Notion Guide
How we use Notion at Kyndof for project management, documentation, and knowledge management.
Notion is Kyndof's central workspace for projects, tasks, documentation, and structured knowledge. Understanding Notion's structure helps you find information and contribute effectively.
What Notion Is For
Notion is where Kyndof's operational work lives. Think of it as our digital headquarters.
Use Notion for:
- Project tracking and task management
- Working documents and collaborative editing
- Knowledge base and process documentation
- Meeting notes and agendas
- Databases for tracking anything structured (projects, tasks, decisions, KPIs)
- Templates for recurring workflows
Don't use Notion for:
- Code or technical specifications (use GitHub)
- Real-time chat (use Slack)
- File storage for large files (use Google Drive)
- Permanent company policies (use Wiki)
- Financial data requiring strict access control (use dedicated systems)
Notion excels at structured information that evolves over time. It's collaborative, searchable, and flexible.
Workspace Structure
Kyndof's Notion workspace is organized into several top-level sections:
Main Navigation
When you open Notion, you'll see:
Sidebar Sections:
- Workspace Home - Company-wide dashboard and quick links
- Teams - Team-specific workspaces
- Projects - Active project pages
- Databases - Core company databases (tasks, decisions, KPIs, etc.)
- Templates - Reusable templates for common documents
- Archive - Completed or deprecated pages
Favorites: Star pages you reference frequently. They appear at the top of your sidebar.
Key Workspaces
Company Home
- Mission, vision, values
- Org chart and team directory
- Company-wide announcements
- Quick links to common resources
Team Workspaces Each team has its own workspace:
- Engineering - Technical projects, sprint planning, architecture docs
- Design - Design system, project briefs, creative assets
- Sales - Pipeline tracking, client notes, proposals
- Operations - SOPs, vendor management, process docs
- HR - Onboarding, policies, team rituals
Your personal workspace is for:
- Private notes and drafts
- Personal task tracking
- Work-in-progress before sharing with team
Core Databases
Kyndof uses several databases to track organizational information:
Task Database
Where: Tasks Database
Purpose: Track all work items with owners, deadlines, and status
Key properties:
- Title - What needs to be done
- Owner - Position/role responsible (not individual names)
- Status - Not Started / In Progress / Blocked / Done
- Priority - P0 (critical) → P3 (nice to have)
- Due Date - When it needs to be complete
- Project - Linked project this belongs to
- Strategy - Linked strategy this supports
Views:
- My Tasks - Filter by your position as owner
- This Week - Due dates within next 7 days
- By Project - Grouped by project
- Blocked - Tasks waiting on dependencies
How to use:
- Create task from template or duplicate existing
- Assign owner (position, not person)
- Set realistic due date
- Update status as you work
- Comment for updates or blockers
Project Database
Where: Projects Database
Purpose: Track all initiatives with scope, timeline, and resources
Key properties:
- Project Name - Clear, descriptive title
- Owner - Position accountable for delivery
- Status - Planning / Active / On Hold / Complete
- Start Date / End Date - Timeline
- Strategy - Which strategy this supports
- Team - Which team owns it
- Budget - Allocated resources
- Success Metrics - How we'll measure success
Views:
- Active Projects - Currently in progress
- By Team - Grouped by owning team
- Timeline - Gantt chart view
- Completed - Archive of finished projects
Project page template includes:
- Overview and objectives
- Key stakeholders (RABSIC matrix)
- Scope and deliverables
- Timeline and milestones
- Resources and budget
- Risks and mitigations
- Meeting notes
- Decision log
Decision Database
Where: Decisions Database
Purpose: Track major decisions with rationale and accountability
Key properties:
- Decision Title - What was decided
- Status - Proposed / Approved / Rejected / Implemented
- Decision Date - When decided
- RABSIC Matrix - Who had what role
- Rationale - Why this decision
- Alternatives Considered - What we chose not to do
- Impact - Who/what this affects
How to use:
- Create decision record when making important choices
- Fill out RABSIC matrix (see RABSIC guide)
- Document alternatives and why they were rejected
- Link to related projects, strategies, or issues
- Update status as decision progresses
KPI Database
Where: KPIs Database
Purpose: Track key metrics and performance indicators
Key properties:
- KPI Name - What we're measuring
- Owner - Position accountable for this metric
- Target - Goal value
- Current Value - Latest measurement
- Frequency - How often we measure (daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly)
- Goal - Which company goal this supports
- Status - On Track / At Risk / Off Track
Views:
- Company KPIs - Top-level metrics
- By Team - Filtered by team
- At Risk - Metrics not hitting targets
- Dashboard - Visual charts and trends
Other Key Databases
Strategy Database - Company strategies and how they connect to goals
Goals Database - Company and team objectives
Issues Database - Problems, blockers, and incidents
Value Streams Database - End-to-end workflows and process maps
RABSIC Matrix Database - Accountability assignments for decisions
Working with Pages
Creating Pages
Create a page:
- Click + next to the section where you want it
- Choose "Empty page" or start from template
- Add title and content
- Share with appropriate people
Or create inline:
- Type
/pagein any Notion page to create sub-page
Page Structure
Good page anatomy:
- Clear title - Describes what this page is about
- Page description - One-sentence summary (appears in search)
- Header - Context: what, why, who, when
- Table of contents - For long pages, add
/toc - Body content - Main information, organized with headings
- Related pages - Links to relevant pages
- Owner/maintainer - Who to ask for updates
- Last updated - When this was last reviewed
Use templates: Kyndof has templates for common page types:
- Project Brief
- Meeting Notes
- SOP Documentation
- Decision Record
- Weekly Update
- 1:1 Meeting Notes
Find templates in Templates section of sidebar.
Editing and Formatting
Basic formatting:
**bold**→ bold*italic*→ italic`code`→code/h1,/h2,/h3→ Headings/bullet,/number→ Lists/todo→ Checklist
Blocks:
/quote→ Callout box/toggle→ Collapsible section/code→ Code block/table→ Simple table/database→ Inline database
Media:
/image→ Embed image/file→ Attach file/video→ Embed video (YouTube, Loom, etc.)/embed→ Embed external content
Advanced:
@mention→ Link to person, page, or date[[link]]→ Create link to another page/ai→ Use Notion AI (if enabled)
Databases Deep Dive
Database Views
Databases can have multiple views showing different perspectives:
View types:
- Table - Spreadsheet-like grid
- Board - Kanban cards (good for status tracking)
- Timeline - Gantt chart (good for projects)
- Calendar - Date-based view
- List - Simple vertical list
- Gallery - Visual cards with images
Create a view:
- Open database
- Click "+ New" next to view tabs
- Choose view type
- Configure filters, sort, and grouping
- Name your view
Filter views:
- Click "Filter" in view toolbar
- Add conditions (e.g., "Owner is my-position" or "Status is In Progress")
- Combine multiple filters with AND/OR logic
Sort views:
- Click "Sort" in view toolbar
- Choose property and direction (ascending/descending)
- Add multiple sort levels
Group views:
- Click "Group" in view toolbar
- Group by property (e.g., Status, Team, Priority)
- Cards appear in grouped columns or sections
Database Properties
Properties add structure to database entries:
Common property types:
| Type | Use For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Short text entries | Title, Name |
| Number | Numeric values | Budget, Count |
| Select | Single choice from list | Status, Priority |
| Multi-select | Multiple choices | Tags, Skills |
| Date | Dates and date ranges | Due Date, Timeline |
| Person | Assign team members | Owner, Participants |
| Relation | Link to another database | Project → Tasks |
| Rollup | Aggregate from relations | Sum of task hours |
| Formula | Calculate from other properties | Days until deadline |
| URL | Web links | Documentation link |
| Email addresses | Contact email | |
| Phone | Phone numbers | Contact phone |
Add a property:
- Open database table view
- Click + at right edge of columns
- Choose property type
- Name the property
- Configure options (for Select, etc.)
Relation properties connect databases:
- Link Projects to Tasks
- Link Tasks to Strategy
- Link Decisions to Projects
Rollup properties aggregate related data:
- Count of related items
- Sum of numeric properties
- List of text values
- Min/max of dates
Templates
Templates save time and ensure consistency.
Using Templates
Access templates:
- Click "Templates" in sidebar
- Or click "New" in database → "Template"
Apply template:
- Find the template you need
- Click "Use template" or "Duplicate"
- Fill in your specific content
- Delete instructional text/placeholders
Key Templates
Project Brief Template
- Project overview
- Objectives and success criteria
- RABSIC matrix
- Timeline and milestones
- Budget and resources
- Risks and dependencies
Meeting Notes Template
- Date, attendees, facilitator
- Agenda with time boxes
- Discussion notes
- Decisions made
- Action items with owners
SOP Template
- Process overview
- When to use this SOP
- Roles and responsibilities
- Step-by-step instructions
- Examples and edge cases
- Revision history
Decision Record Template
- Decision statement
- Context and background
- RABSIC accountability
- Alternatives considered
- Rationale for chosen approach
- Consequences and follow-up
Weekly Update Template
- Wins and progress
- Blockers and challenges
- Priorities for next week
- Help needed
Creating Templates
Create your own template:
- Build a page with the structure you want
- Replace specific content with
[brackets]for placeholders - Add it to Templates section
- Share with team
Template best practices:
- Include clear instructions
- Use placeholders and examples
- Link to related documentation
- Keep it minimal (easier to add than delete)
Collaboration Features
Sharing and Permissions
Share a page:
- Click "Share" in top-right
- Add people or groups
- Set permission level:
- Full access - Can edit and share
- Can edit - Can modify content
- Can comment - Can add comments only
- Can view - Read-only access
Default sharing:
- Team pages: Shared with whole team
- Project pages: Shared with project participants
- Personal pages: Private until you share
External sharing:
- Use "Share to web" for public links (ask manager first)
- Password-protect sensitive shared pages
- Set expiration dates on temporary shares
Comments and Mentions
Add comments:
- Highlight text or hover over block
- Click comment icon
- Type your comment
- @mention people who should see it
Resolve comments:
- Click "Resolve" when addressed
- Resolved comments are hidden but can be viewed
@mention someone:
- Type
@and their name - They'll get notification
- Use to ask questions or assign actions
@mention pages:
- Type
@and page name - Creates link and alerts page owner
Real-time Collaboration
Collaborative editing:
- Multiple people can edit simultaneously
- See cursors and highlights for others editing
- Changes appear in real-time
- Version history preserves all edits
Version history:
- Click ••• menu → Page history
- See all changes over time
- Restore previous versions if needed
Notifications:
- Get notified when mentioned
- Updates to pages you're following
- Comments on pages you participated in
Search and Navigation
Search
Search shortcuts:
Cmd/Ctrl + P- Quick find (pages and databases)Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P- Search within current page
Search filters:
- Filter by workspace, person, date
- Search within specific databases
- Include or exclude archived pages
Search tips:
- Use quotes for exact phrases:
"project brief" - Search partial words (works as you type)
- Include property values:
owner:cto status:active
Favorites and Recents
Star important pages:
- Click ☆ next to page title
- Favorites appear at top of sidebar
- Keep this list curated (< 10 items)
Recent pages:
- Click "Recents" in sidebar
- Shows your recently accessed pages
- Quick way to return to what you were working on
Backlinks
See all pages linking here:
- Open page
- Scroll to bottom
- "Backlinks" section shows all pages that link to this one
- Useful for understanding page context
Mobile Notion
Notion mobile app for working on the go:
Mobile best practices:
- Use for quick updates and checking info
- Complex editing is better on desktop
- Great for reading and commenting
- Sync is instant across devices
Offline mode:
- Recent pages cached for offline access
- Edits sync when back online
- Download important pages before going offline
Mobile-specific features:
- Quick capture to Inbox
- Voice-to-text for notes
- Share from other apps to Notion
- Scan documents directly into pages
Integrations
Notion integrates with other Kyndof tools:
Slack Integration
- Get Notion page updates in Slack channels
- Create Notion pages from Slack messages
- Unfurl Notion links with page previews
- Search Notion from Slack
Setup: Already configured workspace-wide. Just share Notion links in Slack.
GitHub Integration
- Link GitHub issues to Notion tasks
- Track PR status in Notion
- Sync project boards
Setup: Managed by Engineering team. Ask in #team-engineering if you need it.
Google Drive
- Embed Google Docs, Sheets, Slides in Notion pages
- Link to Drive files from Notion databases
How to embed:
- Get shareable link from Google Drive
- In Notion, type
/embedand paste link - Drive file appears inline with live preview
Calendar Integration
- Sync Notion calendar views to Google Calendar
- Add Notion pages to calendar events
Setup: Click ••• on calendar view → "Export calendar"
Best Practices
Page Organization
Keep pages organized:
- Use clear, descriptive titles
- Nest related pages under parent pages
- Archive outdated content
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Add emoji icons for visual scanning 🎯📁📊
Naming conventions:
- Projects: "PROJECT-NAME - Brief/Plan/Retrospective"
- Meetings: "YYYY-MM-DD Team Meeting Notes"
- SOPs: "SOP: Process Name"
- Templates: "📄 Template: Use Case"
Content Principles
Write for future readers:
- Assume no context (explain acronyms, link to background)
- Front-load key information
- Use headings and structure
- Add table of contents for long pages
Keep pages up to date:
- Add "Last updated" date
- Review and update at regular intervals
- Archive when no longer relevant
- Don't let pages go stale
Link liberally:
- Link to related pages, databases, external resources
- Use backlinks to create knowledge graph
- Prefer links over copy-paste (single source of truth)
Database Hygiene
Maintain databases:
- Set up filters and views for common needs
- Archive completed items regularly
- Standardize property values (don't create duplicates)
- Use templates to ensure consistency
Property standards:
- Use position names, not individual names
- Consistent date formats
- Clear status values (Active/Complete, not Yes/No)
- Required vs. optional fields
Common Use Cases
Managing Tasks
- Open Tasks database
- Filter to "My Tasks" view
- Create new tasks as you identify work
- Set priority and due date
- Update status as you progress
- Link to relevant project or strategy
Running Projects
- Create project page from template
- Fill in project brief
- Set up RABSIC accountability matrix
- Create linked tasks in Task database
- Hold regular updates in meeting notes
- Document decisions in Decision database
- Archive project when complete
Meeting Notes
- Create page from Meeting Notes template
- Share with attendees before meeting
- Collaboratively edit during meeting
- Extract action items as Tasks
- Link to any Decisions made
- File under appropriate team or project
Documentation
- Create page in appropriate team workspace
- Use clear structure (headings, TOC)
- Link to related pages
- @mention reviewers for feedback
- Keep updated with revision history
- Cross-reference from Wiki for permanent docs
Troubleshooting
"I can't find a page"
Solutions:
- Search with
Cmd/Ctrl + P - Check Recents
- Check if it was archived
- Ask page creator to share again
- Look in related workspaces
"I don't have permission to edit"
Solutions:
- Ask page owner to share with you
- Check if you're in the right workspace
- Verify your Notion account email
"Changes aren't syncing"
Solutions:
- Check internet connection
- Force sync by refreshing page
- Log out and log back in
- Check Notion status page for outages
"Database is slow to load"
Solutions:
- Reduce visible rows (use filters)
- Hide unused properties
- Archive old entries
- Split into multiple databases if very large
Getting Help
Resources:
- This guide
- Notion Help Center: notion.so/help
- Ask in #help on Slack
- Check Templates section for examples
For access issues: Contact your manager or ask in #it-support
For training: Corporate Operations holds Notion office hours weekly (check calendar)
Related Documentation
- Tools Overview - All tools we use
- Slack Guide - For real-time communication
- How We Work - Processes documented in Notion
- RABSIC Guide - Accountability framework used in Notion
Navigation:
Last Updated: 2026-02-03