Notes

Notes bring documentation and context directly into your workspace, eliminating the need to switch between Kanman and external tools like Google Docs or Notion. Every board can have its own collection of notes—meeting summaries, project guidelines, research findings, or any reference material that helps you stay informed while working on your tasks.

Unlike tasks that get completed and archived, notes persist as living documents that evolve alongside your projects. They’re searchable, taggable, and can be linked directly to specific projects or tasks, creating a knowledge base that grows naturally with your work.

What Are Notes?

Notes are rich-text documents attached to boards. Think of them as the “documentation layer” of your board—while tasks track what needs to be done, notes capture the context and knowledge that informs that work.

Common uses for notes:

• Meeting notes - Capture decisions, action items, and discussions
• Project documentation - Requirements, specifications, and guidelines
• Reference information - Links, credentials, and frequently-needed details
• Team guidelines - Processes, standards, and agreements
• Research findings - Insights, analysis, and recommendations

Accessing Notes

Notes live in a dedicated panel that slides out from the side of your board view, so you can reference documentation without leaving your tasks.

1. Open any board
2. Click the Notes button in the board header (notebook icon)
3. The notes panel opens, showing all notes for this board

Screenshot not found: /images/features/notes-panel

The panel stays open while you work, allowing you to reference notes and tasks side by side.

Creating a Note

Creating notes is designed to be frictionless—start writing immediately and add structure as needed.

1. Open the notes panel
2. Click + New Note
3. Enter a title (optional, but recommended for searchability)
4. Start writing in the rich text editor
5. Content saves automatically as you type—no manual save needed

Your note appears in the list immediately and can be edited, tagged, or linked to projects at any time.

Note Properties

Each note has several properties that help you organize and find it later:

Property	Description	Tips
Title	Optional heading displayed in the note list	Use descriptive titles for easier searching
Content	Rich text document with full formatting	Supports headings, lists, code blocks, and more
Type	jot, card, thread, or note	Choose based on your note’s purpose
Visibility	draft or published	Drafts are private; published notes are shared (Teams)
Is Pinned	Keeps note at top of list	Use for important, frequently-referenced notes
Pinned Until	Auto-unpin date	Set temporary pins that expire automatically

Rich Text Editor

Notes use BlockNote, a modern block-based editor that feels familiar if you’ve used Notion, Confluence, or similar tools. Each paragraph, heading, or list is a “block” that you can rearrange, format, and organize.

Screenshot not found: /images/features/notes-editor

Text Formatting

Format text using keyboard shortcuts or the formatting toolbar that appears when you select text:

Format	Shortcut (Windows/Linux)	Shortcut (Mac)
Bold	Ctrl+B	Cmd+B
Italic	Ctrl+I	Cmd+I
Strikethrough	Ctrl+Shift+X	Cmd+Shift+X
Inline code	Ctrl+E	Cmd+E
Links	Ctrl+K	Cmd+K

Block Types

Structure your notes with different block types:

• Paragraphs - Standard text blocks for body content
• Headings (H1, H2, H3) - Organize sections hierarchically
• Bullet lists - Unordered lists for related items
• Numbered lists - Sequential or prioritized items
• Checklists - Trackable items with checkboxes
• Code blocks - Syntax-highlighted code with language selection
• Block quotes - Highlighted excerpts or callouts

Adding Blocks

The fastest way to add different block types is the slash command menu:

1. Type / at the beginning of a new line
2. A menu appears showing available block types
3. Type to filter (e.g., /code or /heading)
4. Press Enter or click to insert

You can also convert existing blocks by selecting them and using the block menu.

Note Types

Kanman offers four note types, each designed for different purposes. Choose the type that best fits your content.

Jot

Quick notes for rapid capture when you need to get something down fast. Jots have minimal formatting options, making them perfect for quick thoughts, reminders, or fleeting ideas you’ll expand later.

Card

Structured notes with clear sections and visual separation. Cards work well for templates, standardized documentation, or information that follows a consistent format.

Thread

Conversation-style notes with timestamps for each entry. Threads are ideal for ongoing discussions, decision logs, or any content that evolves over time and benefits from chronological context.

Note (Default)

General-purpose notes with full formatting capabilities. This is the most flexible type and works for most documentation needs—meeting notes, project guidelines, research findings, and more.

Pinning Notes

When you have notes that you reference frequently—team guidelines, project requirements, or ongoing meeting notes—pinning keeps them at the top of your notes list for instant access.

1. Open the note menu (⋯) in the upper right of any note
2. Select Pin
3. The note moves to the top of the list with a pin indicator

Auto-Unpin

For notes that are only important temporarily (sprint goals, weekly agendas, time-sensitive announcements), set an expiration date so they automatically unpin:

1. Pin the note as described above
2. Click Set expiration
3. Choose a date from the calendar
4. The note stays pinned until that date, then automatically moves back to its normal position

This is especially useful for meeting agendas, temporary announcements, or anything relevant only for a specific time period.

Linking Notes

One of the most powerful features of notes is the ability to link them to specific projects or tasks. This creates a network of documentation that surfaces the right information exactly where you need it.

Link to Project

When a note relates to a specific project—like project requirements or stakeholder notes:

1. Open the note you want to link
2. Click Link to Project in the note toolbar
3. Select a project from the dropdown
4. A link appears showing the connection

Link to Task

For notes related to specific tasks—like research for a particular item or detailed instructions:

1. Open the note
2. Click Link to Task
3. Select a task from the list
4. The link is established

View Linked Items

Linked projects and tasks appear at the bottom of each note as clickable chips. Click any link to jump directly to that project or task—no searching required. This bidirectional linking means you can navigate from notes to work items and vice versa.

Tagging Notes

Tags provide another layer of organization, letting you categorize notes across projects and boards. Use tags for themes like “meeting-notes”, “decisions”, “research”, or “reference”.

1. Open a note
2. Click Add Tag in the note header
3. Type a tag name (or select an existing one)
4. Press Enter to add the tag

Filtering by Tag

Tags become powerful when you use them to filter:

1. In the notes panel, click the Tags filter dropdown
2. Select one or more tags
3. The list updates to show only notes with those tags

This makes it easy to find all meeting notes, all research documents, or any other category you’ve defined.

Searching Notes

For quick access to any note, use the search bar at the top of the notes panel:

• Search by title - Find notes with specific names
• Search by content - Find notes containing specific words or phrases
• Results update instantly - No need to press Enter; results appear as you type

Combined with tags and pinning, search makes it easy to find any note in seconds, even in boards with dozens of documents.

Note Visibility

Notes have two visibility levels that control who can see them.

Draft

Draft notes are only visible to you—even on team workspaces. Use drafts for:

• Work-in-progress documentation you’re not ready to share
• Personal notes and reminders
• Sensitive information intended only for yourself

Published

Published notes are visible to all members of your workspace (on Teams plans). Use published notes for:

• Team documentation and guidelines
• Meeting notes that everyone should access
• Project requirements and specifications

Toggle visibility by clicking the visibility indicator in the note header and selecting your preference.

Collaborative Editing

Notes support real-time collaboration. When multiple people open the same note, they can edit simultaneously with changes appearing instantly for everyone.

Live Cursors

Each collaborator’s cursor appears in a unique color with their name label. You can see exactly where others are working and watch their changes appear character by character.

Active Collaborators

When others are viewing or editing a note, their avatars appear in the editor header. Hover over the indicator to see who’s currently active:

Screenshot not found: /images/collaboration/active-collaborators

• Green dot: Actively editing
• Yellow dot: Viewing but not editing
• No dot: Away (inactive tab)

Automatic Conflict Resolution

The collaboration system automatically merges simultaneous edits. If two people modify the same paragraph:

• Both sets of changes are preserved
• Edits merge intelligently based on position
• No one loses their work

Best Practices for Collaboration

• Communicate large changes: Before restructuring a note, let others know
• Watch for cursors: Avoid editing the same paragraph as someone else when possible
• Use headings: Well-structured notes make it easier for multiple editors to work in different sections

For more details on collaboration features, see Collaboration.

Deleting Notes

If a note is no longer needed, you can delete it:

1. Open the note menu (⋯)
2. Select Delete
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Deleted notes go to trash and can be recovered for 40 days. After that, they’re permanently removed.

Best Practices

Getting the most value from notes requires a bit of discipline. Here are patterns that work well.

One Topic Per Note

Keep each note focused on a single topic. This makes notes easier to find, link, and maintain.

• ✅ “Sprint 23 Planning Notes”
• ✅ “API Design Decisions”
• ✅ “Client Meeting - Jan 15”
• ❌ “Everything About the Project”
• ❌ “Random Notes”

Use Headings for Structure

For longer notes, use headings (H2, H3) to create scannable sections. This helps readers find specific information quickly and gives your notes a clear hierarchy.

Link Liberally

Connect notes to relevant projects and tasks whenever there’s a relationship. These links create a knowledge web that surfaces the right information at the right time.

Pin Strategically

Only pin notes that you and your team access frequently. Too many pinned notes defeats the purpose—if everything is pinned, nothing stands out. Aim for 3-5 pinned notes maximum per board.

Review and Archive

Periodically review your notes:

• Delete notes that are no longer relevant
• Unpin notes that are no longer frequently accessed
• Update notes with outdated information

A clean, current notes collection is more valuable than a comprehensive but cluttered one.

Related Topics

• Boards - Notes are attached to boards and follow board permissions
• Projects - Link notes to provide project context
• Trash & Recovery - Recover accidentally deleted notes within 40 days