Introduction
Welcome back to another episode of TJ's Technology Tuesday — the format all about how you, as an executive, can use IT strategically and turn it into a personal competitive advantage.
Today I want to address a question I get asked constantly: notes. What is the best way to take notes?
Most of the time the question goes something like this: "There's a new version of GoodNotes for the iPad — should I use it, given that it costs money?" The short answer: No. And not for the reason you might expect — that it costs money. As they used to say in the hardware stores: "Mind is great, 20% off everything, except apprenticeships, because those don't exist anymore." In other words, cost is not my criterion here. My criterion is: What does a good note-taking system actually need to do? And the number-one requirement is that it must be available on all your devices — in both directions. What do I mean by both directions? You need to be able to read your notes on every device you own, and you need to be able to create notes on every device you own.
Note-taking apps must be accessible across all systems and usable within teams
Just as you never have to wonder with emails — did I write that on my smartphone, my tablet, or my PC? — the same should be true for your notes. You should never have to think: which device did I enter that on? And if you choose a note-taking system like GoodNotes and you work primarily in the Windows and Teams world, then even though some of those solutions now run on Windows as well, the ability to integrate them into a Teams environment is very limited. Where does that make a difference? Let me give you the most extreme example I encountered recently. One of my clients — a construction company owner — was in a construction meeting. He had subcontractors there who were using iPads with OneNote. Any question they couldn't answer on the spot, they simply typed into their OneNote note. Back at the head office, the experts had access to the same OneNote notebook. They didn't need to close the note — while it was open, they could read the incoming questions and type their answers directly into the same note.
OneNote – Microsoft's note-taking application
That means new entries were appearing at the bottom while answers were coming in at the top — real-time collaboration within a single note. And that is exactly the great advantage of Microsoft 365 and the integration of OneNote. OneNote is not the most beautiful application, no question about it, but OneNote has been around for over 25 years — and I have been using it for just as long. It is available on every platform: from smartphone to PC, through a web browser. That means I can prepare for a meeting — either by myself, or if I have someone supporting me, they can add material directly to my notebook, and it is there for me automatically. Whether I am in the office or have been on the road all week, it syncs automatically. That is the kind of productive progress that actually makes sense. Of course you could keep emailing notes back and forth to your mobile device, but then you are looking at ten more emails on top of everything else. With OneNote, it is automated and synchronised. Handling notes the old way — emailing things to yourself — is like forwarding emails to a mobile device just to read them: you end up with everything twice.
What you should keep in mind when using note-taking systems
You would never do that with emails, so please don't do it with notes either. And when I look at the individual device experience, the iPad support in OneNote is outstanding — particularly with the Apple Pencil. With the Apple Pencil you have a stylus, and in OneNote there is a pen icon marked with an A — for Apple Pencil. You can write text by hand and it is instantly converted into typed text. And this works even with my notoriously illegible handwriting. It really works exceptionally well in practice. So yes — this genuinely works and works wonderfully. I have it on my iPhone, on my iPad, on my PC, on my Mac, in Teams. And OneNote gives you a very clean way to distinguish between notebooks: which ones are personal and which belong to the company. A team member might have a personal notebook alongside company notebooks. When they leave the organisation, they retain access to their personal notebooks but lose access to the company ones.
So it offers a very clean separation between professional and personal content. My key message is always: please don't be dazzled by shiny objects. The most beautiful application is not always the most productive one. When it comes to productivity, the questions are always: synchronisation across all platforms, collaboration with others — especially within Microsoft 365, where I can work significantly more efficiently — availability on all platforms, and long-term investment security in the sense of: how long will this solution exist? With Microsoft 365 I am very optimistic on that front. The next question I always get: "What about Microsoft Loop — and now there are Pages in Copilot as well. What is the idea there?" Microsoft introduced Loop as a concept of individual components — including notes — that are automatically linked. That means I can embed a Loop element in an email, in a team, in a Word document. Wherever I edit it, the change is reflected everywhere. Very elegant. So these are essentially linked widgets. Many people ask whether Loop is the successor to OneNote.
I believe not, because Loop is primarily designed for online use. That means if I am on a train and have no internet connection — or if I am at a client's site with no internet — I have everything available offline in OneNote. I can also do things like clip web pages, which is not possible in Loop. So there is a clear distinction. And the good news is that it was announced in July that Pages — which are also Loop components where you can share Copilot chat results across the organisation — can also be linked to Outlook notebooks. I assume you will need an internet connection for that, so they won't be offline-capable, but the idea is that OneNote remains your primary note-taking system, and into it you can embed Loop components as well. I find that very intelligent — even automated meeting transcripts from Teams meetings are Loop components that can be embedded anywhere. And even for me as a Microsoft partner, it can sometimes be confusing to explain exactly how Loop works. Once you think you have understood the name, Microsoft will inevitably rebrand it and reorganise it under a different name.
It is similar to what happened with the Microsoft 365 start screen — it used to show your apps and files, and now you see the Copilot chat. If you type a forward slash, you immediately see your files — but you have to know that. And in the lower left corner there is also a tab or menu item for apps, and you can pin individual apps to the left sidebar using the three-dot menu. Why is Microsoft doing this? Because they are saying: in the past you opened Word for a document, Excel for a spreadsheet, PowerPoint for a presentation. The future will be about having a co-pilot — and I like that name, by the way: not an autopilot, but a co-pilot. You give the co-pilot a task, and it completes it in collaboration with you. Which apps it uses in the process is, in principle, irrelevant. I encourage you to watch some videos featuring Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO — he is clearly driving this vision and, in my view, doing so in a very compelling way. I also say this: in a business context, anything outside of Microsoft 365 is a toy.
So if you are currently deciding between standard Microsoft licences and Microsoft 365, you can still get either. I strongly recommend Microsoft 365. If for whatever reason you are not ready to make that move yet, here is another tip: you can also buy used Office licences, and unlike a used car, they don't wear out — and it is perfectly legal. And if you are switching from standalone Office to Microsoft 365 as a company, you can sell your previous licences as well. If you are a DATEV tax adviser, for example, many system partners include licence sales in their portfolio — so speak to your DATEV system partner about this. So how did we get there from the topic of notes? Which brings me to this: does paper-based note-taking still make sense? Absolutely. Let me quickly reach into my briefcase. Do I have it handy? Just a moment. The good old briefcase. Here we go — and yes, I always have my good old briefcase with me. And in my briefcase, when I am attending events, I always carry a small notebook as well.
Taking notes the old-fashioned way still makes sense in certain situations
Here it is, exactly. So at evening events, for example — this small leather notebook. It fits right into my jacket pocket. In the leather notebook I also keep the occasional paper business card — my iPhone, which I like to hand out. I can happily recommend these: this one is from X47, very high-quality leather, and you can carry all of that with you. I have a small Tombo pen that fits in nicely, because Montblanc pens can sometimes be a bit too thick. And when I have a bit more room, I also bring a Montblanc pen. This approach sometimes makes sense too — there are conversation situations where it is simply more appropriate. Or you need your iPhone for something, and you quickly jot down a manual note instead. Sometimes good old paper is just fine. I am far from saying that everything must be digital. But if you are taking notes that you will need to refer back to later, you should absolutely use a digital system. And in my experience, Microsoft's OneNote is, for the foreseeable future, truly the system I would recommend without hesitation.
Conclusion
And speaking of recommendations: yes, I am a Microsoft partner, so I am not entirely without interest there — I'll be transparent about that. But my focus is on personal IT coaching for executives. That means the recommendations I give you are cross-vendor and designed to genuinely move you and your organisation forward with digitalisation — up to and including serving as External CIO.
Feel free to get in touch. Yours, Thorsten Jekel.
Key Takeaways
- A good note-taking system must be available on all your devices — both for reading and for creating notes.
- Microsoft's OneNote works across platforms: iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, and browser — and integrates directly with Microsoft Teams.
- Real-time collaboration in OneNote allows multiple people to read and write in the same note simultaneously — ideal for construction site meetings or team collaboration.
- The Apple Pencil can be used in OneNote on the iPad: handwriting is automatically converted into typed text.
- OneNote allows a clear separation between personal and company notebooks — with clean access control when employees leave the organisation.
- Microsoft Loop offers linked components that can be embedded anywhere, but is primarily designed for online use — OneNote remains the offline-capable primary system.
- Paper notes in a high-quality leather notebook can make sense in certain situations (evening events, specific conversation settings) — but for notes you will need again, the digital system is strongly recommended.
- The recommendation is clear: Microsoft 365 over standalone Office licences — those not yet ready to switch can legally purchase used Office licences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which note-taking system does Thorsten Jekel recommend for executives?
Thorsten Jekel recommends Microsoft's OneNote as the primary note-taking system. OneNote is available on all platforms — from smartphone and iPad to PC and web browser — and integrates seamlessly into the Microsoft 365 environment.
What are the most important criteria for a good note-taking system?
A good note-taking system must be available on all your devices — in both directions: you must be able to read and create notes on every device. Additional criteria include cross-platform synchronisation, team collaboration capabilities, and long-term investment security.
Why is GoodNotes not recommended for those working primarily with Windows and Teams?
GoodNotes offers very limited integration with a Microsoft Teams environment. Those who work predominantly in the Windows and Teams world benefit far more from OneNote, which works seamlessly in that ecosystem.
How does real-time collaboration in OneNote work?
Multiple people can work in the same OneNote notebook simultaneously — content is synchronised in real time without anyone needing to close the note. In a practical example, subcontractors on a construction site entered questions into a shared note while experts at the head office typed answers directly into the same note.
How does handwriting recognition work in OneNote on the iPad?
In OneNote on the iPad, the Apple Pencil can be used to capture handwritten text. The app automatically converts handwriting into typed text — according to Thorsten Jekel, this works reliably even with very untidy handwriting.
How can personal and company notebooks be kept separate in OneNote?
In OneNote, notebooks can be clearly designated as personal or company-owned. When an employee leaves the organisation, they retain access to their personal notebooks but lose access to the company ones — a clean and secure separation.
What is Microsoft Loop and how does it differ from OneNote?
Microsoft Loop enables linked components that can be embedded in emails, Teams, Word documents, or other locations — a change in one place is reflected everywhere. However, Loop is primarily designed for online use, while OneNote is fully available offline and offers additional features such as web clipping.
Does taking handwritten paper notes still make sense?
Yes, paper notes can make sense in certain situations — for example at evening events or for fleeting information you will not need again. For notes you want to refer back to later, however, Thorsten Jekel strongly recommends a digital system such as OneNote.
Should you use Microsoft 365 or classic Office licences?
Thorsten Jekel clearly recommends Microsoft 365, as it offers significantly more productivity features. Those not yet ready to switch can legally purchase used Office licences — and when they do eventually move to Microsoft 365, they can sell their old licences as well.
How is the use of Microsoft 365 apps changing with Copilot?
With Copilot, the focus is shifting away from individual apps such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint towards an AI-assisted co-pilot to which you give a task and which completes it in collaboration with you — which apps it uses in the process is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
Tools & Resources Mentioned
- Microsoft 365 – recommended platform for productive work in organisations
- OneNote – Microsoft's cross-platform note-taking system, part of Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Loop – linked, universally embeddable note components within Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams – collaboration platform with OneNote integration
- GoodNotes – alternative note-taking system (primarily iPad/Apple), with limited recommendation for Windows/Teams environments
- Apple Pencil – iPad stylus supporting handwriting recognition in OneNote
- X47 – manufacturer of high-quality leather notebooks for analogue notes
- Tombo pen / Montblanc pen – writing instruments mentioned for analogue notebooks
