Creating, Managing, and Sharing Annotations

OnBoard allows you to create annotations directly on the pages within the board book. There are four different types of annotations: the Sticky Note, Highlighter, Free Text, and the Freehand drawing tool. Annotations can be created from any of the supported web browsers or mobile applications. Notes created on one device can easily be referenced or changed on a different device!

The Annotation Toolbar

Once you have your Board Book opened up, (from the Calendar page, click a meeting, then click Open Book), locate the list of buttons that looks like this: 

In this screenshot, from left to right, we have the Freehand, Highlighter, Free Text, and Sticky Note tools. Here are some examples on how each one of these can be used. (NOTE: Please keep in mind that the exact sequence of actions may differ between devices. Especially between a web browser on a computer and a touch-screen mobile device.)

Using the Freehand Drawing Tool

First click the pen icon to enable the drawing tool. The arrow at the bottom corner of the icon can be used to select the drawing's color, line thickness, and opacity. Once selected, simply begin drawing on the page with your mouse or finger (for touch screens). 

Using the Highlighter Tool

First click the Highlighter icon. Just like with the Freehand tool, the arrow icon next to this tool can be used to change the color and opacity of your highlights. Once selected, click and drag (or use your finger on a touch screen device) to select a block of text to apply the highlighter's color. 

Using the Free Text Tool

Free Text allows you to type your own messages directly onto the document page. Use the arrow icon next to the tool to adjust the annotation's font size, color and opacity. Once the Free Type tool is selected, click and drag a note box anywhere on your page, then begin typing your message!

Using the Sticky Note Tool

The Sticky Note annotation type will drop a note-looking icon on the page, but allow you to keep your typed messages related to that note just off the page. Click the Sticky Note Icon, then click the location on the page where you wish to drop this marker. Once placed, it can be moved around into a new location. With the newly placed annotation selected, a new panel will appear for you to begin typing your message. 

Viewing Annotations from the Annotation Summary Panel

While viewing the board book in any of the applications, you'll be able to call up a multi-function panel typically from the left side of the screen. One of the tabs of this panel is called the Annotation Summary. It keeps track of every location in the book where you've made annotations. From here, you can easily skip to the page these notes were made by clicking directly on the annotation in the list. This is also where annotations can be shared from (more on this below). Here's what the Annotation Summary Panel looks like in the web browser: 

For reference, here's that same view on a the OnBoard iPhone app, which is a significantly smaller screen. 

Sharing Annotations with other Meeting Attendees

Annotations you have created in your books can be shared with other users who have access to the same meeting. This also means that other users can share their annotations with you! This is all done right from the Annotations Summary. If you look just to the right of any annotation in the Annotation Summary, you’ll see an icon of various types. To share an annotation, click this icon, then choose who you’d like to share the annotation with, and then click Save. With an annotation shared, these other users will be able to see the annotation you’ve made when viewing the book on their devices.

Sharing multiple different annotations all at the same time is quick and easy! Simply click the Share button in the Annotation summary. A series of checkboxes will appear next to your sharable annotations. Choose any that you’d like to alter, and click Sharing Share Selected. You'll choose the users you wish to share annotations with, then click Save. 

Deleting, Editing, and Filtering Annotations

Any annotation that you’ve created within the pages of your book can be styled to your liking. We can also control which annotations (if any) you’d like to see at any given time, or permanently delete them if they are no longer needed. Use the Annotation Filter at the bottom of the Web Viewer to choose which annotations you’d like to see. Select from All Annotations (yours and ones shared with you), Shared Annotations (only those shared with you), My Annotations (only ones you have created), and Hide Annotations (none at all).

If you’d prefer to permanently delete any annotation, just click the annotation to select it, then click the Delete button that appears in the menu above the selected annotation.

Any Annotation can be edited by clicking the Style button shown below. Opening this menu will allow you to choose a few different options, depending on the type of Annotation. For example, you can choose a highlighter tool’s color, as well as the line color and thickness of your freehand note tool.