Evernote is a collection or set of software and services founded by Stepan Pachikov in 2008 to facilitate convenient recoding of day-to-day things by note-taking and archiving using a computer, phone, tablet, and the web.
A “note” in this case can either be a piece of formatted text, a full webpage, or webpage excerpt, a photograph, a voice memo, or a handwritten “ink” note. Notes may have file attached with them as well. These notes can then be sorted into folders, tagged, annotated, edited, given comments, searched, and exported as part of a notebook.
Evernote supports a number of operating system platforms and offers online synchronisation and backup services,too, providing a wide array of choices among its users.
For convenience, Evernote is available in a paid version or for free but a more restricted version. Free online service is available only up to a certain monthly usage limit, then an additional monthly payment is charged to subscribers.
The online service allows selected files to be shared by other users for viewing and editing. It allows integration with Twitter for storing or forwarding “tweets”. Users can also use Twitter to add notes to Evernote remotely, by sending tweets from any Twitter-capable device.
Data entry with Evernote is easy. Besides keyboard entry of typed notes, Evernote also:
• Supports image capture from cameras on supported devices, and the recording of voice notes.
• Supports touch and tablet screens with handwriting recognition.
• Offers web clipping plugins for the most popular Internet browsers that allow marked sections of web pages to be captured and clipped to Evernote.
• If no section of a webpage has been highlighted, it can clip the full page, as well.
• It has the ability to e-mail notes to the service, allowing for automated note entry via e-mail rules or filters.
• Where suitable hardware is available, Evernote can automatically add geolocation tags to notes.
How to Maximize Productivity With Evernote
One of the best things about Evernote is its flexibility — that there’s no right or wrong way to implement it. It can be modified to meet your needs. However, to maximize your productivity with Evernote, here are a few ideas to get you started:
Specify your goals. Be clear as to what are you trying to accomplish? Create a note in Evernote, spend som time brainstorming what you’re trying to accomplish, and use numbered lists to prioritize your goals.
Be modest and practical. Choose a specific, manageable project to begin with. When working on personal productivity, begin with “to-dos” and tasks list into Evernote. Make use of the Reminders feature to stay on track. However, if you are working to boost your team’s productivity, start with a shared notebook (or one in your Business Library if you’re using Evernote Business) that includes information you want the team members to have access to.
Simplify your note gathering using Evernote. Start by collating all the scattered bits and pieces of information and data relevant to the project on hand. These include snapshots of all the scraps of paper that you have scattered around your office, sticky notes, scrawls on napkins, etc., and then put them all into Evernote where they can be searched later. Soon, you may depend less on these notes loose notes and find yourself using Evernote more – especially when you discover the convenience of being able to search your notes and actually FIND what you’re looking for.
Take snapshots instead of notes. When meeting with a client, vendor, or consultant, instead of frantically writing down notes from the meeting and trying to copy everything that’s written on a whiteboard, simply snag photos of the whiteboard with your phone, and send that picture to Evernote. Since Evernote can read the handwriting in the photo, you’ll be able to easily search for and refer back to that whiteboard later on when you need it.
Share information. share work and information with client by setting up a shared notebook in Evernote dedicated to that client. Included in it are captured clips from web articles they could be useful later, ideas for upcoming meetings or sessions, or links to online applications they may find helpful in their daily lives. This can be a a very big value-add to your clients and the people you serve you are feeding their notebook with stuff they will find useful to them.
Keeping track of the money. This is very important in the world of business and in life. In the bus day-to-day activities, it can be a challenge to keep track of your receipts and other expense items. However, instead of losing your receipts or putting them into a box, bag, or drawer, why not take photos of these receipts and send them to a “receipts notebook” in Evernote, thus conveniently saving them in one central area.
Keep track of your travel for your business. Create a notebook dedicated to all upcoming trip, meeting, or trade shows in it, together with the agendas, location, maps and any venue information. Include also details about your travel like flight confirmations, hotel and car reservations, etc.
Keep a location map with Evernote. Enjoy the convenience of locating all your items scattered all over your place by taking snapshots of everything in each of the different shelves, drawers, cabinets, and containers in your storage system. Save these snapshots in a folder in your Evernote so instead of digging through every shelf, drawer or closet, simply go on to the Evernote in your computer and quickly scan and review what’s there thus making it easier to access and retrieve those things that you want at the moment you need them. You can also share this note or notebook with others as a team reference.
Lastly, Slowly move on. Build on what you’ve created, one project at a time, and expand how you use Evernote. Share project folders with your clients, or create a central timeline for a project (with reminders). Slowly and strategically, add elements to your plan. With careful planning, Evernote can be a foundation for the success and productivity in your work.
Evernote is among the various software that have made data and information gathering much easier to computer users. But more importantly, it has made possible the quick and convenient retrieval of these collected data so as to be utilized to the maximum advantage to the users. To learn more on how Evernote can be made an excellent tool in record keeping, go to : http://www.evernote.com