it. i have shared notebooks with strangers. i have used the notebooks of strangers. i have done so in the app and on the web. what i haven't done is change stuff in someone else's notebook. i think that might take special access (by the owner) and a premium account (by the invited person).

@evernote community members: am i wrong? if so, please explain. if not, and i am correct, why all of this confusion? maybe evernote needs to spell this out more clearly on their site.

[gazumped 11,667]

As I understand it - and according to a couple of other threads around the forum - the (Desktop / Windows) options are:

• right-click NOTE in List or Snippet view: ~Share ~copy note URL - gives a web-based link to SEE the note which anyone can use. There's no editing and no new notes. Security is "limited" to who knows the link, and whether or not the note content is encrypted. The page contents don't seem to be crawled, so there won't be a search-engine hit [requires testing].
  
• right-click NOTEBOOK in left-hand frame: ~Share Notebook with either a named list of email addresses, or "the world"
  
  • named addresses: sends email invite with unique link. Option for users to view only or to modify the notebook. The link could be used by others. Users can be required to log in to Evernote before accessing the shared notes.
    
  • the world: open web page as before. No option to add/ change content.
    

In general these options seem a handy way to share public information with others, and even get some feedback. But anything confidential is a definite no-no.

[gbarry 2,658]

• right-click NOTEBOOK in left-hand frame: ~Share Notebook with either a named list of email addresses, or "the world"
  
  • named addresses: sends email invite with unique link. Option for users to view only or to modify the notebook. The link could be used by others.
    

The invite link you receive is single use only. If you accepted it and then tried to share with someone else, it wouldn't work for them. One shot, one opportunity.

[jbenson2 2,147]

• right-click NOTEBOOK in left-hand frame: ~Share Notebook with either a named list of email addresses, or "the world"
  
  • named addresses: sends email invite with unique link. Option for users to view only or to modify the notebook. The link could be used by others.
    

The invite link you receive is single use only. If you accepted it and then tried to share with someone else, it wouldn't work for them. One shot, one opportunity.

Does the single-use invite link apply to both cases - sharing a note and sharing a notebook?

[gbarry 2,658]

Does the single use invite link apply to both cases - sharing a note and sharing a notebook?

Nope, sharing a note link via the share button within a note generates a link that's sharable any number of times. It's still fairly "private", in that you'd have to know the exact link to access the note, and a search engine isn't going to be picking it up. Obviously, that privacy erodes the more you share it, or if you post it upon a social network or whatever.

EDIT: and reiterating, Gazumped is correct, you can't edit or interact with the single shared note beyond viewing it.

Here's a recent shared single note of mine. http://www.evernote.com/shard/s16/sh/33dcf04f-8782-43c6-a65a-66fb620fef23/57e7a7fc53bcf438bbbca98bfa2cd8a2 It's now significantly less private than it was before

AND: It's worth noting that the link is permanent, but reflects the synced contents of the note. So the link stays the same, even as you update the note's contents.

[macguru99 0]

I really would like to be able to share the whole stack of notebooks, to be able to cooperate with my coworker. We are the only two employees and I keep one notebook per customer and all of the customers stacked into one "Customers" stack. Instead of sharing each customer notebook I could only choose to share the whole stack.

[fredhammersmith 54]

Sorry if it has been answered elsewhere, i haven't had time to really look into the new features..

With the recent announcements about pro or corporative accounts, can someone confirm to us if this wanted feature (sharing of stack of notes) will be incorporated into Evernote? And if so, what type of accounts will you need to benefit from it?

[Metrodon 2,184]

It's not in the 5.0 Mac release.