Let’s Get It Started In Here

June 27 2005 07:00:00 AM Add/Read Comments [12]
Spanish Version *links to another site

Did you know that you can automatically start/open Notes databases, Windows/Mac applications, Office documents, websites, etc. when you start Lotus Notes?  Well you can, and it is as simple as creating links to the desired objects in the Lotus Notes "Startup" folder.

As seen below, the Startup folder is accessed from the "More Bookmarks" folder found on the Lotus Notes bookmark bar.   You can place links to Notes DBs, a specific view in a DB, specific Notes documents, programs, web sites, even documents on your hard drive.

Image:Let´s Get It Started In Here

To place a Notes object (DB, view, document) in the Startup folder you can either drag and drop the link into the folder (technique discussed in this tip) , or right click on the object's Notes Window tab, and choose "Create Bookmark".  In the resulting dialog box you can update the name of the link, choose where the links should go (Startup in this case) and what type of link DB, view, or document.

Image:Let´s Get It Started In Here

For items that are not Notes objects (applications, URLs, files on your hard drive, etc) you simply drag and drop them from the place you access them (Window's Explorer, My Document folder, your desktop, your web browser bookmarks, etc) into the Notes Startup folder.

When you start your Notes client, you will see Notes Window tabs open for each of the objects you placed in the Startup folder.   However, no actual connection to the objects occurs until you click on the Window Tab, so you have nothing to worry about regarding start-up performance.
Image:Let´s Get It Started In Here

If the object was not a Notes object (applications, URLs, PDFs, etc) you will see it start in the Windows task bar.
Image:Let´s Get It Started In Here

I hope this tip helps you be more productive.   I know it saves me time accessing the objects that I use everyday.
  1. Ashish Sidapara
    1 | 6/28/2005 6:31:41 AM

    Thanks Alan !!

    (You made life easier "again")

  2. Chad Schelfhout
    2 | 6/28/2005 8:01:57 AM

    Is there any way to tell Notes not to launch the bookrmarks in the startup folder? In the morning when launching Notes all is good, but if I restart Notes during the middle of the day I might not want them to launch.

  3. Duffbert
    3 | 6/28/2005 8:35:37 AM

    Just great... now I have that stupid song stuck in my head! Thanks again, Lepofsky! :-)

  4. Pettrie de Bondt
    4 | 6/28/2005 1:06:59 PM

    Yet an other great tip, saves me a hell of a lot off time!

    Is this also documented in the Help database?

  5. Alan Lepofsky
    5 | 6/28/2005 1:24:30 PM

    @4 Thanks you Pettrie. I could not find much information about it in the Help Database, which is one of the reasons I wanted to blog about it.

  6. v
    6 | 6/29/2005 2:36:48 AM

    Is this R6 functionality only?

  7. Alan Lepofsky
    7 | 6/29/2005 7:56:01 AM

    @6. The Startup folder was introduced in Notes 6.0. If you are using an older client, I highly recommend you upgrade, as Notes 6 has literally hundreds of improvements over older releases. Look in the "Links" section on the left navigator of this site for "What is new in ND6".

  8. Julian Robichaux
    8 | 6/29/2005 9:42:46 PM

    Nice tip (and good graphics, as usual). Another neat thing to do is to add a program shortcut or URL directly to the bookmark bar itself:

    { Link }

    Unfortunately, the bookmark bar doesn't give you a lot of room, but if there are two or three things you like to keep handy, that's a good place.

    - Julian

  9. Alan Lepofsky
    9 | 6/29/2005 11:03:21 PM

    @8 - Thanks Julian. Also, the Launcher in the Workplace Style Notes Welcome Page is a good place to drop shortcuts. More on that in a future tip!

  10. Dominux
    10 | 7/1/2005 3:38:29 AM

    is there a limitation with localized Notes client ? I'm using french client and your tips... didn't work!

  11. Alan Lepofsky
    11 | 7/1/2005 8:21:07 AM

    @10, What did not work?

  12. Nicole
    12 | 5/25/2010 12:05:52 PM

    If I don't see the Startup folder within my More Bookmarks folder, how do I get it? Thanks!