Download Notes

[gambledrum 0]

I have a question about how to do something.

 

I've been keeping track of my business expenses in Evernote (that's the only thing I use it for).

For instance, if I write a check to a contractor, I attached an image of the check, and I give it a title (i.e. $80 to Karen for appointments).

 

Now, it's come time to do my corporate taxes (I have until September 15 by way of extension).

 

When I started using Evernote I saw it as a way to not save receipts, or any expenses I had.

And then I thought I would just download a collection of notes, say all the expenses in 2013, for record keeping purposes.

Basically, I was thinking I could save them on my computer electronically, and then if ever called upon for documentation I could print or list.

 

Can I do this with Evernote?  It looks like I may have to get the Premium edition, which is fine.  But, before I do that I was hoping that what I want to do is even possible.

 

So, to summarize, I want a file on my computer that contains all the notes from 2013 that show my expenses.

How do I do this?  Should I have put a tag with every note in 2013?

 

Lastly, what if I just want a total of my expenses?  Is there a way to let Evernote do that?  As it stands right now, my description of the note has the dollar amount.  So, it wouldn't seem like Evernote could do addition on text strings.  But, is there a different way for me to create my notes, so that at the end of a year I can tell Evernote to add up all my expenses?

 

[gazumped 11,667]

Evernote will scan and save your receipts into individual notes.  Period.  You can search for receipts of a specific type,  or between specific dates (of scanning),  or if you have used a "yyyymmdd" convention in titling your expennses notes,  you can find specific dates. Evernote will not print out a single period as notes unless you can search specifically for the receipts in that period.  Evernote won't total them for you however - it will just make it easier to add up the costs and benefits.

[Wordsgood 526]

Just popping with what I hope adds a bit to Gazumped's post.  Evernote is, at it's heart, a digital storage cabinet where you can store, search & retrieve most kinds of digital information, across multiple "clients."

Note:  Just in case you don't already know, the term "clients" refers to what devices and matching Evernote apps (versions) you use.

All items are stored as Notes and while it does have a basic Text Editor that is *slowly* improving with more editing features and consistency across all clients the notetaking ability is sort of the gravy on top.  (Though there is no question IMHO that the initial concept of being a "second brain" by acting as a dumping ground for all your excess data for later retrieval if needed, has grown into being a *basic* notetaking and task management app as well.)

I don't know how many other forum members use Evernote for the same purpose you do, but I do know sure that some do - at least as part of their use cases. If you'd like to see ideas and tips about what you want to accomplish, then I strongly encourage you to search the forum boards for threads that discuss such things. Use keywords like 'scanning, receipts, accounting, finances,' etc.

A few final thoughts:

1) Grumpy Monkey, known outside the forum as Christopher Mayo, scans *everything* in his personal and professional life. (Even, to my great horror...precious and utterly defenceless, paper books!

[DutchPete 247]

In addition to Wordsgood's suggestion about You Tube, look there for an extensive video tutorial series by Evernote Scott.

[Wordsgood 526]

Thank you, Pete! I knew I had forgotten something.

[gambledrum 0]

Thank you for all the suggestions.  I will be doing more investigating.

I'm pretty sure I know the answers to the following questions, but I just want to be sure.

 

I use the latest version of Android on my phone (4.4.4) and Windows 8 (it has a touch screen, but I don't really use that functionality).

 

As far as searching on Evernote (the app) is concerned, it seems as if the only way to effectively search is if you are or have used TAGS.  That seems to be the main search mechanism.  Does that sound right?  Meaning, if I just take pictures of things and then want to search later, the only thing I'll be able to search for is a date range of note creations.  Would that be right?

 

I'm really trying to figure out how to have a record on my computer in a file (it might be entitled 2013 Business Expenses).  How would I do that?  I did go back in my notes and put a tag of 2013 for all my receipts, pay outs, etc. in 2013.  So, using the TAG search I can isolate those.  In the DOWNLOAD functionality of the Pro app, how does the download actually work?  Does it place all the notes in ONE file, to be opened at a later date if needed?  Basically, I want to be able to print my notes later (say, if called on by the IRS).  Would the download function allow me to do this?  Do I even need the download function?

 

Thanks.

[DutchPete 247]

Thank you for all the suggestions.  I will be doing more investigating.

I'm pretty sure I know the answers to the following questions, but I just want to be sure.

 

I use the latest version of Android on my phone (4.4.4) and Windows 8 (it has a touch screen, but I don't really use that functionality).

 

As far as searching on Evernote (the app) is concerned, it seems as if the only way to effectively search is if you are or have used TAGS.  That seems to be the main search mechanism.  Does that sound right?  Meaning, if I just take pictures of things and then want to search later, the only thing I'll be able to search for is a date range of note creations.  Would that be right?

 

I'm really trying to figure out how to have a record on my computer in a file (it might be entitled 2013 Business Expenses).  How would I do that?  I did go back in my notes and put a tag of 2013 for all my receipts, pay outs, etc. in 2013.  So, using the TAG search I can isolate those.  In the DOWNLOAD functionality of the Pro app, how does the download actually work?  Does it place all the notes in ONE file, to be opened at a later date if needed?  Basically, I want to be able to print my notes later (say, if called on by the IRS).  Would the download function allow me to do this?  Do I even need the download function?

 

Thanks.

 

There are many ways you can search in Evernote - just look at this https://dev.evernote.com/doc/articles/search_grammar.php.

The 3 main searches that are mostly used are: in notebooks, with tags, in note titles, and of course a combination thereof. Create date or Update date are also used a lot.

Another thing to make life easier is if you use the same search a number of times you can save it as a Saved Search.

Basically you should try to play around with Evernote to see what is possible because it is not possible to do a tutorial on this forum. From the other posts above you have a lot of possibilities to learn about Evernote.

 

I don't know what you mean by "downloading" in this context. When you do a search nothing is downloaded. The info you search for is filtered out of your total note database.

[gazumped 11,667]

If you have installed the desktop application,  then by default you will have a copy of your database containing all your notes saved on the hard drive.  I strongly recommend that you back this up regularly as a precaution.  If you save receipts as JPGs,  then they will be OCR'd by Evernote.  So if you have a set of receipts for diesel,  you can probably find them by searching for the name of the service station you use,  or 'diesel' or something common to all those receipts.  Similar comments apply to food,  printing,  air travel..  in an extreme you can search for the word 'receipt' and get a wide selection of notes.  Evernote's search is very powerful - take some time to get used to it,  and you should be impressed.