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I typically keep a /notes folder under my professional work such that I can write down pertinent things that come up as the project progresses such as technical points from a phone conversation relevant to the completing the software project (what hardware driver ICs are being used for example)
It does a few things. It keeps me organized, and keeps my notes safely in source control. It also keeps things handy for other people I work with to go through.
It's very simple to do, and it has proven invaluable to me time and again.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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I've recently started doing something similar. I also add any repos that I need to complete the project/ticket. I'm working in Windows 10 and really miss using grep to parse the files. It can still be done and I probably need to learn some regex to make PowerShell more effective.
Do you format your files in any particular way? Do you use different files for different notes, like each day gets it own file or do you just stick it all in one?
I'm still working on my process at this point, but it seems to work reasonably well for me, so far.
Ron
Jack of all trades, master of none, though often times better than master of one.
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I probably should format them, but I'm very "loose" in how I work unless forced to be otherwise. I tend to like to work quickly, and with as little red tape and furbling as possible, so my notes are almost shorthand, like I'd take in school.
I don't really write it for others is the reason, although others do tend to find value in them, and sometimes i'll go back later and flesh out some of the important stuff.
I'd say if you need to be organized, maybe do what Griff suggested and use a spreadsheet or similar.
Otherwise I'd suggest that workflow is king. The tighter it is, the less it costs to write code, so don't overdo it with structure you don't need. Me, I just use VS code and a text file, or if i need a bit more organization I'll use markdown. I'd say just enough that you can hunt through it later, with "hunt" sort of depending on the project scope - for large projects i tend to keep like a book format with "chapters" (or even whole files) on particular topics but that's as far as I go typically.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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I do similar stuff, though I tend to use a spreadsheet. It started decades ago as a "day book" where you make notes of what has happened / been tried / resulted through the day, including phone calls and conversations.
Handy when the boss conveniently "forgets" what we discussed a couple of weeks ago. 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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DevOps provides our team this ability.
One single user story or bug is tied to all code reviews, work tasks, and deployments, testing, etc. Notes are usually added to the user story or bug.
We also have Wikis as part of our individual repos so that developers can add/edit/view dev related resources regarding that particular repo code, etc.
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Must be nice. I work from home with minimal development infrastructure. It works for me, but it does mean being flexible and willing to work with rough tools.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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Sorry, I forgot. I get used to my company paying for everything because they have the budget.
I imagine there are less expensive/enterprisey tools out there.
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Slacker007 wrote: One single user story or bug is tied to all code reviews
Just noting that that is somewhat of a short term solution. Saying that because I have seen the same thing.
What happens is that 5 years or perhaps 10 years from now they will change systems. And now that story/bug is gone.
Or they might decide to re-org the original ticketing system. So now there is a location for the 'new' story/bugs and different one for the 'old' ones.
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That's how I work as well. Usually working in a team, I first describe in the wiki what I'm going to implement and how. This then serves as a "discussion board" and as later documentation.
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I started keeping my own daily, chronological notes (new day = new page) in OneNote; my oldest entry goes back to 2010. This was before they had an online version, or at least, an online version that worked reliably enough to use. Otherwise this is where I'd be keeping them.
There are good tidbits that we share in a company notebook (online version of OneNote), but my own notes tend to build upon the previous day's work, so without the greater context they wouldn't be particularly useful for anyone but myself.
It's been useful, despite the fact that the search feature could use a lot of polish.
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I used to use Evernote, until it forced me to use the cloud version.
Then I moved to Cherrytree (because I value the portability), then I moved to Microsoft OneNote because I was mainly using windows - but OneNote has been unstable for me across many PC's and networks and lost data.
I'm currently going with Markdown files in a directory structure. Portable. I can edit on anything anywhere. I can print or review with formatting and images. Ultimate control of where the files are stored. I can also search directories and files using GREP (or similar). Finally, I've found what seems to work best for me.
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I tried keeping notes on various projects but can never seem to keep it up-to-date.
So I store the information in a safe part of my brain where I won't forget..........?
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - An updated version available!
JaxCoder.com
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Good luck!
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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On the development side, most project folders will have a notes folder. For an import, (such as the one-off I am working on now) this folder has the original customer files, a document that describes the source(s) and methods for creating those files, and a change log.
On the customer side, besides our hand-rolled CMS for notes, I also keep dated folders (YYYY-MM-DD) on an external data drive for keeping date related stuff like databases, scripts, or import files.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
"Hope is contagious"
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kmoorevs wrote: On the development side, most project folders will have a notes folder. For an import, (such as the one-off I am working on now) this folder has the original customer files, a document that describes the source(s) and methods for creating those files, and a change log.
I basically do the same thing. My notes folder doesn't just contain my notes, but relevant associated documents and such, just so it can all be in a known place and in source control. I use "notes" as a sort of standard name (all my projects that need one have the same name for that folder) even if it is a bit of a misnomer sometimes because it encompasses more than that.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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You are doing what many professionals do, i.e. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, etc. do whatever style format etc that works for you. I try to summarize from time to time for clarity of purpose and the look at next stages. It is also important to note that they are not just for you.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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Heck, at my age I keep notes to remind me which room I last visited.
Will Rogers never met me.
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... and one (?) general note which lists where are the notes I noted 
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(and don't forget the string on your finger)
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Same, I'm a bit more messy so I keep a handful of plain text diaries and all the e-mails pertinent to the requirements / technical part of the stuff plus a transcript of the chats or phone calls.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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Absolutely. Each client has their own folder, each project has its own subfolder. In there is an /admin folder which contains invoice PDFs, contracts, a "WIP" document so I know what I'm actually working on, and a notes.txt file. I open that up in Notepad and hit F5 (to date/timestamp the entry) then make a brief note of a meeting actions, personnel changes, strategic stuff they client discusses etc. Periodically I will clear out defunct / superseded stuff. It's in Notepad so I can access it really fast, and F5 is so useful.
For support stuff (which is about all I do these days) I also have a tasks.txt file; again F5 timestamped and a very quick summary of time spent and task undertaken. That gets transcribed into an invoice at month-end. I should really do it direct into Excel (which I use for invoicing) but have a single Excel file for all the invoice spreadsheets for everyone, and with ~ 1000 invoices (each is a separate sheet) it's taking too long to open!
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You're more organized than I am, but I am a big proponent of people using what works for *them* in this case. Note taking shouldn't interfere with workflow or the development cycle in general, IMO. So for me I keep the organization relatively ... coarse I guess?
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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I use OneNote and put in things like SQL queries I'm using, software setup etc. Writing down design decisions are also usefull since this solves a lot of the WTFs that come along later.
I doubt therefore I am.
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Seriously - doesn't everyone do this?
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