[Request] Better Microsoft Office Compatibility

[JWChang 5]

I do most of my schoolwork on Evernote, but when I submit my final work I either have to 

1. Submit the report as an independent docx. file

OR

2. Print it out, which also means using Microsoft Word

Most people use Microsoft office and that's the sad reality. So it's crucial for me that ordered/numbered lists and photos are properly copied and pasted into Microsoft Word. Other formatting features aren't much of a problem; it's always the lists and images that mess up. Moreover, if I'm using my default font in Evernote, when I paste to Word I'd like the content to be formatted in default Word font. In Evernote, Helvetica 18pt is not big, but in Word it's gigantic and I have to reformat everything back to Times New Roman 12pt. The tables are not too big of a problem, but default Evernote tables are different from default Word tables, which is also somewhat irritating. 

Seriously, the biggest reason why I'm considering using OneNote is because the formatting doesn't get messed up when I paste to Word. 

Sure, when I know in advance that I'll have to print a lab report or something, I'll start writing it in Word. But sometimes teachers change their mind at the last moment and tell us to print out that note that we took during class (which I obviously took in Evernote) ASAP. And I print it out via Evernote...all the fonts are too big for printing and I can't fix that because Evernote isn't built for printing. Microsoft Word is. 

TL; DR

1. Formatting shouldn't be messed up when copying between Evernote and Microsoft Ofice (esp. Word). 

2. Ordered/Unordered list and images are the biggest problems. 

3. Default font/table style are also too different. 

[DTLow 5,737]

Are you sure you want this posted in the Mac forum?

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

On 7/27/2016 at 9:34 PM, JWChang said:

1. Submit the report as an independent docx. file

OR

2. Print it out, which also means using Microsoft Word

I agree, like it or not, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel, are the defacto standard formats for word processing and spread sheets.  So, it is strongly to the advantage of any app to provide excellent support for these formats.  It has nothing to do with whether or not you like Microsoft.  It is all about being compatible with the formats required by the people and organizations you work with.

So, @Evernote and @EvernoteAlex, it is greatly to your advantage to make EN Mac, and EN Win, as compatible as possible with MS Word and MS Excel.  This means that copy/paste between Evernote and Word or Excel should work seamlessly, ensuring the formats are properly translated.  In fact, if you wanted to go above your competition, you would offer direct export to Word and Excel, and import from Word and Excel.

Doing this is a win-win for both Evernote and your customers.

[sly_one 0]

I totally agree with the previous posters here - Not allowing Evernote to export to Word/Excel is a huge hole and is a key reason why I'm giving up on Evernote. It's a great app let down by  a refusal to accept common sense...

[WestHillsWeb 0]

I agree entirely. Evernote is supposed to save me time and headache, but this MS Word incompatibility is a huge time suck that needs to be fixed. I keep installing each update hoping that it's finally fixed. Is it even on the EN Development Road Map? 

Can someone from EN chime in here? 

Thanks.

-Mark

[WestHillsWeb 0]

Oh...and to be clear...

What we're dealing here is the ability to both Copy MS Word text and paste it into EN and have it show up exactly correct, and also to be able to copy from EN and paste it into MS Word and have it be correct. 

The major problems are with bullets, outlines and indentations. 

I get extra lines and bullets when pasting into MS Word, and I lose all outline indentations when pasting into EN.

There's more, but fixing that would be a big start. 

-Mark

p.s. I can copy this text from this post and paste it into either EN or MS Word and it formats fine in both places. Why can't EN to MS or MS to EN do the same? 

 

[amacaula 1]

I have been a long time premium user of Evernote Desktop on MacOS. Copy from Evernote and paste into Word and Outlook worked pretty well there. I had no major problems and I almost always use the default text font and size. Recently I have moved back to Windows 10 at work (don't ask) and now I see that the same copy/paste operations result in unbelievably horrible formatting in Word or Outlook (even for documents authored in Evernote desktop on Windows). Its so bad it appears to be almost random - a typical 1 page note copied into Word/Outlook might suddenly have 30 font type and size changes that were never shown when I was in Evernote. WTF!!!! I loved evernote on Mac but on Windows it is so bad that I am considering abandoning the product. I can provide examples if that helps.

[JohnLongney 83]

@amacaula

Yes, unfortunately that is so and  together with the large number of other formatting problems I'm also on my last period of paying for a service which is not worth that sort of money .

This particular issue has been mentioned repeatedly by a large number of users. For unexplicable reasons within Evernote and for the fact a few leading members in this forum have gone to endless efforts to convince all of us how wrong we are , I suppose Evernote felt the increasing numbers of users they got (paying, not sure?) was ground enough to adhere to a strict policy of 'we know best'. 

In the end I decided to make OneNote my primary notetaking application. Paying for Office anyway I felt trying does no harm and so far no regrets on my side.