[Refactor] Notes

docs/docs/concepts/notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+---
+title: Notes
+---
+
+## Notes
+
+*Notes* allow free-form rich-text content to be written and stored against a specific object within InvenTree. Notes can be used to record observations, instructions, historical context, or any other information associated with a model instance.
+
+!!! note "Business Logic"
+    Notes are not used for any core business logic within InvenTree. They are intended to provide supplementary documentation and context for objects, which can be useful for reference, communication, or reporting purposes.
+
+Notes can be associated with various InvenTree models, and each model can have multiple notes associated with it. The user interface provides a dedicated "Notes" tab on the detail page of any model that supports notes, allowing users to easily view and manage notes for that object.
+
+### Notes Tab
+
+Any model which supports notes will have a "Notes" tab on its detail page. This tab displays the content of the currently selected note, along with a sidebar listing all notes for that object by title:
+
+{{ image("concepts/notes-tab.png", "Notes Tab Example") }}
+
+## Note Fields
+
+Each note has the following attributes:
+
+| Field | Description |
+| --- | --- |
+| Title | A short title for the note (*required*) |
+| Description | An optional brief description of the note's purpose |
+| Content | The rich-text body of the note |
+| Primary | Marks this note as the default note for the object |
+
+## Primary Note
+
+When a model has multiple notes, one may be designated as the *primary* note. The primary note is indicated by a {{ icon("star") }} icon in the note sidebar.
+
+- When the first note is created for a model instance, it is automatically set as the primary note.
+- Only one note per model instance can be marked as primary at any time.
+- The primary note is opened by default when navigating to the Notes tab.
+
+## Rich Text Editing
+
+Note content is edited using a rich-text (WYSIWYG) editor. The following formatting options are available:
+
+- **Text formatting**: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, inline code, code blocks
+- **Headings**: H1 through H4
+- **Structure**: Blockquotes, horizontal rules
+- **Lists**: Bullet lists and ordered lists
+- **Links**: Insert and remove hyperlinks
+- **Tables**: Insert tables; add/remove rows and columns; toggle header rows
+- **Images**: Embed images uploaded directly into the note
+
+### Inserting Images
+
+Images can be embedded in note content in the following ways:
+
+- Click the {{ icon("photo") }} button in the editor toolbar to select a file from your device
+- Paste an image directly from the clipboard
+- Drag and drop an image file into the editor
+
+Uploaded images are stored on the server and linked to the note. If a note is edited or deleted, any images that are no longer referenced by any note are automatically removed.
+
+## Adding a Note
+
+To add a note to an object:
+
+1. Navigate to the object's detail page
+2. Click on the **Notes** tab
+3. Click the **Add Note** button
+4. Fill in the `Title` (required) and optional `Description` fields
+5. Click **Submit**
+
+The new note will appear in the sidebar ready for editing.
+
+## Editing Note Content
+
+Note content is shown in read-only mode by default. To make changes:
+
+1. Click the {{ icon("pencil") }} icon in the note header to enter edit mode
+2. Use the toolbar to format content, insert images, or add tables
+3. Click the {{ icon("device-floppy") }} icon, or press **Ctrl+S** / **Cmd+S**, to save changes
+4. Click the {{ icon("check") }} icon to exit edit mode once all changes are saved
+
+!!! warning "Unsaved Changes"
+    If you navigate away from the Notes panel or leave the page while in edit mode with unsaved changes, InvenTree will prompt you to confirm before proceeding.
+
+### Resetting Changes
+
+While in edit mode, clicking the {{ icon("reload") }} icon discards any unsaved changes and reloads the last saved version of the note.
+
+## Editing Note Properties
+
+To change a note's title or description, open the actions menu in the note header and select **Edit Note**.
+
+## Deleting a Note
+
+To delete a note, open the actions menu in the note header and select **Delete Note**.
+
+!!! danger "Permanent Action"
+    Deleting a note is permanent and cannot be undone. Any images embedded in the note that are not referenced elsewhere will also be removed.

docs/docs/concepts/terminology.md

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Evolves around manufacturing of parts out of other parts. It keeps track of stoc
 
 ### Part Library Management *(PLM)*
 Keeps track of BOMs, part variants, possible substitutions, versions, IPNs and further part parameters.
-PLM can also mean product lifecycle management – those systems manage all stages from design through manufacturing up to customer support and recycling.
+PLM can also mean product lifecycle management - those systems manage all stages from design through manufacturing up to customer support and recycling.
 
 A similar system is [Partkeepr](https://partkeepr.org/) (seems mostly inactive - there is a 3rd party importer).
 

docs/docs/plugins/develop.md

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Consider the use-case for your plugin and define the exact function of the plugi
 - Do you need to run in the background ([ScheduleMixin](./mixins/schedule.md)) or when things in InvenTree change ([EventMixin](./mixins/event.md))?
 - Does the plugin need configuration that should be user changeable ([SettingsMixin](./mixins/settings.md)) or static (just use a yaml in the config dir)?
 - You want to receive webhooks? Do not code your own untested function, use the WebhookEndpoint model as a base and override the perform_action method.
-- Do you need the full power of Django with custom models and all the complexity that comes with that – welcome to the danger zone and [AppMixin](./mixins/app.md). The plugin will be treated as a app by django and can maybe rack the whole instance.
+- Do you need the full power of Django with custom models and all the complexity that comes with that - welcome to the danger zone and [AppMixin](./mixins/app.md). The plugin will be treated as a app by django and can maybe rack the whole instance.
 
 ### Define Metadata
 

docs/mkdocs.yml

@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ nav:
     - Project Codes: concepts/project_codes.md
     - Attachments: concepts/attachments.md
     - Parameters: concepts/parameters.md
+    - Notes: concepts/notes.md
     - Barcodes:
       - Barcode Support: barcodes/index.md
       - Internal Barcodes: barcodes/internal.md

src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/api_version.py

@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 """InvenTree API version information."""
 
 # InvenTree API version
-INVENTREE_API_VERSION = 499
+INVENTREE_API_VERSION = 500
 """Increment this API version number whenever there is a significant change to the API that any clients need to know about."""
 
 INVENTREE_API_TEXT = """
 
+v500 -> 2026-06-02 : https://github.com/inventree/InvenTree/pull/11971
+    - Removes direct "notes" field from any models which previously supported markdown notes
+    - Adds a generic "Note" model which can be attached to any model type via a generic foreign key relationship
+    - Allow multiple notes to be attached to a single object, and for notes to be created / edited / deleted via the API
+
 v499 -> 2026-06-01 : https://github.com/inventree/InvenTree/pull/12057
     - Fixes search field issues on the BarcodeScanHistory API endpoint
 

src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/apps.py

@@ -100,11 +100,12 @@ def ready(self):
     def remove_obsolete_tasks(self):
         """Delete any obsolete scheduled tasks in the database."""
         obsolete = [
+            'common.tasks.delete_old_notes_images',
+            'data_exporter.tasks.cleanup_old_export_outputs',
             'InvenTree.tasks.delete_expired_sessions',
-            'stock.tasks.delete_old_stock_items',
             'label.tasks.cleanup_old_label_outputs',
             'report.tasks.cleanup_old_report_outputs',
-            'data_exporter.tasks.cleanup_old_export_outputs',
+            'stock.tasks.delete_old_stock_items',
         ]
 
         try:

src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/helpers.py

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 from common.currency import currency_code_default
 from InvenTree.sanitizer import (
-    DEAFAULT_ATTRS,
+    DEFAULT_ATTRS,
     DEFAULT_CSS,
     DEFAULT_PROTOCOLS,
     DEFAULT_TAGS,
@@ -939,33 +939,46 @@ def remove_non_printable_characters(value: str, remove_newline=True) -> str:
     return cleaned
 
 
-def clean_markdown(value: str) -> str:
-    """Clean a markdown string.
+def get_markdownify_settings() -> dict:
+    """Return the settings for markdownify, or an empty dict if not defined."""
+    try:
+        return settings.MARKDOWNIFY['default']
+    except (AttributeError, KeyError):
+        return {}
+
+
+def markdown_to_html(value: str) -> str:
+    """Convert a markdown string to HTML.
 
     This function will remove javascript and other potentially harmful content from the markdown string.
     """
     import markdown
 
-    try:
-        markdownify_settings = settings.MARKDOWNIFY['default']
-    except (AttributeError, KeyError):
-        markdownify_settings = {}
-
+    markdownify_settings = get_markdownify_settings()
     extensions = markdownify_settings.get('MARKDOWN_EXTENSIONS', [])
     extension_configs = markdownify_settings.get('MARKDOWN_EXTENSION_CONFIGS', {})
 
-    # Generate raw HTML from provided markdown (without sanitizing)
-    # Note: The 'html' output_format is required to generate self closing tags, e.g. <tag> instead of <tag />
     html = markdown.markdown(
         value or '',
         extensions=extensions,
         extension_configs=extension_configs,
         output_format='html',
     )
 
-    # nh3 sanitizer settings
+    return html
+
+
+def clean_markdown(value: str) -> str:
+    """Clean a markdown string.
+
+    This function will remove javascript and other potentially harmful content from the markdown string.
+    """
+    html = markdown_to_html(value)
+
+    markdownify_settings = get_markdownify_settings()
+
     whitelist_tags = markdownify_settings.get('WHITELIST_TAGS', DEFAULT_TAGS)
-    whitelist_attrs = markdownify_settings.get('WHITELIST_ATTRS', DEAFAULT_ATTRS)
+    whitelist_attrs = markdownify_settings.get('WHITELIST_ATTRS', DEFAULT_ATTRS)
     whitelist_styles = markdownify_settings.get('WHITELIST_STYLES', DEFAULT_CSS)
     whitelist_protocols = markdownify_settings.get(
         'WHITELIST_PROTOCOLS', DEFAULT_PROTOCOLS

src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/mixins.py

@@ -1,18 +1,12 @@
 """Mixins for (API) views in the whole project."""
 
-from django.core.exceptions import FieldDoesNotExist
-
 from rest_framework import generics, mixins, status
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 
 import data_exporter.mixins
 import importer.mixins
-from InvenTree.fields import InvenTreeNotesField, OutputConfiguration
-from InvenTree.helpers import (
-    clean_markdown,
-    remove_non_printable_characters,
-    strip_html_tags,
-)
+from InvenTree.fields import OutputConfiguration
+from InvenTree.helpers import remove_non_printable_characters, strip_html_tags
 from InvenTree.schema import schema_for_view_output_options
 from InvenTree.serializers import FilterableSerializerMixin
 
@@ -54,38 +48,10 @@ def clean_string(self, field: str, data: str) -> str:
         """Clean / sanitize a single input string."""
         cleaned = data
 
-        # By default, newline characters are removed
-        remove_newline = True
-        is_markdown = False
-
-        try:
-            if hasattr(self, 'serializer_class'):
-                model = self.serializer_class.Meta.model
-                field_base = model._meta.get_field(field)
-
-                # The following field types allow newline characters
-                allow_newline = [(InvenTreeNotesField, True)]
-
-                for field_type in allow_newline:
-                    if issubclass(type(field_base), field_type[0]):
-                        remove_newline = False
-                        is_markdown = field_type[1]
-                        break
-
-        except AttributeError:
-            pass
-        except FieldDoesNotExist:
-            pass
-
-        cleaned = remove_non_printable_characters(
-            cleaned, remove_newline=remove_newline
-        )
+        cleaned = remove_non_printable_characters(cleaned, remove_newline=True)
 
         cleaned = strip_html_tags(cleaned, field_name=field)
 
-        if is_markdown:
-            cleaned = clean_markdown(cleaned)
-
         return cleaned
 
     def clean_data(self, data: dict) -> dict: