Power brainstorming with Microsoft Word and Evernote

My research computing setup is quite heterogeneous. I regularly use Microsoft Word, Evernote, Preview, Zotero(on Firefox). When I am brainstorming or collecting research notes to be compiled into a coherent outline/analytical skeleton I jump between Microsoft Word and Evernote; I write the outline in Word and keep notes in Evernote. I made a (simple) discovery today that’s quite a game changer. When outlining in Word there is often need to “link” to my notes (so as to make a logical connection that I might later want to expand on). It’s easy to do! 

1. Locate the desired Evernote file on your drive (search for the note title on Spotlight in OS X is the easiest way).
2. In Microsoft Word insert a hyperlink at the appropriate location (Insert->Hyperlink). Select Documenttab, click Select… and locate the Evernote file from step 1). Click Open to close the dialog. TIP: If you are using OS X drag and drop the Evernote file from Finder to the Choose a File dialog in Word to automatically select the location of the Evernote file).
3. Change the Display field if you want to the hyperlink text to be something other than the (obscure) Evernote filename. Click OK.

That’s it! You now have a clickable link to your Evernote file. When the contents of the Evernote file change the link still continues to work.