(Archived) Organize notes in folders

[The_UnknownX 1]

Hello,

a simple question: Is it possible to organize my notes in folders? I don't like the tagging strategy

Bye The_UnknownX

[jefito 5,589]

In Evernote you have Stacks, Notebooks, Notes and Tags. No folders, though some seem to prefer to call Notebooks "folders".

Stacks contain notebooks, but not other stacks (so no nesting), and not notes

Notebooks contain only notes, not other notebooks (again, no nesting). Every note belongs to exactly one Notebook. There is a fixed limit of 250 stacks and notebooks currently per account, and a limit of 100,000 notes.

Tags can be applied only to notes, in whatever notebook they appear in, and you may apply multiple tags to any note.

Tags are considered by many to be a more flexible way to categorize your notes than a hierarchical system of notebooks / subnotebooks, and the tagging system is similar to the labels used by GMail and the categories used by Microsoft Outlook (which also can use nested folders). Note that you can create a true hierarchy of tags, and apply them to your notes, although Evernote doesn't quite have the support for this type of scenario that would make them really work well.

On the other hand, some folks eschew tags for the most part, and use such things as note titles to organize and help them to locate specific notes and groups of notes.

[The_UnknownX 1]

Thanks for the hints. I use stacks now. I personally like hierarchies more than flat structures as tags are. I think it's just personal taste

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

Note that you can create a true hierarchy of tags, and apply them to your notes, although Evernote doesn't quite have the support for this type of scenario that would make them really work well.

Jefito provided an excellent overview of the organizational options currently available in Evernote.

The only thing I would add is to clarify the nature of the Tag hierarchy.

1. The sole purpose of the Tag hierarchy is the organization/presentation of Tags in the Left Panel.
   
2. The Tag hierarchy has NO effect on Note organization, order, or presentation.
   
3. Assigning a Sub-Tag does NOT in any way imply or associate its parent tag, or any other tags in its hierarchy, with the Note.
   

[idoc 400]

You can simulate a folder structure within Evernote using nested tags. For example, I have a parent tag which I call "Work". This is not strictly a folder but just a tag. I have about 30 other subtags or nested tags under this parent tag. Each one of these nested tags refers to the various vendors that I deal with eg: Bank of America, ATT, Verizon etc. When I create a note or a file that belongs to that vendor I assign it an eponymous tag. Therefore, the ATT tag is never assigned to any other business except ATT. In this situation, the parent "Work" behaves like a folder because it contains many little compartments in which I have tucked away my individual vendors. These vendor tags are not descriptive because they are never used for anything else other than notes about these vendors. In fact, I know from the outset that an ATT document could exist in no other place than this particular nested tag and that's where I click to review all ATT related issues. This is very different that my descriptive tags eg: "Insurance" which can be used in notes pertaining to cars, health, home etc. Therefore, you could view my "Work" tag as a folder type of structure. I use this as a hybrid system strictly pertaining to the 50-60 vendors that I have to deal with at work. For all my other notes, I use the regular system in which I tag them descriptively, apply generous key terms and throw them into the giant EN soup.

[The_UnknownX 1]

Ah, I understand now. Thanks!!

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

You can simulate a folder structure within Evernote using nested tags.

"Simulate" might be somewhat overstating it.

Nested tags do not in any way affect the organization of Notes.

Searching for a parent tag, like "Work", will find ONLY notes that have that parent tag, and will NOT find notes that have ONLY subtags, like "ATT".

Also, you can use a subtag on any note you like, whether or not the note relates to the parent tag.

IOW, assigning a subtag like "ATT" does NOT require that the Note be "Work" related.

Whereas if I select a folder (in any OS), and copy, move, or delete it, it affects ALL subfolders inside it.

A Note can have as many Tags as you like.

A file can be in only one folder (fully qualified path).

[jbenson2 2,147]

I worked up a way to get around the limitation of tags by using 3 letter prefixes. An example is with the companies I deal with.

Company

Com-ATT

Com-Charter

Com-Culligan

If I need to find all companies, I search for tag:Com-*

A side benefit is all the company names are grouped together.

I use the same Parent / Child set up for a variety of tags that share a common theme.

.

[jefito 5,589]

I worked up a way to get around the limitation of tags by using 3 letter prefixes. An example is with the companies I deal with.

...

Thanks for writing that up, I was going to reference your system for the discussion, but you got there first.

[idoc 400]

You can simulate a folder structure within Evernote using nested tags.

"Simulate" might be somewhat overstating it.

Nested tags do not in any way affect the organization of Notes.

Searching for a parent tag, like "Work", will find ONLY notes that have that parent tag, and will NOT find notes that have ONLY subtags, like "ATT".

Also, you can use a subtag on any note you like, whether or not the note relates to the parent tag.

IOW, assigning a subtag like "ATT" does NOT require that the Note be "Work" related.

Whereas if I select a folder (in any OS), and copy, move, or delete it, it affects ALL subfolders inside it.

A Note can have as many Tags as you like.

A file can be in only one folder (fully qualified path).

I would never search for my Parent tag "Work", it would defeat the purpose. None of the items in my Parent "folder" actually contain the "Work" tag. They contain only the name of the sub-tag. For example, AT&T related stuff only contains one tag (AT&T). If I want to shuffle through all my AT&T material I simply go to that subtag and it's all there (like a folder). I don't bother with ancillary tags on that stuff, or using other tags, or seperating them into different notebooks etc. There is only one AT&T bucket and everything related to AT&T is there and nowhere else. This has some advantages and some disadvantages. For example, when I want to search for my travel docs for this summer's trip to Cape Cod I sometimes wonder if all the right docs came up in the search ie: did I use the right key words? the correct search terms? Which tags did I use? Which notebook is it in? Where is that pesky hotel reservation that I know is here somewhere? I'm sure this is somewhat familiar to all of us. However, when I search my Work "folder" none of the above happens. Sure I have to leaf through the 10-20 things that are lying in there, but I know that they're all there and nowhere else. It's a hybrid system and both methods have their pros and cons.

[choppersolo 0]

In Evernote you have Stacks, Notebooks, Notes and Tags. No folders, though some seem to prefer to call Notebooks "folders".

Stacks contain notebooks, but not other stacks (so no nesting), and not notes

 

Has this changed? I've started using Gneo, and it creates a 'sub stack' like a ghost, that assigns notes that synch with gneo to a substack that goes across all notebooks. I can search and find them all by searching stack:gneo, but I can't take an existing EN note and add it to the gneo stack. I'd sure like some help doing that, if anyone can help me. I'm trying to upload all of my existin to dos into this new system by adding them to that 'substack'.

[jefito 5,589]

 

In Evernote you have Stacks, Notebooks, Notes and Tags. No folders, though some seem to prefer to call Notebooks "folders".

Stacks contain notebooks, but not other stacks (so no nesting), and not notes

 

Has this changed? I've started using Gneo, and it creates a 'sub stack' like a ghost, that assigns notes that synch with gneo to a substack that goes across all notebooks. I can search and find them all by searching stack:gneo, but I can't take an existing EN note and add it to the gneo stack. I'd sure like some help doing that, if anyone can help me. I'm trying to upload all of my existin to dos into this new system by adding them to that 'substack'.

 

As far as I know, this has not changed in Evernote. According to the developer API (http://dev.evernote.com/doc/articles/data_structure.php, http://dev.evernote.com/doc/reference/Types.html#Struct_Notebook), a stack is just a string in a notebook data structure, so doesn't have any separate existence on its own and therefore cannot have substacks. Admittedly, the docs could be out of date, though. I have no idea how Gneo does what it does when integrating with Evernote.

[choppersolo 0]

As far as I know, this has not changed in Evernote. According to the developer API (http://dev.evernote.com/doc/articles/data_structure.php, http://dev.evernote.com/doc/reference/Types.html#Struct_Notebook), a stack is just a string in a notebook data structure, so doesn't have any separate existence on its own and therefore cannot have substacks. Admittedly, the docs could be out of date, though. I have no idea how Gneo does what it does when integrating with Evernote.

[jefito 5,589]

It turns out I was misled by poorly written FAQs and slow syncs. All is working as you describe.

Phew! Thanks.

[choppersolo 0]

I should mention that even though I just complained about the FAQ and sync, the layout and functionality of Gneo as a workflow organizer is very appealing. Still in my first few days of using it, but it's one of the best 'to do manager' concepts I've used (and I've tried lots).

[Tatum Keane 0]

Hi Ryan, 

 

Tatum here from Gneo - I noticed you had a question about how Gneo syncs. I am not sure if you were in touch with us already however, you can email us at hello@gneo.co if you have questions or issues and we can help you with these. 

 

 

You mentioned that you have "started using Gneo, and it creates a 'sub stack' like a ghost, that assigns notes that synch with gneo to a substack that goes across all notebooks. I can search and find them all by searching stack:gneo, but I can't take an existing EN note and add it to the gneo stack. I'd sure like some help doing that, if anyone can help me. I'm trying to upload all of my existin to dos into this new system by adding them to that 'substack'."

 

You can in fact move notes into the Gneo stack and have them sync to Evernote, which I think you have now resolved given your last comment? 

 

I am glad that you are enjoying using Gneo and are finding it works really well for you! 

 

If I can help further please let me know. 

 

Thanks

Tatum