Product Description

OneNote 2003 is a new program in the MicrosoftOffice System that enables you to capture, organize, and reuse your notes onlaptop computers, desktop computers, or Tablet PCs. It gives you one place tostore all your notes and the freedom to work with them how you want. OneNote2003 also helps you capture information in multiple ways and then organize anduse it according to your needs. OneNote 2003 combines the freedom and flexibility of paper notes with theefficiency and power of digital organizational tools, enabling you to work withyour notes and information more productively.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2221 in Software
• Brand: Microsoft
• Model: 805529317659
• Released on: 2003-10-21
• Platforms: Windows XP, Windows 2000
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .57 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The note-taking habit is a great deal older than computers. OneNote 2003 aims to combine the convenience of paper notes with things computers do best, such as organising, searching and electronically storing. OneNote works on ordinary desktop and laptop computers, but has special support for the Tablet PC, where you work with a pen rather than a keyboard.

Personal information managers such as Outlook 2003 let you make and store notes, but OneNote 2003 is more sophisticated. Notes are organised into folders, with each folder having pages, sub-pages and tabbed sections. Each note can contain text, images and audio recordings, and you can add user-definable flags indicating such things as to-do tasks or questions for follow-up. Outlining is built-in, so you can show and hide different levels. On the Tablet PC there is full support for handwriting, with the option to convert it to text, or you can create free-form drawings on any kind of PC. Notes can be shared on a network or emailed to others. There is no OneNote viewer, but by default OneNote documents get sent both in native format and as HTML, which makes for a bulky email but should ensure readability.

The best feature of OneNote 2003 is synchronisation with audio recordings. Go to a meeting, set OneNote 2003 to record, and take notes in the normal way. When you review the notes, you can jump to the exact spot in the audio for each note. It's a great time saver. OneNote 2003 is an innovative application that works best on a Tablet but is also useful for note addicts on ordinary PCs. --Tim Anderson

Manufacturer's Description
Take notes anywhere
Take notes anywhere on the page and put information wherever you want. You can move your cursor to any place on the screen and start typing.
Record audio notes
Record audio notes that are synchronized to your written notes to make sure you don't miss something important.
Handwrite your notes
Handwrite your notes or draw diagrams and pictures using a Tablet PC or a pen input device on your laptop computer or desktop computer.
Put pictures, text, and information from the Web into OneNote 2003
Put pictures, text, and other information from a Web site directly into OneNote 2003 using the drag-and-drop operation. OneNote automatically includes the Web address for you so that you can reference the information later.
Customize how you work
Create as many notebooks, folders, and pages as you need; customize them for how you work; and keep them all in one convenient place.
Search your notes
Search your notes quickly and find what you need without having to know in which notebook, folder, or file you saved that information.
Create and search Note Flags
Create and search Note Flags to highlight urgent action items. Your important tasks and reminders will always be easy to find.
Combine, format, and your rearrange notes
Combine, format, and rearrange notes by using a drag-and-drop operation to organize your notes in a way that makes sense to you.
Find your most recent notes
Immediately find your most recent notes without having to search through your folders or files. OneNote 2003 always opens at the page and notebook where you were last working.
Write down important notes or leave reminders with Quick Pane
Write down pertinent information or leave yourself reminders with the OneNote Quick Pane, which can floator stay open on top of the other programs you are using.
Automatically save your data
Enjoy the security of knowing you won't lose data. Everything you capture in OneNote 2003 is automatically saved for you.
Move, reformat, or combine notes from previous notebooks
Move, reformat, or combine notes from previous notebooks so that you can use them for other projects, tasks, or meetings.
Use your notes in other Microsoft Office System programs
Use your notes in other Microsoft Office System programs such as Microsoft Office Word 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, or Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003.
E-mail your notes or publish them to a Web site
E-mail your notes or publish them to a Web site, such as one built with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, so that you can share important points and ideas with others.

Customer Reviews

Does the business
I first tried OneNote as a trial with Office 2003 Pro. Before installation I wasn't sure I had a need for it but now I wouldn't want to be without it. It really has made a difference both in terms of business productivity and personal organisation. I find its drag and drop approach simple to use meaning I return to the program time and time again. Sure there is other software out there that could achieve the same but it just wouldn't let you do it so quickly or easily. Little touches make the difference: your notebook is saved automatically at intervals and on exit ensuring you can get on with your work, OneNote will add a hyperlink when you incorporate data from the net so you don't lose your source, you can create Outlook tasks within this program and flag and view your important data (for example, to do items) in a variety of ways.

Once I started using OneNote I knew it would help on a business level; what I have found most surprising is the amount I use it personally. Not just for 'sticky' type notes (as you would in Outlook) but in terms of planning and drawing together information, ideas and pictures from a variety of sources.

It is ideal for those who prefer to work with a paper notebook 'feel' (as opposed to page upon page of linear text) but want the functionality offered by computer applications such as search, sort and voice recording. Its great for mindmapping and if you write creatively this is a good place to keep those ideas and images that can crop up at any time. I imagine it would be a good journal space too.

No 'must-have' extra kit is required: I don't use a tablet pc and would say it isn't essential to get the most out of this software. I do input drawings and writing via a graphics tablet at times but at others just use a keyboard and mouse.

OneNote has its own file format but it's no problem if people you want to share with don't have a copy of the software; pages can also be saved for view in a browser (or, if you have already got PDF creation software, you can of course distribute in this format).

If you're still undecided there's a tour and online trial at the Microsoft office site.

Lecture Notes Solution!!
I prefer storing notes and documents on the computer, but I had a problem when attempting to store the myriad scribblings garnered during many university lectures. I hate typing notes in lectures, as I can never seem to keep up with the lecturer, and especially when the only program I had that was suitable was MS Word. I received this program as a gift, and was slightly bemused as I had never heard of it. But, 3 lectures later, I was singing it's praises. It's fantastic, letting you have a new section for each module, and then pages within for each section/lecture/topic. I am chronically unorganised, and with this program I didn't have to worry about losing bits of paper with vitally important scribbled notes on. Another very good feature with this program is a very overlooked one - the ability to doodle and draw pretty pictures, a vitally important feature for those looooong, never-ending lectures.
Of course, there are some features that are only available on tablet PC's, which most students won't have, but I have found if you team a laptop with a cheap graphics tablet then, hey presto, handwritten notes without much expense.
This program is a must for students - organises itself, comes in pretty colours, doodle-friendly, and you'll never lose those notes from that lecture that you know are around here somewhere...

Stupendously good!
As an inveterate user of the Notes feature within Outlook, OneNote was the application I didn't know I needed. Easy to install and intuitive to use I can fully endorse this software. You can even download a 60 day trial from Microsoft which is more than enough to give it a thorough test drive.

There are two modest issues to be aware of. First is that the OneNote database (i.e. where all your scribblings live) can get quite big depending on how you use OneNote. You will need a fairly up-to-date PC with sufficient RAM. I feel that Microsoft's stated system requirements are at best optimistic. Second is you do want to back this up (just like everthing else) onto separate media.