Evernote Business - Detailed Review
Collaboration Tools
Evernote Business - Detailed Review Contents
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Evernote Business - Product Overview
Evernote Business Overview
Evernote Business is a sophisticated collaboration and communication tool within the Evernote suite, specifically designed to meet the needs of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and larger enterprises.Primary Function
The primary function of Evernote Business is to facilitate seamless collaboration, communication, and information management across various devices and platforms. It allows users to capture, organize, and retrieve different types of content, including notes, documents, images, and audio recordings, ensuring that information is accessible and synchronized across all devices.Target Audience
Evernote Business is targeted at businesses, particularly SMBs, as well as larger enterprises. Its user base includes professionals who need to manage meeting notes, project plans, and collaborative tasks. It is also beneficial for entrepreneurs and small business owners who require efficient task management and strategic planning tools.Key Features
Collaboration Tools
- Business Notebooks: These are shared notebooks that allow entire teams to access and contribute to documents and information. They can be shared individually or published in the company’s Business Library.
- Personal Notebooks: Private notebooks for individual users, which can be used in conjunction with Business Notebooks.
- Business Library: A centralized repository where information from Business Notebooks is stored and managed by administrators.
Integration and Accessibility
- Cross-Platform Syncing: Users can sync and view work documents across multiple platforms, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, Web, Windows, and Android devices.
- Offline Access: Notes are available even without an internet connection, making it ideal for working on the go.
Productivity and Organization
- Tasks and Calendar Integration: Users can create, organize, and assign tasks within notes and integrate with Google Calendar to manage events and related notes.
- Geographic Search: Notes can be searched based on their location, adding a spatial dimension to information retrieval.
- Spaces: A feature that allows teams to view, share, and edit collections of related notes and notebooks in one place.
Administrative and Security Features
- Admin Console: Administrators can manage team account information, users, and content all in one place.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Enhances security by streamlining account access.
- Activity History: Allows monitoring, searching, and generating reports on account changes made by team members.
Additional Tools
- Document Scanning and Storage: Users can digitalize paper documents effortlessly.
- Handwriting Recognition: Enables the recognition of handwritten notes, bridging the gap between traditional and digital note-taking.
- PDF Annotation: Allows users to annotate PDFs, which is useful for contract edits or design changes.
Evernote Business - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of Evernote Business is crafted to be intuitive, elegant, and highly functional, particularly in the context of collaboration and AI-driven tools.Interface Design
Evernote has recently unveiled a fresh new user interface for 2024, featuring an elegant and simplified design. This update includes enhanced readability and a rejuvenated visual identity with a modern color palette and vibrant patterns. The new UI is designed to provide a superior experience without disrupting the familiar habits and workflows of existing users.Ease of Use
The interface is clean and intuitive, allowing users to take notes quickly and efficiently. Evernote Business ensures that users can capture their ideas at the speed of thought, thanks to its streamlined and user-friendly design. The platform integrates seamlessly with various third-party applications, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Office, and Slack, making it easy to incorporate into existing business workflows.Collaboration Features
Evernote Business excels in collaboration, offering features like real-time collaboration on shared notebooks, allowing multiple users to edit notes simultaneously. This facilitates seamless teamwork and idea exchange. The platform also includes “Spaces,” which enable teams to view, share, and edit collections of related notes and notebooks in one place, enhancing team collaboration and productivity.Organization and Search
The interface is equipped with advanced organization tools, including customizable notebooks and stacks that provide a hierarchical structure for organizing notes. Users can assign multiple tags to notes, facilitating easy categorization and retrieval through keyword-based searches. Evernote Business also offers deep search capabilities, allowing users to search for keywords inside PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, and even handwritten notes and whiteboard images.Accessibility and Mobility
Evernote Business ensures high accessibility and mobility. The platform is cross-platform compatible, allowing users to access and update their notes on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. It also offers offline access to notes, ensuring users can view and edit their information without an internet connection. Notes are synchronized automatically across all connected devices, keeping users up-to-date with the latest information.Administrative and Support Features
For administrators, the interface includes an admin console where they can manage team account information, users, and content all in one place. Features like single sign-on (SSO) streamline account access while improving security. Additionally, Evernote Business provides concierge support, where support requests receive priority response, and users can also chat online with a support agent.Conclusion
Overall, the user interface of Evernote Business is designed to be user-friendly, efficient, and highly collaborative, making it an excellent tool for teams looking to streamline their work processes and enhance productivity. Evernote Business - Key Features and Functionality
Evernote Business Collaboration Tools and AI-Driven Features
Evernote Business offers a range of functionalities that enhance team productivity, organization, and collaboration. Here are the key features and how they work:Spaces
Spaces are a central feature in Evernote Business, allowing teams to organize notes and notebooks into a single, cohesive view. This feature enables teams to see all relevant information on a given topic or project in one place, complete with a feed, pinned critical notes, and customizable organization.Tasks and Assignments
Evernote Business allows users to create, organize, and assign tasks within notes. This helps teams keep track of to-do lists and action items, ensuring that important tasks do not get overlooked. Tasks can be assigned to colleagues, and progress can be tracked easily.Calendar Integration
The platform integrates with Google Calendar, enabling users to view upcoming events, find related notes, and create new meeting notes directly from calendar events. This integration helps teams stay on track and ensures that all relevant information is accessible in one place.Geographic Search
Evernote Business includes a geographic search feature that allows users to find notes based on the location where they were created. This can be particularly useful for teams working on projects that involve different locations.AI Agents
One of the significant advancements in Evernote Business is the integration of AI agents. These agents can parse through notes to understand context and intent, surfacing relevant information even before users know they need it. They excel at pattern recognition, identifying trends in note-taking habits, suggesting better organization methods, and predicting what kind of information users might need next. AI agents can also summarize long documents, highlight key points, and suggest next steps based on the content of the notes.Collaboration in Real Time
Evernote Business supports real-time collaboration, allowing team members to edit notes simultaneously. This feature facilitates smoother teamwork and faster project progression.Home View
The Home view in Evernote Teams provides a centralized dashboard where users can see their most relevant content. This view is customizable with widgets, pinned notes, and scratch pads, ensuring that important information is always front and center.Admin Console and Security
The Admin Console allows administrators to manage team account information, users, and content all in one place. Features like single sign-on (SSO) enhance security while streamlining account access. The Activity History feature enables monitoring, searching, and generating reports on account changes made by team members.Mobile Offline Notes
Evernote Business ensures that notes are available anywhere, anytime, even without an internet connection. This is particularly useful for teams working on the go, such as during flights or international travel.Large File Storage and Uploads
The platform supports larger note sizes (up to 200 MB) and higher monthly upload limits (20 GB 2 GB per user), allowing teams to store high-resolution photos, presentations, and other large files. Additionally, features like business card scanning and PDF annotation enhance the utility of stored documents.Search and Image Recognition
Evernote Business includes advanced search capabilities, allowing users to search within images, PDFs, and Office documents. The faster image recognition feature ensures that text within images is searchable sooner, making it easier to find what you need quickly.Note History
Users can view past versions of notes, review changes made, and revert to older versions if necessary. This feature helps in tracking changes and maintaining version control.Integrations
Evernote Business integrates with various apps that teams already use, enhancing productivity with less effort. For example, using Zapier, teams can automate workflows by connecting Evernote with AI tools to extract, summarize, and transform data. These features collectively make Evernote Business a powerful tool for team collaboration, organization, and productivity, significantly enhanced by the integration of AI agents. Evernote Business - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy Evaluation of Evernote Business
Search Functionality
Evernote Business boasts advanced search capabilities, which are a significant strength. The search feature is characterized by its precision, allowing users to employ special commands to search within notebooks, by creation date, or content type. It also supports searching within various file formats such as images, PDFs, and audio files. This precision is particularly useful for finding specific information even in a large archive of notes. However, there is a notable limitation. While Evernote’s search is precise, it can be slower compared to other search engines. Some users have reported that searches in Evernote can take significantly longer than a Google search, which can be frustrating for those who need quick access to their notes.AI Capabilities
Evernote Business integrates AI agents that significantly enhance its functionality. These AI agents can parse through notes to understand context and intent, surface relevant information, and even predict what kind of information users might need next. They excel at pattern recognition, identifying trends in note-taking habits, and suggesting better organization methods. Additionally, they can summarize long documents, highlight key points, and suggest next steps based on the content of the notes. This AI-driven assistance transforms Evernote from a passive storage tool to an active participant in the user’s workflow, making it highly effective for managing and leveraging information.Collaboration Features
Evernote Business offers strong collaboration features. Users can edit notes simultaneously, assign critical tasks, track progress, and use shared notebooks and Spaces to build a company wiki or share project information. These features enable seamless real-time collaboration, helping teams to work smarter and faster together.Security and Organization
The platform allows for creating a clear source of truth with a document repository that is easily searchable and secure with access permissions. This ensures that important files are kept safe and accessible only to authorized team members.Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, there are areas where Evernote Business could improve. The speed of the search function is a significant concern, as mentioned earlier. Users have expressed frustration over the delay in search results, especially when compared to the speed of external search engines like Google. Additionally, while Evernote’s AI capabilities are advanced, they may not be fully utilized by all users. There could be a need for more intuitive onboarding resources to help users get the full value of these AI features quickly.Conclusion
In summary, Evernote Business excels in precision and depth of search, AI-driven insights, and collaboration features. However, it faces challenges with search speed and may benefit from improved onboarding to maximize the use of its AI capabilities. Evernote Business - Pricing and Plans
Evernote Pricing Overview
Evernote offers a structured pricing system for its business and individual users, each with distinct features and limitations. Here’s a breakdown of the different plans, particularly focusing on the business and collaboration aspects:Evernote Free Plan
- This plan is more basic and suitable for light users.
- It includes syncing up to two devices, 60 MB of monthly uploads, and a 25 MB maximum note size.
- Users can clip web pages, attach files, and use up to three widgets.
- As of December 4, 2023, Free users are limited to 50 notes and one notebook per account, though they can still view, edit, export, share, and delete existing content beyond these limits.
Evernote Personal Plan
- This plan is geared towards individual users who need more advanced features.
- It costs $10.83 per user per month billed annually or $14.99 per user per month billed monthly.
- Features include syncing unlimited devices, 10 GB of monthly uploads, a 200 MB maximum note size, due dates, reminders, notifications, custom templates, and image/PDF markup.
Evernote Professional Plan
- This plan is ideal for users needing advanced collaboration and integration features.
- It costs $14.17 per user per month billed annually or $17.99 per user per month billed monthly.
- Key features include 20 GB monthly uploads, access to all widgets, Boolean and geographic search capabilities, and integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other apps.
Evernote Teams Plan
- This plan is designed for teams and organizations requiring collaborative tools and administrative controls.
- It costs $20.83 per user per month billed annually or $24.99 per user per month billed monthly.
- Features include 20 GB monthly uploads plus 2 GB per user, shared spaces for collaboration, and a dedicated Success Manager for teams with 25 seats.
- Additional features include centralized management, team collaboration tools, and enhanced admin security controls.
Key Features of Evernote Teams Plan
- Collaboration: Work together in shared spaces.
- Administrative Controls: Enhanced security and management features.
- Integration: Integrates with various business tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Calendar.
- Storage: 20 GB monthly uploads plus 2 GB per user.
- Support: Dedicated Success Manager for teams with 25 seats.
Free Trial
Evernote offers a free trial for both the Personal and Professional plans (7-day trial) and a longer trial for teams (30-day trial).Summary
In summary, the Evernote Teams plan is the most suitable for business and collaboration needs, offering advanced features and administrative controls that facilitate teamwork and productivity. Evernote Business - Integration and Compatibility
Evernote Business Overview
Evernote Business is a powerful note-taking and collaboration tool that integrates seamlessly with a variety of other applications and platforms, enhancing team productivity and efficiency.Integrations with Other Tools
Evernote Business integrates with several popular tools to streamline workflows and facilitate better collaboration:Google Docs
This integration allows teams to attach Google Docs files to their Evernote Business notes, enabling real-time collaboration on documents. Users can create, edit, and share files directly within the Evernote Business dashboard, ensuring all related documents are centralized and easily accessible.
Slack and Microsoft Teams
Integrating Evernote Business with these communication platforms enables teams to share notes, collaborate on projects, and manage tasks more efficiently. For instance, with Microsoft Teams, users can reference, share, pin, edit, and search Evernote content directly within the Teams app, keeping everyone on the same page.
Salesforce
This integration streamlines workflows by allowing users to save and access customer information directly within their Salesforce account. It reduces the need to switch between applications, saving time and minimizing errors in records.
Notion
Evernote Business and Notion integration enables teams to organize, share, and access information seamlessly. Notion’s customizable workspace integrates various tools and databases, simplifying project management and enhancing task management, note-taking, and knowledge sharing.
Trello
By connecting Evernote Business with Trello, teams can attach detailed notes directly to Trello cards, ensuring all essential information is readily available within their task management setup. This integration streamlines workflows, reduces time spent searching for information, and improves team collaboration.
WORKetc
This integration allows users to sync WORKetc projects into Evernote, turning notes into project updates and notifying team members. It also enables the assignment of tasks and the automatic creation of sales leads by adding specific tags to notes.
Compatibility Across Different Platforms and Devices
Evernote Business is highly compatible across various operating systems and devices:Desktop Operating Systems
Evernote Business is compatible with macOS (Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave) and Windows 10 and newer versions (both 32-bit and 64-bit).
Mobile Devices
It supports iOS 13 and newer versions for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, as well as Android 10 and newer versions. For Chromebooks, Android 11 and newer versions are supported.
Web Version
Evernote Business also has a web version that works on desktop browsers, allowing users to access their notes and documents from any device with an internet connection.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Evernote ensures that users can access their notes and collaborate across different devices and platforms, whether they are using a Mac, Windows PC, or mobile device. This cross-platform compatibility makes it easy for teams to work together seamlessly, regardless of their device preferences.
Conclusion
In summary, Evernote Business offers a wide range of integrations with other tools and platforms, which significantly enhance team collaboration, productivity, and information management. Its compatibility across various operating systems and devices ensures that users can access and share information effortlessly, regardless of the device they use. Evernote Business - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options
For general customer service inquiries and concerns, you can contact Evernote through various channels:Phone Support
You can reach Evernote customer service at 1-650-257-0885. This is the most commonly used method, although it’s noted that customers often face short hold times but may not always speak with a real person.Email Support
Evernote provides several email addresses for different types of inquiries. For general customer service, you can use support@evernote.com. Other specific email addresses are available for issues related to business partnerships, press inquiries, and more.Live Chat
Evernote offers a live chat feature on their official website. You can initiate a chat by clicking the blue chat icon at the bottom right corner of the page. This service is available between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST.Additional Resources
Help & Learning Center
Evernote has a comprehensive Help & Learning section on their website where you can find articles and guides to help you troubleshoot common issues and learn how to use the platform effectively. Additionally, you can get assistance from other Evernote users in the discussion forums.Business Notebooks and Libraries
Evernote Business introduces Business Notebooks and Libraries, which are central to team collaboration. Business Notebooks allow teams to store and share company information, while Business Libraries are collections of these notebooks that all team members can access. This ensures that important documents, policies, and forms are readily available to everyone in the organization.Spaces
Evernote Business features “Spaces,” a tool that helps teams collaborate more effectively. Spaces act as a central hub where teams can share ideas, information, and inspiration. It includes features like “What’s new” and “Pinned notes” tiles to keep team members updated on changes and highlight important activities. This helps teams stay organized and focused on their projects.Admin Console
The Evernote Business Admin Console allows administrators to manage users, view and manage Business Notebooks, and oversee the entire knowledge base of the organization. This centralized management makes it easier to invite new users and manage existing ones.Developer and API Support
For developers, Evernote provides resources and support for integrating their applications with Evernote. You can find available integrations in the Evernote App Center and get support for developing new integrations through the Developer / API Support section. By leveraging these support options and resources, Evernote Business users can ensure they get the help they need to maximize their productivity and collaboration. Evernote Business - Pros and Cons
When Considering Evernote Business as a Collaboration Tool
Advantages
- Real-Time Collaboration: Evernote allows teams to edit notes simultaneously, facilitating real-time collaboration and helping to move projects forward efficiently.
- Centralized Workspace: It provides a centralized place where team members can manage their notes, assigned tasks, and schedules, keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring that important information is easily accessible.
- Seamless Sharing and Tracking: You can share notes with anyone, even if they don’t use Evernote, and track the progress of tasks and projects, including setting reminders and notifications to keep the team aligned.
- Integrations: Evernote integrates with other apps you already use, making it easier to be more productive with less effort, such as bringing conversations from Slack and Gmail into your notes.
- Customizable Dashboards: Users can personalize their dashboards with customizable widgets, adding flexibility to their workflow.
- Multiple Data Entry Methods: Evernote supports various data entry methods such as typing, recording voice notes, and capturing images, making it easy to capture and store information in the format that best suits the user’s needs.
Disadvantages
- Limited Free Plan: The free plan of Evernote comes with significant limitations, including 60 MB monthly uploads, 25 MB max note size, and synchronization between only up to two devices, which can be restrictive for teams needing more robust features.
- Expensive Premium Plans: Evernote’s premium plans are considered expensive compared to other note-taking and collaboration tools, with a starting price of $8/month, higher than many of its competitors.
- Limited AI Features: Evernote has limited AI features, often available only in the premium versions, which can be a drawback for users looking for more advanced AI-driven capabilities.
- No Password Protection for Notes: Evernote does not offer the ability to password-protect individual notes, which can be a security concern for users handling sensitive information.
- Not Suitable for Large-Scale Enterprise Document Management: While Evernote is great for individuals and small teams, it may not be the best choice for large-scale enterprise document management, lacking the comprehensive features needed for managing extensive documents in larger organizations.
By weighing these pros and cons, you can make an informed decision about whether Evernote Business meets your team’s collaboration and productivity needs.
Evernote Business - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Evernote Business
- Real-Time Collaboration: Evernote Business allows multiple team members to edit notes simultaneously, facilitating seamless teamwork and idea exchange. This feature is particularly useful for collaborative projects and meetings.
- Centralized Information: Evernote enables teams to manage notes, assigned tasks, and schedules in one centralized place. Shared notebooks and Spaces help build a company wiki, track campaign results, and apply insights to upcoming projects.
- Advanced Search and Organization: Users can search for keywords inside various document types, including PDFs, documents, and spreadsheets. The advanced tagging system and customizable notebooks and stacks make it easy to categorize and retrieve information.
- Admin Control and Support: Evernote Business provides administrators with a transparent overview of the account, allowing them to manage users, content, and tags. It also includes dedicated support, such as a Success Manager, and VIP support for larger teams.
- Integration with Other Apps: Evernote works seamlessly with other apps and tools, enhancing productivity and reducing effort.
Potential Alternatives
Onethread
- Task Management and Collaboration: Onethread combines note-taking with robust project management features, allowing teams to create tasks, assign them, and track progress all within the app. It also supports real-time collaboration on notes, similar to Evernote.
- Streamlined Communication: Onethread focuses on integrating task management within notes, which can be more project management-oriented than Evernote’s general note-taking approach.
Other Alternatives
- Cost-Effectiveness: For small businesses or individuals on a budget, alternatives like Simplenote or Bear might offer comparable features at lower costs or even for free. These options often lack the advanced collaboration features but provide a more cost-effective solution.
- Interface Simplicity: If the interface of Evernote seems complex, alternatives like OneNote or Simplenote offer more intuitive and user-friendly experiences. These tools may not have all the advanced features but are easier to use for beginners.
- Advanced Collaboration Features: Tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp provide more extensive project management and collaboration features, which might be necessary for teams requiring advanced task management and project tracking capabilities.
- Text Formatting and Storage: For users needing more sophisticated text formatting options or generous storage, alternatives like Notion or Quip could be more suitable. These tools often provide more flexible formatting and larger storage limits compared to Evernote.
Key Considerations
- Data Privacy and Security: Some users may have concerns over data privacy. Alternatives like Nextcloud Notes or self-hosted solutions might offer more robust privacy features for those prioritizing security.
- Integration and Compatibility: Evernote’s integration with various apps is a strong point, but other tools like Notion or OneNote also offer extensive integration capabilities. It’s important to check which integrations are most relevant to your specific needs.
Evernote Business - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Evernote Business
What is Evernote Business and how does it differ from personal plans?
Evernote Business is a collaboration tool designed for teams, differing significantly from the personal plans. It includes features like shared spaces, team notebooks, and advanced collaboration tools that are not available in the personal plans. With Evernote Business, you can organize notes and notebooks into shared spaces, allowing your team to see and collaborate on the same information easily.What are the key features of Evernote Business?
Key features of Evernote Business include shared spaces where you can organize notes and notebooks, team notebooks with enhanced sharing options, activity history to monitor account changes, single sign-on (SSO) for improved security, and centralized account administration. Additionally, it offers 20 GB of monthly uploads plus 2 GB per user, larger note sizes, and features like PDF annotation, business card scanning, and geographic search.How much does Evernote Business cost?
Evernote Business costs $20.83 per user per month when billed annually, or $24.99 per user per month when billed monthly. There is also a minimum team size requirement, but specific details on minimum team sizes may vary.Can I keep my existing Evernote account when joining an Evernote Business team?
Yes, you can keep your existing Evernote account. When you join an Evernote Business team, you will use your existing account for your individual notes and create a separate team account for team-related notes and notebooks. This ensures your personal notes remain separate and private.What is the difference between a notebook and a space in Evernote Business?
In Evernote Business, notebooks are used to organize individual notes, similar to the personal version. Spaces, however, are a unique feature of the Business plan that allow you to organize multiple notes and notebooks into a single, shared area. This makes it easier for teams to collaborate on projects or topics by having all relevant information in one place.How does the admin console work in Evernote Business?
The admin console in Evernote Business allows administrators to manage team account information, users, and content all in one place. This includes managing user access, monitoring activity history, and generating reports on account changes. It provides a centralized way to oversee and manage the team’s Evernote environment.Does Evernote Business support offline access?
Yes, Evernote Business supports offline access. Your notes are available on mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Android) even without an internet connection, making it convenient for working on the go.Can I integrate Evernote Business with other apps and tools?
Evernote Business offers integrations with various apps, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, and others. Additionally, you can connect your Google Calendar to view upcoming events and create new meeting notes directly from your calendar.What kind of support does Evernote Business offer?
Evernote Business provides concierge support, which means your support requests get priority response. You can also chat online with a support agent for immediate assistance.How does the single sign-on (SSO) feature work in Evernote Business?
The single sign-on (SSO) feature in Evernote Business streamlines account access while improving security. It allows users to log in to their Evernote Business account using their existing corporate credentials, eliminating the need to remember multiple passwords.Can I view past versions of notes in Evernote Business?
Yes, Evernote Business includes a note history feature that allows you to view past versions of notes, review changes made, and revert back to any of the older versions if needed.