Notion uses a lot of difficult terms, doesn't it? This time, I'd like to explain one of them, "database," in an easy-to-understand way!
Databases are one of Notion's major features. However, because it's a feature unique to Notion, it can feel "difficult" when you first start using it.
Please follow along with this article and Notion to deepen your understanding!
🎬 Director：Rei
✍🏻 Writer：Minokurumi
1. A database is like a bookshelf
When you use Notion, you end up with many pages.
However, if you create pages haphazardly, like an unorganized bookshelf, it becomes difficult to find pages later.
A "database" is like a bookshelf that stores and organizes these haphazardly placed books.
Since you can collect and organize many pages created in Notion, a database can be thought of as a collection of pages.
2. Let's create a database
First, let's actually try creating a database in Notion!
As a prerequisite, Notion has areas called the "sidebar" and "page."
To create a new page, click the "New page" button from the "sidebar."
After creating the page, place the cursor inside the page and click the "+" button. Here, let's select the basic "Database: Inline."
Then, a table like Excel is created. This is a "database."
A database is a collection of pages, as we discussed. If you select each row, you can open the contents of each page, and you'll see that each row is a page.
Next, I'll introduce two keywords for organizing pages: "properties" and "views."
3. Use "properties" to label books
"Properties" are like labels you put on books. It's a function that makes it easier to find pages by adding various information to each page in the database and classifying them.
For example, on this page, it refers to things like "tags" where you select a genre, or "date."
There are various types of properties, and by using several properties in combination, you can organize many pages.
Let's add your favorite properties to the database we just created!
4. "Views" that transform like Naruto
The second keyword is "views." Did you notice "Table View" displayed in the upper left corner of the database you just created?
Actually, a database can be changed to various appearances, with this Excel-like "Table View" as the basic form.
To illustrate, it's like Naruto using the "Transformation Jutsu" to transform into something else 🥷
And these changeable appearances are called "views."
There are 6 types of "views" (appearances) that can be changed, and you can transform into various appearances depending on your purpose.
❶ "Table" for listing data in a table
❷ The simplest "list"
❸ "Board" suitable for task management
❹ "Gallery" featuring images
❺ "Calendar" suitable for short-term schedules
❻ "Timeline" suitable for long-term schedules
Even though changing the view gives it a completely different appearance, there's one important point to remember: "the underlying data is still a single database."
Naruto's transformation changes his appearance, but he's still Naruto underneath. It's the same with Notion: even if you change the view, the underlying data remains the same "Table View" you created initially. This means that any changes you make to the content in one view will be reflected across all views.
It might be a little confusing, but remember that a view is "just a change in appearance."
5. Let's change the view
Now, let's actually change the view of the "Table View" we just created!
To change the view, click the "..." button in the upper right corner of the database and select "Layout."
The six options that appear here are the "views" you can change to. Feel free to switch to a view that seems to fit your intended use!
Summary
That concludes our introduction to Notion's "database" feature!
Understanding databases is a shortcut to mastering Notion. Be sure to try out various views!
Here's the ultimate task management template for Notion, "Todotion"!
The 2-hour "Notion Master Course" is now available, allowing you to learn Notion from scratch through videos!
The book "Notion Lifehacks," which introduces 36 ways to use Notion, is also on sale!
