Tool Spotlight: Notion

Tool Spotlight: Notion

Introduction

Taking notes and creating a digital knowledgebase can be incredibly beneficial for both personal and professional growth. Not only can it help you retain and organize information, but it also provides a valuable resource for future reference and problem-solving. This can save you time and effort when you need it most.

For teams and collaborators, utilizing a digital knowledgebase can be a valuable tool for sharing (and tracking) important information. Additionally, a digital knowledgebase can be a valuable tool for training and onboarding new employees. By collecting and organizing important information and procedures, a knowledgebase can provide new team members with the resources they need to quickly get up to speed and start contributing. This can save time and money for the business, as employees won't have to spend as much time searching for information or asking for help.

What is Notion?

Notion is a digital workspace that combines note-taking, productivity tools, and collaboration all in one place. You can use Notion to write and edit documents, collaborate with others on projects and assignments, share your work with clients or coworkers, keep track of your tasks and deadlines, and more.

At its core, Notion offers an easy-to-use text editor, clean interface, and allows effortless sharing with other users. Moreover, you can sign-up for free and get started with some pretty impressive features. Below are just some of the features that Notion offers to help you take your note taking to the next level.

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Notion’s subscription plans and pricing information.

Features

  • Web accessible
  • Desktop App (MAC + Windows)
  • Mobile App (iOS + Android)
  • Massive template library
  • Databases with rich property types

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Notion’s template library viewed in app.

Connections/Integrations

  • Asana
  • Jira
  • Zoom
  • Slack
  • Dropbox
  • OneDrive

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Some of Notion’s connectors/integrations

Import Options

  • Plaintext (.txt)
  • Markdown (.md or .markdown)
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)
  • CSV (.csv)
  • HTML (.html)
  • Web Clipper

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Notion’s import feature and options.

Export Options

  • PDF
  • HTML
  • Markdown & CSV

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Notion’s export feature and options.

Taking Notes with Notion

To start taking notes with Notion, simply create a new page, or import a template based on your needs. From there, you can use various blocks to capture and organize information in a meaningful way.

While creating new pages is a quick and easy way to capture information, Notion’s greatest strength is giving users the ability to link and relate information with databases. By using Notion’s databases, you go from a scattered collection of notes and data to an effective digital knowledgebase comprised of associations, relationships, and connections.

Notion’s Basic Building Blocks

Notion Blocks

  • Text
  • Headers
  • Images
  • Toggle Lists
  • To-do lists
  • Tables
  • Call-outs
  • Embeds (Video, Maps)

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Sample Notion page with various block types.

Databases in Notion

Generally speaking, a note is only as valuable as its context. Databases in Notion are used to track, describe, and manage a collection of pages in a single editable area. With Notion, users are able to logically organize pages into several database types. Moreover, creating a new page or entry within your database will keep things organized for a given collection.

Database Options

  • Table
  • Board
  • List
  • Timeline
  • Calendar
  • Gallery

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Sample Notion Table database with various properties and view functions.

A more advanced technique for relating information is the use of a relational database. Users can create a second database where each item serves as a category and relates each note with one of the entries in another database.

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Example of relational databases in Notion and how they can connect different groups of information into one.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a note-taking app, give Notion a try. It's not only easy to use for both new and experienced users, but it's packed with features that will help you develop a robust digital knowledgebase, regardless of your use-case. Consider the pros and cons below to see if Notion could be a tool to elevate your workflow.

Pros

  • Flexible & Clean UI
  • Databases
  • Embed almost anything
  • Robust Import/Export Options
  • Simple sharing and collaborating
  • Public API access

Cons

  • Lacking calendar integration
  • No offline mode
  • Not the greatest for file management
  • Potentially steep learning curve for advanced setup

Links & Resources

📌 https://www.notion.so

📌 https://www.notion.so/help/guides

📌 https://www.notion.so/pricing

📌 https://www.notion.so/help/relations-and-rollups

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