The Scratchpad is a free-text notes area on every People and Organisation profile. Use it for the unstructured notes that don't belong in a custom field or a post — a reminder of where a conversation left off, a phone number to chase, context the next person to open the profile will want.
Notes in the Scratchpad are shared: everyone who can see the profile sees the same notes, and anyone with edit access can change them. It isn't a private notepad.
Where to find it
Open a People or Organisation profile. The Scratchpad sits in the right-hand column, directly above the Feed.
Each profile has its own Scratchpad, and it holds the same notes for every user who opens that profile.
Add or change notes
- Open the profile.
- Select inside the Scratchpad text area.
- Type your notes.
- There's no save button. SwiftFox saves as you type and shows a Saved indicator in the bottom-right of the text area once your notes are stored. If you don't see Saved, your latest changes haven't been written yet — wait a moment before closing the profile.
To clear the notes, select the text, delete it, and wait for the Saved indicator.
Formatting your notes
The Scratchpad has no formatting toolbar, but it does recognise markdown shortcuts as you type. Type the shortcut and the text converts immediately — the shortcut characters disappear.
| Type this | You get |
|---|---|
**text** |
bold |
_text_ |
italic |
~~text~~ |
strikethrough |
text |
inline code |
# at the start of a line |
a large heading |
## at the start of a line |
a smaller heading |
• at the start of a line |
a bulleted list |
> at the start of a line |
a quote |
Two things that don't convert: numbered lists (typing 1. leaves the text as-is) and markdown link syntax ([text](url) stays literal).
Formatting is saved with your notes and is still there when you reopen the profile.
Once a line becomes a heading or a list item, new lines carry on in that style. To get back to normal text, clear the line and start again.
When to use the Scratchpad — and when not to
Use the Scratchpad for working notes with no lasting structure. Reach for something else when the information needs to be reported on, searched, or tied to a point in time:
- Posts — for a record of an interaction, with a date, author and tags. Posts appear in the Feed and can be reported on.
- Custom fields — for structured data you want to filter, segment or export. Scratchpad notes can't be used as criteria in the Lists builder.
- Tasks — for something that needs doing, assigned to someone, with a due date.
Notes
- The Scratchpad is available on both People and Organisation profiles and is specific to the profile you're viewing.
- Notes can be edited at any time. Because they're shared, treat them as team-visible.
- Scratchpad content isn't a substitute for a post — nothing you type here appears in the Feed or the activity log.
- Formatting is a convenience for readability only. It doesn't make the notes searchable or reportable.
Frequently asked questions
Who can see my Scratchpad notes?
Everyone who can access that profile. It's a shared area, not a private one.
How do I save my notes?
You don't — SwiftFox saves as you type. The Saved indicator in the bottom-right of the text area confirms your notes are stored.
Can I filter or report on Scratchpad notes?
No. Use custom fields for data you need to segment, filter or export.
Is there a Scratchpad on organisations as well as people?
Yes. Both People and Organisation profiles have one, and each holds its own notes.
Can I format the text?
Yes, using markdown shortcuts as you type — there's no formatting toolbar. See Formatting your notes above for the full list of what's supported.