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Microsoft's OneNote digital notebook makes creating a to-do list super easy, and has several advantages over handwriting on paper.

OneNote is compatible with a wide range of devices. You can also search for important tasks to quickly find them.

If you categorize your ToDo list with a tagging function called "note stickers", you can access all the notes with stickers, making searching and printing easier. This is just one of the basic functions.

Today, I'll share some simple tips for creating a working to-do list in OneNote and getting your tasks done on time.

Contents

1. Creating a ToDo list with a shortcut
2. Inserting a file into OneNote
3. Using the "Kanban board" in OneNote
4. ToDo list Add Context to
5. Experiment Viewing Options
6. Search To-Do Lists with Note Stickers

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1. Create a to-do list with shortcuts

In OneNote, if you use a note sticker called "Task", a check box will be added.

Checkboxes let you know when a task is outstanding, so you can create a checklist of errands and daily tasks that need to be completed. Check the box when the task is complete.

OneNote makes it super easy to create a to-do list.

To add a 'Task' sticker, select a note or note text and press Ctrl+1 to insert a checkbox at the beginning of the selected item.

Note stickers can also be used to mark important items in your notes, add context, or search to find tasks.

As an example of shortcuts, you can add "★" with "Ctrl + 2" and "?" with "Ctrl + 3".

If the existing note stickers are not enough, you can create new note stickers and assign shortcut keys to them.

Shortcuts save you the trouble of searching through a menu of notepads to find what you need. For more information, check out this article on OneNote stickers and how to use them.

You can also change the order of the ToDo list and add subtasks.

For example, if you're working on a big project, you might want to create a sub-list of smaller tasks and check them off as you progress through the project.

Subtasks can be added by simply pressing the "Tab" key. Also, if you want to change the order of the tasks in the ToDo list, press "Alt + Shift" and the up and down arrow keys.

2. Insert Files into OneNote

When working on a project, it's easy to forget what you need to do or remember to complete. Rather than copying that information all over the place, it might be better to keep it all in OneNote.

If you're using OneNote for Windows 10, hover your cursor next to a to-do task, click the Insert tab > File, and select the file.

A dialog box will open asking you to select an insertion method. Choose one of the following three options.

Upload to OneDrive and insert link

This will upload a copy of the file to OneDrive (creating a folder in OneDrive called "Uploads from OneNote") and uploading it to OneNote A link will be inserted on the page of

If the file is a Microsoft Office document, OneNote will show a live preview of the file's contents without opening it in the associated Office app. For non-Office documents, only file links are displayed.

Insert as Attachment

If you choose this method, the attached file is not linked to the source file, so any changes you make to the file in OneNote will only exist in OneNote. increase.

Also, a file icon is inserted in the note for each attachment.

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Once you've inserted a file using either method, it's time to start working on your document by creating a to-do list.

Now you'll never forget anything again, and you'll always have the latest version in OneNote.

3. Use the "Kanban Board" in OneNote

If you have multiple tasks and cannot prioritize them, we recommend the "Kanban method".

The Kanban method is a method of breaking down complex tasks into small steps and visualizing them.

You can see the progress and problems of the tasks you are working on, and there is room for improvement. OneNote makes it easy to create Kanban templates.

To begin, open a new page and title it "My Board".

Next, create three tables and name them "ToDo", "This Week", and "Archive".

For each table, create three columns: "Project", "Task" and "Priority".

Once you have entered the first column, press the "Tab" key to move to the next column and enter. Let's repeat this process to create a table.

These tables act like a repository for all your tasks. After that, design it so that it is easy for you to use.

Enter a task in each row of the table.

Once you have completed a task, hover your cursor just to the left of it and an 'anchor' will appear. Click and drag it to move it to the completion table.

Table cells can contain links to files or other OneNote pages with task details.

Once you get Auscomp's Kanban template, you'll be able to start leveraging the benefits of the Kanban methodology right away.

This board has multiple columns such as "Backlog", "Next", "In Progress", and "Focus". It is also possible to customize the

Visually organize your tasks and to-do lists, and drag and drop tasks to different columns as you progress.

There are more than 20 styles of cards for filling in tasks, and you can fill in "task title", "description", "due date", etc. You can also add markers and images to make tasks stand out.

Auscomp's Kanban template can be downloaded for just $10. Check out this article for sites where you can download templates for OneNote.

4. Add context to your to-do list

A context is a set of conditions required to execute a task.

Adding context to your tasks helps you better coordinate resources and direction of your work, minimizing inefficiencies and mistakes.

OneNote allows you to add context in the following ways:

Creating a separate page for your to-do list

OneNote (formerly OneNote 2016) allows you to create a separate page for each item on your list.

Once you have created a list of tasks, select the list, right-click and choose "Link to Page" from the menu. child

This will convert each item in the list into an internal link and create a page for each task within the section.

Then add notes, links, tags, images, etc. to those pages.

If you have a linked page, you can add more context about the task and its importance.

Manage tasks in conjunction with Outlook

Both Outlook tasks and OneNote to-do lists have their shortcomings. Outlook Tasks lacks OneNote's ability to add context and manage tasks.

However, for projects that require comprehensive planning and vision, OneNote and Outlook can be used together.

You can add Outlook tasks to OneNote, save email content to OneNote, and use OneNote in Outlook meeting notes.

Read more about how to turn Outlook into a project management tool with OneNote.

Add Reminders to ToDo Tags

With the OneNote Gem add-in, you can set one-time or recurring task reminders and get notified.

The nice thing is that you don't need to have Outlook installed or OneNote running to use your reminders.

To use the add-in, just change the date and time displayed on the OneNote page. You can get this add-in for just $15.

5. Experiment with view options

OneNote's standard view is great for taking notes and adding images, tables, and more.

But when you're building a to-do list, the standard view doesn't make the most of your screen space, and it's going to take your focus away.

Docking the OneNote window keeps OneNote on the edge of your screen, even when you're using other apps.

Click the 'View' tab and select 'Show to edge of desktop'.

Even when working in another app, you can copy and paste links to OneNote tasks while alternating between the two open windows.

Alternatively, you can create a desktop shortcut to launch OneNote directly in docked mode.

You just need to add "/docked" to "ONENOTE.EXE." and the path will be:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\ONENOTE.EXE /docked

Depending on the drive and folder where Microsoft Office 2016 is installed, you may need to change the path.

If you are using Office 2013, "Office 2016" will be "Office15". As of now, OneNote for Windows 10 does not have this feature.

6. Search your ToDo list with stickers

If you have used a lot of stickers on your OneNote pages, you can use the sticker search function to see an overview of your ToDo list.

Open the "Home" tab and click "Search for Stickers" to open the "Sticker Overview" task pane and display a list of all the searched stickers.

If you want to see the unfinished tasks, check "Show only unchecked items".

If you want to search a specific section or notebook, or all notebooks, click the 'Group Stickers By' dropdown arrow and select the item you want to search for stickers.

Let's use OneNote to improve productivity

We tend to get addicted to the useful features of productivity systems and to-do list management apps. However, if you get too caught up in task management, you won't be able to get around to the task itself.

On that point, OneNote is an excellent tool, so you can customize it to your liking.

OneNote doesn't have a specific task management feature, but with the tips in this article, you can build your own productivity system with OneNote.

For more information, check out MakeUseOf's article on how to create a personal wiki in OneNote.

Source: Auscomp, OneNote Gem

Original Article: 6 Tips for Using Microsoft OneNote as Your To-Do List by MakeUseOf