Managing projects can often feel like juggling multiple tasks, timelines, and team members all at once. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner, or part of a larger team, staying organized is key to ensuring everything runs smoothly. That’s where notion comes in—a versatile tool that can help streamline your workflow. This guide will walk you through how to use notion for project management, offering practical tips, templates, and strategies to keep your projects on track.
With notion, you can create a centralized hub for all your project needs, from task tracking to resource sharing. This article is designed for beginners and experienced users alike, focusing on actionable steps to build a project management system tailored to your needs. Let’s dive into the process of setting up notion for managing projects effectively, with a special focus on how our curated notion templates can save you time and effort.
Notion is an all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and organize. Think of it as a digital notebook that combines the functionality of tools like trello, google docs, and excel into a single platform. Its flexibility makes it an excellent choice for project management, allowing you to customize layouts, databases, and views to suit your specific workflow.
So, why choose notion for managing projects? Here are some compelling reasons:
If you're new to notion, don’t worry. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to set up a project management system that works for you. For those looking for a head start, our notion templates for personal productivity and business owners are designed to simplify this setup process.
Before diving into project management specifics, let’s set up a basic notion workspace. If you don’t already have an account, head over to notion’s website to sign up for free. Once you’re in, follow these steps to create a foundation for your project management system.
When you log into notion, you’ll see a sidebar on the left. Click on “+ add a page” to start fresh. Name this page something like “project hub” to indicate it’s your central space for managing projects. This page will act as the main dashboard where you can link to individual project pages or databases.
Notion is built around blocks—think of these as building pieces like text, images, or tables. You can drag and drop blocks to organize content. For project management, you’ll primarily use the following features:
Decide how you want to structure your projects in notion. A common approach is to have a master dashboard linking to individual project pages. Each project page can then include tasks, timelines, and resources. If you’re managing multiple projects, consider using a database to list all projects with key details like status, due dates, and team members.
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Now that your workspace is ready, let’s build a system for managing projects. This section covers creating databases, setting up task boards, and organizing resources—all essential components of effective project tracking.
Start by adding a database to your “project hub” page. Click on “+” to add a new block, then select “table” under the database options. Rename the table to “project overview.” customize the columns to include relevant properties like:
This table gives you a bird’s-eye view of all ongoing projects. You can click on any project name to open a detailed page where you can add more information, such as goals or meeting notes.
For individual projects, create a kanban-style board to track tasks. Inside a specific project page, add a new database and choose “board” as the layout. Name it “task board” and set up columns like:
Add tasks as cards under the “to do” column, and include properties like due dates, assignees, and descriptions. As tasks progress, drag the cards across columns to reflect their current status. This visual setup mimics tools like trello and keeps everyone updated on task completion.
Deadlines are critical in project management. To keep track of them, add a timeline or calendar view to your project page. Inside your task database, click on “+ add a view” and select “timeline” or “calendar.” link the view to the “due date” property so tasks appear on the correct dates.
A timeline view is particularly helpful for seeing how tasks overlap and identifying potential bottlenecks. Meanwhile, a calendar view works well for monthly planning or deadline reminders.
Projects often involve files, links, or notes. Create a section on your project page called “resources” using a simple text block or a table database. Upload files directly to notion or link to external tools like google drive. You can also embed meeting notes, brainstorm ideas, or store client feedback in this section for easy reference.
If you’re working with a team, ensure everyone has access to this page by sharing it. Notion allows you to set permissions so team members can view or edit content as needed.
With your basic setup in place, let’s explore some practical tips to make the most of notion for managing projects. These strategies will help streamline workflows and keep your team aligned.
Notion databases are powerful because you can filter and sort data to focus on what matters. For example, in your “project overview” table, filter to show only “in progress” projects or sort by “due date” to prioritize urgent tasks. This keeps your workspace clutter-free and focused.
Collaboration is a breeze in notion. Assign tasks to team members by tagging them in the “assignee” property of your task board. You can also set reminders for deadlines by clicking on a date property and selecting “remind me.” notion will notify you or your team when a task is due, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
While notion is a fantastic standalone tool, it plays well with others. Use integrations to connect notion with apps like slack for notifications or google calendar for syncing deadlines. Check out make’s notion integrations to automate repetitive tasks, such as adding new tasks from emails to your notion database.
If you handle similar projects often, save time by creating a template page in notion. Set up a project page with all necessary databases and sections, then click the three-dot menu and select “save as template.” for future projects, duplicate this template instead of building from scratch.
Projects evolve, and so should your notion setup. Set aside time weekly or monthly to review your databases and pages. Archive completed projects to keep your workspace tidy, and update task statuses or deadlines as needed. This habit ensures your system remains relevant and useful.
If you’re comfortable with the basics, let’s explore some advanced notion features to elevate your project management game.
Notion allows you to link databases using relations. For instance, relate your “project overview” table to a “team members” database to track who’s working on what. Then, use rollups to pull specific data from one database into another, such as displaying a team member’s contact info directly in the project table. This reduces the need to switch between pages.
Build a dashboard on your “project hub” page to summarize key metrics. Embed charts or progress bars using third-party tools like super.So, which integrates with notion to create visually appealing summaries. Dashboards give you a quick snapshot of project health without digging into details.
Notion’s formula property lets you calculate data automatically. For example, create a formula to show how many days are left until a project’s due date or to flag overdue tasks. This feature adds a layer of automation to your tracking system, saving manual effort.
Using notion for project management isn’t without hurdles, especially for beginners. Here are some common issues and solutions to keep your system running smoothly.
Solution: start small. Focus on one project or database at first, then scale up as you get familiar with notion’s features. Use ready-to-use notion templates to bypass the initial setup overwhelm and jump straight into managing tasks.
Solution: if your team is resistant to using notion, provide a quick tutorial or walkthrough. Highlight how centralized information saves time compared to scattered emails or tools. Share permissions carefully to ensure everyone can access what they need.
Solution: assign a point person to oversee updates or establish a routine for reviewing notion pages. Use reminders and notifications to prompt team members to update task statuses or deadlines.
To illustrate how notion works in practice, let’s look at a couple of scenarios where it shines for project tracking.
A freelance graphic designer uses notion to manage client work. They create a “client projects” database with columns for project names, deadlines, and payment status. Each project links to a dedicated page with briefs, revisions, and invoices. A kanban board tracks design stages from concept to final delivery, ensuring no step is missed.
A small e-commerce business uses notion to plan a product launch. Their dashboard includes a timeline for marketing campaigns, a task board for team assignments, and a resource section for vendor contracts. By sharing the workspace with their team, everyone stays informed on progress and next steps.
These examples show how adaptable notion can be for different needs. Start with a simple structure, then expand as your projects grow in complexity.
Notion is a game-changer for anyone looking to bring order to their projects. Its flexibility lets you craft a system that matches your workflow, whether you’re tracking personal goals or leading a team. By setting up databases for tasks, timelines, and resources, you create a single source of truth for all project details.
Remember, the key to success with notion is consistency. Keep your pages updated, experiment with new features, and tailor the platform to your evolving priorities. If you’re short on time or new to notion, our specialized templates can help you hit the ground running.
With the steps and tips outlined in this guide, you’re well-equipped to use notion for managing projects of any size. Start small, stay organized, and watch how this tool transforms the way you work. If you have questions or need personalized advice, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help you succeed!
Notion is an all-in-one workspace for writing, planning, collaborating, and organizing. It’s ideal for project management due to its centralized information storage, customizable workflows, team collaboration features, cross-platform access, and affordable pricing, including free plans.
Create a new page (e.g., “Project Hub”), add a project overview database with columns like project name and status, set up task boards for individual projects, include timeline or calendar views for deadlines, and organize resources in a dedicated section.
Key components include a project overview database (for tracking all projects), task boards (for managing tasks), timeline or calendar views (for deadlines), and resource sections (for files and notes).
Notion templates provide pre-built structures for tasks, timelines, and resources, saving setup time. You can find them in Notion’s Template Gallery or use specialized templates designed for personal productivity or business owners to start quickly.
Share project pages with team members, assign tasks using the “assignee” property, and enable commenting for updates. Set permissions to control who can view or edit content, ensuring smooth collaboration.
Use filters and sorts to focus on relevant data, assign tasks with reminders, integrate with tools like Slack or Google Calendar, duplicate templates for recurring projects, and regularly review your workspace to keep it updated.
Yes, use relations and rollups to link databases (e.g., projects to team members), create dashboards for visual summaries, and use formulas to automate calculations like days until deadlines for enhanced tracking.
Challenges include an overwhelming setup, team adoption, and keeping information updated. Overcome these by starting small, using templates, providing team tutorials, and establishing routines for updates.
Create a template page with all necessary databases and sections, then save it as a template. Duplicate this template for future projects to maintain consistency and save setup time.
Yes, Notion integrates with tools like Slack for notifications, Google Calendar for deadline syncing, and Make for automating tasks, such as adding tasks from emails to your Notion database.
