Evernote and Metadata

Software
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I have been an Evernote user for about 10 years. I store many types of electronic data in it, including documents. I also use Onenote for some specific use cases, mainly for its beautiful integration of handwriting and annoting with the Apple Pencil. I use it to take notes in presentation situations. I have used Evernote for this as well, and type very well on my iPad, but nobody quite has the same integration with the pencil. I haven’t put everything into Onenote, as I don’t think that its filing system is robust enough to handle it.

I have recently thought about using just the file system for electronic documents. You know, folders, subfolders, tags, and use Spotlight Search to bring up things. But one thing you can do in Evernote. You can save the PDF of the document in the note, but you can also keep metadata in that note. Things like who the document came from, payment dates, or any other types of notes you need about it. If I just save a PDF of the scan (or electronic) document, that all goes away.

I was thinking that I could use a PDF editting system to add a page, and store it there, but it seems to add a bit of complexity.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

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So I do think your proposed solution is more complex, BUT you could also argue it could be a more lasting system since you are embedding the important/relevant information in the file itself. Therefore, the PDF becomes agnostic of where you store it, making it more portable (and easier to change your system in the future).

I don’t think it’s a bad idea, to be honest. But yes, more steps.

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One pretty interesting thing that I found… on most files, in finder, you click the information icon and are able to fill in a description. That could work as well.

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