Notion Masterclass: Build a Note Taking System from Scratch

Introduction

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to build a comprehensive note-taking system in Notion from scratch. This system will include features such as an inbox for quickly capturing notes, a tagging system for organization, and dedicated views for Favorites and Recents. By following these steps, you'll create a powerful tool to help manage your notes efficiently, rivaling popular apps like Evernote and Obsidian.

Step 1: Set Up Your Notes Database

1. Open Notion and create a new page.

Add a database for your notes

• Choose "Table" as the format.
• Name it "Notes."

Customize the properties

• Add a property for "Tags" (select type).
• Add a property for "Created Date" (date type).

Step 2: Create the Inbox View

1. In your "Notes" database, create a new view called "Inbox."
2. Filter this view to show only notes that are untagged or marked as new.
3. Adjust the layout to display key properties for quick access.

Step 3: Set Up the Tags Database

1. Create another database and name it "Tags."
2. Add relevant tags you plan to use for your notes.
3. Link this database to your "Notes" database using a relation property.

Step 4: Finalize the Inbox Configuration

1. Go back to the Inbox view.
2. Customize the properties shown to include the Tags property.
3. Ensure you can easily add new notes from this view.

Step 5: Create Additional Views

Set up a "Favorites" view

• Filter notes by a property that marks them as favorites.

Set up a "Recents" view

• Filter notes based on the "Created Date" to show the most recent entries.

Step 6: Implement the Tags View

1. Create a view called "Tags View."
2. Display tags and the number of notes associated with each tag.
3. Enable quick access to notes by clicking on each tag.

Step 7: Build the Note Board

1. Create a new page for your Note Board.
2. Embed your "Notes" database in this page.
3. Set up filters and sorting to organize notes visually.

Step 8: Create a Tag Database Template

1. Open the "Tags" database.
2. Create a template for adding new tags.
3. Include fields that help enhance the organization of your notes.

Step 9: Add a New Notion Button

1. On your Note Board, add a button to create new notes.
2. Link this button to your "Notes" database for easy access.

Step 10: Set Up a Quick Links Bar

1. Create a section in your Note Board for quick links.
2. Link this to frequently used pages or resources.

Step 11: Create an Archive Page

1. Create a dedicated page for archiving old notes.
2. Set up a filter to show notes older than a certain date.

Step 12: Add a Formulas Page

1. Create a new page for formulas to enhance your note-taking.
2. Include useful formulas that automate tasks within your databases.
   • Example formula code can be found here.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you've created a robust note-taking system in Notion that includes an organized database, various views, and streamlined navigation. This setup will help you manage your notes effectively and increase your productivity. For further customization, consider exploring additional Notion templates and resources. Happy note-taking!