Obsidian Workflow Setup

The features you learned earlier are like loose parts in a toolbox—you know how to use a hammer and a screwdriver, but you haven't yet learned how to build a table.

This chapter connects core features and plugins into 5 practical workflows, taking you from "knowing how to use tools" to "having a system."

Reading Notes Workflow

Reading is the primary way to input knowledge. The following workflow helps you turn a book into a searchable, linkable long-term asset.

Process Overview

  1. Create a book homepage note: Use a template to quickly create it, recording the book's metadata
  2. Record excerpts and annotations while reading: Use Callouts to distinguish original quotations from personal thoughts
  3. Extract core concept notes: Turn the book's important concepts into separate atomic notes
  4. Establish links between concepts: Connect new concepts to your existing knowledge network

Book Homepage Template

---
title: "书籍名称"
author: "作者名"
tags:
  - 阅读
  - 类型/技术
rating: 4
date_started: 2026-05-01
date_finished: 2026-05-20
status: 已读完
---

Body Structure

Example

# Book Title

## 3-Sentence Summary

11. What is the core viewpoint of this book?
22. What is the most valuable insight?
33. Who is it for, and what problems does it solve?

## Core Concepts

- [[Concept A]]: One-sentence explanation
- [[Concept B]]: One-sentence explanation
- [[Concept C]]: One-sentence explanation

## Excerpts and Annotations

> [!quote]Original excerpt
>This is an important passage from the book.

My understanding: This passage says... It reminds me of[[Related concepts]]。

> [!quote]Original excerpt
>Another important passage.

My understanding: This differs from Author A's viewpoint, because...

## Action List

- [ ]Try practicing Concept A
- [ ]Apply Concept B to a project
- [ ]Reread the3chapter and supplement notes

Dataview Helper: Book List Dashboard

On the homepage or a dedicated dashboard note, use Dataview to aggregate all books:

Example

```dataview
TABLE author, rating, date_finished, status
FROM "Reading"
WHERE type = "book"
SORT date_finished DESC
```

Daily Workflow (Simplified GTD)

This workflow doesn't require formal GTD training; it only takes the most practical parts.

Daily Process

  1. Morning: Open today's daily note and list 3 goals for today
  2. During the day: Record thoughts, add tasks, and note progress in the daily note at any time
  3. Evening: Review today, check off completed tasks, and write a brief summary

Daily Note Template (Templater Version)

Example

---
tags: [Daily Note]
created: <% tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD") %>
---

# <% tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD dddd") %>

## Today's Goals

- [ ]Goal1
- [ ]Goal2
- [ ]Goal3

## Notes and Ideas

(Record thoughts, inspirations, and temporary tasks at any time)

## Today's Summary

### What was completed

### What difficulties were encountered

### 1 focus for tomorrow

<% tp.date.tomorrow("YYYY-MM-DD dddd") %>

Use Dataview to Aggregate Unfinished Tasks

Put a Dataview query block on the homepage note to automatically collect all unfinished tasks from daily notes:

Example

```dataview
TASK
FROM "00-diary"
WHERE !completed
SORT file.day DESC
LIMIT 20
```

Weekly Review (Optional)

Every Sunday, spend 15 minutes writing a weekly review note, including the following:

Example

# 2026-W21 Weekly Review

## Completed This Week

- Completed X
- Made progress on Y

## Unfinished Tasks

```dataview
TASK
FROM "00-diary"
WHERE !completed AND file.day >= date(2026-05-18) AND file.day <= date(2026-05-24)
```

1. Focus

12. Focus1
2Study Notes Workflow (Simplified Zettelkasten)2

Study Notes Workflow (Simplified Zettelkasten)

Three Note Types

Three Note Types

SourceFeaturesStorage LocationFleeting Notes
Random thoughts and inspirations that pop upNo strict formatting, quick captureDaily Note or Inbox folderLiterature Notes
Records made while reading books, articles, and tutorialsRewritten in your own words, with source attributionResource folder for the relevant fieldPermanent Notes
Distillations of fleeting and literature notesAtomic, one concept per note, linked with bidirectional linksNot organized by folder; dispersed across the vault and discovered through linksPractical Steps

Practical Steps

  1. When organizing, write core concepts as independent notes in your own words (literature note → permanent note)
  2. Add bidirectional links to each concept note, connecting it to existing related knowledge
  3. Open the backlinks panel to check whether the new note is naturally referenced by other notes
  4. Concept Note Template

Concept Note Template

Example

---
tags:
- Programming
- Concept Alias
created: 2026-05-21
aliases:
# Concept Name
---

## One-Sentence Definition

Explain clearly in one sentence what this concept is.

## Detailed Explanation

Explain the concept in your own words, avoiding directly copying from textbooks.

## Why It Matters

In what scenarios is it useful? What problems does it solve?

## Related Concepts

Concept A

- [[: Prerequisite knowledge]]Concept B
- [[: Further reading]]Concept C
- [[: Opposing or contrasting concept]]## Code Example (Optional)

# A minimal runnable example

```python
The core idea of Zettelkasten is "write your own understanding," not "copy others' words." If you merely move textbook content into Obsidian, you're just acting as a porter and haven't truly internalized the knowledge.
```

Writing Workflow

Writing Workflow

Four-Stage Process

Four-Stage Process

Note TypeToolMaterial Collection
Fleeting notes, excerpt cardsDaily Note + Quick CaptureOutline Planning
Outline noteOutline panel + Canvas drag-and-drop sortingDraft Writing
Draft noteEditor + Focus modePublish and Export
Final versionFinal VersionExport PDF / Obsidian Publish / Pandoc to other formats

Material Collection Stage

In daily reading and thinking, whenever you encounter anything related to your writing topic, record it at any time.

For each writing project, you can create a "material pool" note and query it with Dataview.#writing/project-nameThe content of the tag.

Outline Planning Stage

In Canvas, create outline cards and drag to adjust the order. Lines indicate logical relationships.

Or directly write an outline note, using heading levels to represent chapter structure, and use the outline panel to view the overall picture.

Draft Writing Stage

Cmd+P → "Focus Mode" hides all sidebars.

After writing each section, you can use the following below:%%comment%%(Obsidian's comment syntax) to write markers for items to be revised. These comments are only visible in edit mode and hidden in preview mode.

Publish and Export

Export PDF: directly use Obsidian's built-in export function.

Export Word/HTML: Install the Pandoc plugin to convert Markdown to multiple formats.

Build a digital garden: Obsidian Publish can publish the entire Vault as a website.

Project Management Workflow

Use Obsidian to track multi-project progress, not as a replacement for Jira, but as a personal-level project dashboard.

Project Note Template

Example

---
tags:
- Project
status: in progress
deadline: 2026-06-15
priority: high
---

# Project Name

## Goals

Describe in one sentence the result the project aims to achieve.

## Key Milestones

- [ ]Milestone1: Specific output Deadline:2026-05-30
- [ ]Milestone2: Specific output Deadline:2026-06-10
- [ ]Milestone3: Specific output Deadline:2026-06-15

## In-Progress Tasks

- [ ]Task1
- [ ]Task2

## Project Notes

- [[Technical solution discussion]]
- [[Meeting notes2026-05-21]]

## Blockers

(Record the issues currently blocking progress)

Use Dataview to Create a Project Dashboard

Example

```dataview
TABLE deadline, priority, status
FROM "10-Projects"
WHERE status != "archived"
SORT priority ASC, deadline ASC
```

Place all project notes on the home page or in a dashboard note to grasp the overall progress at a glance.

Homepage Design Suggestions

A well-designed home page (Home Note) is the first interface you see when you open Obsidian every day.

Recommended structure:

Example

# Welcome back &#x1f3e0;

## Quick Links

- [[00-Diary/{{date}}|Today's Diary]]
- [[Inbox]]
- [[Project Dashboard]]

## Current Projects

```dataview
TABLE status, deadline
FROM "10-Projects"
WHERE status = "in progress"
```

## Unfinished Tasks

```dataview
TASK
FROM "00-Diary"
WHERE !completed
LIMIT 10
```

## Recently Updated Notes

```dataview
TABLE file.mtime as "last modified"
FROM ""
SORT file.mtime DESC
LIMIT 5
```

The purpose of the home page is not "pretty" but "useful." Put the information you most need to see when opening Obsidian every day on the home page—whether it's today's to-dos, ongoing projects, or recently modified notes. Keep adjusting until it becomes your true entry point.

Workflow Selection Suggestions

You don't need to adopt all five workflows wholesale. It is recommended to build them progressively according to the following priorities:

StageBuild firstReason
Week 1Daily workflow + Home pageBuild the habit of opening Obsidian every day; other workflows extend from this.
Week 2Learning notes workflowIf you are learning new knowledge, this is the most direct application scenario.
Month 1Book notes workflowWhen you start your next book, just use the template to create the first note.
When neededWriting workflow / Project management workflowSet them up only when you have specific writing tasks or projects; don't build an empty framework in advance.
Other extensions