Notion Databases Just Got 10x Better

Notion has just released a massive update for databases, including a tabbed view, filter overhaul, and more.
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⏱ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
03:06 - Tabbed View
03:43 - Filters
06:52 - Unified View Options Window
08:21 - Updated Linked Database Block
10:51 - Lock views
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🎞 SPECIAL THANKS
Video clips supplied by Getty Images

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Quick update, pointed out by Amber in the comment below - for Quick Date filters, you can click the actual field with the date to access those dynamic date options like Today/Tomorrow/One Month Ago/etc. I believe Notion may have added this after I filmed the video; either way, it's nice to see!

[@klayf_]

which notion's version is that ?

[@byamberkri]

I love love love this update! This is going to change so much within my workspace. I'm really excited to see how Notion develops even further in the coming months/years as it keeps getting better and even more powerful than all other tools out there. I do want to point out regarding the date quick filter - if you click into the field to type a date, a dropdown will pop up with the dynamic filter options. It's not obvious but I was able to find it. :)

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Ooh, that's good to know! A few Notion Ambassadors brought this up as feedback in the Ambassadors Slack, so I wonder if they added this very recently.

[@TheFender755]

What a nice update and review! This update was so cool and your kind review also! :)

[@abigailburger]

This update is amazing!!!! Thanks for the walkthrough! :)

[@paris.granville]

Thanks for quickly getting this video out!

[@geoffreyriveros4648]

Nice channel 👍. I've been using Notion for about 1 year and you helped me a lot

[@TERASSI]

Omggg this changes everything 🤯🤯🤯 There’s so much potential for using these new features, I’m already brainstorming some!

[@HomesickMac]

Amazing new features, so well explained!

[@denden8372]

One of my favorite new features! It was something I never actively wanted but realized I needed. I'm a student whose thesis involves having lots of group meetings, but I somehow always found it bothersome to include meeting schedules along with my deadlines in the same database because it would add lots of clutter and make me more overwhelmed than I should be when looking at my calendar upon first glance. There was the option of creating a new view and adding a filter to just show deadlines and then just meetings, but something about having to go through more than one click just to view those was too much of a hassle for me. I feel like I would immediately forget the meetings if they weren't in immediate view. So what I always did was to just make meetings part of my weekly to-do list, but this totally changes things and now I can easily access those filtered views with one click.

[@101Rouge]

Notion really does have a habit of making good better. Just when you think something is can't get better, they outdo themselves.

[@robertb.5429]

Notion keeps getting better!! Great video! 👍

[@tonymatthews6928]

Mate great video!, recommended it on twitter. Thanks

[@toranshaw4029]

The multiple databases feature is the one I'm most interested in, especially for project pages, so I can create just one section, rather than separate databases in view!

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Agreed; it's easily the most powerful part of this update!

[@benediktvimalavong4100]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@guillermocast01]

Thanks a lot for the video!

[@LazazDimirmastermind]

One thing I wish they would fix is excluding hidden properties (or adding the option to exlcude them) when printing a page

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Not ideal, but you could temporarily put the content you want to print into an internal page so you could print without any properties showing

[@funnytime1111]

I love that I can remove all the extra views in a linked view of my database. I had certain databases linked on multiple pages but the views would constantly be changing to something else and I couldn’t figure out how to fix it. So much easier now to have just the info i need

[@EliseGarcia]

I was using my dashboard when a pop-up... Well, popped up in front of me. My linked databases are already working with this new features. I LOVED it.

[@GlobalEltorro]

Love this update :) and i’ve been waiting for you to switch to dark mode hahah

[@stephaniechrystal]

Great video and so excited with all the new updates! This does however have me reconsidering how I organize my databases. Now with combined database views is better to have some sort of page with all the master databases that then gets pulled into specific dashboards? Would love a video on how you organize/store your master databases.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I think that's a good idea in many cases! I'll be making several videos over the coming weeks exploring how my new second-brain template works (thomasjfrank.com/brain/), and in that I keep all the master databases in a single page, essentially out of sight. Every useful view utilized a linked database block with one or more source databases.

[@stephaniechrystal]

@@ThomasFrankExplains Appreciate the quick reply! Looking forward to the new content!

[@juani4718]

Nice update, now I try it inside to notion

[@angiewheeler]

Awesome video - thanks!! Question: If you link a database onto a dashboard page, and you choose an existing view for that, will any changes made to the original database view be reflected to the linked one?

[@thomasdemontlivault5647]

Linked Database View where you can have multiple databases in 1 view !! Mind = 💥🤯! I can't remember having seen that during the block by block. That and the hide title DB and the views as tab sure make for a refreshed experience and even more powerful tool! Thanks for the video ;-)

[@hasnafathana5507]

omg this is just so advance, great work notion

[@hasnafathana5507]

i love the hiding tittle feature and multiple database ssource

[@EarthworksAudio]

Great and informative work as always! Loving the new placement for your ICON Pro mic.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Keep your eyes peeled for the next vid - I think the set tweaks we did after this one make it even better!

[@Franchely_6824]

Hi, I love your videos, can you make a class on how to use notion, with all the new update?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Yep, working on it! The updates are why I haven't yet released the databases lesson, but most other lessons are live already: thomasjfrank.com/fundamentals/

[@SamatSmakov]

Quick question: can I add databases from another workspaces to my linked view of database?

[@puturro]

Pretty cool! is there a way to show all the Sales of a single organisation once we click in that database item? I can't find the filter of the "linked" database to show only related items to the "current page". does that exist????

[@natemaynatemay]

So exciting! I'm with you on hiding the titles!

[@FutileGrief]

TOTALLY. Came to the comment section exactly for this reason lol.

[@pixellmedia9953]

I am shocked and surprised and positive. Thanks notion

[@edwardaryana]

Damn I am deep in Notion, mind blown on how can organised things in an single app

[@maheshgvelly]

can you please make a yearly planner templete with all the new updates

[@joey_williams]

Wow. Can't wait to give them a whirl!

[@mwmak]

I am thinking is there a way to adjust the column widths to be the same size.

[@sfm44256t]

Looks like features that have been existing for some time in ClickUp or is this different? Great 👍

[@misecretariacom]

If I have 2 employees and they need to see only their own tasks, do the have to create their own filters and don’t save for the team? Is there any way to create those filter from my admin account? Thanks!

[@marcbeltran1708]

Thanks for the video, Thomas! Is there any way to share with someone just the linked database? (without sharing the source one).

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Unfortunately there isn't - this is one of my most-requested features! I explain the technical reasons here: support.thomasjfrank.com/general-faqs/nQCSGEMBrxGXh4632cPJWT/using-my-templates-with-teammates-guests-or-clients/aWQsvtJ5vGQTCM6MhMbfrc

[@pticatence]

I noticed that when you open a linked database as a full page, you can add a title, an icon, and a cover.

[@TheSketchyEddie]

Is there a way to make a master database that doesn’t get edited when you make changes to a linked view . I’m trying to build a master materials cost calculator for my projects . The main database has my materials with costs saved. For each project I would choose how much of what materials I need and it would calculate the cost. But everytime I edit the database for a new project I lose the data from the previous project . My goal is to use then master database as a part a template for each project

[@aditya_kanu]

Also waiting for your Session on Second Brain Summit although it would super late in India, so maybe the recording.

[@felipemiotto1549]

How long does it take for Notion to update automatically? (I'm on Mac)

[@lockettowl]

This is very helpful. Hopefully one day we’ll get to share only views an not entire databases.

[@stephaniesimon1322]

This would be such a great feature that I would absolutely love! And huge value add for people who only want to share data relevant to the viewer.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Yep - it's probably the feature I want most from them now. I had a long conversation with one of their product leads about it; they're definitely planning on it and want it pretty much just as badly as I do, but it's apparently a pretty big engineering lift so we don't know when it'll be available.

[@stephaniesimon1322]

@@ThomasFrankExplains Good to know! Thanks for sharing

[@lockettowl]

@@ThomasFrankExplains that great news. Even if it’s a ways off, the fact that they’re working on it makes me feel better about transitioning my team to Notion

[@alishamariedodge3306]

i need help :) every time i create a RELATION it is creating a new column in my "related" table. it is getting too crazy with too many columns. how do i unsync or stop is from creating a new column... cant get any help from notion themselves.

[@BrendanEvan]

I always wondered where they got their capes.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

It was me all along

[@fictionplus]

I wish they can add a button to the template block to add content above the button 😂 Having to move new content or the template block can be a pain

[@ahmedrioo2849]

hello is there is a way to connect the Sum of a column in a database to another database property?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Not through the calculation at the bottom of the column, but you can do this using a Relation/Rollup combo. I'll be explaining it in more detail in an upcoming video, but here's the gist. Make sure each row you want to Sum is Related to one specific row in another database (or even in the same database). Example: A Customers database and a Sales database. In Sales, I'd have several sales records each related to a single record in the Customers database (i.e. 5 different sales to a single customer, Batman). In my Customers database, I can make a Rollup property called Total Sales. I can set it to target my Sales Relation, then to look at the Sale Price property, then I can set the Calculate value to Sum. That'll give me the total sales sum for all sales made to Batman!

[@DementedDog]

Not switched on for the UK yet 😥

[@zanzaksek5290]

Hi Thomas! I have a question. I have a diabetes and I track all my blood sugar results and insulin doses on daily bases. I write them in Notion in table view. Do you have any ideas how to remake this database so it will be easier for me to type in them and to be more advanced. Sorry for my bad english. Thank you!

[@jotajota1168]

I would suggest you to input that data as part of a Daily Habit Tracker. There are plenty of examples around and some of them are focused on quickly entry the data. HTH!

[@zanzaksek5290]

@@jotajota1168 Thx I'll give it a try.

[@kuntalgo]

I took the pain of creating linked dBs (with filtering and sorting rules) for all core databases. But it seems I can't copy those views into multiple tabs of the new linked view. Only first tab can fetch the view rules of a linked dB for the next tabs the only option is to select the source dBs (no option to choose the linked dB version).

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

You can copy a linked db, then right click the view to duplicate it. From there you can change the view type if you need!

[@onewa712]

Heeeeelp Dx how can I export my tables now? I cannot find the export button and I export to CSV a LOT :(

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Next to the Filter and Sort buttons, there's a little "expand" button that will open the database as a full page. Hit that, then hit the three-dot button all the way up in the top-right corner of the page. You'll find the export and merge options there.

[@JohnDoe-lb1mg]

🙏🏾Can you please ask Notion to improve the search query inside the databases? All they need to do is add a basic function like "text_string" so that you can find what you are looking for. When you type text into the search it brings up a ton of unrelated results and it takes a while to find what you are really searching for. It would be great if you could type a text string in quotations to search exactly what you need.

[@chrisnotion]

Notion is just mwah *chef's kiss *

[@intto2095]

Oh man 😓 why am i facing problems while try to copy text from excel to transfer that into rows/columns in the table virw

[@DementedDog]

Has anybody worked out how to set a default view yet? I have one DB with 6 views and it keeps defaulting to the wrong one.

[@siyuchen7339]

In their 2.15 release note, under "Create views from existing databases:, it says :Show(ing) content from multiple databases within a single view block". Do you know how it works? Thanks.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

This is the change to Linked Databases that I show in the video - different tabs can show different source databases. We still can't merge rows from multiple databases into a single view yet - though with the API this is possible by creating a script that copies rows from multiple target db's into one source db.

[@kuntalgo]

@@ThomasFrankExplains At this point can we fetch view rules from source dB into multiple tabs but CAN WE FETCH RULES from multiple LINKED DBs to the tabs instead of the original dBs?

[@FeruMohammed]

Can you explain what makes up help with the "lock database" option?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I'm not sure what you mean by "what makes up help", but here's the section of my database tutorial on locking databases: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3KtgKOFbJiXbrs Hope that helps!

[@FeruMohammed]

@@ThomasFrankExplains Thanks, sorry for my language. I'm just learning it. Can you help me with a code for table database. I have a property "created time". I need to add another property using formula which could show "how many months and days have passed till the task is created". This will help me to manage my job applications, so that I can apply again after certain months.

[@jasperjia110]

Hope this feature can be also seen in your second brain template soon!

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Very soon!

[@ProductiveDude]

I ❤️ Notion

[@JuanMorales-rl1wr]

at first i was like what the hell is this a new update but its actually so much more convenient now

[@louiseh7302]

I can't see the quick filter

[@PrinceDalsaniyaYT]

Are you going to update free templates according to this new update. If you can do that, it would be very helpful.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Yep! Just finished updating Ultimate Tasks today.

[@PatrickMetzdorf]

What is it with people who work out and shirts that are two sizes too small?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Buying clothes that fit + constantly getting bigger lol

[@nevo]

When notion will give us RTL support?? 😩

[@LifewithMaren]

How come the Name field in the database shows as hidden but it's actually visible?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

It's trying to indicate that it can't be hidden (it's supposed to be grayed out, not indicating that it's already hidden), but I can see how the current way it's displayed is confusing!

[@DementedDog]

Hoorah - I spoke too soon!

[@stewstryker]

I have to ask, do you speed up the video speed before you upload them to KZbin? Or do you actually talk that quickly when you're making them? It's hard to imagine a normal human works that quickly for so long! Props to you!

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

No speed added in editing, but is it possible you have your KZbin speed settings on something other than 1x?

[@ezraxx3525]

how do you edit these kinds of video? where u can put yourself in a circle and put it in the background, i badly need a tutorial :((

[@TonyStoodios]

We made a tutorial a little while back on our video making process - here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6W9ZmCknrangtk

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I've got a tutorial for that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6W9ZmCknrangtk

[@Diukx]

It's a really nice update. However, now I'm having problem sharing the filtered database. I don't why, but my client can't see the information.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Have you clicked the Save for Everyone button to save your filters?

[@Diukx]

​@@ThomasFrankExplains I wrote to the notion support. The problem was not new filters. I moved all my clients databases to only one with filters. For us, it is better than the older version, but I didn't realize that I had to give access to the main database to all my clients in order they can see their sections. The solution is to duplicate the database, so it is not a solution at all. :(

[@SengerVampeer]

No Capes! But awesome.

[@cryptoniansforvever9028]

can someone do an indepth differences between link and view database??? everyone in youtube is rushing through the information sharing or simply not sharing enough.. so pleaseeeee... someone please do an indepth on this two. Link & View. 😢😢😢 thank you!

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

A Linked Database is a block that lets you view a database somewhere else other than its original location. For example, if you create a Tasks database in one part of your workspace, you can type "/Linked View" somewhere else to create a new set of views of that same database. A view is a set of filters, sorts, grouping rules, etc that let you view some or all of the content in the database. For example, you could make a Board view that filters that database to only show tasks that are not Done. Your views appear as tabs in the source database. You can also make views in a Linked View block. Hope that makes sense!

[@ibra377]

nice

[@aditya_kanu]

I just saw the update and the video is already here. How do you even do that?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I've had beta access for a few weeks, so I was able to prep my video in time for the launch!

[@aditya_kanu]

@@ThomasFrankExplains That's good for us.

[@zalesthebard]

Does the update also apply to old databases?

[@zalesthebard]

I answer myself: I restarted the app and it was all right with the new databases

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Yes indeed!

[@viel.anthony]

I wish they'd implement recurring tasks.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Boy do I have a video coming for you

[@viel.anthony]

@@ThomasFrankExplains Please do, it's what's preventing me from implementing Notion in my team; using Google Calendar in Outlook right now even though it's not ideal. Next level would be tasks that are linked; delivery on the 18th ---> -2 days for payment, +5 days for inspection, and when one moves, so do the other tasks.

[@tom19_06]

I want filtering by color :D

[@tom19_06]

in the select option

[@Roshan_NSG]

Can I hide "Name" property in a Database?

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

You can't, but you can use a Simple Table instead! Here's my video going over those: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5DYoGypituJfaM

[@BeingAndHappenings]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Becksnnc]

I just want Notion to allow me to delete or hide the column on a table that says "Aa". I hate it. Some tables I have absolutely no use for it but its sitting there being sad and empty.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Have you tried a Simple Table?

[@JoeDaMunky]

great update, but the choice to move the sort pop up all the way across the screen and so far from the sort button makes absolutely zero sense.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I sort of agree, but I also like the Filter/Sort bar as well. I think the Sort window popping up far from the click area is odd, but I can't personally think of a better way to design it right now. I think right-aligning the Filter/Sort bar would look weird

[@Evanescence4ever100]

this update isn't applied to mine

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Have you hit Cmd/Ctrl+R, or restarted the app? It should be live for all users.

[@Evanescence4ever100]

@@ThomasFrankExplains i'm using the browser not the app on my computer, firefox. on my phone it's updated

I feel a bit lost here. Will those new updates affect your free templates? "The Ultimate Tasks and Projects Template for Notion" "The Ultimate Note-Taking Template for Notion" "Minimalist Habit Tracker Template for Notion"

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

They'll affect the ones that use databases!

[@aczhang7577]

Shame…still no freeze panel/column feature

[@Mark4Jesus]

Notion engineers should let you beta test stuff before they release it into the wild. You're good at "kicking the tires". :)

[@frea_o]

Am I most excited about being able to hide the database title? Yes. Yes, I am.

[@susanpearson-creativefibro]

One takeaway from this is that you are not an Iron Man fan, I enjoyed the email address

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

Ha, I love Iron Man! The email is a reference to Spider Man Far From Home - have you seen it?

[@susanpearson-creativefibro]

@@ThomasFrankExplains Not yet I’ve recently started working through all the Marvel in timeline order I’ve seen The first avengers most recently, or as I like to think of it how to spend most of the movie fighting with each other because we’re all Alpha personalities 😂

[@robfuzz]

you're bursting out of your shirt dude. Swole much?

[@nikolastsiongas8856]

And then they've discovered SQL :D

[@Djblois1]

This update is underwhelming. If it was simply a monthly update it would be okay but this was the main focus they talked about for this year. If they don't do better than this coda, will beat them (imo). I love notion and hope they continue to improve but this isn't that big of a deal. It might speed up usage - it adds almost no more power. The Synced Databases that they were talking about is much more interesting, when it comes out. I hope they have more planned for this year besides that? I do like the speed increase though.

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I'll agree that this update doesn't add a ton of new database functionality in the vein of Coda's more involved filters, but the updates to the Linked DB block in particular are really powerful from a design standpoint. And I'll note that this update is only half of what they mentioned for upcoming DB updates - the other is the Synced Databases feature with Gcal/Jira/etc that's coming later this year. The API also just came out of beta and has far more endpoints available to devs, so I think we're seeing the start of more accelerated growth

[@Djblois1]

@@ThomasFrankExplains yeah the synced databases are much more interesting in my opinion. Don't get me wrong this is nice and much better than the previous UI. I agree, out of this update, the best change is the ability to hwve different synced databases in the same block.

[@Chase_Crawford]

Looks like they are copying some ideas from ClickUp. Now we just need ClickUp to copy Notion's server reliability lol

[@ServantStatusMinistries]

I actually went to click up because it was faster then notion and better on mobile….what is wrong with their server reliability?

[@Chase_Crawford]

@@ServantStatusMinistries ClickUp's performance is very unreliable. They have an insane amount of bugs that make some features unusable and I've lost data several times from their server issues. Their servers were down twice this month already.

[@ServantStatusMinistries]

@@Chase_Crawford 😭 You can’t be serious….ugggghhh ! Thank you for telling me.

[@Chase_Crawford]

@@ServantStatusMinistries Yeah I've had a bad experience with CU over the past year and a half but they are focusing on improving reliability and performance and I have seen improvement but it's not there yet. CU still has so much potential though and if they can pull off everything they are planning for this year (fixing reliability issues, fixing UI/UX, and adding custom item types) I think CU will be one, if not the best productivity app out there.

[@ServantStatusMinistries]

@@Chase_Crawford I definitely agree with you there about click up. I have tried close to if not more then 100 apps and rest on Taskade and click up. I want to love Notion and spent hours designing great templates and systems but then the speed always got to me and I could never streamline what I built. It’s like Notion is so focused on aesthetics then functionality that they ignore the speed issue or rarely address it while updates are more focused on appearance. I also think there is a strong dishonesty in the notion community about people using it and not have issues or speed issues but I digress. I write anywhere between 5-10 notes a day and easily can write 5,000 words a day and maybe that’s why users like me have the speed issue when too much text is brought into a database but still I would think something like that wouldn’t take up much memory or cache… Either way I tried Coda and was about to fall into the trap of designing and being an architect like in notion but click up is already set and I like not being able to customize as much. Can’t wait for their updated. I’ll just make a routine to export my databases as a csv file daily for backup to not lose files

[@lookinbad2day64]

Meh. I wish they’d focus more on the actual note taking experience than these database/folders

[@g-ann3527]

Hopefully, there'd be an option to sync the views from the source to the linked database. It will save time when updating filters. 😁

[@ThomasFrankExplains]

I don't believe that's an option, but you could always create a new view in your Linked DB from a source view after you update it! Personally, my design style involves never creating custom views in the source DB at all. I hide them in a central area and build all my views out of Linked DBs.

[@g-ann3527]

@@ThomasFrankExplains I use sync blocks for this but it would be nice to try having different databases in one linked database.

[@jotajota1168]

@@ThomasFrankExplains That's what I call the 'Dark Databases'. I don't hide them that much, probably at the end of the main page where the other Linked DBs are stacked, but I don't set filters, sorts and don't hide properties. Done on purpose to make them uncomfortable to work with and as a reminder that somewhere else is the correct Linked DB that I should be using insted.