How does data limit work and what happens if data limit is reached?

[noteboy 1]

Hello,

I understand that free evernote account has 60 MB of upload limit data each month and I have read this guide https://evernote.com/contact/support/kb/#!/article/23283158

Some questions regarding the free evernote account:

1) Does using evernote on web (after I login https://www.evernote.com/Login.action ) to edit/add/delete a file use any of the 60MB upload limit data?

2) Does using evernote Windows desktop program to edit/add/delete a file use any of the 60MB upload limit data?

3) What happens if the 60MB upload limit data is used up?

4) If the 60MB upload limit data is used up, when I open Evernote app on my android phone, does it mean that I will not see my latest evernote notes because the android Evernote app will not be able to fetch (sync) the latest evernote notes, my android phone Evernote app will only show the version of the notes just before the 60MB is used up?

5) If the 60MB upload limit data is used up, on my android phone Evernote app, if I edit/add/delete a note, and I sync it what will happen?

Thank you.

[jefito 5,589]

60MB is an upload limit, not a data limit. That applies to the amount of data uploaded to the Evernote servers, not the amount that resides on the servers. You cannot delete data to get more upload limit. Once you've used that up, you cannot upload more data to the Evernote servers until the month turns over (unless you kick in for a month of premium). So what you've added on a local device that's unsynced to the servers will not therefore be synced to other devices.

[noteboy 1]

jefito, thank you for your answer. I do understand 60MB is an upload limit, not a data limit.

 

I do hope someone can answer my specific questions 1 to 5. Thanks.

[jbenson2 2,147]

Answers based on using sync'd notebooks for the free account

 

1.) Yes

2.) Yes

3.) Info already in account is visible only but no editing.  New notes cannot be uploaded or sync'd. See * comment below.

4.) Yes
5.) Same as #3

 

* Try to avoid hitting the limit. When getting close, start putting the notebooks into a local non-sync'd notebook until the next month rolls around. Keep in mind that mobiles and the web cannot access the local non-sync'd notebook. If the information is important, back it up.

[noteboy 1]

Answers based on using sync'd notebooks for the free account

 

1.) Yes

2.) Yes

3.) Info already in account is visible only but no editing.  New notes cannot be uploaded or sync'd. See * comment below.

4.) Yes

5.) Same as #3

 

* Try to avoid hitting the limit. When getting close, start putting the notebooks into a local non-sync'd notebook until the next month rolls around. Keep in mind that mobiles and the web cannot access the local non-sync'd notebook. If the information is important, back it up.

 

Thanks for the reply. I find it weird that answer for 1),2) is yes, I always thought using the web or the desktop program is directly accessing/editing Evernote without uploading/synch.

 

What do you mean by local non-sync'd notebook? Do you mean create new notes on the device that I most frequently use? I always thought once you are accessing Evernote (web/desktop program/Android phone) it is accessing the Evernote cloud and nothing is stored in the device itself, correct me if I am wrong.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Actually, @Jefito's explanation answers each one of your questions - both directly and inferred. You just need to think about it a tad bit.

Why would using the Web client or Desktop client not be uploading data?

Barring local non-synced notebooks on desktop, anything synced prior to hitting your upload limit will eat up your allotted upload limit in your account in general - which applies to all devices/ clients. 

 

Local non-synced notebooks can be created on the desktop client. They live only on your local hard drive and don't sync to the EN servers. You should find much information on those in the Knowledge Base and here in the forums. Try a Google search for more info on that...

 

EDIT:

Information is stored on all of your devices, (depending on what you've set up):

 

When you create something on desktop, it's stored there. In fact, there is no way to stop your desktop from downloading/ syncing data from the EN servers (data created on other devices and synced to the cloud), unless your upload limit has been reached. Whatever is synced from the servers is stored permanently on your desktop. However, with mobile devices, the only way to have information stored permanently is to manually choose to have certain notebooks downloaded to your devices for the purpose of offline viewing. You need to have a premium account for this. Otherwise, everything you view on your mobile devices is accessing the EN servers directly. An exception to this is that while you are offline you will have newly created notes stored on your mobile devices until you have an internet connection again (you need to toggle WiFi sync options in your devices' settings). Once synced, your mobile devices access those notes from EN's servers, unless you have chosen to download specific (or all) notebooks. 

 

The only client that you will not be able to create new data in once your upload limit has been reached is the Web client (accessed in a browser). For obvious reasons. Otherwise, if you've reached your upload limit, you should still be able to create new notes on your desktop client and mobile devices. Only thing is that they will not sync. They will sit on your desktop/device until your upload limit cycle has turned over (unless you purchase premium or extra upload limit). This is risky, since if your mobile device is damaged or stolen - or if you have set your app on mobile device to update automatically (upgrade to new versions automatically), you could have information lost forever. Also, it's inconvenient, since your information will not be synced across devices.

 

NOTE: I have never reached my upload limit. But the above behavior should still apply... as evidenced when my mobile devices are completely offline. I am not able to access any note content, just note titles, which are cached (since I have not chosen to download any notebooks). BUT, I am still able to create new notes. Those notes are stored locally on my device until I have internet access once again and are synced to EN's servers. This should be the same behavior for newly created notes when your upload limit has been reached. They will sit on your device until your upload limit cycle has been renewed and subsequently sync to the cloud (I imagine).

[gazumped 11,652]

Just to add to the above,  and use a catchphrase I've now acquired - "60MB is a limit,  not a target".  Treat it like you see those warnings on coastlines - Cliff Edge Unsafe - Keep Clear!

 

I have hit my limit a couple of times (in a Premium account with a 1GB limit - I was busy) and I can confirm that Bad Things Happen if you try to save notes past your limit.  Once you're there,  or will get there with one more upload,  the feature stops working. 

 

Depending on what you were trying to do at the time,  and what other software might be involved,  a dead stop can mean you're not quite sure what has and hasn't been saved;  or a word processor (if you opened the file from a note) can't save changes back - which in one case hung the WP app and lost all my changes on the local machine. 

 

Keep an eye on your uploads,  and if you get to 85% of your allowance with several days to go,  start taking particular care of what you add - on a desktop set up a Local Notebook and (at least temporarily) save your large new notes there so you can continue to edit the existing ones.  Once you get to the "0 days left stage",  carefully move as many notes as you can from the local notebook to the online ones.  Then use the local notebook exclusively until your allowance refreshes.

 

If you are using lots of capacity,  upgrading to Premium for a month or several is probably wise.  The monthly limit is now 4GB and I've never even come close.

 

The allowance is nothing to be paranoid about - but you really don't want to get too close to the edge...

[jbenson2 2,147]

 

What do you mean by local non-sync'd notebook? Do you mean create new notes on the device that I most frequently use? I always thought once you are accessing Evernote (web/desktop program/Android phone) it is accessing the Evernote cloud and nothing is stored in the device itself, correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

The local non-sync'd notebook is an option available only with the Windows or Mac desktop client. It is kept on your computer and not sync'd up to the cloud. You can only see notes in the local non-sync'd notebook with your local client. You can not see them with your mobile or web browser because the notes are not sync'd and not sent to the cloud. Keep in mind that it is not sync'd and backing up the information is your responsibility.

 

You can use it as a temporary storage as you get closer to the upload limit. When the next month rolls around, you can then move the individual notes out of the local non-sync'd notebook to a sync'd notebook. 

[noteboy 1]

 

 

What do you mean by local non-sync'd notebook? Do you mean create new notes on the device that I most frequently use? I always thought once you are accessing Evernote (web/desktop program/Android phone) it is accessing the Evernote cloud and nothing is stored in the device itself, correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

The local non-sync'd notebook is an option available only with the Windows or Mac desktop client. It is kept on your computer and not sync'd up to the cloud. You can only see notes in the local non-sync'd notebook with your local client. You can not see them with your mobile or web browser because the notes are not sync'd and not sent to the cloud. Keep in mind that it is not sync'd and backing up the information is your responsibility.

 

You can use it as a temporary storage as you get closer to the upload limit. When the next month rolls around, you can then move the individual notes out of the local non-sync'd notebook to a sync'd notebook. 

 

Just to make sure I understand clearly, you mean creating 2 notebook (e.g A and B ), disable synch on notebook A, enable synch on notebook B. When upload limit is reached, store notes on notebook A. When the next months rolls, move the notes from notebook A to notebook B, Notebook B will synch.

[gazumped 11,652]

Changes of notebook sync status are not possible,  they're set in stone.  When you create a notebook in Evernote,  the first choice you are required to make is whether or not it should sync with the server.  It,  and whatever notebooks you have created so far,  all have their fixed sync status which can't be changed.  So if you create a new local (non-syncing) notebook,  your notes will remain forever in that notebook on that device unless you choose to move them to another,  syncing,  notebook. 

[Pandooki 1]

Hi. I'm relatively new to EN, but am already starting to max out my 60MB allotment. (Will probably upgrade to premium as a result.) What I have heard on this thread and elsewhere, but still don't understand, is what the danger is in continuing to work on the desktop client when you are near your limit. Will not the most recent version of the notes on my desktop client be the ones to be synced when my monthly allowance is reset? Is the danger only when I'm using multiple devices?

 

Are we talking about whole notes actually disappearing or updating to the wrong version?

 

If I've already edited/added notes since getting the sync failure warning, is it too late? Or can I upgrade to premium to avert disaster?

 

Just a gut reaction, but I find this behavior a bit odd and counterintuitive. If working on notes when near my limit could potentially result in a loss in data, shouldn't the app prevent me from doing so and/or throw a loud warning about what the potential ramifications are?

 

Thanks for your insights in advance.

[jefito 5,589]

@Pandooki: if you reach your upload limit, then you can't upload to the Evernote servers any more, in which case, newer/updated notes will not be able to be synced to other devices. But your notes will remain intact on their original devices. The biggest danger is if you make changes to the same note on different devices while you can't sync. Eventually, you will be able to sync again, and you'll have multiple differing versions of the same note. Evernote will not resolve that situation for you, though they will detect it, and mark them as "Conflicting Changes".

 

If you're only working on a single device, then you're probably OK, though if your hard drive goes bad, you could lose unsynced notes, so backing up frequently would seem to be a good idea.

 

BTW, you can upgrade to premium temporarily to alleviate the situation. Bump up for a month, and then drop back down to free.

[gazumped 11,652]

I did have a period when I was pushing my upload limit hard,  and found that there were unexpected consequences. I was using an Import Folder (Windows) which sucks any files posted there into Evernote - except of the 50 or so scans I had saved there,  only a few got synced before my limit was reached.  It was no fun at all working out what had gone through,  and what had not;  especially since new notes then couldn't be created. 

 

Things may well be better now - I haven't pushed the limits for years;  but my advice would be - if you get to 90%+ of your limit,  leave the rest for editing existing notes;  either create a local (unsynced) notebook and save all new notes there until your limit resets,  or buy the extra headroom to avoid any problems.  My trademarked phrase - "it's a limit not a target". 

 

- Like those signs that say "Minefield!!" you really don't want to find out what happens if you go past the fence.

 

Evernote could have done more (and may have done since my experience) to protect me against the results of my own actions,  but there are probably always other priorities to benefit users staying inside the fence..

[Pandooki 1]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I went ahead and updated to Premium, since I really need the extra storage space anyway.