Best app for on site note taking using iPad or phone

[CC-CMYK]

What do people use as a note taking app. I take my iPad to site visits. I like to take pictures, draw, and take notes.

I’d like an app that directly communicates back to the office what I’ve recorded. Maybe even send a link to everyone involved of the site notes easily right after.

 

[netsol]

 

[FireSprint.com]

I assume you’ve tried some of the big ones like apple notes, or google keep. Even a google doc shared with the right people would work nicely I’d think.

 

[SGC]

Google Docs is the best way to keep yourself organized and safe in my experience.

 

[Pauly]

how many sites are you visiting per day / per week.
how many people need to view and manage?

 

[somcalmetim]

I only have to take notes for myself. But the MyMeasures app is great for taking a picture, and then adding measurements, angles and notes to the pic...
ive used it several times to take picture of taped up graphics during install then running a line across it in the app to see if you're straight overall in hard to measure areas with no baseline...

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I keep an aluminum clipboard (with a lanyard so I can hang it on my neck if I need my hands to measure or something) stocked with 5 – 10 sheets of white copy paper and one of those 4-color Bic pens (I buy them in bulk and give them away to people who seem to be enchanted by them). That way I can "code" my scribbles and make more sense of them.
I prefer blank white paper, but I can see why others might prefer a legal pad or graph paper. I prefer 8 1/2" x 11" paper so I can slip it inside a manila file folder (which becomes the job folder). The folder goes in a manual tickle file (a little wire one that I can roll out of the way). That file rack has hanging files for every day (1 – 31) and then 12 files by month behind that. I have one more hanging file in the front for pending projects. That's how I organize my days. Call me old-fashioned but it works a charm and is brain-dead easy!

Note I also have a jobs directory on my computer network. The combination of the paper file and the computer directory (file) makes the complete record of the job. I save both.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I also always carry a little paper moleskin "cahiers" pocket notebook (usually in my shirt pocket; I make sure my shirts have pockets – no flaps!). Same Bic 4-color pen. I use that all the time for everything!
Yes, I have an iPhone, but I process and remember information better if I write it down by hand. It feels more organic and natural than fiddling with an electronic screen with defined processes and a programmed organizational hierarchy (and distractions). To each their own, I guess. This is just what works for me.

 

[netsol]

in 1982 we started a project for Johnson & Johnson to capture researcher's hand written notes and archive them on PHILLIPS writable laser discs

there were many obstacles and the project went no where. we have hundreds or thousands of options now...

 

[Signstein]

I'm a single-person shop and just use OneNote (Evernote before that) on my phone. For me, I just want a basic app that doesn't mix job/work photos into the camera roll with all the family photos. As others have mentioned - Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. all have basic note taking apps.

 

[Stacey K]

One person shop here. Like Signstein, I used OneNote - and still do for general notes, directions for odd things, etc - but since I started using SignTracker, I take my notepad to the site then snap a photo of the notes on my phone and upload to Signtracker. I love OneNote for many things, family birthdays, addresses, recipes, all sorts of stuff. Very handy app.

 

[JBurton]

We don't use it, but we have a demo scheduled with the same folks who produce the Spike, it looks pretty interesting: https://www.sign-pilot.com/

 

[CC-CMYK]

how many sites are you visiting per day / per week.
how many people need to view and manage?

We visit 5-10 per week. We also just take notes in the shop that would be good to share on the job board. We currently use ShopVox but might switch to Sign Tracker. Id like to imbed all notes into the job board easily so I or my crew can see them easily at any point, from any computer. We have 5 people who need access to this info at all times.

 

[bdw99]

"Concepts" is an amazing app for iPad.. Its an infinite canvas, I cant remember what's locked in to the paid version but you can import any photos or pdfs to mark up on. I personally use it for school, but it has many applications. I see many people using it for drafting and things like that.. There's a lot to the app and can be a little confusing at first glance but there are youtube videos about how to use it to full potential. Can't recommend it enough. Keep in mind that tis is definitely an app for the apple pencil.. If you don't have it don't bother