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What are Annotations?

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Written by Fulcra Team
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Annotations let you track anything that matters to you — from habits and health metrics to moods and moments. With five flexible types to choose from — Moment, Duration, Scale, Yes/No, and Number — you can easily create custom entries that show up in your Timeline alongside the rest of your data. This opens up a world of possibilities for personal data collection and analyzation!

Examples of what you can track with Annotations:

  • Mood

  • Workout sessions

  • Energy levels

  • Caffeine intake

  • Supplements intake

  • Stress

  • Social interaction frequency

  • Alcohol consumption

  • Moments of mental clarity or fog

And many more!


Annotation Properties

  • Name

  • Description

  • Default Tags

    • Tags provide additional context to events recorded from Annotations. When you create an Annotation, you can set default tags that will be automatically applied each time you log it. However, you can always add or remove tags when recording an entry to reflect the specific context of that moment.


Annotation Types

Fulcra supports 5 types of Annotations, each designed to capture different kinds of information. Whether you're logging a single event or tracking a value over time, choosing the right type helps keep your data structured and meaningful.

Moment

A Moment Annotation records a moment in time.

Example: "Had coffee", "Migraine started", "Felt anxious"

Duration

A Duration Annotation records a start/end time. It can be recorded using the timer from the Context app or from manually providing the start/end time.

You can always exit out of the Context app while this Annotation is running and a Live Activity will appear on your lock screen or home screen to indicate that a recording is in progress.

Example: "Flow", "Focused work", "Nap time"

Number

A Number Annotation records a numeric value. It can be configured with different measurement types/units):

  • Length / Distance (inches, feet, yards, miles, millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers)

  • Temperature (ºF, ºC)

  • Times (x)

  • Percent (%)

  • Volume (teaspoons, tablespoons, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, gallons, millileters, liters)

  • Weight / Mass (ounces, pounds, micrograms, milligrams, grams, kilograms, stones)

  • Custom (unit label can be specified)

You can also configure it to set a default numeric value.

Example: "Glasses of water", "Distance walked", "Body Weight"

Scale

A Scale Annotation records a value within a scale configured by you. Scales range from values 1–5, each value has a label and an icon. These can be configured with a default selection.

Example: "Mood", "Pain level", "Energy level"

Yes/No

A Yes/No Annotation records a yes or no value. These are configured to have a default selection.

Example: "Took medication", "Did I fast today?", "Smoked today?"


Magic Links

A Magic Link is a unique URL that instantly records an Annotation event to your Fulcra Datastore whenever it’s opened. It’s a simple way to log data with a single tap — even outside the app.

You can use Magic Links to create your own custom logging buttons or automations. For example, trigger them through:

  • Apple Shortcuts – Add to your Home Screen or use with automations

  • Smart buttons – Like Flic or NFC tags for physical one-tap tracking

  • Any app or device that can open a URL

Note that any time you update the Annotation’s tags, values, or notes, the link updates, too.

⚠️ All Annotations except for Duration can have a Magic Link.

Don't know where to begin? Click here for the step-by-step instructions on creating your Annotations.

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