Multiple Users Using the Same Account

[domad 1]

Hi all,

 

Our small team of 4 users all share the same Evernote account and update notes on a daily basis, sometimes adding to the same note simultaneously.  Our problem is that when we have multiple people adding to the same note, there is almost always a conflicting change in the note.  Why is there not a live updating feature that allows multiple people to be working on the same note, very similar to the way that Google Drive/Docs works and you can see who is editing in real time?  Seems like a pretty simple idea, but does google hold a patent on live cloud updating or whatever you want to call it??? 

 

Thanks!

 

BTW we are using the latest version of desktop evernote on mac

[jefito 5,589]

There is already a note lock feature, and it's available in the released versions of at least the Windows and Android clients. I don't know about the Mac or iOS, or the web for that matter. It's not clear to me that it works on separate instances of the same account (I think that the lock is tied to the user), though, which may be a problem for you. I'd recommend getting a separate account for each user, and sharing notebooks. That way the note locking thingy will work for you.

[gazumped 11,652]

Yep - the locking feature only works if Evernote has a chance to understand that two different people are trying to access the same note.  By logging in to the same account you avoid the lock protection entirely,  hence the conflicts.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

Hi all,

 

Our small team of 4 users all share the same Evernote account and update notes on a daily basis, sometimes adding to the same note simultaneously.  Our problem is that when we have multiple people adding to the same note, there is almost always a conflicting change in the note.

 

Yup.

 

Why is there not a live updating feature that allows multiple people to be working on the same note, very similar to the way that Google Drive/Docs works and you can see who is editing in real time?

 

It's my understanding EN is rolling out "note locking". This would not allow "multiple people to be working on the same note" simultaneously.  And as Gaz said, I'm not sure this avoids the conflicting note problem if you're all logging into the same account.  It may require the note to be shared & users accessing that note from multiple accounts.

 

Seems like a pretty simple idea, but does google hold a patent on live cloud updating or whatever you want to call it???

This may SEEM like a "simple idea". But I doubt the implementation is not.

[domad 1]

Thanks. So it sounds like the note lock feature would make it so only one user at a time could access a given note. Unfortunately, we need the opposite effect, all four of us need to be editing the same note at the same time without have syncing errors and losing information. Has no one here ever used Google docs? The document is essentially "live" and can handle changes from multiple users simultaneously, even if they are signed in to the same Google account.

[jefito 5,589]

The lock is time-limited, I believe, so you're probably in a round-robin, wait-your-turn situation there. You stop actively editing, and the lock times out, then it's not renewed until you start editing again. I think that changes do get synced around, but I haven't tried this in any kind of real-world scenario. You should definitely get separate accounts first, and then try it in your own workflow. Or switch to Google Docs.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

Has no one here ever used Google docs? The document is essentially "live" and can handle changes from multiple users simultaneously, even if they are signed in to the same Google account.

I'm sure some folks here have used Google docs. Not sure what your point is, though. Just b/c one app does something one way doesn't mean all other similar type apps need to do the same thing. Google docs does what you need/want & Evernote does not. Sounds like you should stick with Google docs. As Jefito has said, "That's why there's chocolate & vanilla."

[domad 1]

We have definitely considered using Google docs because it is more of a collaborative tool, but the main reason we have not made the switch is because Goolge does not have the notebook layout, and we track individual clients, and this layout is great.

I guess I just thought of Evernote as more of a collaborative tool, and not a single user product. Also figured in this fast paced world and with Evernote offices being down the street from Google, it would be as easy as making a request to Evernote, although if I search the forums this question has come up since the beginning of Evernote. Bummer

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Well, despite sharing one account presenting regular hiccups with conflicting changes... I can see at least a couple of benefits thereof:

 

• A premium account can be shared between @domad's 4 team members (quite economical)... that way you have presentation mode, PDF search & annotations, etc...
• One does not need to share notebooks, notes, etc. It's all there under one roof. Everything accessible to everyone (unless one had local notebooks on desktop).
• Reminders set by one will appear for all, just as in shared notebooks. No need to share anything, in fact. 

Just perhaps, Evernote foresaw the Premium thing being used that way (in lieu of Evernote Business, although not the same)  and decided not to do what Google Docs can do... as a "deterrent".  

[jefito 5,589]

I guess I just thought of Evernote as more of a collaborative tool, and not a single user product. Also figured in this fast paced world and with Evernote offices being down the street from Google, it would be as easy as making a request to Evernote, although if I search the forums this question has come up since the beginning of Evernote. Bummer

Evernote is aiming more towards collaboration these days (e.g. see the video in this post: https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/73509-me-vs-market/?p=317299). The note locking that Evernote has is the first iteration; it's possible that they'll improve that to real-time eventually.

 

But this stuff takes time; I'm guessing that Google didn't just come up with their solution over a long night of hacking. Just because your competitor has a feature that you want doesn't mean that the technology to implement and deploy it arrives instantaneously in your shop via osmosis.

[Izzie 0]

I have a Premium Evernote (personal) account.  Is it possible for my husband to use my account rather than purchasing two accounts.  We will each have our own Notes and Notebooks so won't ever be working on the same note at the same time.