This session provided a comprehensive walkthrough for setting up a company workspace in Notion from scratch.
Key topics included workspace structure, database and dashboard design, template creation, access management, and practical best practices to ensure scalability and maintainability.
The step-by-step guidance covered both backend (databases, access rights) and frontend (dashboards, homepages, team and personal dashboards) configuration.
Important recommendations and security considerations were emphasized for long-term workspace health.
Action Items
Initial setup – Admin/Workspace Owner: Define team spaces aligned with organizational structure (HQ, Ops, Marketing, etc.).
Initial setup – Admin/Workspace Owner: Establish user groups (at least Admin and User), assign default rights, and set up access rules for databases and pages.
Setup – Admin/Workspace Owner: Create reusable database views for navigation and workflow (gallery, kanban, filtered tables).
Template creation – Admin/Workspace Owner: Develop templates for team, project, and individual dashboards; set as defaults for new records.
Homepages – Admin/Workspace Owner: Build and link main landing page, team homepages, and company wiki for easy navigation.
Permissions/Lockdown – Admin/Workspace Owner: Lock backend and core navigation pages to prevent accidental edits and audit access rights.
Ongoing – All Users: Adapt personal dashboards and team pages as needed, following provided blueprints.
Workspace Structure & Team Spaces
Use team spaces to mirror your company’s structure (one space per department for larger teams, single HQ for very small teams).
Set team space permissions as open by default, using closed/private for sensitive departments (e.g., HR, Legal).
Organize onboarding so new users are auto-added to the appropriate default team space(s).
Access Rights & Groups
Avoid managing access individually; instead, set up at least Admin and User groups.
Optionally, create department-specific groups.
Assign groups to team spaces and databases for simplified, scalable permission management.
Ensure only admins have structure-changing rights; restrict other users to content editing.
Database & Backend Setup
Centralize all major databases (Team Directory, Teams, OKRs, Projects, Tasks, Docs, CRM) in one backend location.
Carefully define relevant properties and relations (e.g., link teams to members, projects to teams and clients).
Use icons and consistent naming for clarity and easy navigation.
Use relations and rollups to automate information connections (e.g., tasks inherit team/client from their project).
Prepare key views (gallery, kanban, grouped lists) on main databases for reusability.
Dashboard & Frontend Design
Design a clean, navigational home page that links to main databases and key resources.
Build automated team dashboards (using templates) that dynamically filter information relevant to each team.
Enable quick actions (buttons) for adding new records, with preset properties where possible.
Create individual dashboards via templates or a central dashboard database; allow end-user personalization.
Team & Project Templates
Templates ensure new teams, projects, and dashboards start with consistent sections, filters, and quick links.
Team dashboard template should display team-specific OKRs, projects, tasks, and docs, all filtered dynamically.
Project template may include structured sections (planning, execution, review), and auto-pulled associated tasks and docs.
Wiki & Static/Dynamic Content
Company wiki should combine static quick links (core docs, policies, org chart) with dynamic database-driven sections (e.g., always-up-to-date Sops, brainstorms).
Use filtered views to surface relevant content automatically throughout the workspace.
Decisions
Use group-based access management and locked core pages — Ensures workspace security, consistent access, and prevents accidental edits.
Set up one database per major data type (not many small ones); leverage database relations — Promotes scalability and single source of truth.
Template-driven dashboards and team/project pages as defaults — Ensures rapid, consistent setup for new team members and projects.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Evaluate need for more granular permission setups (department-specific content or highly confidential information).
Determine whether to use a single centralized individual dashboard or templated, user-owned versions—decide based on company preference for flexibility vs. control.
Consider automation tools for advanced database relations or analytics (e.g., linking tasks and team directory via third-party tools if deeper analytics are required).