TECHNOLOGY
5 Useful Workflowy Updates You Might Have Missed
Including one that I am really excited about!
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After years of incremental app updates, Workflowy is now full steam ahead on checking things off their to-do list. No one is happier about that than me. So, here are five fantastic features that you can take advantage of in the latest version of this popular note-taking app.
1. Save to Workflowy
I have wanted the ability to save things to Workflowy on my iPhone and iPad for longer than I can remember. That dream is finally a reality. Save to Workflowy is available for Android or iOS, and it works really well!
It’s built-in to the Workflowy mobile app. All you have to do is update your app to get this new feature. Save to Workflowy lets you select text or URLs that you want to store in Workflowy.
Once you have the information you need, all you do is tap the share arrow, and select the Workflowy app as your destination. A pop-up window will appear allowing you to add any additional comments, and when you click the send arrow, it goes to a top-level bullet in Workflowy called Inbox.
Would it be great if you could choose a location to save things? Absolutely, but right now, I will take what I can get. Save to Workflowy should work in just about any app that has a Share functionality for text or links, and I am so glad that it’s finally here!
2. Slash Commands
Slash commands are popular in tools like Notion, Slack, Discord and more. It’s a fast and efficient way of accessing features in an app without clicking through menus. All you need to do is tap the forward slash key, and then start typing the name of the function you want to invoke.
In Workflowy, you can use it for just about anything that you normally use. You can add notes, upload files, mark a bullet complete, share, mirror, and even switch to Board view.
Shortcuts like these can enhance your productivity because you don’t need to take your fingers off the keys to use a mouse or trackpad to find the function that you are looking for. Menus? Who needs them!
3. Paragraphs and Headers
Almost every note-taking app on the planet already allows you to add paragraphs and headers, so it is good to see Workflowy pivot from their previous path and include this option.
Paragraphs are basically bulleted notes without the bullet points. So, if you are drafting your next viral Medium story, Workflowy has you covered. To convert existing bullets to paragraphs, simply click and drag to select text and choose Paragraph from the pop-up menu.
Headers are a great way to organize notes and provide hierarchy. Workflowy lets you add H1 and H2 headers. You can select text and pick H1 or H2 from the pop-up menu, or use the slash command (see above) to create headers from scratch.
4. To-Do Lists
To bring Workflowy in line with other note-taking apps like Evernote and Notion, checkboxes were added to help you create to-do lists.
For years, Workflowy has relied on bullets as the primary method of input and organization, but things are changing. You don’t have to use bullets if you don’t want to. Paragraphs and headings are a great example of that, but so are the new checkboxes that you can use to create to-do lists.
If you want to read more about how to create to-do lists in Workflowy, take a look at my step-by-step guide below.
5. Move To…
The Move To command is a new way to quickly and easily move things from one location to another in Workflowy.
It’s so easy to use that you can just open Workflowy and start typing anywhere you want. Once you are done, you can move that note to another part of your workspace. Move To will also be great for those of us that use the Save to Workflowy mobile extension. It will be a quick way to move things from your Inbox to the location it needs to live.
There are three ways to move things from one part of Workflowy to another. You can use the bullet menu, the slash command, or a keyboard shortcut, (Ctrl + Alt/Cmd + M).
Once you invoke the Move To command, you will be greeted with a pop-up box that lets you choose recent locations, create a new location, or search your notes for the place where you want to put things.
Still here? Great! I’m glad you made it to the end. What was your favorite new Workflowy feature? Let me know in the comments.
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