5.2.3 - Identifying Workflow Enhancements
Hazel made by noodle soft is a file managing tool which allows you to improve the efficiency of your workflow by organising your files, which you can set different variables allowing you to manage certain files and customise how they are arranged.
For example, if you wanted to save all your work from a specific program such as Photoshop in a certain place, Hazel can organise this for you and cut out repetitive tasks which increases productivity allowing users to focus on their creative endeavours. This provides you with an efficient and de cluttered digital workspace which is maintained with minimal effort.
Hazel provides many benefits other than just solely file management, it also creates custom notifications in which you can set alerts for actions made, any errors that are encountered or when certain files meet the defined parameters. Hazel can also be used to automate file backups, compress and archive old files to save storage and sync certain files with services such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Hazel can also help people who handle with large volumes of documents and offers Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities, this feature scans the contents of PDFs and allows parameters and rules to be set based off the text inside. Hazel is great for macOS users as it has a deep integration with the system allowing it to monitor folders, interact with macOS finder tags and even trigger AppleScripts for people with advanced requirements which can increase automation even further. It is also efficient at trash management and clean up unwanted old files.
However frustratingly Hazel is no longer compatible with OneDrive which is one of the key pain points I have identified for Hazel. One solution if have found is using either Dropbox or Google Drive to store files as they are able to be synced up with Hazel in order to automatically rename or organise the files. Another solution is Noodle Soft looking into redeveloping Hazel to be able to sync with One Drive to help improve the service for OneDrive users such as myself.
Inconclusion, I believe Hazel is a great tool for file management and is good for people who struggle with creating an efficient workflow and time management as it automates repetitive tasks with reduced effort allowing people to focus on their creative approaches and streamline creative output and manage your workflow efficiently.
