Whether you’re a life coach, business coach, or career coach, keeping everything organized—from notes during coaching sessions to client progress—can be a challenge. That’s where OneNote comes in.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to use OneNote to run powerful coaching sessions, track client progress, and stay organized—without getting lost in sticky notes or scattered documents. I’ll walk you through a real-world setup using my OneNote Coaching Planner, which includes ready-made templates and a smart layout to help you focus on what matters most: your clients.
Why OneNote is Perfect for Coaching Sessions?
Coaches wear many hats. You’re a listener, a guide, a strategist—and often your own admin. That’s why you need a tool that’s flexible, reliable, and easy to use.
Here’s why I love using OneNote for coaching:
- It’s free and works on all devices.
- You can write, type, record audio, or even draw.
- It’s searchable (goodbye lost notes!).
- You can store everything in one place: clients, notes, goals, templates, tasks.
But of course, a blank OneNote notebook can feel overwhelming. That’s why I created a structured Coaching Planner that does the heavy lifting for you.
With the introduction of Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered assistant, OneNote has taken a leap forward. Copilot helps you create, organize, and find information faster, making OneNote an even more valuable tool for productivity.
1. How to Use OneNote to Manage Clients and Coaching Sessions
If you’re new to OneNote, I highly recommend starting with my other blogpost about the basics of OneNote, where I walk through the basics of setting up and using this amazing and simple tool.
There are many ways to use OneNote, but here’s the setup that works beautifully for coaches using my planner.
Would you like to see how to synchronise your clients in you MS Outlook database with your notebook? Check out my YouTube video about it! (Disclaimer: only works on the “old” view on Outlook. I’m actively looking into options for the “new” Outlook layout!)
1. Section Group: “Clients”
This is where everything starts. I create a dedicated section group called “Clients.” This helps keep your coaching work separate from your own tasks, admin work, or personal planning.
Inside the “Clients” section group, each individual client gets their own page.
2. Client Pages: A- Z index
Each client has a summary page named like this: A – Anna Meyer, B – Ben Roberts, and so on. This makes it super easy to navigate and quickly find the right client—even during a call.
On each client’s main page, I include:
- Coaching agreement or contract
- Basic info (email, time zone, preferences)
- Coaching goals or milestones
- A quick overview of their progress
3. Subpages: Coaching Session notes and reflections
Under each client’s summary page, you can add subpages for each coaching session (that you can link or search later)
For example:
- 2025-03-21 | Session #1: Confidence and Boundaries
- 2025-04-04 | Session #2: Planning Career Change
Here’s what to typically include in each session note:
- Session goals
- Key insights
- Action steps
- Homework
- Client mood/reflections
- Private notes (optional)
You can use bullet points, checkboxes, even embed audio recordings or attach PDFs. The best part? Everything is in one place. You don’t need to search through emails or dig up old documents.
Want to save time?
Grab My Ultimate Coach Planner for OneNote
You don’t have to build your setup from scratch. My OneNote Coach Planner includes:
- Pre-built client section group
- A–Z client index template
- Coaching session note templates
- Progress tracking tools
- Bonus: A tutorial guide to get started
Check out the “Ultimate” Coach Planner in my shop
Whether you’re just starting out or running a full practice, this planner saves hours of setup and helps you show up prepared and confident for every session.
3. Client tracking that actually works
Coaching is not just about sessions—it’s about transformation over time. That’s why tracking your clients’ progress matters.
In OneNote, you can:
- Create visual timelines (with tables or drawings)
- Add quick status updates on the client’s main page
This helps you spot patterns, measure growth, and stay focused on long-term goals.
BONUS TIP: Sync Outlook contacts in OneNote
If you’re using the classic version of Outlook, you can sync your Outlook contacts directly with OneNote. This makes it easy to pull up client info before a session or take notes directly from your calendar.
Ready to take your OneNote skills to the next level? Start by watching my YouTube video for beginners to get up to speed quickly. Then, download my free eBook, “The Ultimate Guide to OneNote Success,” to dive deeper into OneNote’s features and best practices.
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