How to Use Notion Databases
Part Three: Tables, tags, filters, and views explained — in a way that makes sense.
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Hey Productivity Community,
We’re three days into this series, and now that you know how blocks work and how to move through a page, we’re finally ready to talk about what people either love or completely avoid in Notion: databases.
Honestly, Notion databases can look intimidating at first, but once you understand how they function (and how they’re built to think), they become one of the most freeing tools in your productivity system.
Let’s walk through what they are, how they work, and what makes them way more powerful than your average to-do list.
💡 First: What Is a Database in Notion?
A database in Notion is a collection of items (pages) that all follow the same structure, like a folder that organizes everything with extra options like tags, dates, filters, and custom views.
Each item in a database is its own page, but it follows the same format or “template” so you can stay consistent.
Examples:
A content calendar with each idea as a page
A book tracker where each book has a status, rating, and review
A weekly planner with tasks you can move from “To Do” to “Done”
🧠 Why Notion Thinks in Databases
Notion isn’t just trying to recreate Excel or Google Sheets. It wants you to see your information in ways that work with how your brain functions.
That’s why databases let you:
View the same data in multiple formats
Filter out the noise so you only see what matters today
Create simple or complex systems that grow with you
If a regular page is a blank notebook, a database is a smart system that updates itself as you move.
🛠 What Makes Up a Database?
Let’s break it down piece by piece:
➕ Properties
These are the columns in your database. Each property helps define what kind of info you’re tracking.
Common property types:
Title – the name of the item (every entry must have one)
Date – useful for deadlines, publishing, planning
Select – choose one tag from a list (ex: status: “To Do”)
Multi-select – add multiple tags to one item (ex: topic: “Health,” “Mindset”)
Checkbox – good for quick “done or not” items
Relation – Connects one database to another (e.g. tasks linked to projects)
Formula – automatically calculate values (like time remaining)
You don’t need to use them all — just pick the ones that support your workflow.
👁🗨 Database Views — How You See the Info
You can switch between different views to match how you like to work:
And the best part? You can create multiple views for the same database. So you can have a calendar view for content deadlines, and a board view for workflow, all pulling from the same data.
✏️ Let’s Build: Your First Functional Database
Here’s a simple Weekly Planner to try:
Create a new page and name it “Weekly Planner.”
Type /table and choose “Table – Inline”
Add these properties:
Task (Title)
Date (Date)
Status (Select: To Do, Doing, Done)
Category (Multi-select: Personal, Work, Errands)
Priority (Select: High, Medium, Low)
Add a few entries to test it out
Create a Calendar View to see what’s scheduled this week
Create a Board View by status — you can drag tasks between columns
Filter the calendar only to show tasks marked as “To Do.”
This is now a living system, not just a list.
📌 Extra Tips That Make Databases Easier
Group by a property (like Category or Status) to organize visually
Filter by “Today” or “This Week” to keep your focus tight
Create templates inside your database to save time repeating structures. This is a saved format you can reuse inside a database (pre-fills each new page)
Link your database inside other pages using synced views
Use roll-ups and relations later if you want to connect databases together
🧠 Example Use Cases
Here’s how you might use databases in different parts of your life:
🏠 Personal Life
Meal planner with recipes (gallery view)
Daily journal log (table or list)
Habit tracker with weekly check-ins
💼 Work
Project tracker by client or goal
Task list with deadlines and assignees
Team content board or roadmap
🎨 Creative
Idea hub with tags for mood or medium
Newsletter archive
YouTube content planner with checklists inside each post
📚 Want to Go Even Deeper?
If you’re the type who loves to see all the details and options, Notion has a great help page that breaks down databases even further, from filters and formulas to advanced views.
Explore Notion’s official database guide here
Whether you’re a visual learner or someone who needs to see every setting, it’s worth bookmarking.
💌 Want the dashboard I use for productivity?
You can grab it from my resource page here — a selection of productivity dashboards and setups, each thoughtfully built around the tools and workflows I rely on daily.
If you’re building your first system, it’s a great starting point to work from.
📬 Missed a Day?
→ Part 1: Getting Started with Notion
→ Part 2: Understanding Pages, Blocks & Structure
→ You’re reading: Part 3: Databases Demystified
→ Part 4: Creating a Dashboard That Works for You
→ Part 5: Templates 101
→ Part 6: Maintaining Your System Without Burning Out
Tagging each one in case you want to go back or bookmark it for later!
Until next time,
Tamia L.
Productivity Headquarters | ✨ Everything you need right at your fingertips