Here you will find some helpful tips and instructions on how to best use your new digital planner. It is supplied in a PDF format, and works best on Apple iPads or Android Tablets where an Apple Pencil, or stylus, can also be used.

Which app to use for your new planner

You'll need a PDF editor to use your new planner, and we recommend using one with annotation capabilities if you wish to use an Apple pencil or stylus to write with. If you would prefer to use a keyboard to type, this can also be done using the text tool to input text instead.

Compatible apps include GoodNotes (our preferred option), Notability, Noteshelf, Xodo, Adobe Acrobat, Drawboard pdf etc.

How to download your new planner

If purchasing from our website:

Click the download button in the order confirmation email which will download a PDF file containing the links to build your own digital planner, and also a useful help guide

If purchasing from Etsy:

Simply follow the link in your confirmation email to download a PDF file containing the links to build your own digital planner, and also a useful help guide. Alternatively, if logged in when you made your purchase, go to your ‘Purchases’ in your Etsy account and then click to download the file.

How to open and import your new planner

 1.      Follow the link from the downloaded PDF to our online custom digital planner builder. This can be done on the actual device where you intend to use it, which is likely the easiest option (iPad, tablet etc.) or on a laptop / computer first if you prefer

2.      Click through the options available to customise your planner’s colour scheme, rings, weekly layout, daily layout, and weekly start day. Once all chosen, the final button will download your new planner

3.      Ensure the planner PDF file is now saved on the device you wish to use (either download it directly to this, or transfer it using iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox etc.)

4.      Download the annotation app you wish to use (Goodnotes, Notability etc.)

5.      Open your chosen app and import your planner download. This could either be via an ‘Import’ or ‘+’ button, then select your digital planner. You will need to find the PDF planner file in the same location you saved it in earlier when it was downloaded to the device. This could be in the Downloads folder for example.

6.      Once imported, feel free to start using your planner! All pages are hyperlinked together, allowing you to move through the planner with ease. You can also now start to fill this in using a stylus or digital pencil. (Make sure the ‘writing tool’ is clicked off when you wish to navigate through the planner and use the links, and then simply click it back on when you wish to write again)

For personal use only. This digital planner must not be shared, resold or redistributed.

Why don’t the links work?

Some apps have a ‘Read-Only’ option, which allows the hyperlinks to work when you are not actively annotating a page. Ensure this is on to navigate through the planner.

If using GoodNotes, please have the ‘Read-Only’ tool on. If Goodnotes is showing editing options, colours etc. then it thinks you are annotating that particular page and will not allow the hyperlinks to work. Simply click the pencil looking icon near the top to remove the editing capabilities and allow the hyperlinks. Once you have reached the section or page you would like, click the pencil tool again to allow drawing, writing, typing and editing.

Please also make sure that any app you are using is updated to the latest version. The last option to try is to close all open documents on the particular PDF app, and force it to quit. Then fully restart your device.

How to navigate through the planner

Our digital planners have the main tabs across the top, and months down the side, showing on all pages to ensure that is is very easy to navigate through. We have one ‘Index’ page where all of the templates can be found, spaced out into different sections. The Index page also has direct links to all of the monthly breakdown planning pages so that everything is in one place.

There is also a ‘Notes’ page (accessed via one of the top main tabs) which includes 9 different blank notes pages. Any of these can be duplicated and moved throughout the planner. Simply navigate to the blank note page which you wish to copy, select the pages overview icon (in Goodnotes this is an icon with 4 squares in the top left), then select the little drop down arrow next to the current highlighted page. This will allow you to duplicate the page and then the drop down arrow will again give you the option to ‘move’ the new page to a different section of the planner if you would like it placed elsewhere.

Also within the main ‘Notes’ page, there are 12 linked ‘Custom Pages’. These can be named anything you like and are simply a way of you being able to quickly access pages which you can use for any purpose.

 How to duplicate a page

Any of our pages and templates can be duplicated. This may be if you have more information which you wish to fill in on a specific topic, have more than one different purpose for each, or simply require extra space elsewhere in the planner.

Simply navigate to the page which you wish to copy, select the pages overview icon (in Goodnotes this is an icon with 4 squares in the top left), then select the little drop down arrow next to the current highlighted page. This will allow you to duplicate the page and then the drop down arrow will again give you the option to ‘move’ the new page to a different section of the planner if you would like it placed elsewhere.

If you are using a different PDF annotation app, then a quick internet search will give you the most recent and up-to-date method for how to duplicate and move a page. 

How to change the front cover

As a standard, all of our planners come with a pre-set graphic front cover. We do have options available above to download new covers (which have matching elements to our ring colours). Once you have downloaded this file and found an image you would like to use, simply add it as a new page at the front of the planner.

Each PDF editor is different, however in Goodnotes you can navigate to the pages overview (4 squares icon in the top left) and then scroll to the top left so you can see the current cover icon (the current first page). Simply click the little down arrow below it and select ‘Add page before’. You ca now click ‘import’ and choose the new cover photo of your choosing. Feel free to delete the page with the original cover on after the new cover has been added as the new first page. 

How to use stickers

All PDF editor apps are slightly different, so we do recommend doing a quick online search for the most up-to-date method of importing our cropped PDF stickers to use.

If you are using Goodnotes, then we find the best way to do this is to first download the file of stickers for your planner colour (buttons and the links can be found above on this page). Then simply open the folder on your ipad within downloads, click ‘select’ in the top right, then ‘select all’ in the top left. Once all of the stickers in the folder have a tick on them (to show they are all selected) click ‘Share’ in the bottom left and then choose ‘Save Images’. This will save them all individually to your camera roll (don’t worry you can delete them later but for now keep them saved).

Open up your digital planner in goodnotes and click the pen tool as if you are going to start annotating a page (it does not matter which page). There is an icon with an oval and a star inside it, click this twice so that a little box opens. There are some small icons in the bottom, if you scroll along to the very far right in that corner then you can see a (+) icon. Click on this and it will then allow you to title your new sticker collection. Click ‘add photos’ and select all of the images which we just saved to your camera roll. Then simply click create.

Now when you click on the stickers button (oval with a star inside) one of the icons at the very bottom will show the new sticker collection. You can scroll these and add them as many times as you wish throughout the planner.