NoteFlo - Professional Workflow Extension for VS Code

Professional workflow solution: time tracking, notes, todos, and invoicing for consultants and freelancers

🎯 Overview

NoteFlo is a VS Code extension designed for developers, tech consultants, freelancers, and tech professionals who need to seamlessly manage their workflow within their development environment. It combines time tracking, note-taking, todo management, and professional invoicing into a unified, efficient system.

Perfect for developers, consultants, and freelancers who want to:

🖼️ Screenshots

NoteFlo in action: command palette, meeting notes, sidebar, explorer, notes dashboard, and todos.

🌟 Key Features

⏱️ Smart Time Tracking

One-click start/stop time tracking with descriptions
Manual time entry for offline work, meetings, and travel
Real-time status bar showing active timer and elapsed time
Monthly file rotation for organized time entry storage
Timezone-aware timestamps (configurable CST, EST, PST, etc.)

📝 Enhanced Note Management

Meeting notes with structured templates, attendee tracking, and time integration
Daily journals for reflection and planning with focus areas
General notes with categorization and metadata
Priority-based todos with visual indicators (🔴 Urgent, 🟠 High, 🟡 Normal, 🟢 Low)
Smart categorization: General vs Project todos with automatic workspace detection
Auto-generated notes index organized by type and recency
Dynamic dashboard with analytics and quick access to recent items
Foam-compatible wiki-linking and graph visualization
Git-friendly filename conventions optimized for both readability and automation

💰 Professional Invoicing

Dual-format generation: Markdown + PDF invoices
Sequential invoice numbering (INV-2025-001, INV-2025-002...)
Comprehensive invoice details: business info, client details, line items, tax calculations
Multi-page PDF support with automatic page breaks
Configurable currency and tax rates (default INR, supports any currency)
Professional PDF layout with proper spacing and formatting

🎯 Integrated Workflow

Sidebar integration for quick access to all features
Command palette commands for keyboard-driven workflow
Smart time tracking prompts when creating meeting notes
Dynamic dashboard with real-time analytics and quick actions
Auto-updating indexes for seamless organization
Cross-platform compatibility with consistent behavior

🚀 Installation

From VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
Search for "NoteFlo" by Devteds
Click Install
Open a workspace folder (required for NoteFlo functionality)

Or install via Command Palette:

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
Type: ext install devteds.noteflo
Press Enter

Or install via terminal:

code --install-extension devteds.noteflo

→ Install from VS Code Marketplace

From VSIX Package (Development)

Download the latest noteflo-1.x.y.vsix file
Open VS Code
Run: code --install-extension noteflo-1.x.y.vsix
Reload VS Code window
Open a workspace folder (required for NoteFlo functionality)

Initial Setup

Configuration is completely optional! NoteFlo works out-of-the-box for note-taking and todos. Only configure if you need specific settings or invoicing features.

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
Run "NoteFlo: Configure NoteFlo"
Choose your use case:
- Consulting/Freelancing: Full setup with business info, client details, and billing (for invoicing)
- Note-taking Only: Just timezone configuration
Follow the guided prompts based on your selection

Note: All features work immediately without configuration. Business setup is only needed for professional invoicing.

Configuration File

NoteFlo uses a single unified configuration file:

.noteflo/config.json - All settings in one place (git-ignored)

For Note-taking Only:

{
  "directories": {
    "meeting_notes": "docs/meeting-notes",
    "daily_notes": "docs/daily-notes", 
    "general_notes": "docs/notes",
    "dashboard": "docs/dashboard"
  },
  "files": {
    "main_dashboard": "docs/index.md"
  },
  "settings": {
    "auto_refresh_dashboard": true,
    "default_note_template": "standard",
    "timezone": "America/Chicago"
  }
}

For Consulting/Freelancing (includes everything above plus):

{
  "directories": { "...": "..." },
  "files": { "...": "..." },
  "settings": { "...": "..." },
  "business": {
    "name": "Your Business Name",
    "address": "Your Address",
    "email": "your@email.com",
    "phone": "123-456-7890",
    "website": "yourwebsite.com"
  },
  "client": {
    "name": "Client Name",
    "contact": "Client Contact Person",
    "email": "client@email.com"
  },
  "billing": {
    "hourlyRate": 150,
    "currency": "USD",
    "taxRate": 0,
    "paymentInstructions": "Payment due within 30 days...",
    "invoiceNotes": "Thank you for your business!"
  }
}

Configuration Levels:

No config: Notes, todos, and basic time tracking work immediately
Timezone only: Better timestamp formatting for your location
Full consulting: Professional invoicing with your business branding

📖 Quick Start Guide

⏱️ Time Tracking

Start Tracking: Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) → NoteFlo: Start Time Tracking
Enter Description: Describe what you're working on
Check Status: Status bar shows active timer and elapsed time
Stop Tracking: Command Palette → NoteFlo: Stop Time Tracking
Manual Entry: Command Palette → NoteFlo: Enter Time (Offline Work) for manual time entries

📝 Note Creation

Meeting Notes:

Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) → NoteFlo: New Meeting Note
Enter meeting type, description, and attendees
Get rich templates with agenda, notes, decisions, and action items
Automatic time tracking integration

Daily Journals:

Command Palette → NoteFlo: Create Daily Journal
Automatic date-based naming
Structured templates with focus areas, accomplishments, and reflections
Opens existing journal if already created for the day

General Notes:

Command Palette → NoteFlo: Create New Note
Choose from categories: Development, Research, Ideas, Documentation, etc.
Rich metadata and linking support

Priority-Based Todos:

Command Palette → NoteFlo: Quick Todo
Categories:
- General: Personal tasks and reminders → general-todos.md
- Project: Current workspace tasks → project-todos.md
Priority Levels:
- 🔴 Urgent: Needs immediate attention
- 🟠 High: Important and time-sensitive
- 🟡 Normal: Regular priority
- 🟢 Low: Can be done when time permits
Automatic organization by priority within each file

💰 Invoice Generation

Generate Invoice: Command Palette → NoteFlo: Generate Invoice and select date range
Choose Format: Markdown and/or PDF generation
Professional Output: Sequential numbering and comprehensive details
View History: Command Palette → NoteFlo: View Invoices to browse past invoices

🗂️ File Organization

NoteFlo creates a clean, Git-friendly file structure:

your-project/
├── .noteflo/
│   ├── config.json              # Your configuration (git-tracked)
│   └── config.template.json     # Template file (git-tracked)
└── docs/
    ├── time-tracking/
    │   ├── time_entries_2025-01.json  # Monthly time entries
    │   └── active_session.json        # Current session (git-ignored)
    ├── index.md                     # Dynamic dashboard (auto-generated)
    ├── meeting-notes/               # Meeting notes (git-tracked)
    │   └── client-discussion-2025-07-28.md
    ├── daily-notes/                 # Daily journals (git-tracked)
    │   └── 2025-07-28.md
    ├── notes/                       # General notes (git-tracked)
    │   ├── index.md                 # Auto-generated index
    │   └── project-idea-2025-07-28.md
    ├── project-planning/            # Todo management (git-tracked)
    │   ├── general-todos.md         # Personal todos
    │   └── project-todos.md         # Workspace-specific todos
    ├── client-invoices/             # Generated invoices (git-tracked)
    └── dashboard/                   # Dashboard components (auto-generated)

🎮 Command Palette Reference

Access all NoteFlo features through the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):

📝 Note Management

NoteFlo: New Meeting Note - Create structured meeting note with templates
NoteFlo: Create Daily Journal - Create or open today's journal entry
NoteFlo: Create New Note - Create categorized general note
NoteFlo: Quick Todo - Add priority-based todo (General/Project categories)
NoteFlo: Update Notes Index - Refresh notes organization
NoteFlo: Open Dashboard - Access dynamic dashboard
NoteFlo: Refresh Dashboard - Update dashboard analytics

⏱️ Time Tracking

NoteFlo: Start Time Tracking - Begin tracking with description
NoteFlo: Stop Time Tracking - End current session
NoteFlo: Time Status - Show current tracking status
NoteFlo: Enter Time (Offline Work) - Manual time entry for offline work

💰 Invoicing

NoteFlo: Generate Invoice - Create professional invoices
NoteFlo: View Invoices - Browse invoice history

⚙️ Configuration

NoteFlo: Configure NoteFlo - Interactive setup wizard (for invoicing)
NoteFlo: Edit Configuration - Open config file for editing (if exists)
NoteFlo: Test Configuration - Validate current configuration

💡 Pro Tip: Type "NoteFlo" in the Command Palette to see all available commands!

📋 Todo Management System

NoteFlo includes a sophisticated priority-based todo system designed for professional workflows:

Priority Levels

Each todo is assigned a visual priority level:

🔴 Urgent: Critical issues requiring immediate attention
🟠 High: Important tasks that are time-sensitive
🟡 Normal: Standard priority items for regular workflow
🟢 Low: Tasks that can be completed when time permits

File Structure

# Project Todo List

## Active Tasks

### Urgent Priority
- [ ] **[Urgent]** 🔴 Fix critical production bug *(Added: July 28, 2025 at 10:30 AM)*

### High Priority  
- [ ] **[High]** 🟠 Complete client review by EOD *(Added: July 28, 2025 at 9:15 AM)*

### Normal Priority
- [ ] **[Normal]** 🟡 Update project documentation *(Added: July 28, 2025 at 8:45 AM)*

### Low Priority
- [ ] **[Low]** 🟢 Optimize build scripts *(Added: July 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM)*

## Completed Tasks
- [x] **[High]** 🟠 Deploy hotfix to staging *(Completed: July 27, 2025)*

---
*Priority levels: 🔴 Urgent | 🟠 High | 🟡 Normal | 🟢 Low*

Smart Organization

Todos are automatically sorted by priority within each category
Timestamps include timezone-aware creation dates
Completed tasks can be moved to the "Completed Tasks" section
Dashboard integration shows todo counts and recent additions

⚙️ Configuration System

NoteFlo has two optional configuration systems depending on your needs:

🎯 Quick Start (No Configuration)

Notes, todos, journals: Work immediately without any setup
Basic time tracking: Start/stop tracking works out-of-the-box
Default structure: Uses sensible defaults for file organization

💼 Business Configuration (For Consultants/Freelancers)

When you need it: Time tracking with invoicing, professional billing Setup: Run NoteFlo: Configure NoteFlo File: .noteflo/config.json (git-ignored)

{
  "business": {
    "name": "Your Consulting Business",
    "address": "123 Business St, City, State 12345",
    "email": "your@business.com",
    "phone": "555-123-4567",
    "website": "www.yourbusiness.com"
  },
  "client": {
    "name": "Client Company Name",
    "contact": "Client Contact Person",
    "address": "Client Address",
    "email": "client@company.com"
  },
  "billing": {
    "hourlyRate": 150,
    "currency": "USD",
    "taxRate": 0,
    "paymentInstructions": "Payment due within 30 days. Wire transfer details included.",
    "invoiceNotes": "Thank you for your business!"
  },
  "preferences": {
    "timezone": "America/New_York"
  }
}

📁 Directory Configuration (Optional Customization)

When you need it: Custom file organization, team consistency Setup: Manual creation or future config command File: .noteflo/config.json (optional)

{
  "directories": {
    "meeting_notes": "meetings",
    "daily_notes": "journals",
    "general_notes": "notes",
    "dashboard": "dashboard"
  },
  "files": {
    "main_dashboard": "overview.md"
  },
  "settings": {
    "auto_refresh_dashboard": true,
    "default_note_template": "detailed",
    "timezone": "America/Chicago"
  }
}

Configuration Usage Patterns

📝 Notes & Todos Only

No configuration needed
Uses default directory structure
All note features work immediately

⏱️ Time Tracking Only

No configuration needed for basic tracking
Manual time entries and status work
No invoicing capabilities

💰 Professional Consulting

Business configuration required
Enables invoice generation
Professional PDF output with your branding
Client billing and time tracking integration

Configuration Commands

Create Business Config: NoteFlo: Configure NoteFlo - Sets up invoicing
Edit Configuration: NoteFlo: Edit Configuration - Opens config file (if exists)
Test Configuration: NoteFlo: Test Configuration - Validates current settings

🌐 Timezone Support

NoteFlo supports configurable timezones for global teams:

Configurable during setup: America/Chicago, America/New_York, Europe/London, etc.
All timestamps use your business timezone
Timezone validation with helpful error messages
Multiple date formats for different contexts

📊 Dynamic Dashboard

The NoteFlo dashboard provides a real-time overview of your workspace activity:

Features

Recent Activity: Latest meeting notes, journal entries, and general notes
Todo Analytics: Count by priority level and category
Time Tracking Summary: Current session status and recent entries
Quick Actions: Fast access to common commands
File Statistics: Overview of workspace documentation

Auto-Updates

Refreshes automatically when you create new content
Smart caching prevents unnecessary regeneration
Manual refresh available via Cmd+K R

Dashboard Structure

# NoteFlo Dashboard - Project Name

*Last updated: July 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM (America/Chicago)*

## 📊 Quick Stats
- **Active Todos**: 12 (🔴 2 urgent, 🟠 4 high, 🟡 5 normal, 🟢 1 low)
- **This Week**: 3 meetings, 5 journal entries, 8 notes
- **Time Tracking**: Currently active (2h 15m elapsed)

## 🎯 Quick Actions
- [Create Meeting Note](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/command:noteflo.newMeetingNote)
- [Quick Todo](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/command:noteflo.quickTodo)  
- [Start Time Tracking](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/command:noteflo.startTimeTracking)
- [Generate Invoice](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/command:noteflo.generateInvoice)

## 📝 Recent Activity

### Meeting Notes (Last 5)
- [Client Review - July 28](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/docs/meeting-notes/client-review-2025-07-28.md)
- [Sprint Planning - July 27](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/docs/meeting-notes/sprint-planning-2025-07-27.md)

### Daily Journals (Last 5)  
- [July 28, 2025](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/docs/daily-notes/2025-07-28.md)
- [July 27, 2025](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/docs/daily-notes/2025-07-27.md)

### General Notes (Last 5)
- [API Design Ideas - July 28](https://github.com/devteds/noteflo-vscode-extension/blob/HEAD/docs/notes/api-design-ideas-2025-07-28.md)

---
*Dashboard auto-updates when you create new content*

💼 Perfect For

Consultants: Track client work and generate professional invoices
Freelancers: Manage multiple projects with organized time tracking
Developers: Document meetings and track feature development time
Project Managers: Maintain organized notes and todo lists
Remote Workers: Keep structured records of daily activities

🛠️ System Requirements

VS Code: 1.60+
Node.js: 20+ (for development)
Operating System: Windows, macOS, Linux
Workspace: Requires an open folder/workspace for functionality

📋 Feature Overview

📝 Core Features

Meeting Notes: Structured templates with attendee tracking and time integration
Daily Journals: Reflection and planning with focus areas and accomplishments
General Notes: Categorized notes with rich metadata and linking
Priority Todos: Visual priority system (🔴🟠🟡🟢) with General/Project categories
Dynamic Dashboard: Real-time analytics and quick access to recent activity

⏱️ Time Management

Smart Tracking: One-click start/stop with description prompts
Manual Entries: Offline work, meetings, and travel time logging
Status Integration: Real-time timer in VS Code status bar
Monthly Organization: Automatic file rotation for organized storage

💰 Professional Invoicing (Optional - requires configuration)

Dual Format: Generate both Markdown and PDF invoices
Professional Layout: Sequential numbering and comprehensive billing details
Business Branding: Include your business info, logo, and custom payment terms
Time Integration: Automatic calculation from tracked hours

🔧 Workspace Integration

Command Palette: Access all features through VS Code's command system
Sidebar Panel: Quick overview and actions in the Explorer
File Organization: Git-friendly structure with sensible defaults
Cross-Platform: Consistent behavior on Windows, macOS, and Linux

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Commands not found: Ensure you have a workspace folder open. NoteFlo requires an active workspace.

Sidebar shows "no data provider": Restart VS Code or run "Developer: Reload Window"

Time tracking not working: Check that you have proper file permissions in the workspace directory.

PDF generation fails: Ensure you have sufficient disk space and write permissions.

Configuration not loading:

For business config: Check that .noteflo/config.json exists and has valid JSON syntax
For invoicing issues: Run "Configure NoteFlo" to set up business information
For directory issues: NoteFlo uses sensible defaults if no directory config exists

Invoice generation fails:

Ensure business configuration is complete (run "Configure NoteFlo")
Check that business name, email, client name, and hourly rate are set
Verify timezone setting is valid (e.g., "America/Chicago")

Dashboard not updating: Try "Refresh Dashboard" command or check if auto-refresh is enabled in settings.

Todos not organized properly: Ensure you're using the latest version and that priority levels are being selected during creation.

Notes and todos work but invoicing doesn't: Business configuration is required for invoicing. Run "NoteFlo: Configure NoteFlo" to set up billing information.

Performance Tips

Large workspaces: NoteFlo indexes files efficiently, but very large note collections may slow dashboard updates
Git integration: Use .gitignore entries for private configuration files (automatically handled)
File organization: Keep notes in recommended directory structure for best performance
Regular cleanup: Archive old completed todos and outdated notes periodically

Configuration Validation

For Business Configuration: Use NoteFlo: Test Configuration to check:

Business information is complete
Client details are valid
Billing rates and currency are set
Timezone format is correct (e.g., "America/Chicago")

For Directory Configuration:

Directory paths are valid and writable
File paths are accessible
JSON syntax is valid
Default fallbacks work if config is missing

No Configuration Needed:

Notes, todos, and journals work immediately
Time tracking (start/stop) works without setup
Dashboard updates automatically

Getting Help

Check the DEVELOPMENT.md for technical details
Review the CHANGELOG.md for recent updates
Open an issue for bugs or feature requests

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

👨‍💻 Author & Organization

Created by: Chandra Shettigar
Organization: Devteds
Website: devteds.com
Contact: chandra@devteds.com

Chandra is a Senior Software Engineer working across multiple technologies and programming languages, with a current focus on AI exploration and innovation.

🎓 Learn More

Interested in DevOps, Platform Engineering, and Cloud technologies? Check out:

Courses: devteds.com
YouTube: Chandra Shettigar
Blog: devteds.com
LinkedIn: shettigarc

NoteFlo - Professional workflow made simple. Built for developers, by developers. 🚀

NoteFlo

Devteds

NoteFlo - Professional Workflow Extension for VS Code

🎯 Overview

🖼️ Screenshots

🌟 Key Features

⏱️ Smart Time Tracking

📝 Enhanced Note Management

💰 Professional Invoicing

🎯 Integrated Workflow

🚀 Installation

From VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

From VSIX Package (Development)

Initial Setup

Configuration File

📖 Quick Start Guide

⏱️ Time Tracking

📝 Note Creation

💰 Invoice Generation

🗂️ File Organization

🎮 Command Palette Reference

📝 Note Management

⏱️ Time Tracking

💰 Invoicing

⚙️ Configuration

📋 Todo Management System

Categories

Priority Levels

File Structure

Smart Organization

⚙️ Configuration System

🎯 Quick Start (No Configuration)

💼 Business Configuration (For Consultants/Freelancers)

📁 Directory Configuration (Optional Customization)

Configuration Usage Patterns

Configuration Commands

🌐 Timezone Support

📊 Dynamic Dashboard

Features

Auto-Updates

Dashboard Structure

💼 Perfect For

🛠️ System Requirements

📋 Feature Overview

📝 Core Features

⏱️ Time Management

💰 Professional Invoicing (Optional - requires configuration)

🔧 Workspace Integration

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Performance Tips

Configuration Validation

Getting Help

📄 License

👨‍💻 Author & Organization

🎓 Learn More