Who this is for
Field researchers, biologists, inspectors, and anyone making observations on-site where stopping to write loses the moment.
The moment this saves you
I'm doing fieldwork with my hands full and a notebook is useless, so I tell myself I'll remember the observation, and by the time I'm back at the desk the specific detail that mattered is gone.
See it work
Messy spoken thought in. A clean, structured artifact out.
Field note, it's about 9:15 in the morning. I'm at the north end of the wetland. Observing a heron, great blue, standing motionless at the water's edge, been there about ten minutes, clearly hunting. Water level looks lower than last week, the mud flats are more exposed. There's a lot more insect activity than the last visit, dragonflies everywhere. I noticed the invasive reed grass has spread noticeably along the east bank, that's worth flagging, it wasn't this dense two weeks ago. Weather is clear, mild, light wind from the west.
Field observation, June 5, 2026
- Time: ~9:15am
- Location: North end of the wetland
- Conditions: Clear, mild, light wind from the west
Observations
- Great blue heron at the water's edge, motionless ~10 min, apparently hunting
- Water level lower than last week; mud flats more exposed
- Increased insect activity vs last visit (dragonflies abundant)
- Flag: Invasive reed grass spread noticeably along the east bank (denser than two weeks ago)
The workflow
Record a voice note
Hit the hotkey and talk, no formatting, no typing.
Tag it with this context
Contextli shapes your words into the structured output above.
Find it later
Everything's searchable and organised by context.
Pull it into Claude or ChatGPT
Bring your contexts straight into your AI tools with the Contextli MCP.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
The prompt behind this context
I'm going to speak observations from the field as I make them. Turn it into a structured field-observation log: a bold "Field observation, [today's date]" heading, then a Time line, a Location line, a Conditions line (weather/environment), and a bold **Observations** bullet list capturing each thing I noted in order, preserving specifics (species, measurements, changes vs prior visits). Mark anything I say to flag with "Flag:". Record only what I observe; do NOT interpret or conclude. Don't invent observations. Output only the log.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Use this context
One click copies it and shows you exactly how to drop it into Contextli.
Next, open Contextli, go to the Contexts page, click Import, choose From JSON, paste, then Import Context. It is ready to use.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
Related contexts
Site Inspection Note
Walking an inspection with a clipboard means stopping at every finding and losing your flow. Just speak each issue as you spot it, location, severity, what's needed. You get a report-ready note, so the writeup is done by the time you're back in the truck.
Construction Daily Log
End of the day on-site, covered in dust, and the daily log still has to get done. Just walk and talk it, crew, weather, progress, the delay, the delivery. You get a formatted job log, so the paper trail is solid if there's ever a dispute about who did what when.
User Research Observation
Right after a user interview, your memory starts smoothing the awkward truths into what you hoped to hear. Speak it now, what they actually said and did, where they got stuck. You get a clean observation note that keeps the real signal, not your wishful version of it.
Questions people ask
Questions field researchers ask about Field Observation Note
What is the best way for a field researcher to capture field notes on-site without a clipboard?
Speak your observations into Contextli immediately after the walkthrough or site visit, while the details are sharp. The Field Observation Note context structures your spoken description of the site into a field note with the key fields. You have a structured record before you get back to your vehicle.
How do I take field notes hands-free while walking a site?
Add the Field Observation Note context to Contextli, then speak your observations as you walk. Because you are speaking rather than typing, your hands are free and you can look at what you are describing. The context formats your words into a field note when you finish.
What should a field note include to be useful later?
It should include the date, the site address or identifier, the specific observations made with location references, any issues found and their severity, and the recommended next steps. The Field Observation Note context captures all of these from your spoken walkthrough.
How do I share field notes with a client or team quickly after a site visit?
After dictating your observations using the Field Observation Note context, copy the structured field note and paste it into an email, a client portal, or a project tool. The output is plain text that reads cleanly without any special formatting.
How do I add this context to Contextli?
Copy the context on this page, then open Contextli and go to the Contexts page. Click Import, choose From JSON, paste it into the Import from Clipboard window, and click Import Context. It is ready to use in under 30 seconds. If you do not have Contextli yet, you can download it for free first.
Is my voice recording private? Does Contextli send it anywhere?
Your voice recording and the transcription are stored on your device only. Contextli processes your audio locally and does not send your recordings or transcription text to any server. The structured output it produces is text you control, and you decide where it goes.
Can I change what the output looks like?
Yes. Every context in Contextli is a starting point you can edit. Open the context in the app, change the instructions to adjust the structure, tone, or fields, and save. The next time you use it, the output reflects your changes. You are not locked into the default format.
Do I need to install an app to use this context?
Yes. Contextli is a free app. Download it, then copy this context and paste it into the Import from Clipboard window on the Contexts page. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.