Effective communication is key to a successful project, especially when your team is spread across different locations and time zones. Microsoft OneNote offers a versatile and feature-rich solution for project management and communication.
This guide will introduce you to OneNote’s essential features and functionalities for seamless collaboration and time-saving efficiencies. Whether you’re new to OneNote or want to use its advanced features for project management, this article is your go-to resource!
What is Microsoft OneNote?
Microsoft OneNote is a digital organisation tool. Users can type notes into different sections for later use. It supports collaboration when needed. Notes can include text, pictures, and voice. Users can share their OneNote projects online.
OneNote stands out from other note-taking systems. It is like a paper notebook compared to a 3-ring binder. OneNote is a color-coded, organised tool with sections for different information types.
The Function of Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is a note-taking app and a central place for all your notes. You can organise them into separate notebooks and sections. It supports many digital formats, allowing you to attach multimedia to your notes.
Digital formats you can add in OneNote:
- Images
- Diagrams
- Videos
- Audio
With Microsoft OneNote, you can capture texts, images, and files quickly, even on the move. The app integrates easily with other Office Suite programs on both desktop and mobile devices.
5 Steps to Use Microsoft OneNote as a Note-Taking App
Using OneNote is easy with its straightforward design and user-friendly features. Follow these five essential steps to make the most of this digital notebook application.
1. Create a Quick Note
Quick notes are perfect when you need to jot down thoughts despite a busy schedule. In OneNote, quick notes work like yellow sticky notes. Write down your ideas, and OneNote will save each one as a page in the Unfiled Notes section of the Quick Notes notebook.
2. Create a Notebook
Microsoft OneNote lets you make notebooks for different subjects or projects whenever you need.
- Open the OneNote app.
- Click the Show Notebooks button.
- Click the “+Notebook” button at the bottom of the list.
- Enter a name in the Notebook Name box.
- Click Create Notebook.
3. Open Your Notebooks
Here’s a tip for using Microsoft OneNote. You can open notebooks shared with you by others, besides creating your own. Click the Show Notebooks button, then click More Notebooks. Choose the notebook you want to open and click Open Notebook.
4. Create Sections
This OneNote tip is for organising your notes. You can set up sections based on topics or dates for better organisation. To make a section, click +Add Section or +Section at the bottom of the sections list on the left side of the window.
5. Switch Between Your Open Notebooks
A neat feature of OneNote is that it allows users to open multiple notebooks at once. To switch notebooks:
Click on Show Notebooks.
A list will appear. Choose the notebooks you want to use.
Repeat these steps to switch between notebooks.
Reasons to Use Microsoft OneNote
OneNote helps you capture and organise ideas for effective work or study. Now that you know what OneNote is and how to use it, let’s explore why you should use it. Here are some reasons to use Microsoft OneNote:
Great for Project Management
OneNote’s organisation makes it ideal for project management. Instead of having piles of documents like agendas, tasks, notes, and status reports for each meeting, you can store everything in OneNote. Organising notes there ensures a more streamlined project management process.
Instant and Real-Time Collaboration
When you open your OneNote file, your team can immediately view and collaborate on it. For notes with sensitive information, you can set a password to protect the entire notebook or just parts of it.
Better and Quick Notes in Meetings
Many people ask how to use OneNote for work. There isn’t one answer; it offers almost everything you need in a note-taking app and keeps you organised. Microsoft OneNote is a versatile tool. It works with different document types, which is helpful in meetings. You can take quick notes, jot down meeting times, check your agenda, and add recorded audio from meetings.
Familiar Interface
If you’re familiar with Microsoft Office tools like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, you’ll easily recognise OneNote’s interface.
Online Editing
Similar to other Microsoft Office tools, you can edit OneNote documents online in any browser. There’s no need to download the files or install the app on your device.
10 Best Practices for Using Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is useful for studying or working. To maximise this tool, use proven OneNote hacks.
1. Digitise What You Read
A best practice for OneNote is to digitise your reading materials. People often take notes or highlight texts when reading books, articles, and magazines. Online sources can be more challenging. However, you can copy and paste text into OneNote, then edit, add bullet points, highlight key paragraphs, and save the source link.
2. Organise and Reorganise Regularly
If you keep adding notes and creating new notebooks, finding what you need can become difficult. Organise your notes regularly. Sometimes, you need to use archived notes in a new one. Reorganise and align related content in such cases. Use tags to prioritise and categorise notes in OneNote. Tags help with future searches. Click the text line you want to tag and select a tag from the drop-down. You can add multiple tags to a single note.
3. Use with Outlook Calendar Reminders
Calendars are essential for managing busy work schedules. Use OneNote to jot down your tasks and create an Outlook task within the app. Set a reminder, such as an hour later, to publish your new blog article.
4. Don’t Delete, Archive Completed Tasks
Keep your old content or notes instead of deleting them. Set up an “Archive” folder in OneNote for them. For more organisation, add sections and tags in the archive. This prevents loss of information, and OneNote can help you find what you need. Just search across all your notebooks to locate your notes.
5. OneNote as a Team Wiki
OneNote’s tags and search functions make it perfect for a team wiki. To share your notebook, create it on OneDrive so others can access it. If it’s saved on your computer, move it to OneDrive first. Others can’t see it until you click share. To share a link, go to the File tab, select Share, and then Get a Sharing Link. Adjust permissions in your OneDrive to manage access or stop sharing. OneNote documents are available offline when shared from OneNote or SharePoint.
6. Search Across Your Notes
OneNote has a basic but effective feature: search. Use the built-in search to find your notes, no matter where they are. Click the magnifying glass or press Ctrl+F, then type a word or phrase. OneNote can search typed text, handwritten notes, and even words in pictures. You can narrow your search by selecting the dropdown and choosing an option. OneNote highlights the search term in notes and pictures.
7. Draw and Handwrite Your Notes
OneNote lets you quickly capture your ideas using drawing and handwriting. This feature saves time when taking notes. You can draw to capture complex ideas and circle important points. OneNote can also convert handwritten notes into text. To draw, select the Draw tab in the ribbon, choose a pen, and start your drawing.
8. Password-Protect Your Notes
The password-protect feature in OneNote keeps your notes secure. You can protect your school notes, work tasks, blog content, or personal information with passwords. When you lock a notebook section, all its pages require a password to open. Choose your password carefully because if you lose it, you won’t be able to access your notes.
9. Make Use of Page Templates
A OneNote template is a page design that gives new pages in your notebook a consistent look, appealing background, and layout. OneNote includes built-in templates like planners, to-do lists, and page backgrounds. You can create your own templates or modify existing ones. Note: OneNote templates apply only to new pages without notes, as they have specific content placement.
10. Make School Projects Fun
Utilise OneNote for school projects to make them more engaging. You can add images videos, and even draw directly on your notes. Use OneNote’s templates to keep projects organised and visually appealing. Sharing your notebook with friends is easy, making collaboration on group projects seamless. Transform routine tasks into enjoyable learning experiences with OneNote’s features.
FAQs
Is Microsoft OneNote free?
OneNote is available for free on all platforms. Create a new notebook to start taking notes if you don’t have one. OneNote uses paper as a metaphor for organisation. You can create unlimited notebooks.
Why use OneNote instead of Word?
Microsoft Word provides the tools to create documents of any length. OneNote is a platform for idea collaboration, allowing users to make notes and pin videos, articles, images, and music for inspiration.
Does OneNote work without OneDrive?
Always sync and move OneNote notebooks using the OneNote application. Do not use file-based synchronisation systems like the OneDrive or Dropbox local client or offline folders.
Is OneNote included in Microsoft 365?
The OneNote desktop app comes installed automatically with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for Microsoft 365 subscriptions that include client apps and Office 2019.
Do I need to buy Microsoft Office to use OneNote?
The OneNote desktop app on Windows is included in Office 2019 and Microsoft 365. You can also download it separately and use it independently on any PC.
