Collections and folders help you organize notes at scale from personal ideas to full team knowledge bases. While they may look similar, they serve different purposes in Cynoia.

This article explains how to create, organize, and manage both effectively.

Collections vs Folders (Quick Difference)

Managing Collections

What Is a Collection?

A Collection is a structured group of notes that can be:

• Public (anyone on your workspace can view)

• Private (invite-only)

• Shared with specific roles

Collections are ideal for:

• Project documentation

• Company handbooks

• Shared knowledge bases

• Public resources

Creating a Collection

1. Go to Notes

2. In the right-side panel, click + Create new collection

3. Enter:

   • Collection name

   • Visibility (Public or Private)

4. (Optional) Invite members and assign roles

5. Click Create Collection

Collection Visibility & Permissions

• Public collection

  • Anyone on your workspace can discover and view it

  • Great for open documentation

• Private collection

  • Only invited members can access

  • Ideal for internal or sensitive content

Permissions are set at the collection level and apply to all notes inside it.

Managing a Collection

From the collection menu (⋯), you can:

• ✏️ Rename

• ⚙️ Open collection settings

• ➕ Create folders inside the collection

• 🗑️ Delete the collection

Managing Folders

What Is a Folder?

A Folder is a structural container used to organize notes inside a space.

A folder can be created:

• ✅ Inside Private Notes (personal space)

• ✅ Inside a Collection (shared or public space)

Folders inherit the visibility and permissions of their parent space.

Folder Locations Explained

Folders in Private Notes

• Located under Private notes

• Only visible to you

• Used for personal organization

Best for

• Drafts

• Personal ideas

• Work-in-progress notes

Folders Inside a Collection

• Created inside a collection

• Automatically follow the collection’s visibility:

  • Public collection → public folders

  • Private collection → restricted folders

• Shared with the same members and permissions

Best for

• Structuring large documentation

• Organizing project knowledge

• Grouping notes by topic or module

Folder Capabilities

Folders support the same actions wherever they live:

From the folder menu (⋯), you can:

• ✔ Rename

• ✔ Move to another space

• ✔ Add to favorites

• ✔ Share (only when inside a collection)

• ✔ Delete

Revised Mental Model (Simple Rule)

Collections define visibility & access

Folders define structure

• Collections = who can see

• Folders = how things are organized

This keeps the system flexible and predictable.Organizing Notes at Scale

Recommended Structure

• Use Collections for:

  • Shared documentation

  • Team knowledge

  • Public resources

• Use Folders for:

  • Work-in-progress notes

  • Manage and organize ideas

This keeps collaboration clean while preserving personal workflows.

Deleting Collections or Folders

• Deleting a collection removes access for all members

• Deleting a folder only affects your personal view

• Notes moved to Trash can be restored

⚠️ Tip: Always double-check shared collections before deleting.

Best Practices

✔ One collection per project or topic

✔ Use clear, descriptive names

✔ Keep folders for organizing topics

✔ Avoid mixing private drafts into shared collections

What’s Next?

Now that your notes are organized, let’s talk about collaboration and access control:

👉 Next article: Sharing Notes & Permissions