For example, for all CPE sessions I attend, I capture the name of the presenter, the code that I need to track for my CPE credit, and any relevant URLs. With page templates, you can automate the inclusion of certain elements on all new pages in a Section. So many, in fact, that we are providing you with four tips this month and four more in the December Technology Q&A. You can do a lot of cool things with OneNote. One of the beauties of OneNote is the ability to easily move pages around in the future if you choose. Don't worry about making a mistake as you get organized. A single Section called 'Random Notes' is great for the onesies that do not belong anywhere else. In other words, do not create a Section if you are going to have only one Page in it.

Similarly, to create a Subpage, right- click on the Page you want to nest, and select make Subpage.Īs a rule, it is not necessary to use a Section, Section Group, or Subpages unless you need at least two subitems. To create a Section Group, right- click in the Notebook area and select New Section Group. That will automatically create a Page as well, which you can name by typing above the time stamp, as was done in the second screenshot below.Ī good way to think about OneNote's architecture is to envision it in the form of an outline, represented in the screenshot above. Click on the tab with the plus (+) sign to create a Section. If you are new to OneNote, simply open the app and it automatically creates a new Notebook like the one shown in the first screenshot below. Think of Sections as you would dividers in your three- ring binders in school.

Sections are used to organize around an overall theme of related notes.

In general, you need only two Notebooks, one for personal use and one for business.

Notebooks are best understood as being like a paper notebook, albeit one with unlimited pages.

OneNote consists of three core components: Notebooks, Sections, and Pages. To demonstrate the power of OneNote, I used it for something all of us CPAs are familiar with: organizing our CPE.īefore we jump into that, let's look at OneNote's architecture. The key to success with OneNote is having a good understanding of its architecture and enabling some of the less obvious features that supercharge the tool.

Can you provide some tips and additional resources for learning how to set up and use OneNote?Ī. I've started using OneNote more over the past couple of years, but everything I do has been based on trial and error.

Examples of onenote notebooks