Basics

1. Creating a New Workspace

• If you’re new to Notion, the first step is to create a workspace. A workspace is your main hub in Notion, where all your pages, databases, and projects are stored.

  

  • You can invite people to your workspace, or skip it for now.

  

  • This is what the workspace would look like.

  

2. Navigating the Interface

• Sidebar: The sidebar on the left side of the screen is your main navigation tool. It provides quick access to all your pages, databases, and recent activities.

  

• Top Bar: The top bar includes options for searching, sharing, and creating new pages or databases.

  

• Main Content Area: This is where you’ll spend most of your time. It’s where all your pages, databases, and other content are displayed.

  

3. Creating Your First Page

• Adding a Page: Click the “+ New Page” button in the sidebar or use the “/” command to add a new page anywhere in your workspace.

  

• Naming Your Page: Give your page a descriptive name that reflects its purpose. This helps you and your team quickly identify the page and understand its focus.

  

• Choosing a Template: Notion offers a variety of templates for different use cases, such as “Project Management,” “Meeting Notes,” “CRM,” and more. Choose a template that best matches your needs or start with a blank page for complete customization.

  

Building Your Project Management System

1. Setting Up Databases

Databases are a powerful feature in Notion that allow you to organize and manage information in a structured way. Here’s how to set up a database for project management:

• Creating a Database: To create a new database, click the “+ New Database” button in the sidebar or use the “/” command to add a database to a page. You can choose from different types of databases, such as “Table,” “Board,” “Calendar,” “Gallery,” and “List.”

  

• Customizing Your Database: Once you’ve created a database, you can customize it by adding properties, such as “Name,” “Status,” “Priority,” “Due Date,” and “Assigned To.” These properties help you organize and track your tasks and projects.

  

2. Creating Different Views for Your Database

• To change the view of your database, click on the ellipsis on the right hand side of the database

  

  Then click on “layout”

  

• Table View: The table view is the default view for databases and is ideal for managing tasks and projects in a spreadsheet-like format. You can sort, filter, and group your data based on different properties to find the information you need.

  

• Board View: The board view, also known as the kanban view, displays your tasks as cards in columns representing different stages of the workflow. This view is great for visualizing the progress of tasks and managing work in an agile way.

  

• Calendar View: The calendar view displays your tasks on a calendar based on their due dates. It’s perfect for scheduling and time management.

  

• Gallery View: The gallery view displays your tasks as cards with images, making it ideal for visual projects or content management.

  

• List View: The list view provides a simple, linear view of your tasks, similar to a to-do list. It’s useful for managing simple tasks or creating checklists.

  

3. Organizing Your Content with Nested Pages

Notion allows you to create nested pages, or pages within pages, to organize your content hierarchically. This is particularly useful for managing complex projects with multiple components.

• Creating Nested Pages: To create a nested page, simply add a new page inside an existing page. You can create as many levels of nested pages as you need to organize your content effectively.

  

• Linking Pages: Use Notion’s linking feature to connect related pages and create a web of interconnected content. This helps you navigate your workspace and find the information you need quickly.

Customizing Your Project Management Workflow

1. Using Templates to Standardize Processes

Templates allow you to create reusable pages and databases that can be used across different projects. This is particularly useful for standardizing processes and ensuring consistency in your work.

• Creating Templates: To create a template, click on the “+ New Template” button in the database or page menu. You can then customize the template with the content and properties you need.

• Using Templates: To use a template, simply click on the “+ New” button in the database or page menu and select the template you want to use. The template will be applied to the new page or database, saving you time and ensuring consistency.

2. Leveraging Formulas for Advanced Calculations

Formulas in Notion allow you to perform calculations based on data in your databases, providing powerful analytical capabilities. Here’s how to use formulas for advanced calculations:

• Creating Formulas: To create a formula, add a “Formula” property to your database and use Notion’s formula editor to create custom calculations.

  

3. Adding Custom Fields for More Flexibility

• Creating Custom Fields: To create a custom field, click on the “+ New Property” button in the database menu and select the type of field you want to add, such as “Text,” “Number,” “Select,” “Multi-Select,” “Date,” or “Checkbox.”

• Using Custom Fields: Custom fields can be used to add additional context to your tasks, such as priority level, tags, or estimated time to complete. This helps you organize and manage your tasks more effectively.

  

Advanced Project Management Techniques in Notion

Once you’ve set up your basic project management system in Notion, you can start exploring more advanced techniques to take your workflow to the next level.

1. Automating Workflows with Integrations

• Automating Tasks: Use integrations to automate repetitive tasks, such as updating statuses, creating new tasks, or sending reminders. This helps reduce manual work and ensures consistency across your workflow.

  

2. Creating Dashboards for High-Level Insights

Dashboards are a powerful tool for visualizing your project data and gaining high-level insights into your team’s performance. Here’s how to create and use dashboards in Notion:

• Creating Dashboards: To create a dashboard, create a new page and add widgets, such as “Table,” “Board,” “Calendar,” “Gallery,” and “List,” to display your data. You can customize the dashboard with different views, filters, and properties to provide a comprehensive overview of your project.

• Tracking Metrics: Use widgets to track key metrics, such as the number of tasks completed, the total budget spent, or the average time to complete a task. You can also create custom widgets using formulas to perform advanced calculations based on your data.

  

3. Using Relations and Rollups for Advanced Data Management

Relations and rollups are powerful features in Notion that allow you to create connections between different databases and perform advanced data management tasks.

• Using Relations: Relations allow you to link two databases together, creating a connection between related items. For example, you can create a relation between a “Projects” database and a “Tasks” database to link tasks to their respective projects.

• Using Rollups: Rollups allow you to perform calculations based on the data in related databases. For example, you can create a rollup to calculate the total number of tasks completed for a project or the total budget spent on a project.

Use relations and rollups to create a connected workspace that provides a holistic view of your projects and helps you make informed decisions.