DT3 - Sorting files manually with all the inboxes on top

DEVONthink
1

Well, it’s an interesting day for me with the new DT3, as some of my workflows seemlingy need to be changed. So I hope you don’t mind all the new topics I produce.

In my typical work day, I get a lot of different documents. One of them are related to my subjects as a teacher, some of them are more general focused on school topics and so on.

Now, I’m pretty sure I’m missing another thing again.
I used to put everything in the various inboxes I used. Then, going from database to database, I sorted the files by dragging and dropping or tagging them with the specific folder name.

Example: I get a doctor’s certifitcate from one of my students which I need to keep. So I scan it to my local inbox, OCR it, put it into the inbox for the database “School tasks” and then into the class folder “Class 8, certificates.”

Now, in DT3, as the inboxes are all on top, the sorting is becoming rather lengthy with the open databases, as I need to scroll through all the other databases. Sure, I can always close the database with the little arrow, but as I am constantly switching between all those databases, this takes way more effort. Even when right clicking on a file, I need to scroll through all the databases.

When using the new inspectors on the right side of the windows, the one left to the lense is not helping either, as it only does suggestions, but I need to order things manually.

Thanks again for helping me out with anything I’m missing! I do like the new style a lot, and I think it will improve my work life on a long term, but right now, I feel rather lost.

2

One possibility might be to move the new items to the database’s root instead of to the local inboxes. Or just create your own inbox group in the database.

3

I set up a dual window workspace for this purpose. DT3 is a giant leap forward imho. The inbox clearing conundrum reminded me of the same issue the OmniGroup had with their OmniFocus 3 update. The solution there was also opening a second window, but eventually, OmniGroup created a way to keep the inbox available in the projects view. Perhaps the great minds at DevonTechnologies can come up with something similar, but for now, two windows work, and workspaces make it a breeze.

4

This is a question stemming form ignorance (and a bit of a thread de-rail, for which I apologize): Are there any issues posed by having items at a database’s root, rather than in an inbox? My organizational structure is a bit of a legacy setup from importing from Evernote rather than anything more purposive. Perhaps the reason everything not in a specific sub-group in my current setup is in an inbox as a top-level default is connected to that. Is the inbox (not unreasonably) conceptually more of a temporary location? Thanks.

5

Are there any issues posed by having items at a database’s root, rather than in an inbox?

No. In fact, just as the real-world item should be used, an Inbox is made to be a temporary staging area for unfiled data. An overflowing Inbox on someone’s desk is not a good sign to most bosses :stuck_out_tongue: Applying this to DEVONthink’s Inboxes is a good approach as well.

6

You can use Go > to Group to quickly locate and open a group. If the group is the actual target group, you can drag and drop to the Go to Group popup.

You can also Data > Move to and search for the group in the same way.