📸 Scan > 💾 Save > 🔗 Link to NotePlan

NotePlan is a powerful task and note management app that uses markdown for formatting. While NotePlan can embed images directly, working with PDF files across platforms (iOS and macOS) requires a special approach due to differences in how file URLs are handled.

This guide shows you how to create a shortcut that:

  1. Scans a document into a PDF
  2. Saves it to iCloud Drive
  3. Creates two markdown links - one that works on iOS and another for macOS
  4. Adds these links to your NotePlan daily note

Why Two Links?

iOS and macOS handle file links differently:

  • iOS uses the shareddocuments:// protocol which doesn't work on macOS
  • macOS requires a different approach for PDF links

Prerequisites

  • NotePlan installed on your devices
  • Shortcuts app installed
  • Toolbox Pro installed (needed for enhanced file handling capabilities)
  • iCloud Drive enabled

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Install Toolbox Pro

  1. Download Toolbox Pro from the App Store
  2. Open the app and set up the basic configuration
  3. For this shortcut, the free version of Toolbox Pro is sufficient

2. Create the Shortcut

or download it!! 🥸 Scan to NotePlan

3. Customize settings

When downloading this shortcut, you'll need to modify a few items to make it work with your specific configuration:

  1. Username: In the shortcut, find the Text action that creates the macOS file path. Replace frank with your actual Mac username, unless it's already frank and you are golden! and have a cool name. 

    file:///Users/frank/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/[Inbox]/Scans/

  2. iCloud Drive Folder Structure: Make sure the folder path matches your iCloud Drive structure. The default path is:

    [Inbox]/Scans/

    If your files are stored in a different location, update path accordingly.

  3. File Extension: The shortcut uses ".pdf" as the default extension. If you need a different extension, modify the Text action that creates the filename.

  4. NotePlan Integration: The shortcut assumes you're using NotePlan's default "Today" note. If you prefer to add links to a different note, modify the "Add to Note" action, or ask for input if you want it in a different place in your notes.

Usage

  1. Run the shortcut from your Home Screen, Shortcuts widget, or Shortcuts app
  2. Scan your document
  3. Enter a name for the PDF
  4. Select "Today's Note" from the menu
  5. The shortcut will add two markdown links to your daily note in NotePlan
  6. On iOS, use the "iOS Link" to access your PDF
  7. On macOS, use the "Mac Link" to access your PDF

Additional Notes

I've added a few other items to the shortcut, for example, you can 🪂 Air Drop the file, 💬 Text it to someone 📧 Email it 💾 Save and nothing else

Future modifications can be to add 🖨️ Printing, and while we are only performing ONE action with the scanned file, perhaps you want to send it, print it, and save it to NotePlan... Maybe for version 1.1. Let me know if this is useful, something doesn't work quite right or if you want to se something added to it.

Download this shortcut: Scan to NotePlan PDF