Hi, Hello! My name is Sarah - the writer behind redgregory.com.
Importing Large Files
Importing large data files into Notion is a far smoother experience than when I first started using the program. The following is a little experiment I made to see just how much Notion has improved regarding import of a large CSV file.
I found an impressive dataset online that tracks all executive orders made by every American president from Truman to Obama. The file has
3,000+ rows, most of which are text fields. There's also one for the date EO was signed.The import was swift. It took 45 seconds on a small macbook air.
Navigating in the imported Notion database is still a bit slow, but has improved
Suggestion: Configure the number of rows that will load upon entering the page. This is located in properties settings after moving the imported database into a page.
Why & When To Use Notion To Visualize Data
- I recommend using Notion to visualize text-heavy data or excel workbooks that don't require robust formulas.
- For using Notion as an information wiki, importing large datasets like my example above can serve as a resource index, filtered and sorted in several view options (Calendar, Timeline, KanBan (example above), Gallery, etc.).
- Connect existing databases (ie. notebooks) to these resources via a Relation property.
- Have an excel sheet of cited research material? Save it as CSV and start building a citation index inside Notion.
