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2votes

Can I make a template create a new database each time I use it?

Asked Feb 19, 2023

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I've been trying to set up a database for my design projects in Notion. I created a template called "New Project" that has an inline timeline database with all the standard project stages. Let's call this "Project Stages". "New Projects" has some relations and rollups based on "Project Stages", such as calculating the total time range of a project.

When I create a new project using my template, I'd like it to generate a whole new timeline database using "Project Stages" as a template, because although the stages are almost always the same, each project has different deadlines and possible sub-stages. Instead of creating a new inline database each time I use the template, it's been duplicating the database "Project Stages" I created inside the template "New Projects", and therefore picking up data from the template and not the project itself.

Is this something I can accomplish with Notion?

asked Feb 19, 2023 by gabi_colebrusco (140 points)

1 Answer

1vote

polle Points88140

You need 2 Notion databases.

1- Projects
2- Project Stages

Relate them.

Create the template in the Projects database and the template should include a linked view of Project Stages that is related to the project itself.

That way you can create new projects and all of theme will include the Project Stages as needed.

answered Mar 6, 2023 by polle (88.1k points)

2votes

gabi_colebrusco commented Mar 6, 2023

Hi Polle,

Thanks for your help. I think I understand your solution, but doesn't a linked view mean that any changes will reflect in the same Project Stages database?

I need to be able to edit Project Stages in each different project without them affecting one another. Basically, I need a new and independent Project Stages database each time I hit New Project. Does that make sense?

commented Mar 6, 2023 by gabi_colebrusco (140 points)

1vote

polle commented Mar 6, 2023

You need 1 Projects database and have multiple projects in it, so you can open any of them and add independent info.

You need 1 Project Stages database for the same, to have multiple Project Stages and as both databases are related and filtered, you can manage them exactly as you need.

Imagine that you have 1 tasks database for all your projects and you create 3 tasks:

1- Review information: Related project: Project 6
2- Review information: Related project: Project 3
3- Review information: Related project: Project 14

Every single tasks, even if it is the same, it is related to a single project and using a filter with a self reference filter for new projects, you can go inside 1 Project and manage "only tasks" for that project.

The same applies for stages, you can create the same stage 400 times for 400 different projects and there is no conflict at all.

Hope that helps.

commented Mar 6, 2023 by polle (88.1k points)

Page template with DB including items

asked Jul 18 by Gabriel (160 points)

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