Free resource · no account

Turn a passing thought into a usable Inbox note.

Try a timestamped list or checkbox, preview the Markdown, and download a small file for your vault. This tool works on its own; Simple Memo is not required.

# Inbox

- 09:00 Review the notes after my walk.

Use the result in your vault

1. Choose an Inbox or daily-note example, a date, and a line format.
2. Edit the sample and copy the Markdown, or download the file.
3. Open your existing note in Obsidian and paste the part you want to keep. If you import a file, use a new name when a file with that name already exists.
4. During a review, turn the useful lines into tasks or permanent notes. Keep capture simple so the Inbox remains easy to empty.

This is a Markdown example generator. It does not configure Simple Memo, install an Obsidian plugin, or automatically append to a vault. It does not overwrite existing notes. The date and time initially use your browser’s local clock; you can change them.

Starter files you can keep

These plain Markdown files have a small capture area and review prompts. They require no template plugin. The dates in the examples are placeholders for you to replace.

Compare capture workflows fairly

The CSV is a blank measurement worksheet, not a table of results. It has 10 trials for each of five example methods: direct Obsidian entry, Apple Shortcuts, Simple Memo, email-to-self, and a share sheet. Record your actual setup; some methods require extra configuration to reach the same destination.

Use the same device and OS, define the start and end of “ready to capture,” separate warm from cold starts, and record both successful and failed trials. Record the number of actions and time to appear in the destination separately. Do not infer that 50 trials represent all users. See the published measurement methodology for context.

Keep evidence for each trial

Start with an empty editor and a synthetic note. Record the app build and distribution channel, capture route, network state, and whether setup and sign-in are complete. Film the starting action and the resulting note in the destination continuously. Keep the recording reference private; do not include personal notes or account identifiers in a shared worksheet.

Use seconds from the same recording timeline for the starting action, input-ready state, send action, and first visible destination result. Leave a timestamp blank when obscured or outside the recording; do not substitute a screenshot clock or a backend event clock. An empty editor or an in-app history entry does not establish delivery. Define destination delay as destination-visible time minus send-action time, only when both are visible. Record a failure or an unknown result and its reason instead of silently dropping the trial. The first 10 rows per method are a starting worksheet, not a statistical sample-size recommendation.

From a sample file to automatic capture

For appending notes directly from an iPhone, follow the Simple Memo Obsidian setup guide. It explains folder access, Inbox and daily-note destinations, offline behavior, and the fallback that opens Obsidian. Siri setup covers voice capture. Your Obsidian folders and note names remain your choice.

Writing a tutorial? Link readers to this tool so they can change the example themselves. The media kit contains the product description and setup visuals.