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Admin Notes Board

A lightweight collaboration tool for WordPress teams. Add a shared notes board directly to your WordPress dashboard for task lists, reminders, announcements, and quick team communication.

Single File v1.0.1 Updated 3 days ago
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YT Admin Notes Board

A lightweight collaboration tool for WordPress teams. Add a shared notes board directly to your WordPress dashboard for task lists, reminders, announcements, and quick team communication.

Description

The Admin Notes Board plugin creates a dedicated space on your WordPress dashboard where administrators and editors can share notes, task lists, and important information. Perfect for small to medium teams who need a quick way to communicate without leaving WordPress.

Features

  • Dashboard Widget: Prominent "Team Notes" widget on main dashboard
  • WYSIWYG Editor: Rich text formatting with WordPress editor
  • Plain Text Option: Simple textarea for distraction-free notes
  • Shared Notes: All team members see the same content
  • Role-Based Access: Control who can edit notes (admin, editor, etc.)
  • Last Edited Info: Track who edited notes and when
  • Auto-Save: Automatic saving every minute
  • AJAX Powered: Save without page reload
  • Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+S (save), Ctrl+Shift+C (clear)
  • Clear Function: One-click to clear all notes
  • Responsive Design: Works on all screen sizes
  • Custom Widget Title: Change the widget heading
  • No Database Tables: Uses WordPress options (lightweight)
  • Translation Ready: Full i18n support
  • Secure: Nonce verification and capability checks

Installation

  1. Upload yt-admin-notes-board.php to /wp-content/plugins/
  2. Upload yt-admin-notes-board.css to the same directory
  3. Upload yt-admin-notes-board.js to the same directory
  4. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu
  5. View the "Team Notes" widget on your dashboard
  6. Configure at Settings → Notes Board

Usage

Viewing Notes

  1. Go to Dashboard (wp-admin/)
  2. Find the Team Notes widget
  3. View current team notes

Editing Notes (Admin/Editor)

  1. Go to Dashboard
  2. Type or paste content into the editor
  3. Click Save Notes button
  4. Notes are instantly shared with all team members

Using WYSIWYG Editor

  • Bold: Select text and click B
  • Italic: Select text and click I
  • Lists: Click bullet or numbered list button
  • Links: Select text and click link button
  • Formatting: Use toolbar buttons

Using Plain Text Editor

  • Simple textarea without formatting
  • Great for code snippets or simple lists
  • Less visual clutter
  • Faster loading

Clearing Notes

  1. Click Clear Notes button
  2. Confirm the action
  3. All notes removed (cannot be undone)

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Ctrl/Cmd + S: Save notes
  • Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + C: Clear notes (with confirmation)

Settings

Navigate to Settings → Notes Board to configure:

Widget Title

  • Default: "Team Notes"
  • Purpose: Customize widget heading
  • Examples: "Daily Tasks", "Team Announcements", "Quick Notes"

Editor Type

WYSIWYG Editor (Rich text with formatting)

  • WordPress TinyMCE editor
  • Bold, italic, lists, links
  • Visual formatting
  • Larger file size

Plain Text (Simple textarea)

  • Simple textarea field
  • No formatting options
  • Clean and minimal
  • Faster performance

Who Can Edit

Select user roles that can edit notes:

  • Administrator (recommended)
  • Editor (recommended for editorial teams)
  • Author (optional)
  • Contributor (optional)
  • Subscriber (not recommended)

Note: All users can view notes, only selected roles can edit.

Show Last Edited Info

  • Enabled: Shows "Last edited by [name] [time] ago"
  • Disabled: Hides edit history
  • Purpose: Track who made recent changes

Use Cases

Daily Task List

Today's Tasks:
- Review pending articles
- Update homepage banner
- Check backup status
- Reply to support tickets

Team Announcements

IMPORTANT:
Site maintenance scheduled for Saturday 2 AM - 4 AM
Please save work by Friday evening.

Contact Information

Emergency Contacts:
Developer: John - 555-1234
Designer: Sarah - 555-5678
Hosting: support@hosting.com

Content Calendar

This Week's Content:
Mon - Blog: SEO Tips
Wed - Social: Product Launch
Fri - Newsletter: Monthly Update

Quick Reminders

Remember:
✓ Backup before major updates
✓ Test on staging first
✓ Clear cache after changes
✓ Update copyright year

Configuration Examples

Small Team (1-3 People)

Widget Title: "Team Notes"
Editor Type: WYSIWYG
Who Can Edit: Administrator, Editor
Show Last Edited: Enabled

Large Editorial Team

Widget Title: "Editorial Notes"
Editor Type: WYSIWYG
Who Can Edit: Administrator, Editor, Author
Show Last Edited: Enabled

Developer Team

Widget Title: "Dev Notes"
Editor Type: Plain Text
Who Can Edit: Administrator
Show Last Edited: Enabled

Simple Reminder Board

Widget Title: "Daily Reminders"
Editor Type: Plain Text
Who Can Edit: Administrator, Editor
Show Last Edited: Disabled

Technical Details

File Structure

yt-admin-notes-board.php       # Main plugin file (710 lines)
yt-admin-notes-board.css       # Widget styles
yt-admin-notes-board.js        # AJAX functionality
README-yt-admin-notes-board.md # Documentation

Constants Defined

YT_ANB_VERSION   // Plugin version (1.0.0)
YT_ANB_BASENAME  // Plugin basename
YT_ANB_PATH      // Plugin directory path
YT_ANB_URL       // Plugin directory URL

Database Storage

Option Name: yt_anb_options

Option Structure:

array(
    'notes_content'    => 'HTML or plain text',
    'editor_type'      => 'wysiwyg' or 'plain',
    'allowed_roles'    => array('administrator', 'editor'),
    'widget_title'     => 'Team Notes',
    'show_last_edited' => true,
    'last_edited_by'   => 'John Doe',
    'last_edited_time' => '2025-01-15 14:30:00'
)

WordPress Hooks

Actions

  • plugins_loaded: Load text domain
  • wp_dashboard_setup: Add dashboard widget
  • admin_menu: Add settings page
  • admin_init: Register settings
  • admin_enqueue_scripts: Load CSS/JS

Filters

  • plugin_action_links_{basename}: Add settings link

AJAX Endpoints

  • yt_anb_save_notes: Save notes content
  • yt_anb_clear_notes: Clear all notes

Capabilities Required

View Notes: Any logged-in user with dashboard access Edit Notes: User role must be in "allowed_roles" setting Configure Settings: manage_options capability

Data Sanitization

Input:

  • Notes content: wp_kses_post() (allows safe HTML)
  • Widget title: sanitize_text_field()
  • Roles: sanitize_key()

Output:

  • Content: wp_kses_post() + wpautop()
  • Text: esc_html()
  • Attributes: esc_attr()

Security Features

  • Nonce Verification: All AJAX requests
  • Capability Checks: Role-based access control
  • Input Sanitization: All user input cleaned
  • Output Escaping: All output escaped
  • XSS Prevention: Proper HTML filtering
  • CSRF Protection: Nonce tokens

Auto-Save Feature

The plugin includes optional auto-save functionality:

  • Interval: Every 60 seconds (1 minute)
  • Condition: Only if content changed
  • Method: AJAX background save
  • User Feedback: Silent (no message shown)

To enable: Uncomment in JavaScript file (line 205)

Performance

Resource Usage

  • Database: 1 option entry (~2-10 KB depending on content)
  • HTTP Requests: 0 (widget loads with dashboard)
  • AJAX: Only when saving/clearing
  • Memory: < 100 KB

Load Time Impact

  • First Load: +50-100ms (JavaScript/CSS)
  • Subsequent: Cached (0ms)
  • WYSIWYG Editor: +200-300ms
  • Plain Text: +10ms

Optimization

  • No Database Tables: Uses lightweight options
  • Conditional Loading: Scripts only on dashboard
  • Minification: Ready for production minification
  • Caching: Compatible with all cache plugins

Frequently Asked Questions

Can multiple users edit at the same time?

Yes, but last save wins. The plugin doesn't lock editing. Use "last edited" info to coordinate.

What happens if two people save simultaneously?

The second save overwrites the first. We recommend checking "last edited" before saving major changes.

Can I use HTML in notes?

Yes, with WYSIWYG editor. The plugin uses wp_kses_post() which allows safe HTML.

Is there a character limit?

No hard limit, but keep notes under 10,000 characters for best performance.

Can I add images?

Not currently. The WYSIWYG editor has media buttons disabled to keep notes lightweight.

Does it work with Gutenberg?

Yes, the dashboard widget works with any WordPress setup (Classic or Block editor for posts).

Can I have multiple notes widgets?

Not currently. One shared notes board per site.

Are notes backed up?

Yes, if you backup your WordPress database (wp_options table).

Can I export notes?

Not directly, but you can copy/paste content or export via database backup.

Is it multisite compatible?

Yes, each site in a network has its own notes board.

Troubleshooting

Widget not appearing

Causes:

  • User role not in "allowed_roles"
  • Widget hidden via Screen Options

Solutions:

  • Go to Settings → Notes Board, check roles
  • Click "Screen Options" on dashboard, enable widget

Can't edit notes

Causes:

  • User role doesn't have edit permission
  • JavaScript error

Solutions:

  • Check Settings → Notes Board → Who Can Edit
  • Check browser console for errors
  • Try different editor type (Plain Text)

Save button not working

Causes:

  • JavaScript error
  • AJAX blocked
  • Nonce expired

Solutions:

  • Refresh page
  • Check browser console
  • Disable other plugins temporarily

Notes disappeared

Causes:

  • Someone clicked Clear Notes
  • Database issue

Solutions:

  • Check with team members
  • Restore from database backup
  • Check Settings → Notes Board (notes might be saved)

WYSIWYG editor not loading

Causes:

  • Theme/plugin conflict
  • JavaScript error

Solutions:

  • Switch to Plain Text editor temporarily
  • Deactivate other plugins
  • Check browser console

Best Practices

Content Guidelines

Do:

  • Keep notes concise and organized
  • Use lists for tasks
  • Include dates for deadlines
  • Update regularly
  • Archive old information

Don't:

  • Store sensitive passwords
  • Write novels (use posts instead)
  • Include private information
  • Forget to save changes
  • Clear without checking with team

Team Coordination

  • Morning Standup: Update daily tasks
  • End of Day: Check off completed items
  • Weekly: Archive old notes
  • Before Saving: Check "last edited" info
  • Use Formatting: Make notes scannable

Performance Tips

  • Keep notes under 5,000 characters
  • Use Plain Text for simple notes
  • Clear old notes regularly
  • Don't embed large images
  • Use lists instead of paragraphs

Privacy & Data

What Data is Stored?

  • Notes content (text/HTML)
  • Last editor's display name
  • Last edit timestamp
  • Widget settings

GDPR Considerations

  • No personal data by default
  • "Last edited by" shows display name (public)
  • No IP addresses stored
  • No tracking or analytics

Data Retention

  • Notes persist indefinitely
  • Deleted only when:
    • Clear button clicked
    • Plugin uninstalled
    • Database cleaned manually

Uninstallation

When you delete the plugin:

  1. All notes content deleted
  2. Plugin settings removed
  3. No database tables to drop
  4. WordPress cache flushed

Note: Notes are permanently deleted. Export if needed.

Changelog

1.0.0 (2025-01-XX)

  • Initial release
  • Dashboard widget with shared notes
  • WYSIWYG and plain text editors
  • Role-based access control
  • Last edited tracking
  • Auto-save functionality
  • AJAX save/clear
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Configurable settings page
  • Translation ready
  • Mobile responsive

Roadmap

Potential future features:

  • Note history/revisions
  • Multiple note boards
  • Note categories/tags
  • Rich media support
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Email notifications
  • Export to PDF/CSV
  • Note templates
  • Markdown support
  • Mobile app

Developer Notes

Line Count

  • PHP: 710 lines
  • CSS: 394 lines
  • JS: 405 lines
  • Total: 1,509 lines

Extending the Plugin

Add Custom Widget Position

add_filter('yt_anb_widget_priority', function($priority) {
    return 'low'; // 'high', 'core', 'default', 'low'
});

Modify Allowed HTML

add_filter('yt_anb_allowed_html', function($allowed_tags) {
    // Add/remove allowed HTML tags
    return $allowed_tags;
});

Custom Auto-Save Interval

add_filter('yt_anb_autosave_interval', function($interval) {
    return 120000; // 2 minutes (in milliseconds)
});

Add Note Templates

add_filter('yt_anb_note_templates', function($templates) {
    $templates['tasks'] = "Today's Tasks:n- n- n- ";
    return $templates;
});

Contributing

Follow WordPress Coding Standards:

phpcs --standard=WordPress yt-admin-notes-board.php

Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests:

License

GPL v2 or later

Author

Krasen Slavov

Collaborate better with a shared notes board for your WordPress team!

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