How to Create a Database in Notion (2026 Guide)
Notion databases are the engine behind tasks, CRMs, content calendars, and pretty much every template in the gallery. There are two ways to drop one onto a page (inline or full-page), eleven view types to display the same data, and dozens of property types you can mix and match.
Here’s how to create each kind, what each setting does, and when to use which.
1. Full-Page Databases
A full-page database takes up the entire page and shows up in your sidebar as its own item. Use this when the database is the destination, your master Tasks list, a CRM, a content calendar.
Create one from scratch
- Click + Add a page in the sidebar (or press Cmd/Ctrl + N).
- On the blank page, click Table under the Get started with options. You’ll also see Board, List, Timeline, Calendar, and Gallery shortcuts there.
- In the data source picker, click + New data source to start with an empty database, or pick an existing one to link.
- Name the database in the title field at the top of the page.
- Add your first column by clicking the + button to the right of the existing properties.
Convert an inline database to full-page
- Hover over the inline database and click the ⋮⋮ handle on the left.
- Select Turn into page. The database becomes a standalone page in the sidebar.
Tip: Full-page databases can be locked to prevent accidental schema changes. Click ••• in the top-right and toggle Lock database.
2. Inline Databases
Inline databases live as blocks inside another page. They’re useful when the database is a section of a larger document, a meeting agenda with an action items table, a project hub with a task board, a client page with a notes list.
Create an inline database
- Open the page where you want the database to appear and place your cursor on a new line.
- Type / to open the slash menu.
- Type the view name and pick the inline option:
/table→ Table view/board→ Board view/timeline→ Timeline view/calendar→ Calendar view/gallery→ Gallery view/list→ List view
- Select + New data source to start blank, or pick an existing data source to embed it inline.
Convert inline to full-page (or back)
- Hover over the database and click the ⋮⋮ handle.
- Select Turn into page to make it full-page, or drag a full-page database into another page to make it inline.
3. Database Views
Notion lets you create multiple views of the same data without duplicating it. The same task list can show up as a board for the engineer, a calendar for the manager, and a timeline for the project lead.
| View | Best for |
|---|---|
| Table | Spreadsheet-style editing, default for most databases |
| Board | Kanban workflows grouped by status, owner, or priority |
| Timeline | Project Gantt charts with date ranges and dependencies |
| Calendar | Content schedules, editorial calendars, anything date-driven |
| Gallery | Visual catalogs: cover images of pages render as cards |
| List | Lightweight notes, reading lists, journaling: minimal UI |
| Chart | Visualize counts, sums, or progress (Plus and above) |
| Map | Plot items by an address or location property |
| Forms | Collect external submissions into the database |
Add a new view
- Click the + next to the existing view tabs at the top of the database.
- Pick a layout from the menu.
- Name the view and configure filters, sorts, grouping, and visible properties in the right-side panel.
- Click Done.
4. Properties
Properties are the columns of the database. Every page (row) in the database has the same set of properties, and the property type determines what kind of data goes in.
Add a property
- In table view, click the + to the right of the rightmost column header.
- In any other view, open a database item and click + Add a property at the bottom of the property list.
- Choose a type from the menu.
- Enter a property name and configure type-specific options (e.g., Select options, Date format, Relation target).
Common property types
- Text, Number, URL, Email, Phone: basic structured data.
- Select / Multi-select / Status: colored tags from a fixed list.
- Date: single date or date range, with optional time and reminders.
- Person: assign workspace members or guests.
- Files & media: attach images, PDFs, or any file.
- Checkbox: boolean toggle.
- Formula: calculations and conditional logic referencing other properties.
- Relation: link to pages in another database (one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many).
- Rollup: pull values from a related database (sum, average, count, latest, etc.).
- Created time / Created by / Last edited time / Last edited by: automatic metadata.
- Unique ID: auto-incrementing IDs with an optional prefix (e.g.,
BUG-42).
5. Linked Databases
A linked database is a view of an existing database that lives on another page. The data is the same, it’s a window into the source, not a copy. Edits sync both ways.
Create a linked database view
- On the page where you want the view, type /linked and select Linked view of database.
- Search for and select the source database.
- Pick a starting layout (table, board, calendar, etc.).
- Customize filters, sorts, and visible properties, these settings only affect this view, not the source.
Linked databases are how you build dashboards. Pull tasks assigned to me onto your home page. Surface this week’s content on the team’s editorial hub. Filter the master CRM down to deals closing this quarter for the sales standup.
Quick Reference
| Database type | Where it lives | Best for | Sidebar visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-page | Standalone page | Master databases, dashboards, large datasets | Yes: top-level |
| Inline | Block inside another page | Page-scoped tables, embedded sections | As a subpage |
| Linked view | Block inside another page | Filtered views of a master database elsewhere | No: view only |
Which Method Should You Use?
- Building a master list? Use a full-page database. Your tasks, CRM, projects, and content calendar should each be a full-page database that other pages link into.
- Need a database scoped to one page? Use an inline database. A meeting page with its own action items table, a client page with a notes list.
- Want the same data in multiple places? Use a linked database. Don’t duplicate, link.
- Need different cuts of the same data? Add multiple views to a single database instead of creating multiple databases.
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