The Notes panel in Articulate Storyline is one of the simplest features – yet when used well, it becomes one of the most powerful.

Whether you’re scripting voiceover, building for accessibility, collaborating across a team, or planning for future updates, using the Notes panel is a best practice every developer should adopt. It keeps your narration in sync with visuals, supports quality control, and makes maintenance faster and more cost-effective.

At B Online Learning, we use this approach in every Storyline project and we recommend it to anyone building courses that need to last, scale, or evolve.

What Is the Notes Panel?

The Notes panel in Articulate Storyline is a dedicated space under each slide where you can input plain text. While learners can access it via the player’s Notes tab (if enabled), it’s also extremely valuable as a behind-the-scenes development tool.

Think of it as your internal reference for that slide’s voiceover, instructions, or even developer comments.

Why Use the Notes Panel for Narration Scripts?

Here are the key benefits of using the Notes panel to store audio narration:

• Keeps narration with its matching slide – You’ll always know which narration goes with which screen – no need to cross-check external files or documents.
• Simplifies audio syncing and animation timing – When syncing visuals to voiceover, you can quickly reference the exact narration for timing.
• Speeds up QA and internal reviews – Reviewers can confirm narration against visuals without exporting or listening to each file.
• Enables easy Word export – Storyline lets you publish a Word document that includes slide images, titles, and the Notes panel text. This makes it ideal for script reviews, voiceover artists, or accessibility documentation.
• Future-proofs your content – If a policy, brand guideline, or process changes in 12 months, your team won’t have to start from scratch, the narration is already there in the file.

The Problem with Missing Narration Scripts

We often receive Storyline files developed by other vendors or internal teams where the narration has been recorded, but the script was never saved in the project.

This adds avoidable time and cost. To make updates, our developers must manually export audio, transcribe it, and verify accuracy – a process that’s inefficient and prone to error.

Had the script been stored in the Notes panel, the process would have been streamlined and the client wouldn’t have had to pay for rework that could’ve been avoided.

Using the Notes Panel with AI-Generated Audio in Storyline

If you’re using Storyline’s built-in text-to-speech or AI voice narration, the Notes panel makes the process even easier.

You can simply select “Insert > Audio > Text-to-Speech”, and in the dialogue box, click the option to “Use slide notes”. The text from your Notes panel will automatically populate the narration field, no copy and paste required.

This not only saves time, but ensures your voiceover and script remain perfectly aligned.

Tip: If you’re using AI audio as a placeholder for future human voiceover, keeping the script in the Notes panel ensures the transition will be smooth when you’re ready to record professionally.

How to Export the Notes Panel to Word

Once narration scripts are stored in each slide’s Notes panel, you can generate a clean, shareable Word document:

1. Click File > Publish

2. Choose Word

3. Tick Slide Notes (along with any other elements you want to include)

4. Click Publish

The result is a professional-looking transcript document that includes narration alongside visuals ready for SMEs, reviewers, or voiceover recording.

Other Smart Uses for the Notes Panel

While narration storage is the main use, the Notes panel can support many other use cases:

1. Accessibility Transcripts

If your eLearning needs to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, enable the Notes tab in the player to serve as an on-screen transcript. This supports screen readers and learners who prefer to read instead of listen.

2. Developer Comments

Use Notes to communicate internally, e.g.:

• “Awaiting final script from SME”

• “Placeholder audio – not final”

• “This interaction needs voiceover instructions”

Just remember to remove or tag comments clearly (e.g. [INTERNAL]) before publishing to learners.

3. Learning Objectives or Slide Goals

Record the purpose of each screen to help keep development focused:

4. Stakeholder Feedback

Use the Notes panel to log unresolved questions, alternate versions, or SME comments so the feedback stays tied to the slide it refers to.

5. Change Logs

Track updates with version notes:

• “v1.0: Initial version”

• “v1.1: Voiceover updated post-feedback”

• “v2.0: Policy text amended (June 2025)”

Why This Matters for Maintenance

Even the best-designed eLearning modules need to evolve. Whether you’re updating branding, re-recording audio, or localising for a new region, having narration scripts readily available can save you hours  and keep updates on budget.

Without the Notes panel, your team may need to:

• Re-listen to dozens of audio files

• Rebuild animations based on new timing

• Second-guess what was originally said

But with a complete Notes panel:

• The narration is visible and editable

• Developers can re-sync slides easily

• Voiceover artists have a ready-to-go script

• Translations and captions are quicker to produce

Make It Standard Practice

To embed this into your development culture:

• Add a Notes placeholder to your Storyline templates

• Train developers to paste narration as part of their workflow

• Include a QA checklist item: “All narration present in Notes?”

• Use the Word export as part of your stakeholder review or handover pack

Include Notes Panel Use in Procurement Requirements

If you’re outsourcing Storyline development, we strongly recommend including Notes panel usage in your:

This ensures that narration scripts remain embedded in the project file, not scattered in separate documents or lost entirely.

Here’s sample wording to include: “All final audio narration must be entered into the Notes panel for each slide in Storyline. This is required to support visual/audio alignment, accessibility, documentation, and future content updates.”

This small requirement can save significant time and cost over the life of the project especially when modules need to be refreshed, rebranded, or audited.

Final Thoughts

The Notes panel in Articulate Storyline may seem like a minor feature, but when used well, it becomes a cornerstone of efficient development. It reduces rework, improves collaboration, enhances accessibility, and ensures your content can evolve over time.

And with the rise of built-in AI voice tools, storing narration in Notes has never been more powerful or practical.

At B Online Learning, we’ve built this into every project and the training workshops we deliver. Whether we’re helping clients develop new content or upgrade existing courses, our team relies on practices like these to ensure our long-term success.

Need help developing smarter, sustainable Storyline content?

We offer Certified Articulate training, expert development, and strategic consulting to help your team get the most out of Articulate tools. Talk to us today and future-proof your eLearning the right way.