I used to think I was a pro Notion user. I had my workspaces set up, my pages linked, and I felt like I was getting the job done. But then I stumbled upon a few lesser-known features, and it completely changed how I interact with Notion. These aren’t your basic blocks and templates; these are the little tweaks and functionalities that can seriously elevate your organization and efficiency.
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7
Master Notion formulas
Design powerful databases
Notion formulas in databases are incredibly powerful and open up a world of automation and dynamic information. At its core, a Notion formula is a way to perform calculations and manipulate data within a database property. These formulas can reference other properties within the same database item. Let me elaborate with an example.
I have created a subscription tracker in Notion. I have added columns like cost, monthly cost, and yearly cost in the database. In the last column, I used the formula below to calculate the yearly cost. Here, if a service status is inactive, the formula will count 0 in the cost. If a service is active, the formula will multiply the monthly cost by 12. You can use it for task management, project management, and personal finance.
if(contains(Status, "Inactive"), 0, if(Billing == "Monthly", Cost * 12, Cost))
This is just a single example. The possibilities are endless with Notion formulas.
Quite handy for aesthetic pages
This is one of the nifty tricks to add an aesthetic touch to your Notion page. The all-in-one productivity tool already supports large headers, but there is no way to make the text centered. Here, you need to rely on a hack to get the job done. I’m talking about using a block equation here. Let’s check it in action.
- Open a Notion page and create a new block with a nice background shade.
- Type /block equation and hit Enter.
- Enter the following formula and check the centered heading. Click Done, and you are good to go.
Largetextsf{enter text here}
Whether you are creating a digital journal, a finance manager, meeting notes, or a project document, you can use the trick above to insert a large, centered heading at the top.
5
Explore Notion forms
Collect valuable data in no time
Notion Forms are a fantastic way to collect information directly into your Notion databases. You can simply type /form and start designing a form with multiple question types like text, multiple choice, date, person, files and media, number, and checkbox. The entire UI is quite straightforward, and you can create a robust form in no time.
As for question options, you can include a required sign, description, end date, and even customize the Submit button with different colors. When you share a Notion form, you can allow non-Notion users to enter answers as well. When someone submits the form, their responses are automatically added as a new row (item) in your linked Notion database.
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4
Use custom emoji on a page
Personalize Notion workspace
If the default emoji library isn’t sufficient for you, update a custom one or a GIF to give your Notion page a unique touch. When you create a new page, click the emoji icon, and scroll down to custom. Upload an emoji or GIF from the computer, and you are good to go.
Take your Notion pages to the next level
It’s a shame that Notion still doesn’t support widgets natively. You still need to rely on third-party services to integrate widgets on a page. Whether you want to design an ultimate home page, study tracker, school life, or even a habit tracker, you can utilize weather, life, clock, quote, and other widgets for your page.
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Head to Widgetbox and select a list of widgets. Click Create beside Life Progress.
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Customize your widget and copy the link.
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Navigate to Notion page and type /embed.
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Paste the link and click OK.
2
Use automation
Connect Notion to your favorite services
While Notion doesn’t have built-in automation features like Zapier, you can create basic rules for your database and boost your workflow in no time. For example, you can set a rule where your team receives an alert in a Slack channel whenever someone changes a task status from In Progress to Completed. You can also choose to receive an email directly into your Gmail inbox based on database value changes.
1
Insert charts in your database
Useful for your finance databases
Visually representing your data within Notion using charts can be a significant productivity booster. It transforms raw numbers into easily digestible insights and helps you identify trends, track progress, and make better decisions.
When you create a database, click the + icon, pick a chart type, and select what you want to display on the chart. It’s easy to use and adds a neat touch to your database. As of now, Notion supports bar, line, pie, and donut charts. I would love to see more chart types in future updates.
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Level up your Notion game
The beauty of Notion lies in its flexibility and the endless possibilities for customization. While the popular features are useful, I encourage you to experiment with these underrated functions to get the best out of your Notion workspace. Take some time to explore them, and I’m confident you’ll find at least a few that resonate with your workflow.
While you are at it, check out our dedicated post on how to migrate your entire life into Notion.
