Notion
Using Notion as a data source for your Softr app.
Notion is more than just a note-taking tool—it combines project management and databases, making it a stronger alternative to spreadsheets for organizing and collaborating on data in one place.
By using Notion databases with Softr, you can easily create Client Portals, Internal Tools, and other business apps to:
- Offer a simple, user-friendly experience
- Control access to specific data
- Secure logins without Notion invites
- Let users submit, edit, and sync data seamlessly
- Collect forms, feedback, and inputs effortlessly
1. Connect your Notion account
To use Airtable in Softr, you must first link your Airtable account. Here’s how:
Step 1: Add Notion data source to your workspace
To create an app using a Notion database, the first step is to add Notion as a data source in Softr. You can do this either through the Data Sources section of the Softr dashboard or by adding a new data source directly to a block within your application.
Step 2: Grant access to the Notion databases you want to use in your workspace.
After selecting Notion as the data source, you’ll be redirected to the Notion Authorization page. On this page, select the workspace and top-level pages containing the databases you wish to connect to Softr.
You can authorize the integration only for Notion workspaces where you are a member.
Once connected, only Notion database pages can be used with Softr dynamic blocks, such as List and Detail blocks.
To finalize the connection, click the "Allow Access" button to grant Softr permission to access your Notion account.
2. Connect your Notion database to your Softr app
Step 1: Connect your data to a dynamic block
To display your data in the app, connect a dynamic block (e.g. List, Grid, Table) to your Notion database:
- Go to the Block source tab and select your Notion integration.
- Pick the database you want to use.
Once you select the Notion account, the pages within that database will display as individual records in your application.
Step 2: Map Notion columns to item fields
Once your data source is connected to a block, you can map individual fields to display the desired information.
In Notion, properties are essentially the columns in the database, with each property having a predefined type, such as Files, Status, Date, and more. Similarly, Softr offers a variety of field types to choose from when displaying your data. It's important to select the appropriate field type when mapping fields from Notion to Softr.
For example, in the image below, we’ve mapped a File property from Notion to an Image field type on Softr’s List block to display photos.
Supported fields
Most fields that can be edited in Notion are also editable in Softr. However, there are exceptions. Fields that are automatically generated by Notion, such as Rollup, Formula and People can be displayed but not edited within Softr.
The following read-only fields are not supported: Last edited by, Last edited time, Created time, Created by, ID, Button.
Support for database page content is coming soon.
Database relations
The Relation property in Notion is essential for creating a relational database. It allows you to link records from one database to another, enabling the seamless display of related information across your boards.
For example, if you have two Notion databases—Clients and Projects—you can add a Relation property to Clients to link it with Projects. This lets you easily display all projects associated with a specific client.
Due to limitations in the Notion API, Relation fields cannot be displayed in List-type dynamic blocks (List, Table, Inbox, etc). As an alternative, we recommend creating a Rollup field based on the Relation field and using that for display.
Conditional filters based on relation
Conditional filters allow you to display specific records based on set conditions. This feature is handy when showing related records between databases. For example, if you have a "Client Detail" page, you can display a list of projects related to a specific client.
Limitations
Currently, the Charts, Inbox, Map, Org Chart, blocks are not supported. These will be available in future updates.
FAQ
My Notion is connected to Softr, but I don’t see the page or database I’m trying to access.
This can happen when you add a page or database to Notion after you have already created the connection to Softr. To fix this, navigate to the page you want to give Softr access to and click on the ellipses icon in the upper right corner. Hover over the Connections, search for Softr and select it.
Notion will ask you to confirm letting Softr access this page. Note that you will need to refresh Softr editor to see the newly connected page or database.
Can I use multiple Notion workspaces in one Softr app?
Yes! You can connect multiple Notion workspaces but need to use separate Softr blocks for each database.
Last updated on March 3, 2025