Workflowy is actually one long document at a high level, however you can zoom (click) to each of the bullets/levels and they will appear as their own zoomed page view. So just create as many bullets as you wish at the top level, then each one of them will be it's own virtual page after you click on the bullet to zoom in. The new "Starred Pages" feature lets you create bookmarks to zoomed items/pages.
http://blog.workflowy.com/post/45699158849/announcing-starred-pages
Can I create seperate "pages" in Workflowy?
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Found this after I posted my question about pages or work spaces. Was just curious if this will always be the logic that followed, or if it might change in the future?
Thank you!
This is really very unintuitive.
You really need to rethink using the term "page" and "pages".
You guys can't even make up your mind on what to call them. "Pages" definately doesn't fit, especially when you say "Workflowy is actually one long document..."
If you're communication isn't clear on it how do you expect your customer base to intuitively figure it out?
When you see that you can "Show starred pages" you're given the idea that there are separate pages, so looking for the way to "create a new page" which you can then "start". is frustrating.
Think about the way all your videos talk about "pages" - start with your welcome video.
The first words out of your mouth "When you first start using workflowy you'll just have a blank page. I'm going to show you what I recommend doing with that blank page. First I would create two items."
Already you've told us that the main thing you see at the beginning is a page, and you're not creating new pages with those items, you're just creating items.
This view is pervasive throughout your communication.
Until you get to "stared pages." Suddenly now you want to try to redefine all your terms.
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I recommend you developing the ability to have separate pages for the following reasons:
1. "Pages" gives people a clear way to separate different lists. That's how people view things. They think they'll have one page for work, one for personal, etc.
2. When you share a "page" there's a certain amount of discomfort that "I'm actually sharing just a portion of this one 'page' with others, I hope nothing from my personal part of this 'page' ends up in the shared section and others see it. Or worse, that sharing this section ends up getting translated into sharing the entire page."
The change I'm recommending shouldn't be difficult. Just (a) take your high-level items as the names of the documents/pages and (b) create a "view pages" similar to the "view starred" that lists those documents with a filter for started/not started (maybe even text search). And (c) when someone opens a page there isn't a "home" link that takes them back to the top-level, because now the top level for a page is the page name item, not "home".
I think your back end would be able to work the same, it's just different with how you present it to the user in a few areas.
What he said^
Seriously! Just bought this because I wanted to create separate outlines for separate projects. Seems like the most obvious feature in the world. And now I find I can't?! INSTANT BUYER'S REMORSE.
+1 for this being unintuitive, took me a while to find out how to have multiple pages (though the feature is really handy) I think it does come down to the naming, bookmarks or something like that would have made more sense.
I think pretty much everyone in here is basically freaking out because they hear pages and then think they can have discrete pages.
They are forgetting that the power of Workflowy is that everything is one document and you section the document with sublists (the whole point of the software/the core difference from other systems).
Which is causing ludicrous requests that dont fit the vision of WorkFlowy at all.
∴ Should probably change pages to something else :)
This article was intended to help people understand the "one document" structure of Workflowy, and help them see that there are methods to narrow the view (zoom) to one list, which can sometimes be considered a virtual "page". Since this discussion has come up, I had sent Richard's post as a support ticket to our team for feedback. Here's a reply that Workflowy Developer Jacob sent to Richard.....
We are currently working through some UI redesign which may result in something that more resembles pages. Currently though the metaphor is pretty much one of a single page with an infinitely nested outline. Thanks for the suggestion and I hope that you continue to enjoy WorkFlowy!
Best,
Jacob"
A contrarian opinion here. I understand the concerns. I for one like the simplicity and vision of Workflowy, including the metaphor, use, and terminology.
Sean - you certainly can create separate outlines for different projects and zoom to display only them as discrete pages.
Workflowy is not a corporate product that has several UI and back-end programmers, a thousand features, a major update every 6 months, and charges a big fee. It's a small scale development, which limits its features but also allows it to be free. (Nice to see the Pro version, still waiting for font color)
It's the differences that make it appealing compared, for example, to a wiki and it's discrete page organization. Like Neil wrote, there is a learning curve. You do need to open yourself to the concept and Workflowy's implementation of an infinite outliner. Once you do, it's easier to appreciate why it's designed this way.
Marc, one area I think we can find agreement is on the clean up of terms. Either it's one page or it's not. Using "one page" and "star a page" is confusing. Clearing this up may be as simple as saying "you only have one page" and "you can star a segment of your one page".
Your thoughts?
I would love to see the option for actual "Pages" or "Documents" or "Books" or "Files" on the left, that would allow completely separate, even Pin-code protected workbooks.
This would allow for personal thoughts to be kept apart from work notes.
It would also be nice to be able to "Share" outlines with others, either for editing or viewing. Currently, many at my work use Workflowy, but anytime I want to share something, I have to copy and paste into an email. Additionally, a sharing option would further promote Workflowy. If I share my outline to a coworker not using workflowy, I would use their email address. They could then view the outline in the email, or through a link, without being required to signup for workflowy. However, should they wish to edit, they would need an account. Either way, this increases exposure.
Richard - Agreed.
Josiah - Click on the Star to see starred pages. Hover over a share option to share via a secret link or privately with specific addresses (a Pro feature). That said, terminology and UI could be improved.
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