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How to Use OneNote as a Task Manager, Notepad, and Journal

Make a bullet journal in OneNote

  • Queens College
  • Harvard University Extension School

In This Article

Jump to a Section

  • Bullet Journal Basics
  • Step-by-Step: Create a OneNote Bullet Journal
  • Bullet Journal Usage Tips
  • Extra: Use a Windows Tablet With a Stylus

There are many excellent mobile and desktop apps for  tracking to-dos , taking notes, and  setting goals . Still, many of us prefer pen and paper. What the pen and paper approach lacks is convenient tagging, reminders, and search capabilities of digital tools. Combine the bullet journal paper method of note-taking with the digital powers of OneNote to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Instructions in this article apply to OneNote for Microsoft 365, OneNote 2019, OneNote 2016, and OneNote for Windows 10.

Bullet Journals

Bullter journals organize a paper notebook to capture and quickly find tasks, notes, events, and more so that you can stay structured and be more productive. OneNote is ideal for this note-taking method because it's the closest to  looking and acting like a physical notebook .

A few basics about the Bullet Journal system:

  • On each page, you quickly jot down the information you're trying to capture, which is called rapid logging.
  • Pages can include tasks, notes, and events.
  • For tasks, create a page of the current month's events (for example, meetings or birthdays) and another page for the month's to-dos. After those pages, create a daily calendar, moving your tasks from the month list to the current date.
  • Use a check box to denote a task, a bullet for a regular note, an exclamation mark to note a great idea, an eye symbol for research, and a star to mark an item as a priority.
  • Bullet journals have an index page at the beginning of the notebook where you mark the page numbers for different topics. You don't need to create an index page in OneNote, as the program does the work for you.

Create a OneNote Bullet Journal

Applying the bullet journal discipline to OneNote requires a bit of setup.

Open OneNote.

Go to the View tab.

In the Page Setup group, select Paper Size .

In the Paper Size pane that opens on the left, select the Size drop-down menu, and choose A4 .

Change the sizes in the Print Margins section if desired, then select Save current page as a template to make it the default paper size.

Enter a name for the template, select Set as default template for new pages in the current section, then choose Save .

Select to File > Print > Print Preview .

Select Scale content to paper width and choose Close .

After you set this template as the default for the section, create custom tags that match the shortcuts (or change the tags to whatever you prefer). Go to the Home tab.

In the Tags group, select the More arrow next to the Tags box.

Select Customize Tags at the bottom of the list.

Choose the tag you want to change and select Modify Tag .

Make any desired changes to the tag's display name, symbol, font color, or highlight color, and then select OK . Repeat for any other customizations you wish to make.

Get the Most Out of Your Bullet Journal

With the template and the tags set up, you're ready to use OneNote as an electronic journal. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of this tool.

Topics and Entries

Use short one-line entries with the recommended notation (the OneNote tags) to keep notes, events, and tasks effectively sorted. If you add general entries, don't use the date as a title because OneNote does that automatically. This technique works great in tandem with the Onetastic  OneCalendar  add-in so that you can check each day's notes with a minimum of clicks.

However, if it's a specific topic, use the title space on the OneNote page. Labeling the page will help when you search for these entries. When it grows into a complex topic (for example, with many spreads or pages), consider creating a section with a different name.

Page Numbers and Sorting

Page numbers are mostly irrelevant if you use OneNote because it's powerful search ( Ctrl + E) does the sorting for you.

You can organize your pages by dragging pages in any order you like. You could group pages in subpages to avoid creating sections for topics somewhere between simple (one-page) and complex (one-section) ones.

Another useful feature is using OneNote's internal hyperlinks. Right-click any entry and copy the link to it. Then, right-click and link (or press  Ctrl + K ) anywhere else and paste it.

Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Calendars

The best way to emulate a Bullet Journal monthly or daily calendar is to use the Onetastic OneCalendar tool. Combine it with the OneNote Tag Summary. To use the Tag Summary, go to the Home tab and, in the Tags group, select Find Tags . A Tags Summary pane appears.

Migration or Irrelevant

At the beginning of each month, check last month's task entries, migrate tasks to the new month's page, and mark those tasks as  Migrated . This step keeps the previous month's entries accounted for, so you know you didn't leave anything behind. If any task is not relevant anymore, tag it so. This way, when you recheck past entries, you realize that these entries will not reappear in the future because the entries lost meaning.

To keep a sense of hierarchy, consider grouping sections into another OneNote notebook. Since OneNote searches through every open book, you won't lose track of entries in different notebooks. Keep the main one (usually the default Personal Notebook) as your regular entry journal.

Go Further With OneNote

OneNote is a powerful tool. Pairing it with the Bullet Journal system is a smart way to organize your notes and schedule. One of the best parts of this system is combining OneNote with Outlook to get reminders for tasks and events.

It's even better if you have a  Windows tablet PC with a stylus  as you can write in your OneNote notebook just like you would with a paper one—only with the advantages of search, tagging, syncing across devices, handwriting recognition, and similar benefits.

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How to Use OneNote for Project Management

Shubhangi Pandey

By: Shubhangi Pandey | Published on: Apr 6, 2023 | Categories: BrightWork 365 , Collaboration , Microsoft 365 | 0 comments

How to Use OneNote for Project Management

We’ll take a closer look using OneNote to manage projects: combine OneNote and Outlook, organize content with Tags, project wikis, work in Microsoft Teams, and use Power Automate workflows to save time.

Jump to a Section

Work with outlook and onenote.

  • Create a To-Do List
  • Using Tags to Organize Content

Create a Project Wiki

Collaborate in microsoft teams.

  • Save Time with Power Automate

Challenges to Using OneNote to Manage Projects

Integrate onenote within brightwork 365 templates, collaborate with onenote in microsoft teams and brightwork 365, manage projects and portfolios with microsoft 365.

See how you can start any project using templates for Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Teams.

task tracker onenote

Using OneNote for Project Management

OneNote is a versatile digital note-taking tool for capturing and organizing notes and ideas. There are also a number of ways that you can incorporate OneNote into your collaborative project management workflow:

  • Organize project information: OneNote is a great tool for organizing project information such as project goals, timelines, budgets, and team members. You can create a dedicated notebook for your project and use sections and pages to organize information.
  • Track tasks: OneNote can be used to track tasks and to-do lists for your project. You can create a table with columns for tasks, deadlines, priority, and status, and use checkboxes to mark tasks as complete.
  • Brainstorm ideas: OneNote is a great tool for brainstorming and collecting ideas. You can use the drawing and sketching tools to create mind maps, flowcharts, and diagrams, and you can use tags to categorize ideas.
  • Manage meetings: OneNote can be used to manage meetings by creating meeting agendas, taking meeting notes, and tracking action items. You can create a dedicated section for meetings and use templates to streamline the process.
  • Collaborate with team members: OneNote can be shared with team members, allowing everyone to view and edit the same information. You can use the commenting and tagging features to collaborate and communicate with team members.
  • Capture and organize project-related information: OneNote can be used to capture and organize project-related information such as emails, web pages, and documents. You can use the OneNote Web Clipper to save web pages, and you can drag and drop files into OneNote to save them.

Integrate OneNote with Outlook to organize tasks,  meeting notes , and content in one place.

This ensures your team can access important information, for example, stakeholder feedback, at any time.

To get started, you’ll need to connect OneNote and Outlook.

task tracker onenote

OneNote and Outlook: Store emails

Surface key information and keep everyone in the loop by adding emails to relevant project notebooks.

Open the relevant email and click the OneNote icon. Pick the relevant notebook and section.

The email is stored as a new page.

Likewise, you can share a page via email from OneNote.

Go to the required page and select ‘Home’ on the main ribbon. Choose ‘Email Page’ and compose your email as needed.

OneNote and Outlook: Create Tasks

Creating tasks in OneNote using Outlook is quite straightforward.

task tracker onenote

In this instance, I will add the new task ‘Project Charter Update’ to the ‘Weekly Tasks’ page of my notebook:

task tracker onenote

OneNote and Outlook: Manage Meetings

Using OneNote to document project meetings is particularly helpful for remote team members who cannot attend a session due to time zone differences.

Firstly, schedule the meeting in Outlook.

Select ‘OneNote Meetings’ in the ribbon.

task tracker onenote

Create a To-do List

I regularly use the To-Do list feature in OneNote to track small items or ideas when I’m working on a project.

There are two ways to create a list.

task tracker onenote

Use Tags to Organize Content

Tags  are a simple way to organize pages in OneNote allowing users to annotate their notes.

task tracker onenote

Tagging content also helps when searching for tasks or notes.

task tracker onenote

A wiki is a collaborative website or platform that allows users to create and edit content collectively. Wikis are designed to be easy to use and facilitate collaborative work among a group of individuals. Wikis typically allow anyone with access to the platform to create, edit, or delete content, which can include text, images, videos, and links.

Get more from Microsoft Teams by using OneNote to collaborate with remote team members.

You don’t even need to create a new Notebook – it’s automatically generated every time a new team is created in Microsoft Teams.

Add the Notebook  as a tab  to the relevant channel to make it easier to find.

task tracker onenote

  • Use OneNote instead of the standard Teams wiki to record notes, training guides, feedback, and so on.
  • Collaborate during video meetings with your team.
  • Embed audio and video messages to share with remote team members for feedback and input.
  • Use OneNote as a whiteboard during calls. The options in the ‘Draw’ tab are ideal for planning and brainstorm sessions.

Save time with Power Automate

Microsoft  Power Automate  is a no-code solution that allows users to create workflows to automate repetitive tasks.

task tracker onenote

While OneNote is a useful tool for project management, there are some situations where it may not be the best fit. Here are some reasons you might not want to use OneNote for project management:

  • Lack of real-time collaboration: While OneNote allows for collaboration, it may not be as real-time as other tools specifically designed for project management. In addition, some users may have difficulty accessing the OneNote notebook if they don’t have a Microsoft account or if they aren’t familiar with the tool.
  • Limited project management features: While OneNote has many useful features for managing project information, it is not specifically designed for project management. Other tools may have more advanced project management features such as Gantt charts, time tracking, and resource allocation.
  • Difficulty in managing large projects: OneNote may not be the best tool for managing large or complex projects, as the organization and navigation of information may become unwieldy.
  • Lack of advanced security features: OneNote does have basic security features such as password protection and encryption, but it may not meet the security requirements of all organizations.

Using OneNote In Your Project Management Process with BrightWork 365

While there are several instances in which OneNote may be suitable for managing work and collaboration, we just noted a few of the reasons OneNote is not a full-fledged project management tool.

That is where BrightWork 365 comes in!

BrightWork 365 ties together several powerful solutions including those in your organization’s instance of Microsoft 365, allowing you to leverage fully your investment in Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform.

BrightWork 365 centralizes all of your project processes and information in one hub, working across Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office suite, Power BI, Power Automate, SharePoint Online, and OneNote.

The BrightWork 365 Communications tab provides a comprehensive method for capturing various communication related activities at the project, program, or portfolio level.

To access Communications, click on the Communications tab. The initial screen will display a history of previously entered Communications items. Click “+” to create a new Communications item of type Appointment, Email, Phone Call, Note, or OneNote.

task tracker onenote

With Microsoft Teams integration, BrightWork 365 provides powerful options for staying connected and keeping your projects organized.

task tracker onenote

See how you can manage projects with Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Teams, SharePoint Online, and OneNote.

Shubhangi Pandey

Shubhangi Pandey

Shubhangi is a product marketing enthusiast, who enjoys testing and sharing the BrightWork 365 project portfolio management solution capabilities with Microsoft 365 users. You can see her take on the experience of the template-driven BrightWork 365 solution, its unique project management success approach, and other personalized services across the site and social channels. Beyond BrightWork, Shubhangi loves to hunt for the newest Chai Latte-serving café, where she can read and write for hours.

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Using OneNote for Task Management: 2 Great Ways

Alessandro Maggio

  • October 28, 2021

Share This Post

If you are thinking about using OneNote for task management, this is how you should do it. In this guide, I explain you how I personally use OneNote for task management to get more done in less time. It’s quick, actionable guide that you can implement in a few minutes.

This guide brings together how US presidents have their agenda planned, Agile project management and Kanban boards. Enjoy reading.

Using OneNote for Task Management

How to use onenote for task management.

The idea is simple, you divide tasks into categories and plan specific tasks for specific days when you can. To do this, you should create two OneNote pages :

  • In the To Do page, you will list all the activities that you have to do now or in the future
  • In the Archive page, you move your activities that you complete to remove the clutter from your To Do but still preserve the information

This guide on using OneNote for task management will explain how to use both pages. First, we need to focus on the To Do Page.

The “To Do” page

The To Do page is where all the action happens, where you do the actual task management. You should have four sections of tasks.

  • Do are tasks planned for a specific date, I recommend structuring as two-column table with date on the first column and list of tasks on the right column
  • <30 MIN are tasks not planned for a specific date, and you can complete each in 30 minutes or less. These are “fillers”, things you can do if in a given day you mange to complete your schedule quicker than you thought and you have some time to spare. Having something here ensures that time does not get wasted. They should be quick but less important and time sensitive than other tasks because you don’t know when you will get them done.
  • Backlog are tasks that you have already committed yourself to do in the near future, but yet to be planned.
  • Horizon are tasks that are “on the horizon”, something you potentially will have to do, even if it is still unclear at this time. Those are things worth “keeping an eye on”.

Putting up this structure, your page will look something like this.

Using OneNote for Task Management means having a To Do page structured in sections: DO, Less than 30 Minutes, Backlog, and Horizon

Using the “To Do” page

Using the To Do page for task management with OneNote is simple. You start by listing your tasks either in the backlog or in the horizon section. Then, once you finished, you start moving some of the tasks from the backlog to the “Do” part, where you plan them on a specific date. You can also see if something in your backlog can be moved into the “<30 MIN” section.

Ideally, tasks should go through either one of the following flows.

  • You create the task in Horizon, move it to Backlog, then DO, and then complete the task
  • You create the task directly into Backlog, then DO, then complete the task
  • Alternatively, you put a task in <30 MIN and then eventually you just complete it

This structure helps to keep you focused. You don’t want a task jumping from the horizon into the “DO” section: the purpose of the Horizon section is to let tasks approach you gradually so that you don’t face any surprise.

Sizing Tasks

The challenging part of using OneNote for Task Management has nothing to do with OneNote. It is more related to task management itself, and particularly sizing tasks. If you consider as a task an activity that is too complex, you may never complete it. Instead, if you consider as a task an activity that is too small, you will burn too much time micro-managing yourself.

Ideally, a task should be something that you can start and work through in a single session, completing it in full. In other words, each task should be something you can accomplish start-to-finish in 2-4 hours.

2 to 4 hours is the baseline task duration you would expect for planned tasks, the ones you find in the “DO” section. However, tasks get bigger as you move away from it and go into the future: backlog and horizon. In the backlog, a task may be something that you can complete in a couple days: you will cut it into smaller tasks as you plan it for a specific date.

In the Horizon section, we are talking about rough estimates, so a task may be several days up to a couple weeks of work. Again, as you move the task to the backlog, be sure to chunk it into more manageable tasks, which you will chunk once more into tasks that can be planned.

It goes without saying, but tasks in the “<30 MIN” box should be accomplishable within 30 minutes.

Managing the Horizon

Using OneNote for Task Management is about being responsible about what you have to do. The harsh truth is that we all get 24 hours a day, and I am not advocating for extreme routines like waking up at 3am to get more done – I don’t think that’s the way it works.

Instead, I structured this Do-Backlog-Horizon approach so that I can be more conscious about what is coming at me. If you have too many things on your plate, it probably means something will have to drop. This structure will help clarify what is important, and what it is not.

One of the best ways to do that is to limit how many tasks you can have in your backlog . This is an approach borrowed from agile project management and Kanban boards, and the principle is so simple: you can’t have too much on your plate. So, set a limit of how many tasks you want on your backlog, I suggest 5-8 can be a great limit. Once your backlog is full, forbid yourself from moving tasks from Horizon to Backlog .

In fact, if your backlog is full, the only way to add something to it is to remove something else. You don’t want to just delete a task from your backlog, because those are tasks you committed yourself to do, and you don’t want to waive your commitments. So, be conscious about what you decide to put on your backlog, because that is what gets done.

Instead, have no limit on the horizon, because the purpose of that section is monitoring . Have as many tasks as you need there, and don’t be afraid to slash them away if you realize that in reality you don’t need to do them. You should put your tasks on the horizon, monitor them, and if they “move away” just delete them. Of course, even if there is no limit on the horizon I suggest having no more tasks that you can quickly scan through, I would say 20-30.

Another good tool to discipline yourself is to date the tasks when you add them in the horizon. In this way, you can see if something is “stuck” in the horizon for a long time, and if so maybe it wasn’t that important after all.

Journaling and Task Management in OneNote

At the beginning, we introduced the concept of an Archive page , a place where you store the complete tasks. That is crucial, because it helps you keep a sense of progress and see that you are moving forward. It can also help you do a backward-looking analysis and see how to improve.

So, my approach is simple. As soon as I complete a task, whether planned or <30 MIN, I flag it as completed in the To Do page. At the end of the day, I do a review of what I completed.

Create a Time-Based Archive

My archive looks like a main page for a year, and 12 sub-pages, once for each month.

You can arrange your archive of days per year and month if you are using OneNote for Task Management, with months inside each year

Each page for each month contains just a two-columns table, with the day on the left and the description of the day on the right. Days are presented top-down, so the last day of the month appears on top and the first day of the month appears on bottom.

In the section of each day, I present all the tasks completed, with a small note in italic if required. I divide them into sections.

Sectioning Tasks for Archive

If you are using OneNote for Task Management, you will want to keep things ordered. I group tasks in the following sections.

  • Completed Planned Tasks – tasks coming from the “DO” section that were planned for the day
  • Completed ANTICIPATED Tasks – tasks coming from a day in the future, or even directly the backlog, that I completed in advance because I had more time than I thought
  • Completed EXTRA Tasks – tasks coming from the “<30 MIN” section
  • Failed Planned Tasks – tasks that were planned for the day but that I did not complete, I add to them a note explaining why

If there are no tasks in a section, you can omit it completely for convenience.

An archived day using OneNote for task management

Track Yourself over Time

At the beginning of the description of each day, I also express a rating on my stress, my morale, and my focus: each on a 1 to 10 scale. This helps me see if I am heading toward burnout so that I can take action to avoid it.

Furthermore, if there are failed tasks or significant diversions from the schedule (e.g., a lot of anticipated tasks), I write a note at the beginning explaining why.

You may think this is not part of using OneNote for Task Management, but it is. You don’t want just to plan tasks, you want to plan tasks and execute them at your maximum potential continuously, not on a quick burst you cannot sustain over time.

Tips for Using OneNote for Task Management

Use checklists.

Checklists are key in using OneNote for task management. They allow for some satisfaction when you tick a task off, and are an easy visual aid to understand what needs to be accomplished and what note.

I use checklist in the To Do page, but not in the archive pages because there everything would be ticked, losing the point of the checklist.

Use Reminders (to cement Discipline)

If you need to remind yourself about doing something, put it in the “DO” section even if is just a reminder and not a 2-4 hours effort. If you start to use OneNote as your hubs for all your To-Do’s, reminders and similar, you will have one go-to place for all your task management.

This ensures you check OneNote often enough so that you don’t lose any task. Discipline is key .

Review & Edit your Task List Daily

Your To Do page is not set in stone. You should review it often and ensure it reflects the reality of what you want to accomplish. Personally, I review my list first thing in the morning, midway through the day, and then at the end of the day when I am archiving the day.

Additionally, I keep one larger slot at the end of the week to plan the “DO” section for the upcoming week. If something unexpected comes up during the week, I don’t hesitate to reshuffle my plans, reordering tasks within the day or moving them from a day to another. That of course should be the exception, not the rule.

Some people like to arrange tasks per priority. It makes sense, so that you do the most important things first. However, I prefer to arrange tasks within a day based on the time of day at which I expect to complete them. In this way, I move linearly and tick one task after another, without leaving unticked tasks. This helps me have a clear view of how much I have accomplished for the day. For this to work, you need to be consistently able to complete tasks over day, if you are often in delay and a task is shifted from one day to another then arranging per priority may be a better approach.

If I fail a planned task, I explain why in the archive page and then re-plan it for the next available time.

Find the right Planning Method

Now that you are using OneNote for task management, it is all about planning: putting your tasks into Horizon, Backlog, and DO sections. There are several ways to plan, and you need to find the one that works best for you. Here’s what worked for me:

I adopt a continuous planning for the Horizon: whenever something comes up, I put it in the Horizon immediately. Instead, for the Backlog and DO section, I adopt a rolling-wave planning . Every week, I plan for the next week.

I have a time slot every Sunday to review the horizon and backlog, trim the horizon if needed, and then chunk (part of) the backlog for the upcoming week. Occasionally I move things from backlog to DO midweek, if I think that’s the case I leave enough room in in the DO section on Sunday so that I will have extra effort to spare for that additional backlog midweek.

Practice, Practice, Practice

There is no secret to get more done with less. You need to fin what works for you. Hopefully, this is a great start, but don’t be afraid to tweak it to your needs. My only recommendation is to start small, and then add as you realize you have more or different needs. This is way better than starting too complex and then dropping of because you went too far too fast.

Does this Really Work?

It works for me, and I hope it will work for you. With this approach, I am able to manage a 65h work week spanned across two different jobs (40h+25h), where I also have to manage people. This approach helps me stay on top of things all the time.

I created this task management approach for myself after doing much research. I took the US president daily schedules as examples (e.g., Bill Clinton January 1993 schedule ) and crafted the archive pages mimicking the US president daily diaries (e.g., Nixon January 1969 ). I revised those in a more modern approach, drawing a lot from lean and Kanban principles , and honed the whole system with time.

I use OneNote because it is my hub for all note taking, and I prefer using less tools rather than more tools.

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12+ OneNote Templates for Productivity

Sandy Writtenhouse

Microsoft OneNote is a terrific note-taking tool, but you can do so much more with it. Whether you want to use it for managing a project, planning your workday, or keeping up with tasks, check out these OneNote templates for a quick start.

Quick check: did you optimize your desk for productivity , yet?

1. Project Overview

2. meeting notes, 3. to-do list, 4. daily work schedule, 5. weekly planner, 6. quarterly planner, 7. four quadrants of time management, 8. work notebook, 9. shared notebook for group project, 10. diary / journal, 11. cornell notes, 12. monthly calendars, onenote templates on etsy, frequently asked questions, built-in onenote page templates.

One of the best places to start with OneNote templates is the application. You can use the built-in project overview template and choose from a variety of meeting notes and to-do list page templates.

Page Templates on the OneNote Insert tab

Open your notebook and go to the Insert tab. Select Page Templates in the “Pages” section of the ribbon. You may see a few listed but can also choose Page Templates at the bottom to view them all using the Template sidebar.

In the sidebar, you’ll see the templates grouped by category. Expand the Business category and choose the Project Overview template to add it as a page in your notebook.

Project Overview in the Templates sidebar

Take advantage of the fields in the template for project, company, and presenter name. Add a description, project goals, resources, procedures, a schedule of milestones, current status, and related documents.

Project Overview template in OneNote

Also in the Business section of the sidebar, you’ll see several meeting notes template options. From simple to detailed to formal, each template offers something a little different. Select Detailed Meeting Notes .

Detailed Meeting Notes in the Templates sidebar

Start with the meeting details, including the date, time, location, and agenda. Then, add the attendees, announcements, status of old items, a summary, and information for the next meeting.

Detailed Meeting Notes template in OneNote

Expand the Planners section in the sidebar to see a few different to-do list templates. The “Simple To-Do List” template gives you checkboxes with spots for your items, while “Project To Do List” offers a section for each project.

Prioritized To Do List in the Templates sidebar

“Prioritized To Do List” uses three columns to divide your tasks by importance. Add items to the High, Medium, and Low Priority columns as you see fit.

Prioritized To Do List template in OneNote

Good to know : you can also find a selection of productivity templates for Notion !

For a neat schedule that helps you plan your day, look at this Daily Work Schedule from OneNote Gem .

Add the date at the top, then enter each task, meeting, appointment, and break. You can enter items in 30-minute increments but easily carry items over for long periods.

Daily Work Schedule template from Onenote Gem

For the following day, either change the date and adjust the schedule or copy the page to start a new day from scratch. To make a copy, right-click the page name and select Move or Copy .

Move or Copy in the OneNote page shortcut menu

In the pop-up box, choose a notebook, then click Copy .

Copy box for a OneNote page

Struggling to manage tasks? Try the RICE prioritization method to decide what to do first.

If a daily work schedule isn’t your thing but planning your week is, then this Weekly Planner from Calendar Labs is for you.

Enter the week’s start date at the top, then plan your week with a section for each day. Use the lines within the sections to add appointments and to-dos for your business or personal items.

Weekly Planner template from Calendar Labs

Like the Daily Work Schedule above, you can make a copy of the template for the upcoming weeks.

Quarterly Planner from Calendar Labs is perfect for planning your year in three-month increments. It comes complete with U.S. holidays in the Notes section, with matching red dates on the calendars for each corresponding month.

Quarterly Planner template from Calendar Labs

To switch to the next quarter, just select the page on the right or left, depending on your notebook layout.

Quarterly Planner template pages

The Four Quadrants of Time Management template from OneNote Gem is great if you practice the Eisenhower method of task management. It allows you to easily prioritize everything on your plate.

Four Quadrants template from OneNote Gem

You’ll see helpful prompts for the types of tasks you should add to each quadrant. For example, the Crisis (urgent and important) quadrant should include items like pressing problems, reworking, and rush deadlines.

Four Quadrants template Crisis section

For more on this technique, take a look at our article on how to use the Eisenhower matrix to manage your tasks .

For a different type of template, take a look at this Work Notebook from OneNote Gem . This is a preassembled notebook with pages for meeting notes, planning, travel, projects, and research.

When you visit each page, you’ll see helpful examples of what to include, as well as useful tips and keyboard shortcuts for OneNote .

Work Notebook template from OneNote Gem

Rather than create a notebook and add all of its pages from scratch, you can get a jump start with this Work Notebook template.

Similar to the Work Notebook template, look at this Shared Notebook for Group Project template from OneNote Gem . You’ll find several sections for you and your team to keep up with your next project.

You can enter goals and a schedule, drafts, research items, tasks and issues, team information, and meeting notes – all in one handy notebook.

Shared Notebook for Group template from OneNote Gem

Share your notebook as you would anything else in OneNote. Select Share at the top, then Share Entire Notebook . Upload it to OneDrive if you haven’t already, and share the link with your team members.

Shared Notebook Share settings

Remember, you can choose from Edit or View permissions or adjust those sharing settings later.

For jotting down your thoughts, activities, and memorable events, you can use this Diary / Journal notebook template from Auscomp . The notebook offers sections for both Monthly and Daily entries.

In the Monthly section, you’ll see spots for your entries to the right of the dates. To move to another month, simply choose the page. You can use the helpful instructions at the top to add a new day and remove or modify entries.

Diary template Monthly tab from Auscomp

In the Daily section, choose the month and date in the pages area on the left or right, then just add your diary notes. Similar to the Monthly section, you’ll see instructions to add a new day, month, and year, which is a good way to keep your diary updated.

Diary template Daily tab from Auscomp

For a diary notebook that you can quickly jump to while working in other areas of OneNote, this template is just right.

If you use the Cornell Note Taking System , then you’ll like the Cornell Notes template from OneNote Gem . This nicely color-coded template offers red, yellow, and blue for your Cues, Notes, and Summary.

The Cues and Summary each have a few bullet points to get you started. The “Notes” area has “Record,” “Predigest,” “Recite,” “Thinking,” and “Review” ready for you to add your items.

Cornell Notes template from OneNote Gem

Remember, you can make a copy of the page to use for other days or note-taking sessions. Right-click the page, choose Move or Copy , pick a notebook, and click Copy .

Notegram offers a few useful templates, including a quick way to add monthly calendars for the whole year to your OneNote notebook.

Rather than manually downloading a template, log into Notegram using your OneNote account, click Save on the template you’d like to use, and it will automatically show up in your default OneNote notebook , typically under Quick Notes .

Notegram Templates Download

If you’re downloading the monthly calendar, select the month and year before saving a copy. You can make the weeks start on Mondays by unchecking Sunday first . The calendar template itself is basic, which makes it a great printable or an empty canvas for your annual event or vacation planning.

Notegram Monthly Calendar Template

While all of the options on this list are free as of this writing, there are some wonderful paid OneNote templates on Etsy . The templates vary in price, starting around $2.

OneNote templates on Etsy

Visit Etsy and type “OneNote template” into the search or check out some of these affordable options.

  • OneNote Digital Planner : daily, weekly, and monthly interlinked planners with both Sunday and Monday versions
  • OneNote Project Management Planner : scope of work, schedule, budget, organization chart, and project trackers
  • OneNote Project Management Template : project proposal, risk management, issue tracker, schedules, and contacts
  • OneNote Planner for Professionals : calendars, tasks, vision board, to-do list, journal, and trackers for tasks, habits, and ideas

Couldn’t find the right template? You can find more OneNote templates on these sites.

Is Microsoft discontinuing OneNote?

OneNote for Windows 10 will continue to receive support until October 2025. After that, you’ll need to use the OneNote application. It comes with Microsoft 365 but can also be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.

To see which version you have, look for the “File” menu. If you see this menu, you are using the OneNote application. If you do not see this menu and see “OneNote for Windows 10” in the title bar, that’s the version you’re using.

Can I save a page I create as a template in OneNote?

Absolutely! If you create a page that you want to use as a template, go to the “Insert” tab and select “Page Templates -> Page Templates.” When the Templates sidebar opens, click “Save current page as a template” at the bottom and give it a name.

Can I automatically open a template with a new page?

You can set a default template to open each time you add a page to a section in your notebook. Go to the “Insert” tab and select “Page Templates -> Page Templates.” In the sidebar, use the drop-down box near the bottom to pick a default template.

Image credit: Pixabay . All screenshots by Sandy Writtenhouse.

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Mr. SharePoint

Microsoft OneNote for Project Management: The Ultimate Guide

Last Updated on November 17, 2023

Do you use Microsoft OneNote for Project Management?

If not, you may be missing a lot of things that might make your project management flow smoother and easier.

In this article, I’ll share how to use Microsoft OneNote for project management, including integrating it with various Microsoft apps.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents:

1. Store and share various information on OneNote

2. use onenote as a project wiki, 3. make use of the onenote to do list feature, 4. integrate onenote with outlook, 5. use tags for tracking information and task status, 6. integrate onenote with teams, 7. consider using power automate, onenote as a project management tool, how to use onenote effectively for project management.

Like SharePoint and Teams , Microsoft OneNote also has its own features that support project management — although it’s still better used together with other apps.

Here are ways you can use OneNote for project management:

If you need to dump information, OneNote is your guy. From the name itself, anything you need to take a note of can be stored in OneNote.

This can include:

  • Status reports
  • Meeting minutes

In fact, you can create a section for each of these things and keep everything organized:

Save various information on OneNote like meetings, status reports, links, and ideas

Note : Saving notes in OneNote is the most basic thing you do with the app. If you need more help, check out my step-by-step guide on OneNote .

With Microsoft, you have a lot of options if you want to create a company wiki . For example, there’s the modern SharePoint wiki option .

However, many people fail to realize how easy and convenient it is to create your wiki right inside OneNote.

The organization can be as simple as this:

Organizing OneNote for wiki purposes including pages and sections

Related : What Is OneNote Used For: What Are Its Main Benefits

You can even insert images, videos, and other media to further enhance your wiki:

Inserting an image right inside a wiki page in OneNote

In fact, I can confidently say that building your wiki right inside Microsoft OneNote is easier than doing it in SharePoint.

On the other hand, only sites with a Microsoft 365 group can use OneNote as a team, so the wiki may only be used for inner teams.

OneNote may not have advanced project management features like what you can find in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Excel.

But OneNote has an easy to use to-do list feature (action items), which can be activated through the “ To Do ” tag:

Use the to do tag to create a to do list in OneNote

This is one of the most overlooked features of OneNote and Outlook. However, this is only effective when you use the desktop app of Outlook.

If you didn’t know, there’s an option to connect OneNote and Outlook:

  • Click on “ File ” from the ribbon
  • Go to “ Options ”
  • Open the “ Add-ins ” available
  • Filter the add-ins to show only “ COM Add-ins ”
  • Select “ OneNote Notes about Outlook Items ”
  • Click on the “ Go ” button

Install the onenote notes about outlook items add-in

On the next window, simply select all the add-ins you want to install and click on the “ OK ” button.

Now, when you open an email, you will see a “ Send to OneNote ” button in the ribbon:

Click on the send to onenote button in the ribbon to save the email

By installing the add-in, you can now:

  • Save emails
  • Add tasks created in Outlook to OneNote
  • Take notes in OneNote for Outlook meetings

Note : In the web app version of Outlook, there is already a function that will allow you to send an email to your OneNote notebook — though the feature is a little rudimentary.

Tags allow you to organize your pages in OneNote by annotating your content with a click of a button (like how you did with a to-do list).

There are so many tags available in OneNote like:

  • Remember for later
  • Contact address
  • Website to visit

Click the tag button to see all the tags in OneNote

To use one, simply click on the tag button and select the tag you want to use.

Do you see Microsoft Teams more often?

If that’s the case, then you will be glad to know that you really don’t have to keep on switching from Microsoft Teams to Microsoft OneNote.

In fact, you have two choices here:

  • OneNote tab
  • OneNote app

To activate the tab, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to the channel first where you want to add the tab
  • Click on the plus button in the tab bar
  • Find OneNote among the list of apps you can add as a tab

Find the OneNote app to install it as a tab

The app will then ask you which notebook to open. Once you select a notebook, you will then be able to use OneNote inside the tab.

If you want to add OneNote as an app itself, follow these steps:

  • Click on the three dots in the app bar
  • Search for OneNote
  • Click on the OneNote option to install it

Find the OneNote app and click it to install it

Both options will provide you with a more or less similar experience. You can then use OneNote right inside the Teams app itself.

If you have a lot of repetitive tasks you need to do in your project management duties, then automating them is a great idea.

The key to that is Power Automate — an online workflow automation service that works really well with OneNote.

One search on their website will reveal various premade workflows you can use with OneNote for various purposes:

Available workflows for OneNote in Power Automate

To use a workflow template, all you have to do is click on it and configure it to match your interests and needs.

Note : For more information, check out my article on Microsoft Power Automate where I discussed what it is, the types of flows you can create, and many more.

Sign up for exclusive updates, tips, and strategies

OneNote is a powerful note-taking app that can definitely help with project management in easy but fairly significant ways.

As you may have read, many of them are concerned about collaborating or integrating with another Microsoft app or service.

Do you have any questions regarding OneNote as a project management tool? If so, kindly leave a comment below with your question.

For inquiries and other concerns, please send me a message through the site’s contact form and I’ll get to you as soon as possible.

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How to Integrate Microsoft To-Do With OneNote

Here's how to set up a two-way sync between OneNote and Microsoft To Do, so that you can manage your tasks more efficiently.

If your work is deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, To Do and OneNote are probably the most popular tools for your day-to-day workflow. When you use OneNote to plan a project, you’ll end up with actionable items that’ll put what you’re working on to completion.

Using OneNote and Microsoft To Do together means you’ll spend time context switching, copying, or reviewing data from one app to another. As a result, you might lose your focus, make mistakes, or worse, reduce the quality of your work. We’ll show you methods to integrate OneNote and To Do seamlessly so that you spend time prioritizing the work that matters.

Adding a Task From OneNote to Microsoft To Do

Out of every Office app, OneNote 2019 has the tightest integration with Outlook. That’s because both apps share similar objectives and operations. You can turn any note text in OneNote into an automatic to-do list task in Outlook. But wait, where does Microsoft To Do fit into this system?

We’ll come to this discussion later, but first, ensure that both OneNote 2019 and Outlook are installed on your computer. Also, you must have created a notebook and section where your actionable items reside. If you’re getting started, follow our guide on how to organize notebooks in OneNote .

Select the text you want to turn into an Outlook Task. Click the Home tab and then Outlook Tasks . From the dropdown menu, pick a timeframe for the task. A flag marks the text, and OneNote adds the note text as a task in Outlook. You can continue adding more notes as tasks if needed.

turn a note into the Outllook Tasks

Switch over to Outlook to view the task in My Tasks .

a task created in Outlook

Now, when you switch to the “Microsoft To Do” app, you’ll see the same task under Tasks with pre-filled due dates and link to the OneNote page to know where your tasks are located.

same task created in Microsoft To Do

Likewise, you can select Custom and from the new window that appears, enter the Due date , the Start date , and the importance of the task using the Priority field. You can also check the Remind box to have Outlook remind you of the task, and add a brief note.

Now switch to the “Microsoft To Do” app, but you won’t see the date when the task was started or the priority field here.

same task created in To Do for custom timeframe

Background Mechanism of Task Syncing

“To Do” app relies on Exchange Online to store and sync tasks, whether you use a personal account or Microsoft 365. Both the accounts follow the same protocols including data encryption, compliance, and data residency. If you complete a task in the “To Do” app, it will update in Outlook Tasks and OneNote.

Note: “To Do” app has nothing to do with the “To Do” tag in OneNote, despite using the same capitalization. This is important because people might get confused by the terminology and declare that this feature does not appear to work properly.

A point to note is you can only have one due date, rather than separate start and end dates. It does not support task statuses like in-progress or percentage complete, nor the importance of the task at different priority levels. You can’t recover a deleted task in “To Do,” but you can view them in OneNote and Outlook.

If you know how Microsoft To Do app works , it’s possible to create multiple task lists. So it makes sense to move a task from the Tasks to a list of your choice. But when you move a task to another list, the change gets reflected in the folder column of Outlook Tasks , but when you hover the mouse over the flag, you’ll see a message that “the task does not exist.”

Cross Sync Your Tasks Between To Do and OneNote

It is possible to cross-sync your tasks between OneNote and To Do with a simple app called Pleexy . It brings your tasks from your emails, notes, project management, and collaboration tools into your task manager.

You can even set up a two-way sync between the tools you use so that changes made on one side will be instantly copied on the other. If your team uses Jira and OneNote to manage the projects, then Pleexy can channel all relevant tasks from these apps into “To Do.” And, when you complete a task in “To Do,” it gets checked in the source application too.

Getting Started With Pleexy

Sign up on the Pleexy website using “Microsoft To Do” as your task manager. Once you authenticate it with your Microsoft account, you’ll be asked to choose an app you want to connect with “To Do.” Select OneNote and authorize Pleexy to access your OneNote account.

pleexy dashboard

Give your connection a name. For example, let’s say “ToDo with OneNote.”

give your connection a name in pleexy dashboard

The first step is to tell Pleexy which notebooks and sections it will search for notes. You can filter your notes by type like To Do, Discussion with person, To Do Priority 1 and 2, Client request, and Schedule meeting. And, ignore older notes in the range from 1 to 180 days. Pleexy will search for notes that meet all the specific criteria and create them in “Microsoft To Do.”

source of tasks in Pleexy dashboard

In the next step, we’ll define the title template for your tasks in “Microsoft To Do.” You can follow a pattern like “{section}: {page} - {todo}” wherein “{page}” is your OneNote page and “{todo}” is the OneNote todo tag.

define a task list template

Now you need to specify the list wherein Pleexy will create tasks. In this example, we’ll choose One list , and the destination is Work .

choose destination of task in To Do

At last, choose what will happen when you make changes to Microsoft To Do or OneNote tasks. For OneNote to Microsoft To Do , you can control what to do with a task when it’s completed or deleted in OneNote. And, for Microsoft To Do to OneNote , choose what you want to do when you complete a task in the “To Do” app.

Syncronization options for tasks in dashboard

Save your changes and activate your connection. In the screenshot below, you check the integration, edit or pause the connection, and delete them.

record of changes in pleexy dashboard

Switch to the “Microsoft To Do” app to see the changes. When you complete a task here, it gets checked in OneNote as well.

tasks replicated in To Do

Create Multiple OneNote Connections With To Do

In Pleexy, you can create multiple connections between these two apps. Here are the reasons:

  • If you use a separate OneNote account for personal and work purposes.
  • Set up different sync rules for specific projects in OneNote.

For example, you might want to sync the tasks for blog posts in both apps, but you can leave the task unchecked in OneNote, even if you’ve checked them off in “To Do” for another project. We’ll create two different connections in Pleexy following the procedure as described above.

Bring All Your Tasks to Microsoft To Do

Both OneNote and To Do are complicated apps, but altogether work in different workflow conditions and your needs. In simple cases, you can add a task from OneNote to To Do, but they’re not seamless and break if you move the task to another list.

Pleexy lets you sync tasks in both ways no matter what your task list is and intuitive to set up. Check out the integrations page for a list of apps it supports. Once you start using them, follow our tips and tricks for using Microsoft To Do effectively.

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Top 8 Tricks to Use OneNote as Project Management

OneNote is widely popular for note-taking capabilities. However, you can easily use OneNote as project management with smart organization, OneNote templates, sharing functions, and smart integration with Outlook.

Manage projects in onenote

Maybe you don’t want to use another project management tool and aim to work from a single interface all day. You already have all data available in the OneNote notebook , and using the same software for project management should deliver a seamless experience. Follow the tips below and get work done using OneNote.

1. Utilize OneNote Notebook, Section, and Pages

OneNote uses a unique method to organize notes. Unlike Evernote and Apple Notes , you aren’t limited to using tags to arrange notes. You can rely on Sections and Pages to organize thoughts.

You can create a separate notebook for the upcoming project and create different sections for it. For instance, you can create a new notebook as an application/software name, add sections such as UX, UI, Communication, Software Development, and Testing to it.

Create notebook and sections

Add necessary notes or pages and create the perfect notebook that’s ready for sharing.

2. Take a Helping Hand from OneNote Templates

Creating every OneNote page from scratch is time-consuming. After all, you choose OneNote as a project management tool to save time. Don’t you?

You can opt for one of the built-in OneNote templates and quickly get started.

Step 1: Open OneNote on your computer.

Step 2: Select relevant Notebook and Section.

Step 3: Add a new page and click on the Insert menu at the top.

Open insert menu

Step 4: Select Page Templates.

Page templates in onenote

Step 5: It will open a dedicated Templates menu.

Step 6: Select your preferable template from the list and see the magic.

Templates in onenote

You only need to make a few modifications here and there. You can even create custom OneNote templates to save more time in the future. Read our dedicated post to learn how to create templates in OneNote .

3. Add Outlook Emails to OneNote

In some situations, you need to send important client emails to OneNote for reference.

Outlook offers direct integration with OneNote. Here’s how you can use it.

Step 1: Open Outlook on Windows.

Step 2: Select an email that you want to send to OneNote.

Send outlook email to onenote

Step 3: Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and select OneNote.

Send email to onenote

Outlook will ask you where you want to save the email in OneNote. Select the section in a notebook, and you are good to go.

4. Add Relevant Files to OneNote

Before you share a OneNote notebook with others, you need to add relevant files and Spreadsheets to a page. It’s quite easy to do so.

Insert file and audio to onenote

From a OneNote page, select Insert. You’ll get an option to integrate Excel file to page. If you want to record audio or video, you can easily do so from the same menu.

5. Share OneNote Notebook

Now that you have created a perfect OneNote notebook with templates, emails, files, and more, it’s time to share the notebook with other team members to manage the project.

Step 1: From a OneNote notebook, click on File at the upper left corner.

Step 2: Select Share.

Step 3: Type the email addresses of other members and give them editing permission.

Step 4: Click Share at the bottom and let others join the notebook.

Share onenote notebook

6. Track Recent Changes

Once your team joins a OneNote notebook, you would want to track changes done by others.

Review edits in onenote

From a OneNote notebook, go to the History menu at the top. Select Recent Edits and check modifications made by others on a page. You can also search changes by a specific author from the Find by Author menu.

7. Master Tags to Track Task Status

OneNote comes with dozens of built-in tags to track project progress. From a OneNote page, you can go to Home and check Tags.

Screenshot 2021 12 08 211640

You can add different tags such as Project, Discuss with Person X, Client Request, Important, Call back, Send in email, and more.

8. Password Protect OneNote Page

You won’t want every team member to have access to all OneNote pages, do you? Some OneNote pages might contain sensitive information like quarter results, harsh client feedback, final UI design, and more.

Password protect One Note

To prevent these pages from unauthorized access, you can password-protect them from the Review section.

That way, only you and selected members on the team have access to the page.

Master OneNote Project Management Capabilities

Why pay extra for a dedicated project management tool when you can get the work done from OneNote itself? Sure, dedicated tools come with dozens of features but ask yourself, will you utilize them? If not, then OneNote can be the ideal solution to manage small projects on the go.

Last updated on 07 February, 2022

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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DID YOU KNOW

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Parth Shah is an evergreen freelance writer covering how-tos, app guides, comparisons, listicles, and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and smart TV platforms. He has over five years of experience and has covered 1,500+ articles on GuidingTech and Android Police. In his free time, you will see him binge-watching Netflix shows, reading books, and traveling.

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Templates for planners and trackers

Keep track of all your plans with handy, customizable templates for all your planning and tracking needs, whether for business or personal use. you'll find ways to keep everything organized, including health and food journals, budgets for business or home, trip planning spreadsheets, sales call logs, and more..

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Stay organized with planner and tracker templates

Maximize your productivity at work and home using free, customizable templates. It's not easy staying organized these days, but using the right tools helps you prioritize and remember your most important tasks. Whether your run your own online business or need to plan out your busy social calendar, creating a personalized planner makes life easier. Setting ambitious goals for next year? Use a tracker template to measure your progress and see how far you've come. Choose a planner or tracker template and customize it to fit your unique needs. If you're using a planner for work, add custom branding like your business's logo or color palette. Try out new fonts and design elements that match your personal aesthetic. Once you've created your perfect planner or tracker, get ready for a productivity boost. Print out your design or share it digitally with your coworkers or family members. Don't worry if your plans change—using a template makes it easy to revisit your designs and make updates in the future.

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Top Contributors in OneNote: Bernd P.   ✅

February 13, 2024

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Bernd P.   ✅

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Linking OneNote with Planner (or Todo or whatever other planning app)

I have very many different projects and have a Team in "Teams" for each project, including a respective "OneNote" Notebook for my notes, and a "Planner" to stay ahead of my tasks at hand for each project. Every morning I then organise my day in "ToDo".

Currently, I often take notes in OneNote during Meetings - currently, when I note down a Task or ToDo, after the meeting, I need to go back to my notes and manually transfer the task to Planner in order for me to stay organised. Is there any way to somehow have the tasks written down in the notebook being directly synced with the "Planner"? I have seen some extensions you can buy, but is there an official Microsoft solution for this? that would make my process so much easier and more efficient.

Thanks for your help.

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Replies (1) .

Tina Chen MSFT

  • Microsoft Agent |

Good day! Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

As per your description, you have a team in Teams, you want to have the tasks written down in the OneNote notebook being directly synced with Planner.

As far as we know, we're afraid there is no build-in feature within OneNote and Planner (or to Do) to achieve this this requirement. We do understand the inconvenience and apologize for it.

Personally I completely agree with you, this is indeed a good addition to the current features of OneNote and Planner. It would be definitely ideal if we can add feature to link OneNote with Planner. Thank you for bringing thing to our attention.

We sincerely recommend you vote for this similar idea in OneNote Feedback Community: Link OneNote with Planner · Community (microsoft.com) Our Product Team is in-charge of the site and they are constantly checking the comments and feedback from our customer. Many features have been developed and improved based on users' comment.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding! I hope you keep safe and healthy always.

Tina | Microsoft Community Moderator

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task tracker onenote

Task management in Microsoft 365

Easily manage tasks across Microsoft 365

Access and update your tasks as you work, no matter which app you’re using.

See your tasks where you work

Stay focused and productive wherever you go. See your tasks across your lists as you move between apps and devices.

Manage tasks and work with Microsoft 365

Teams

Stay on top of all your tasks

View all your tasks from Microsoft To Do and Microsoft Planner with Tasks in Microsoft Teams. Plus, create tasks from Teams messages and publish tasks from corporate to frontline workers.

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Convert emails to tasks

Flag emails or drag them into the Microsoft To Do pane to create and manage tasks directly in Outlook for the web.

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Focus on what matters

Keep track of individual tasks in Microsoft To Do using intelligent features to collect, prioritize, and accomplish what’s most important.

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Get more work done as a team

Manage team tasks with Planner. Build Kanban boards, add content-rich tasks, get visual status, and collaborate within Planner or Tasks in Microsoft Teams.

task tracker onenote

Collaborate on shared Microsoft 365 documents

Use @mentions within comments in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to create and assign tasks. 1  Receive an email notification when you’re assigned a task, see a preview of the document, and reply directly from Outlook.

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Get the most out of task management in Microsoft 365

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Manage all your tasks in Microsoft Teams

Bring together your individual tasks from Microsoft To Do and team tasks from Planner and manage them all in one place with Tasks in Microsoft Teams.

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Align tasks from corporate to the frontline

Plan centrally, manage regionally, and execute locally—all with one task management tool that provides real-time visibility across all your frontline locations.

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Choose the right tool for managing work

Determine the best tool for managing your work—Microsoft To Do, Planner, Tasks in Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Lists, or Microsoft Project—with our when-to-use guides.

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Create tasks from flagged emails

Flag emails in Outlook for the web to add them as tasks in Microsoft To Do and manage them alongside your other tasks using features such as due dates, reminders, and My Day.

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See tasks from Planner in Microsoft To Do

Automatically sync your Planner assignments to the dedicated "Assigned to you" list in To Do to manage all your individual tasks in one app.

Read more about task management

Organize your day from start to finish with task management, digital productivity tools to maximize your executive function skills, how task management software can help your teams transition to a hybrid workplace, using task management software to reduce wasted time.

Get best-in-class productivity and task management apps with intelligent cloud services that transform the way you work with Microsoft 365.

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5 Little-Known Microsoft OneNote Features You Didn't Know You Needed

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Microsoft OneNote is a popular platform that you can use to organize thoughts, jot down ideas, and collaborate seamlessly. Like most Microsoft Office 365 apps and other digital notebooks, project management, and productivity tools , it comes with a wide range of features, some of which are commonly known. This includes essential functions such as creating notebooks, sections, and pages, as well as the ability to insert text, images, and hyperlinks. However, while these fundamental features lay the groundwork for effective note-taking, what many users may not realize is that Microsoft OneNote is also packed with a bunch of lesser-known tools that can significantly enhance productivity, streamline tasks, and introduce a new dimension to the overall user experience.

Below, we share the five lesser-known features of OneNote that can change how you interact with this powerful tool. These features will improve your productivity, foster creativity, and shift the way you approach your daily note-taking rituals. You can make use of them even if you are using the Microsoft Office app for free .

Customize and organize

Not everyone likes the default themes and templates that come with Microsoft apps. Fortunately, you have the option to customize your experience by choosing your favorite template as default and organizing your notes using tabs.

To set up a default template:

  • Open OneNote and right-click on the targeted note.
  • Choose Set as Default Template from the context menu.

You also have the option to change the default font if you are not satisfied with the current settings. For that:

  • In OneNote, navigate to File > Options.
  • Move to the General tab and navigate to the Default font section in the right pane.
  • Pick the font of your choice. You can also choose a size and color.
  • Click OK to save the changes.

Another way to enhance organization in OneNote is through tagging. You can apply labels to specific sections or elements within your notes and they can serve as visual cues to highlight important information, categorize content, or mark tasks for follow-up. For instance, if you're a student, you might create tags for different subjects or study topics. As you take notes, you can easily tag key points or concepts for quick reference later.

To create a tag in OneNote:

  • Head over to the Home tab.
  • Click on the star icon in the toolbar.
  • Select Create New Tag.
  • Give your tag a name and other attributes.
  • Click Create.

You can access this tag by clicking the forward arrow in the To-Do and Important section.

Change the interface

Microsoft OneNote provides various features and tools that mimic the functionality of a traditional notebook, making the digital note-taking experience feel more familiar and intuitive. However, what isn't commonly known is that it also allows you to change the interface of your notes to mimic an actual notebook.

Here is how you can do that:

  • Open OneNote and head over to the View tab.
  • Expand the Rule Lines option in the toolbar.
  • You can now pick a background of your choice from the list of options available. If you choose a rule line template, you can further customize it by clicking Rule Line > Rule Line Color and picking the color you like. By default, the rule lines are set to blue. In the same context menu, you can also click on Always create pages with rule line if you want to make it your default preference.

Apart from this, you also have the option to change the page color by expanding the Page Color option and picking an option of your choice.

Solve math equations and formulas

Picture this: you're in a lecture or a meeting putting every important point down on OneNote, and the speaker starts scribbling down a string of equations on the whiteboard. Typically, you would note these down on paper using a pen or enter them in Excel. However, OneNote has a feature that can allow you to jot down these formulas in real time using the built-in math tools, without having to switch to another app.

It comes with a range of functions to manipulate and analyze equations right within your notes. You can solve quadratic equations, plot a graph to visualize your data, and perform other complicated tasks easily.

To access this feature, head over to the Draw section in OneNote. Click on the three dots at the far-right side of the toolbar and choose Ink to math. You can now draw your equation in the dialog. It will appear as a mathematical formula in the same dialog. Once you are done, click Insert to add the formula to your note.

This can be a great feature for students and professionals in STEM fields. Even if math isn't your forte, you can use it when you are working with numbers, like creating a budget sheet.

Convert handwritten text

Using a pen to write on your tablet or phone is a more natural experience. It allows you to have greater precision and control, which makes it easy to sketch diagrams, annotate documents, or jot down ideas. However, the real challenge often comes afterward; deciphering our own handwriting or manually transcribing those notes into a digital format. It's a tedious and time-consuming process that can detract from the productivity and efficiency of our work.

Interestingly, Microsoft OneNote comes with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which works by analyzing the shapes and patterns of handwritten or printed text and converting them into digital characters that can be edited and searched.

To make use of this feature:

  • Write or draw on your device's touchscreen or input device as you would with pen and paper.
  • Once you're done, click on the Lasso Select tool option in the Draw tab.
  • Now, double-click and drag the cursor around the handwriting that you want to convert.
  • Click Ink to Text in the Draw tab.

OneNote will then convert your handwriting to typed text. You can edit, format, or copy the text as you like.

Translate your pages

Whether you're studying a foreign language, collaborating with international colleagues, or simply encountering content in a language you're not fluent in, having a translation tool can be incredibly helpful.

OneNote allows you to translate entire pages or specific sections, which means you can focus on the content that matters most to you. Moreover, OneNote supports a wide range of languages, ensuring that you can translate content into or from most major languages around the world.

To translate a document:

  • Open the targeted document in OneNote.
  • Head over to the Review tab and choose Translate.
  • Click the Translate page option.
  • A left pane will now pop open. Go to the Page tab in the pane and expand the dropdown for the To option. Pick the language in which you want to translate the page. Click Translate.

In case you want to translate a section of your document:

  • In OneNote, go to the Review tab and click Translate.
  • Choose Translate Selected Text.
  • Move to the left pane and enter the text you want to translate in the text box.
  • Expand the dropdown for To and pick the language in which you want to translate the targeted text.
  • Click Translate.

Your entire document or a piece of it, based on your selection will now be translated into your preferred language.

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Use collaborative meeting notes in Teams

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Loop Components

Give input to your coworkers seamlessly by sending a table, bulleted list, and more that everyone in the chat or channel can edit inline—and see changes instantly. go to Everyone in your chat will be able to edit your message.

Go to the messaging area and start with a blank message.

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Enter some content to guide your collaboration.

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Collaborative Notes

Bring inclusion and accountability to your teammates with collaborative notes. All meeting participants can add agenda items, co-edit notes, and track follow-up tasks.

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The Meet app

The Meet app in Microsoft Teams is the one place to manage all your meeting activities. 

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See what meetings are coming up, and request to record ones in advance by selecting  Record meeting  under the meeting.

Join the meeting from the Meet app by selecting  Join  under the meeting.

Let people know you're running late by selecting  Running late , which sends a message to all attendees in the meeting chat.

Get more done with Meet in Teams

Send a Loop component in Microsoft Teams chats

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