Microsoft OneNote ٤+

I am an iPhone user who first used OneNote at work using Microsoft. I loved the organization of it better than the systems I’d used before. I then migrated my notes from elsewhere. I recently got a tablet and stylus and OneNote has really leveled up in functionality.
Now I use OneNote and Apple notes exclusively. Two of my favorite recent uses:
1. I was watching a master therapist working on a training film with friends. There was a transcript for the video. I uploaded that into a note in my experiential family therapy section. Then I got to sit back and enjoy, and take notes directly on the transcript without feeling like I also needed to pause to write out some key sentences I would have wished I could quote if not having the transcript. That thing you get to do with a paper copy: doodle, highlight, jot words and phrases, exclamation points. All there. But no various notebooks to carry around and make sure not to forget when coming to an event like that.
2. I draw tarot cards most mornings as part of a daily/devotional practice. I did this before the iPad and Apple Pencil, but I wrote notes in a paper notebook. NOW with those tools and OneNote, I can hold up the tablet, snap a picture of my spread, and write notes directly around the image of the cards. Because of this, I notice I am learning the card associations more quickly.

I have been using One Note for years and years. It is amazing how many ways I use it in my personal and work life! It has dramatically cut down on the paper in my life. I teach a college personal finance class and highly recommend it as a way to store and keep copies of personal records (e.g., driver’s licenses, pics of auto license plates, insurance cards, health history and passports). I also keep contact info on credit cards in case one is lost or stolen. For electronics, it is a handy place to store passwords, user ids and software reminders. When I travel I couldn’t live without OneNote as a means to keep track of my itinerary, lodging/transportation reservations, suggested sites to see, and so much more! Also use it as a gardening tool to keep track of what I have planted with names, pics, sun/shade preferences, care tips, etc. Would you believe this is just a sampling of the many ways I find the software useful. And what really makes the software great is its search feature. Everything is at my fingertips by just typing a a few letters and I get a quick list of related notes. Installed on my mobile phone, everything goes with me for whenever I need it!

I honestly didn’t like it at first, but I have grown to like it. Some features that people will want is an audio recording function to play back lectures. Notability does a great job at that, Some improvements for example is one note is the lag between writing and typing. It just doesn’t feel smooth sometimes. Also, lag and exporting of images is not good. I want to move images freely, spin them around, zoom in and out without any hassle. Last thing, is the paging of it. *IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT*-The paging of one note is weird that I wish it is like notability and good notes 5 like page 1, 2, etc of page breaks. Then, show the pages like 1-10 on the side that I can find, instead of me scrolling down to find that particular page. **IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT*-The “endless page” feature is a pain to deal with then being a perk. The pages never end or break like notability. Especially when I need to export pdf’s or print one note notes. When I go print the pages as review to see physically the format is messed up. I hope one note fixes this issue. Also, split screen should apply to OneNote like notability and goodnotes. There should be rulers, or the straight lines or straight shapes feature. If one note has the same features as one note it surely will be the greatest note-taking app. The syncing is amazing though.