Microsoft OneNote Reviews

Pros

The notebook structure was very appealing to me when I first started using OneNote. Once I unbound myself from the concept of creating everything to translate to a printed letter size piece of paper it really took off. You can create your notebook and its contents to directly translate to what if it had to be printed. But you can also transform it to a fully interactive collection. With links to various other locations in the same notebook, other locations and materials on the internet, and even embedding videos and other documents directly in the pages of the notebook you can make the reach of the content presented to extend beyond the boundries of the document itself.

Cons

The different versions - When OneNote transitioned to the web, it was during the focus on the Metro UI in Windows 8 and it suffered for it. The simplicity of what the web version could do was crippled by the ability of the internet browsers at the time. Over time it has increased in parity between the desktop version and the web, however - the Metro UI designed app has lingered and its design has stayed truer to the web version than the original desktop version. It is getting harder to find the desktop version that has content central and navigation to the left, top, and right sides. The web, mobile app, and "for windows 10" versions make navigation subjectively more complex when you have extensively robust notebooks.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft SharePoint, Google Drive, Google Keep and Evernote Teams

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft OneNote

It proved to be the most logical and user friendly to translate hierarchical structures of documentation, collaboration, and communication the way we needed to get the most buy in and participation from the community.

Pros

Notes may be synced and accessed from anywhere with the help of OneNote, as it is compatible with a wide variety of devices and operating systems.The user friendly and adaptable interface of OneNote is a major selling point. Each user can build their own set of notebooks, each with its own set of sections and pages, and name and tag their notes for easy retrieval afterwards.The search function in OneNote works quickly and accurately. You may quickly search for a note using a keyword or tag, or even a phrase.

Cons

When compared to other note-taking tools, OneNote's formatting capabilities are limited. Words cannot be individually restyled by the user in terms of font, color, or size.

Pros

Pros: Wide range of functionality. You can convert to different file types and insert files into it rather easily. It has great cloud support and is overall easy to access.

Cons

Cons:
There is great support for onenote on the web, but at least 90% of the searches I've done to troubleshoot an issue or functionality apply to one type of Onenote and not another... for some reason. I've spent many hours troubleshooting options that don't exist for one type or another. Example:
The ink-to-math is not present in this version. The ink-to-draw is not present in the office 365 version. Why?
There is a view option of fitting what's been drawn to the page width which will also show up if printed to a .pdf. What's bad is that there is no option for displaying where the pages end. I saw a comment from a developer about this saying that it would be too difficult. But I know they could figure out a way to do that. There are so many option. Just have the length of each page increase if a user increases the width to the right. That could cause issues if the user wants the content displayed on certain pages. So, have the page separators actually splice the content shown and add whitespace if page width/length grows ... or shrink/grow content of pages accordingly like a picture. Or, when in "page view mode" like this, warm the user if they are trying to grow pages sizes ... or just have a fixed page size in this mode!
My main issue: Why it is so glitchy with an epen. If I tap the screen it wants me to type - this happens a lot when I'm scrolling and not tapping also. The developers didn't input an option to make the pen the default and disable tap to keyboard.

Pros

I like the ability to take infinite notes at the same time from any device and remotely.

Cons

I had no bad experience while using the product, to be honest.

Alternatives Considered

Evernote Teams

Reasons for Choosing Microsoft OneNote

Because Microsoft OneNote is more useful and easier.

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft OneNote

Because I get to use Microsoft Outlook besides Microsoft OneNote.

Pros

OneNote allows users to create logically organised and easily accessible notes. Users can organise their notes by section, sub-section and page, and even add labels for quick searching. It allows users to share notes with others, work together in real time and leave comments. This makes it an excellent collaboration tool for teams, study projects or work groups.

Cons

Mobile versions of OneNote have fewer features than the computer version. For example, it may be more difficult to edit tables or diagrams on a smartphone or tablet.

Pros

Best feature is the search function. Don't worry about keeping your notes organised, just make sure you not it down. OneNote search works great.Interacts with other office productsAttach documents, pictures, weblinks, it can help you store any information quickly and easilySharing, this function is greatQuick access to muliple notebooksBuilt into teams also for project/team note takingKeeping meeting notes, being able to search by text or date

Cons

Nothing I can see.I do change the layout of the windows desktop app to look more like outlook/edge and have my pages down the left hand side, my section across the top

Pros

Search Option - Extracting from ImagesLoads of features and being updates quiet oftenIts a free app plus user friendlyVast storage and allows Cloud storage too.Dictate features and the AI is Live. Solving equations!Integration between Outlook and One note

Cons

Creating and Editing Tables can be improved. Sometimes its slowWeb clipping requires to be improved

Pros

If you learn to work with OneNote on daily basis you will be amazed how powerful this tool is. You can simply create your notes with all the data you need, filter quickly. You can collaborate with your team on your notes, share MoM and so on. We use it on daily basis for all this tasks.

Cons

It is a little bit like using Word, formatting can be sometimes challenging and for task planning I would prefer using Microsoft Planner for example.

Pros

I like that its so easy to use the first time out. & availble on all my devices

Cons

That it didn't always copy and paste like i'd like it to.

Pros

It's simple to install, has many features, is integrated to other Microsoft products, and offers excellent customer service.

Cons

I think that the loss of info was one of this software's most annoying features. Data from the previous version to the upgraded version would be lost during yearly program updates.

Pros

The facility to take notes and share with other people is the selling point of the product. If you need a tool for doing that, OneNote is the right one. You can also organize simply your notes, write documents and add pictures/external content (the possibility to add media is another important feature to consider in the product). You can divide your notes/documents in sections/pages, this helps on searching for what you need. For example, you can have an entire section dedicated to a specific customer, in this section having the notes organized by date.

Cons

There are no particular pain points. I heard some complaints about the navigation but it follows the standard of other Microsoft products. I would only improve the search feature, in particular from a look and feel perspective.

Alternatives Considered

Notepad++

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft OneNote

I prefer using OneNote when you need to enrich your notes with pictures, tables, and other media content. When you are in this situation, OneNote is the best tool. If instead, I have only text notes, I prefer Notepad++- According to what I have to do, I choose the right tool.

Pros

Easy to use, has very good functionalities, it is totally integrated with the Microsoft Office programs, are the information are stored on the cloud, I can edit something on my computer and continue it on my mobile or tablet.

Cons

It is not so easy to use on the beggining, till you get the idea of create "notes" inside it, I know a lot of people which did not migrate to this tool because of this.

Alternatives Considered

Notepad++

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft OneNote

It comes with Microsoft Office, it is a must have for most of the companies of the world, it is always a good idea stick with a product that you already have paid for it.

Pros

It's free and offers all the tools to keep your work life organized. I use it daily to organize my tasks (great and easy to use ToDo list features!), to keep and organize notes from meetings and to write memos or analysis of tasks I perform. The Notebook>Tabs>Notes organization is simple and effective.

Cons

The notebook>tabs>notes interface could be rethinked. As it is, it is functional, no doubt, but I can help feeling that some other views of this greater organization of your notes could be improved. It would also be great if double clicking to tray icon opened the app instead of the quick note shortcut (it can be changed in the options thou). Small grievances.

Pros

If you are working in the Microsoft eco system OneNote is a must. Taking notes and keeping track of information is simple since it is tied into every Office/O365 application; Sharepoint, Word, Outlook even when browsing the web. Can be used for note taking during business meetings, training/school, planning vacations, shopping list. Uses are limit less. Best of all you can do it from what ever device you have with you and your notes will be available to you everywhere.

Cons

Onenote is such a powerful tool that it can be overwhelming to get a grasp on all that it can do and how to best use it for your situation.

Pros

Microsoft OneNote is loaded with numerous highlights that go past taking notes; it likewise gives you a few different ways to change pictures over to message. For instance, the OCR instrument permits you to snap a photo of an archive, business card, flyer or whiteboard, then, at that point extricate that content. You would then be able to save that content in OneNote, Microsoft Word or Standpoint.

OCR's productivity relies upon a few elements. These incorporate picture quality, the intricacy of the characters it is examining and the intelligibility of the transcribed notes. So consistently make a point to twofold check in the event that it perceives everything effectively. Regardless of whether OCR doesn't get each letter, it is as yet a vital life hack, particularly for organizations and entrepreneurs.

Cons

Matching up can take some time , Unacceptable portable application, Average web cutting augmentation

Alternatives Considered

Google Drive

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft OneNote

Already had an account

Pros

OneNote is an amazing digital notebook for teachers and students. Teachers can create a living course workbook filled with learning resources, including diagrams, videos, and links to online sources. They can also create worksheets directly in OneNote or import an existing Word or PDF document into the notebook that students can edit. One of the best features of OneNote is how smoothly it works with tablets and tablet laptops. With a stylus, students can write and draw in their OneNote notebooks, making it feel like a paper notebook. OneNote also includes a suite of drawing tools that make it easy to draw and label diagrams and even graphs for math.
The Class Notebook add-in makes it an even more powerful tool for teachers to manage their classes. A teacher can quickly look into each of their students' notebooks to assess work and leave feedback. Students can sync their OneNote notebooks and receive feedback immediately.
With Teams, entire OneNote notebooks can be easily shared between colleagues, and collaboration is seamless.

Cons

The current OneNote desktop app no longer offers the ability to export pages as .one files, which makes it more difficult to send or attach individual pages. Rather, sharing can only be done through links, which sometimes run into challenges with sharing settings and others not being able to open the page. The inability to rename students at the teacher level also makes the "Review Work" function a bit less user-friendly when teachers try to mark them in alphabetical order. Finally, I would love to see more integration possibilities with other learning management systems.

Pros

This software is awesome for tracking projects, notes, and progress! It is customizable and can be used how ever the user would like! I personally like to section my work out in columns with bullet points, where may manager prefers tables. Some coworkers prefer multiple "books" instead of the method that I prefer is one book, such as Training with multiple pages underneath one book! The system is different if you are coming from a more "basic" system like I was, such as sticky notes! This is Highly Recommended for any member of you team that needs to keep track of notes and even project progress!

Cons

The only thing "negative", which is really not horrible, is I wish there was more customization to the "blocks". When you start typing on a page, you will see a "block" appear and you can customize the tab color, the size of the box, the font, color of font, and size but I wish you could add a "hue" to the back ground of the boxes to make them stand out a little more- almost as if you were adding different colored sticky notes to the pages! I did find a work around and I am able to highlight the typed notes with a "lighter" color highlight- which works just as well, just does not look as uniform as the rest of the program! Still a highly recommended product!

Pros

1.Microsoft One Note is a software package which enables individuals and organizations to create and share notes and diagrams. It is a simple, straightforward, powerful tool for recording important information.
2.It allows users to create individual notes, which can be attached to each other, to themselves or to websites. It also allows users to create digital flipbooks and create annotated PDF files.
3.It is a cloud-based notes program that has a focus on helping people to stay connected to their work even when they are away from their desk or desktop.
4.One note is a note taking application that is easy to use and very flexible. The application supports PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. This application is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems.
5.It is a free Office 365 service that makes it easy for you to create, organize, and share your ideas. It helps you take notes, brainstorm, and collect your thoughts with ideas that come to you anywhere, on any device.

Cons

1. The main disadvantage of using Microsoft One Note is that it can be difficult to use because of the way it is laid out. In order to find information, you need to scroll through the pages and pages of data.
2. It is difficult to share the content with the other users. As a result, the users have to re-enter the content which is very difficult and time-consuming.

Pros

it gives you the ability to create your notes as you create on a physical notebook, moreover, this notebook can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have access to the internet. The most unique part of OneNote is you can add multimedia and create your documents as much presentable as want. These documents can also be shared with others like your friends or colleagues, it would make this software as a one-stop solution for most of the writing and editing of your notes. I used many older versions of OneNote and then after upgrading to new versions of OneNote I came to know that your older note will not get erased. you can also use OneNote app for your smartphones which makes easier to modify your changes or to view any documents on the go.

Cons

One thing I would ever want in OneNote is the integration between various platforms, Currently, Onenote allows you to create notes or documents to share it with only OneNote users, whereas if I want to share it with Evernote users it will not give me an option for that. Moreover, I can not even import Evernote's documents notes into OneNote or vice versa. There are other ways through which you can do it but for that one has to download a migration tool. The security is also one of the issues which I always take into consideration when creating any personal note where I wanted it to be encrypted with a password. There should be some ways into OneNote where you can have a personal space which can be used for those secure documents.

Pros

One of the best features is the easy organization that OneNote provides. You can create 1 notebook, with many sub-sections and within each sub-sections, you can have additional pages for notes. The software is very self explanatory so complete beginners/children can easily figure out how the notebook works. The organization of the notebook also allows you to move pages/sections around in the notebook which I really like because if you end up deciding that one page doesn't belong in a section, you can move it to where it belongs. Another feature that I really like is the photo/document adding tool. When using OneNote on the iPad, you can directly take a picture and upload it into your notes so you don't have to manually write down everything. It is also easy to add in a document/pdf/slideshow and annotate directly on it (if you have an iPad) and once you are done with the document, you can very quickly send it to an email/chat/person all just through the OneNote app.

Cons

There has been 2 instances OneNote has crashed when I've used the app for too long and some of the notes I had made did not save. Another thing that I wish could be improved is if there is an option to recover deleted notes. If you accidentally deleted a notebook because my hand slipped and pressed the wrong button and there is no way to recover that notebook/pages (at least that I am aware of).

Pros

I'm completely dependent on OneNote. It's so easy to use and flexible, it holds every project in my life now, from planning out and organizing 60 slide competitor analysis presentations, to scheduling recipes for meal plans. It plays well with the other products, and unlike Word, I've never had a problem with syncing conflicts and generating unnecessary backup local copies, and I have yet to lose a single word of work. In fact, for one of my books, I didn't use Word at all and ended up doing all the chapters in the same planning pages I kept in OneNote. It's my secret weapon when it comes to brainstorming and organization and I can't believe more people don't use it, but then again, I am a more visual/creative person, so the ability to quickly throw notes or record a message and be able to arrange, sort or search and actually find it later is vital. Years ago, I used to use Springpad, and since then, I've tried Trello, Evernote, and all kinds of apps, but nothing has stuck.

Cons

Very few, it's so flexible it fills in a lot of gaps. I'd like it to be more visually customizable, like if you could add a backdrop of a chart or table similar to the Stormboard templates. Right now it just has a few pastel colors and lined and gridded paper types.

Pros

This product is amazingly easy to organize/collect data when you are in a fast paced environment and do not have photographic memory. As I work through out the day new information comes in from team members, meetings, clients, management, etc. and you can enter the data, cut and paste or drag a file into tabs that you create on the fly so you know where it is and can go back to reference it anytime you need.

Cons

I really can't think of anything except trying to convert content to another format if the recipient doesn't have OneNote. Usually I just go to the tab and cut and paste the info into an email to send. Its not a big deal.

Pros

What I like most about this program is its connection with MS Outlook. It is to be able to transfer and pull business processes and tasks, calendars. Another important feature is the ability to attach files to the notes taken.

Since it is a member of the office family, its integration and management is simple and easy. An integrated product that you can activate and use in a few steps.

Cons

The interface of the program is somewhat plain. It should be more developable and appealing to the user. Although we do not use document management a lot, we unfortunately got some errors and we can get very little information about it. It should contain more instructional documents.

Pros

I love the organizational structure of this tool. We can have several projects where I'm working with different teams. This keeps everything categorized into the appropriate notebooks so I can easily grab what I need.

Cons

I wish there was one more level to OneNote. We have notebooks, and the pages. I wish there was one more level that could be a 'notes' section that could be a quick reference for action items instead of having to scour the page for actionable items.

Pros

This application has been really important for me as a main place that i use to store all the notes, finding, information and website clip whenever i am planning for a project or having a brainstorming session with my colleague. It is very light application and didn't taking too much resource of my computer.

Cons

They need to rework the sharing option of the notes. For now, not many section of the notes can be shared and some of it, i need to send the information outside the application in order to collaborate it with my colleague. This might seem not a big deal, but can adding frustration towards the application.