Collaborating on documents and notes in real time is easier thanks to online notepads and collaborative editing tools. With multiple people able to work on the same document simultaneously, online notepads teamwork seamless participants are in different locations. However, not all online notepads are created equal when it comes to enabling seamless collaboration. Features like document history, commenting, task management integration and strong access controls separate the very best collaborative online notepads from the rest.
Real-time co-editing
The most basic collaboration feature that all online notepads should provide is real-time co-editing with multiple people to work on the same document at once. Rather than having to take turns editing a file or merge changes later, real-time editing means everyone adds, edits, formats, and comments on content simultaneously for efficient document creation. When it comes to real-time editing, Google Docs sets the standard that many note apps try to match. Up to 100 collaborators jointly edit docs, spreadsheet, and slides without worrying about version control issues. OneNote also provides excellent real-time collaboration for up to 50 co-authors through document sharing. Evernote, Dropbox Paper, Milanese, and Notion likewise all permit live multi-user editing.
Document history and version control
While concurrently editing is indispensable, the ability to track changes and revert to earlier versions of a document is equally important for smooth teamwork. Comprehensive revision history and version control features let you compare drafts, identify edits by individual contributors, roll back unintended changes, and mitigate the risks of simultaneous writing. Google Docs once again stand out with its revision history UI, which displays time-stamped snapshots of the versions by date and who made the edits. Dropbox Paper also lets users inspect past revisions and restore as needed. Microsoft OneNote has basic version history support in Office 365, allowing multi-user access with independent histories, though revision tracking requires a commercial Office 365 plan more info here https://notesonline.com/notepad.
Commenting and @mentioning
Commenting right within documents streamlines collaboration by centralizing feedback all in one place instead of going back and forth via email or chat. @mentioning colleagues by name when commenting means they’ll get notified to come to view and respond to the comment thread. Here Google Docs is far ahead of alternatives thanks to seamless commenting integration with Google Chat. Users can initiate live discussions around doc contents that appear as comment threads when mentions are used. Dropbox Paper also has excellent built-in commenting tools including @mentions notifications. Evernote recently launched a beta commenting feature for Android, while OneNote and Milanote support annotations through Sticky notes or highlighting.
Document embed and interlinking
For notetaking apps, effective collaboration requires more than just editing functionality. Users should also be able to interlink notes and embed content between documents for connected information. Visual context helps put each note or document in a relationship with others for an integrated perspective. Both Evernote and OneNote promote content reusability using backlinks and note referencing. The notion takes embeds even further with its linked database framework, inline display of tweets or videos, and bidirectional links to create a knowledge web. Milanote enables visual collaboration through the intuitive organization of notes, files, and images on its corkboard-style workspace.
