365 Ninja’s

Ultimate Guide to
Microsoft OneNote

A Training Guide for Office 365 Users, from 365 Ninja

*Note: This document will be updated over time. Please check back to see the updates.
**For more tips on everything Office 365, please visit 365 Ninja
 Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What’s the difference between the OneNote
versions?
3. Getting started with OneNote
4. Sharing and collaborating
5. Organizing and customizing
6. Integrations and add-ons
7. OneNote for Education

© 2015 365 Ninja. 2

 Introduction

OneNote is Microsoft’s free-form note-taking application.

You can take basic notes, but you can also take your notes and organization
strategies to the next level with drawings, screen clippings, images, links, and
embedded files.

Beyond basic note-taking, OneNote can also be used in academia, for project
management, and for one-off items like to-do lists, outlines, shopping lists, and
journals. It integrates well with other Office apps and is also known for its powerful
search.

Office 365 users can access several different versions of OneNote. The version you
use and prefer depends on your individual needs.

This guide will provide tips, tricks, and comprehensive resources for using OneNote
no matter your experience level or industry. Just as on 365ninja.com, we are always
receptive to new ideas, questions, and anything else you’d like to share. If you have
feedback related to this document, don’t hesitate to email [email protected] or
reach out on social networks.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 3

 What’s the difference between the
OneNote versions?

If you have a PC, you most likely have two versions of OneNote installed. You also
have access to OneNote Online, and you might use OneNote on a mobile device, or
your Mac. While basic functions are consistent across all versions, understanding that
there are different versions can help avoid confusion.

OneNote 2013/2016 for PC

OneNote 2013 and OneNote 2016 are the most full-featured, and they’re the versions
that are usually being referred to when simply “OneNote” is used. In fact, the only
feature that it lacks is the radial menu (which is intended for touch devices).

If your Office 365 plan includes installed desktop versions of Office applications, or if
you buy a standalone Office 2013 or Office 2016 suite, this is the version of OneNote
you’ll have. While OneNote 2016 is the latest version of the application, many users
still use OneNote 2013, and there are very few differences between the two. Versions
prior to 2013 won’t be addressed in this guide. Anyone can now get the full-featured
version free from the OneNote site.

Windows 8/10 OneNote App

Windows users may find that they actually have two versions of OneNote on their
computers. That’s because Microsoft includes a free Windows version that comes
pre-installed. You may have heard it called the “metro” or “store” version of OneNote.
Sharing, password protection, picture editing, and ribbon/menu configuration may be
lacking in the Windows versions. You can read up on the differences here.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 4

 What’s the difference between the
OneNote versions? continued

OneNote for Mac and mobile

Microsoft does make a dedicated version of OneNote for Mac, which you can check
out in the Mac App Store here. From the OneNote site, you’ll also find links to
Windows Phone, iOS, Android, and Amazon versions. All of these versions allow you
to take basic notes, but features beyond that will vary.

OneNote Online (Web App)

OneNote Online lives alongside other Office 365 web applications, and like Excel
Online, Word Online, etc., lacks many features of the corresponding desktop versions.
If you have a Microsoft account and access to a browser, you can use OneNote
Online, but we recommend only using it when alternatives are unavailable.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 5

 Getting started with OneNote

When you first open OneNote, you’ll likely find it pretty intuitive, because its interface
looks and acts like a three-ring binder, with notebooks (the binder), sections (tabs),
and pages. A notebook can have multiple sections or just one; a section can have
multiple pages or just one, too. Most people are referring to a page when they say
“note” in the context of OneNote.

You can create as many notebooks, sections, and pages as you like. You’ll also
always have access to a tab called Quick Notes, which is a default section for storing
bits and pieces that you may keep, delete, or move. In OneNote 2013/2016, pressing
the Windows key + N opens up a Quick Note even if OneNote isn’t running. Learn
more about Quick Notes here.

(images from Microsoft)

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 Getting started with OneNote

Ready to get started? These posts and videos cover basic tasks you’ll perform
frequently in OneNote.

● To create your first notebook, and to get a quick refresher on OneNote basics,,
follow these instructions from Microsoft. (Note that the video refers to
OneNote 2013, but the steps and details are the same for OneNote 2016.)

● If you’re using OneNote Online, check out Microsoft’s list of basic tasks for the
web browser.

● Save and Sync Notebooks to OneDrive: Your OneNote notebooks will most
likely live in the cloud. This video provides an overview of the basic process that
you can use with OneNote to create a new notebook and store it on your
OneDrive for Business account. Reminder: OneNote doesn’t have a Save
command, because whether you’re storing in the cloud or not, your work is
automatically saved.

● There’s a variety of ways to link in OneNote. This video post shows you the
options. Remember your secret weapon: Ctrl + K.

● Two Easy Ways to Take Screenshots: OneNote handles images with ease --
you can insert or paste in images and even edit them in 2013/2016 -- and you
also have a couple easy ways to include screenshots in your notes.
○ If your screenshot or image includes words, you can pull text out (from
the image to your clipboard) like magic!

● How to Capture Audio and Video Without Leaving OneNote.

● Master list of adding content to OneNote. Have a question on how to add___?

It’s probably there.

● Do you want to keep certain content away from prying eyes? Check out How to
Password-Protect OneNote for instructions and some exceptions.

● Introduction to OneNote Search.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 7

 Sharing and collaborating

Depending on where and how you use OneNote, you might create a lot of notes for
your eyes only, but you also might use notebooks and pages for sharing and
collaborating with others. OneNote, like all other modern Office applications, is
designed for sharing.

● The Office team provides these basic steps on sharing your notebooks. If you
prefer, you can email your OneNote notes pages.

● Need to share with someone who doesn’t have a Microsoft account? If you
create a view link, your recipient will be able to open it in OneNote Online in
the browser, no account required. Alternatively, you can export your notes to
PDF and share the PDF.

● For more advanced sharing scenarios -- for example, sharing a notebook with a
team but setting aside one locked-down section where only a select few can
collaborate -- check out these instructions. (Plus more on creating private
spaces.)

● Tips on using OneNote and SharePoint together.

● How to Use OneNote to Take Awesome Meeting Notes: Unavoidable and

sometimes tedious, taking meeting notes is probably not your favorite activity.
But OneNote makes it easy to take notes, include important details and action
items, and distribute notes to other meeting participants.

● Use OneNote for a Business Training (as a Student).

● Use OneNote for a Business Training (as a Trainer).

● If you need to stop sharing a notebook, here’s how.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 8

 Organizing and customizing

OneNote organizational strategies are as varied as OneNote users. This section

contains some of our favorite elements for organizing and customizing your
notebooks, but you’re sure to develop some of your own.

Lists and tags

● Create To-Do Lists

● Make and Share Shopping Lists
● Create Custom Tags

Types of notebooks

● Wedding Planning (Another take.)

● Tracking Family Information
● Meal Planning
● Recipe Collection
● Genealogy Research
● Collaborative Writing Project
● Budgeting
● Travel and Vacation Planning
● Holiday Planning

Customizing

These customization tips apply to Office 2013/2016 in general, and implementing

them in OneNote can create a more personalized (and therefore more pleasant and
productive) experience.
● Change the Default Font Type and Size
● Disable/Remove the Start Screen
● Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
● Minimize or Auto-Hide the Ribbon
● Disable Automatic Bullets and Numbering

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 Integrations and add-ons

Human cannot live on OneNote alone! OneNote integrates with many other elements
of the Office suite, and you can also find great add-ons to extend its capabilities.

Integrations with Office

● Take Linked Notes

● Create an Outlook 2013/2016 Task From OneNote
● Outlook and OneNote Together for Project Management
● Embed an Excel Spreadsheet in OneNote
● Add a Visio Diagram to a Page
● Export your Notes to PDF
● OneNote & Sway

Add-ons and apps

● Office Lens: a pocket scanner that sends to OneNote.

● OneNote Clipper extension for Google Chrome
● Onetastic for OneNote: added functionality like calendar, custom styles, and
more.
● OneNote channel on IFTTT
● OneNote and News360: capture news stories to read later.
● OneNote + Feedly
● Connect OneNote to other apps with Zapier
● OneNote featured apps

© 2015 365 Ninja. 10

 OneNote for Education

OneNote is a powerful tool for educators, teachers, trainers, and students. So

powerful, in fact, that Microsoft created an entire site dedicated to OneNote in
Education (that’s worth checking out for everyone) and a special tool for teachers and
students, the OneNote Class Notebook (and Staff Notebook).

Class Notebook

● Staying organized
● Creating interactive lessons
● Collaborating and providing feedback
● Integrate Class Notebook with an LMS

Additional resources

● Back to School with OneNote webinar

● Cool examples of teachers using OneNote in education
● OneNote—the Swiss Army Knife of education
● How OneNote can evolve education
● OneNote—triangulation of evidence for learning and building 21st-century skills
● Bringing the teaching portfolio to the 21st century with OneNote
● OneNote—a platform for creativity, collaboration and communication
● Learning adventures with the new Mystery Skype OneNote Notebook
● How a Macedonian teacher incorporates mobile technologies and OneNote in her
classroom
● OneNote Class Notebooks have redefined the instruction at my school
● Our secret weapon—OneNote for sharing, collaborating and assessing
● OneNote Class Notebook for blizzard bag management
● Universitas Gadjah Mada—enhancing learning and distance education with Office
365
● Our journey with OneNote
● OneNote to rule them all
● OneNote—the ONE tool I can’t do without (and neither can my school)
● Sammamish High School—six months of OneNote Class Notebooks

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 Conclusion

With OneNote, the possibilities -- for note-taking, content creation, collaboration,

sharing, teaching, and learning -- are endless. We hope this guide provided you with
a foundation for using OneNote to make you more productive. Just as on 365ninja.
com, we are always receptive to new ideas, questions, and anything else you’d like to
share. If you have feedback related to this document, don’t hesitate to email
[email protected] or reach out on social networks.

© 2015 365 Ninja. 12

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*Note: This document will be updated over time. Please check back to see the updates.
**For more tips on everything Office 365, please visit 365 Ninja