If you are anything like me, you have probably tried countless project management tools, each promising to be the ultimate solution. However, each program felt like a compromise in one way or the other. Then, I discovered the power of Notion wikis. Notion, the versatile note-taking app, can be so much more than just a place for taking notes and creating to-do lists. Thanks to its flexible databases and intuitive interface, it has quickly become my go-to for centralizing project information.

In this post, I will walk you through how I transformed Notion into a powerful local wiki for all my projects so that you can set up the same calm and organized workflow.

Why you should use Notion as local wiki for your projects

If you are looking to create a local wiki for your projects, here are the top reasons why Notion should be high on your shortlist.

• Flexible editor with slash command: Notion's pages are built with blocks including text, images, lists, databases, and otherwise. This allows you to structure your wiki exactly how you want.
• Integration with third-party apps: You can embed important project files from Google Drive, Figma, and other third-party services.
• Database views: Supports multiple views such as lists, boards, galleries, calendars, Gantt, and more to track your projects in style.
• Collaboration and sharing: Comes with robust collaboration tools to communicate with your team members without missing a beat.
• Templates library: A robust templates library to kickstart your project pages in no time.

Setting up a dedicated workspace

I highly recommend creating a dedicated workspace for your project wiki in Notion. After all, you wouldn’t wouldn't want your project files mixed in with your personal belongings. It's best to keep your project wiki separate from other unrelated Notion content. Here is what you need to do.

1. Open Notion and select your account name at the top.
2. Click the three-dot menu beside your email address. Select Join or create workspace.
3. Select For work and click Continue.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions, give your workspace a unique name, and you are good to go.

Build your project wiki pages

Before you start creating pages, consider how you want to organize your wiki. This will depend on the nature of your projects and your personal preferences. For example, if you work with multiple clients, organize your wiki by client name, with sub-pages for each project you're working on for them.

If your projects revolve around specific topics or areas of expertise, structure your wiki accordingly (Marketing, Design, Development, etc.).

Explore Notion templates

Instead of starting your Notion pages from scratch, explore the templates library to get the job done in no time. Let me showcase some of the most useful templates for your project wiki.

1. When you create a new page, click Templates at the bottom.
2. There are thousands of Notion templates to choose from. You can use the categories to find relevant ones quickly.
3. Among them, I prefer Meetings notes template to keep track of all client meetings and the action items that result from them.
4. Project proposal is another template I use in my workflow whenever I’m starting a new project.

As I mentioned, the possibilities are endless here. It’s entirely up to you to pick relevant templates from the default library.

Utilize superior Notion databases features

Notion databases are where the real magic of your project wiki happens. They allow you to go beyond static pages and create dynamic systems for tracking, managing, and organizing all sorts of project information.

Notion offers various database types (Table, Board, List, Calendar, and Gallery), each with unique features and views. Suppose you want to create dedicated databases for each stage of your YouTube workflow. You can use the Notion database to add a channel name, track its status and due date, assign a task to someone on your team, insert comments, and do a whole lot more. Check the screenshot below for reference.

Key Notion features for your Notion wiki

Once your project wiki pages are ready, use these features to take the entire setup to the next level.

Link related project pages

Linking is the secret sauce that transforms your Notion pages from isolated documents into a truly interconnected wiki. By linking relevant pages within your workspace, you can create a web of knowledge that will be easy to navigate and explore.

1. Open an existing Notion page, type @page name and pick a relevant page from the suggestions menu.
2. Repeat the same for other pages that you want to link, and you'll be good to go.
3. You can even create a Project Home page, insert relevant columns like Design, Marketing, Client, Social Media, and more and add quick access to these pages.

Embed relevant files

This is my favorite part about using Notion as a project wiki. It lets you embed a Gist from GitHub, view Figma designs, embed a Framer prototype, a Sketch document, Loom recording, OneDrive file, and much more within a project page. Let’s check it out in action.

1. Open a Notion page, type /Figma and hit Enter.
2. Enter Figma file link and click Embed.

Share your Notion wiki with team members

Once your project wiki is ready, you may want to invite your team members to collaborate in real time. Notion allows you to control access at both the workspace and page level, ensuring the right people have access to the right information.

Your team members can effortlessly update the project progress, clients can leave feedback, and stakeholders can gain valuable insights from meeting notes.

1. Open a Notion page you want to share. Click Share at the top.
2. Enter other people's email addresses, set permission levels, and you are all set to share.

Fly through your projects in style

This is how I transformed Notion from a simple note-taking app into a powerful project wiki that keeps me organized and on top of my game. But this is just the starting point. The real magic happens when you tailor your Notion wiki to your unique workflow and project needs. Experiment with different database views, explore Notion forms, connect your Google calendar to glance over your meetings, dig into the templates library, and create a truly personalized project command center.

While you are at it, explore some of the Notion automation tricks to put your project wiki into auto-pilot mode.