As previously noted in this space, Evernote is an excellent tool for storing, searching and retrieving just about any kind of document from just about any computer. Entourage, on the other hand, isn't renowned for its user-friendly search. Put those two facts back to back like that, and you have a unique opportunity to polish your AppleScript chops and solve a problem.
What? No AppleScript chops?
No problem...Justin at Veritrope has already put together a little tool to help you out. His Entourage to Evernote AppleScript takes any selected Entourage email and turns it into one or more Evernote entries, complete with tagging and notebook assignments.
I'll walk you through the process. It's not difficult, it won't take long, and the result is worth the effort -- I use this script myself, and it's been most handy.
For those of you who feel comfortable working with scripts and know how to set them up for use in Entourage, just head over to Veritrope and get started. Everyone else, follow along.
- Take a quick look at Veritrope's information about the script. It'll give you full details on what the script does, and what it's not yet capable of.
- When you're through, head to page 2 of the Veritrope information. There, look just below the code window for the text DOWNLOAD THE SCRIPT FILE. Click that text, and the script file will download directly to your computer.
- Open your download location and locate the script file. As of this writing, it's called Entourage to Evernote 1.0.scpt. We're going to rename the script, incorporate some special characters that will turn it into a keyboard shortcut, and make Entourage understand that it's available.
- Think of a key combination you'd like to use in Entourage to activate the script. It should be something that isn't used elsewhere. For instance, I use command-shift-E (for Evernote), but you wouldn't want to use command-V, since that's already in use for the paste command. For purposes of this task, the letter m represents "command," s is for "shift", c is for "control" and o is for "option." You can use these in any combination you like. So you could use, for instance, command-option-control-shift-5 to invoke the script, if you want...though that wouldn't be convenient. Using my more reasonable example, the code becomes csE (command-shift-E).
- Select the script file inthe Finder to rename it, following the name with a backslash and your key combination, like so: Export to Evernote\csE. In fact, if you like the idea of command-shift-E to invoke the script, just copy that text and paste it into the filename.
- Quit Entourage.
- Open your home directory (/Users/yourusername), then open the Documents folder, then open Microsoft User Data, then open Entourage Script Menu Items. Place your newly-renamed script file in the Entourage Script Menu Items folder, and restart Entourage
- In the Entourage message list, select a message to store in Evernote, and press your key combination. You can also invoke the script by opening the script menu (just right of the Help menu), and choosing the script by name.
- In the window that appears, add any tags you like to the Evernote entry. By default it will be tagged Mail Message. Change or leave this, as you like.
- If you have multiple Evernote notebooks set up, you'll be given the option to select which notebook to put the new note in.
