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(Archived) Note template?


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Posted

Hi every Evernoter!

I have just discovered Evernote, so I don't yet know my way around. I have done a couple of hours of searching on Google, but I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. Please forgive me if this question has already been laboured to death...

I would like to be able to use a Notebook in a similar way to a Table in a database. In other words, I would like to be able to create a series of Notes, all with the same structure. For example, all the Notes in a Notebook named "Contacts" could have a two-column table with a four-row structure like this:

Name: Jack Horner

Email: jack@example.com

Phone: 555-678-1234

Picture: <image>

The idea is that every time you create a new note in this particular Notebook, the table with all the labels in the left column will be created automatically, so all you have to do is fill in the details.

Is this already possible, by using something from the Trunk? Or will I have to use a workaround like creating a note with an empty table, and copying that table to every new note?

I can see that there is a developer community using an API to create other applications that interact with Evernote, but is there a way to create new functionality (such as the feature I have described) that will work within Evernote?

Thanks for your patience with a newbie, and for pointing me gently in the right direction.

Cheers,

James

Posted

Hi James, welcome to the forum :)

A note template feature is an often requested item, with much discussion about it.

Currently, there is no direct way to create a template and use it. There is however a workaround of sorts.

There is the ability (in the desktop clients) to copy a note, allowing you to create a template note, and then copy it each time that note is needed.

So you would be able to create the note and when needed, right click the note and choose copy note, choosing which notebook to place the note in.

You could then fill in the required fields for your table.

A nice discussion about templates can be found here:

It also includes a discussion about an application created around the API that you mention, that has been submitted to this years Evernote DevCup, which looks like a potentially useful way of managing note templates, so I'd also take a look at that :)

If you have a mobile device (iOS/Android) I would also consider taking a look at Hello, an Evernote product focused on contacts:

http://evernote.com/hello/

This is only mobile though, so may not be exactly what you need just yet. (though I believe that it includes all of the fields that you want)

Scott

Posted

Hi Scott!

Many hanks for your reply. I appreciate your help.

I'd already seen GrumpyMonkey's posts, and imagined that their existence meant that workarounds are still the only solution.

I'm not actually looking for a Contacts Notebook, as such. I was just using that as a simple example of what I was looking for.

In fact, I am trying to put together a solution for a charity in Thailand, to keep track of donated items, where they are to be collected, and where they are to be delivered to. Evernote seems to be an ideal solution, which will allow the team to take a photo of an item with a mobile phone, and immediately create a Note that can be shared with the folk in the office as well as the logistics people.

Are there any examples of similar uses of Evernote that anyone can point me to, to give me and the rest of the team ideas of how best to use Evernote in this way?

Thanks in advance for any help,

James

  • Level 5*
Posted

Hi James -

...a solution for a charity in Thailand, to keep track of donated items, where they are to be collected, and where they are to be delivered to. Evernote seems to be an ideal solution, which will allow the team to take a photo of an item with a mobile phone, and immediately create a Note that can be shared with the folk in the office as well as the logistics people...

When you mention 'donated items' - are these in the UK, or actually in Thailand? Remember a note saved in Evernote is only available to others after the local (mobile) client has synced. If the local client isn't in range of the network for an hour or a for a day, that's how long it will take to update the network...

  • Level 5*
Posted

Hi Scott!

Many hanks for your reply. I appreciate your help.

I'd already seen GrumpyMonkey's posts, and imagined that their existence meant that workarounds are still the only solution.

I'm not actually looking for a Contacts Notebook, as such. I was just using that as a simple example of what I was looking for.

In fact, I am trying to put together a solution for a charity in Thailand, to keep track of donated items, where they are to be collected, and where they are to be delivered to. Evernote seems to be an ideal solution, which will allow the team to take a photo of an item with a mobile phone, and immediately create a Note that can be shared with the folk in the office as well as the logistics people.

Are there any examples of similar uses of Evernote that anyone can point me to, to give me and the rest of the team ideas of how best to use Evernote in this way?

Thanks in advance for any help,

James

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a third-party app out there that would help with your use case. I have a couple ideas about ones that might work, but I haven't had enough experience with them yet to say.

Actually, though, I think there is an easy solution to your specific problem just using the Evernote mobile app as it is.

1) Create a template. I think you know about mine (http://www.princeton...o/template.html), but probably you'll need something different tailored for your needs. The idea is the same -- make sure to put in the kind of title, tags, random codes, or anything else you would like them all to share before you start making copies.

2) Make the copies you need on your desktop. Let's say you need 100. Copy one, then copy two, then copy four, etc. You'll be done in just a few seconds (literally).

3) When you come to a donated item, press the pencil icon (on your iPhone) to edit the note, press the camera icon at the top (on your iPhone), snap a picture, and it will go into the note. The note is in your shared notebook, so you are pretty much done at this point.

4) You can enter the information you like into the note, or let someone else in an office somewhere do it. All they have to do is sort by date updated to see the notes you have created. It ought to be pretty seamless. When they make entries, you will see it, and vice versa.

To be honest, I am not sure how a third-party app could improve upon this system, but I am open to the possibility. I'm looking around in the newly developed ones this month, so maybe I will run across something there.

Does this address your needs, or did I miss something? Of course, Gaz is right about connectivity, but that is a whole other issue :)

Posted

When you mention 'donated items' - are these in the UK, or actually in Thailand? Remember a note saved in Evernote is only available to others after the local (mobile) client has synced. If the local client isn't in range of the network for an hour or a for a day, that's how long it will take to update the network...

Hi gazumped,

Many thanks for your helpful comments.

These are Thai donations to a Thai charity shop. As far as I know, most of the donations are made in or near Bangkok, where the network coverage is usually excellent, with a number of different carriers available. Besides, I understand that the issue is more about scaling up to deal with a high volume of donations, rather than with the speed of deployment. A similar charity in Korea receives around 10 tons of donations every day, with articles ranging from books and clothing to heavy furniture.

My first impression of Evernote is that it is likely to correspond very well to the requirements, with only a little customization required.

Thanks again for your input,

James

Posted

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a third-party app out there that would help with your use case. I have a couple ideas about ones that might work, but I haven't had enough experience with them yet to say.

Actually, though, I think there is an easy solution to your specific problem just using the Evernote mobile app as it is.

<SNIP>

Does this address your needs, or did I miss something? Of course, Gaz is right about connectivity, but that is a whole other issue :)

Hi GrumpyMonkey,

Thanks for the detailed pointers and the link. I'm currently very optimistic about this solution. I'll let you know how well it works for the team, after I get some feedback from them.

It's been good to discover how easy it should be to adapt Evernote to this particular scenario.

I appreciate your help,

James

Posted

Hello James

Sorry for my English.

But I make a notebook Donatie in the notebook I make a note name item00001 with table of 5 rows and 2 coloms

Colom 1 for itemnumber, From, Itemname, Description, Photo

Then I copy the note to notebook Donatie and fill in the first row, second colom with 0002 and edit the title to Donated Item 00002

Then I copy note 0002 till I have enough and chance the title and the itemnumber in the note

Now I can on my Ipad edit note 00002 and place a photo in it from the camara on the Ipad or from the filmroll on the Ipad

I make some screen shots for you on http://localsystem.woelmuis.nl/

I hope it clear for you

LocalSystem

Posted

I make a notebook Donatie in the notebook I make a note name item00001 with table of 5 rows and 2 coloms

<SNIP>

I make some screen shots for you on http://localsystem.woelmuis.nl/

Hello LocalSystem,

This is excellent! Many thanks for your suggestions and for your demo of how to create a Donations notebook.

Dank u,

James

Posted

Check out www.kustomnote.com. Great from the quick look I have just had and looks like it might fit your needs if a web app is acceptable. Also looks like it could aid template creation for teh copy note method.

Personally I use ENscript.exe and some dos batch files to put together a note with the date, creators username, and a unique counter as well as bunch of other fields and formatting. At the same time it makes a folder on the network with a corrosponding name text file in that folder.

User clicks on a batch file on their desktop. Batch file takes input from a command prompt window. This input is captured as varibles. Other varibles are created from the OS (date, time, username, YYYYMMDDHHMMSS serial number). A note is created from ENML snippits on the drive inserting variables above. A folder is created on the network using varibales and a text file is created in that folder. This becomes a project location.

Hapy to post up here if you'd like?

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