How to Build Notion Import Pipeline From Airtable With Schema Mapping

You want to move data from Airtable to Notion but the default CSV import loses field types, relations, and formulas. Airtable bases and Notion databases use different schema models: Airtable uses linked records and rollups while Notion uses relations and rollups. This article shows you how to build a repeatable import pipeline that maps Airtable field types to Notion property types so your data arrives intact.

The pipeline uses Airtable’s CSV export, a schema mapping spreadsheet, and Notion’s CSV import with manual property type selection. You will learn how to handle linked records, attachments, and formula fields that do not transfer directly.

By the end you can migrate any Airtable base to Notion without losing data structure or needing third-party tools.

What the Airtable-to-Notion Import Pipeline Does

The pipeline is a manual process that converts an Airtable base into one or more Notion databases with matching schema. Airtable and Notion share many property types: text, number, date, select, multi-select, checkbox, URL, email, phone, and attachment. However, Airtable’s linked records, rollups, lookups, and formulas do not map directly to Notion’s CSV import. You must rebuild those after the initial import.

The pipeline has four stages: export Airtable tables as CSV, create a schema mapping spreadsheet, import each CSV into Notion while setting property types, and then recreate relations, rollups, and formulas inside Notion.

Prerequisites

You need an Airtable account with the base you want to migrate and a Notion workspace where you have Can Edit access. You also need a spreadsheet tool like Google Sheets or Excel to build the schema map. No API keys or third-party integration tools are required.

Steps to Build the Import Pipeline With Schema Mapping

Step 1: Export Each Airtable Table as a Separate CSV

1. Open your Airtable base
   Select the first table you want to migrate.
2. Click the three-dot menu on the table tab
   Choose “Download CSV.” Airtable exports the current view, including all fields and rows.
3. Repeat for every table
   Do not use the base-level export. Export each table individually so column names and field types stay intact.
4. Save all CSV files in one folder
   Name them clearly, for example “Contacts.csv” and “Projects.csv.”

Step 2: Build a Schema Mapping Spreadsheet

1. Open a new spreadsheet
   Create columns: Airtable Field Name, Airtable Field Type, Notion Property Name, Notion Property Type, and Notes.
2. Copy field names from the first CSV
   Open the CSV in a text editor and list every column header in the first row.
3. Map each Airtable type to a Notion type
   Use this mapping:
   – Single line text → Title or Text
   – Long text → Text
   – Number → Number
   – Date → Date
   – Single select → Select
   – Multiple select → Multi-select
   – Checkbox → Checkbox
   – URL → URL
   – Email → Email
   – Phone → Phone
   – Attachment → Files & media
   – Link to another record → (skip during import, rebuild as Relation later)
   – Rollup → (skip during import, rebuild as Rollup later)
   – Formula → (skip during import, rebuild as Formula later)
4. Identify which fields to skip during CSV import
   Linked records, rollups, lookups, and formulas do not appear in the CSV or appear as text that cannot be recreated. Mark them as “Rebuild after import.”

Step 3: Import Each CSV Into Notion

1. Create a new page in Notion
   Navigate to the workspace or teamspace where you want the database. Click “Add a page” and give it a name.
2. Use the CSV import feature
   Type /import and select “CSV.” Notion opens a file picker. Choose the first CSV file from your folder.
3. Set property types for each column
   Notion shows a preview with each column. Click the property type dropdown next to each column name. Select the matching Notion property type from your schema map. For example, change “Text” to “Number” for a number column.
4. Click “Import”
   Notion creates a new database with your data. Repeat for each CSV file. Create a separate database for each table.

Step 4: Rebuild Relations, Rollups, and Formulas

1. Add a Relation property to the child database
   Open the database that should contain the linked record. Click “Add a property,” select “Relation,” and choose the parent database. Name the property, for example “Related Project.”
2. Link records manually or in bulk
   If your CSV contained a column with linked record names, you can match them by copying the name into the Relation field. For large datasets, use Notion’s “Link database” feature with a lookup column to match IDs.
3. Add a Rollup property
   After the Relation is set, add a Rollup property. Configure it to roll up a numeric or text field from the related database using SUM, COUNT, or another aggregation.
4. Recreate formula properties
   Open the database, add a Formula property, and write the formula using Notion’s formula syntax. Airtable formulas that use functions like IF, DATETIME_DIFF, or CONCATENATE have direct equivalents in Notion.

Common Schema Mapping Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Linked Records Export as Text Instead of IDs

Airtable’s CSV export writes linked records as the display name of the linked record, not the record ID. When you import into Notion, that column becomes plain text. You cannot convert text to a Relation property after import. The fix is to skip that column during import and add the Relation property afterward, then manually link records using the text names as a reference.

Attachment Fields Export as URLs That Notion Cannot Import

Airtable exports attachments as comma-separated URLs in one cell. Notion’s CSV import does not parse these into Files & media properties. The workaround is to skip the attachment column during import and use Notion’s API or the desktop app’s drag-and-drop to reattach files. For small datasets, you can reattach files manually.

Formula Fields Export as Calculated Values, Not the Formula

Airtable’s CSV shows the result of a formula, not the formula expression itself. You must recreate each formula in Notion after import. Keep your Airtable base open as a reference when writing Notion formulas.

Rollup Fields Export as Aggregated Values That Lose Their Source

A rollup in Airtable shows a computed value from a linked record. The CSV contains only that computed value, not the relationship. You must rebuild the Relation first, then add a Rollup property in Notion to compute the same value.

Airtable Field Types vs Notion Property Types: Mapping Reference

Airtable Field Type	Notion Property Type	Notes
Single line text	Title or Text	Map the primary field to Title
Long text	Text	No extra configuration needed
Number	Number	Set number format after import
Date	Date	Date format and time zone
Single select	Select	Options must be recreated in Notion
Multiple select	Multi-select	Options must be recreated in Notion
Checkbox	Checkbox	Values true/false map directly
URL	URL	No extra configuration needed
Email	Email	No extra configuration needed
Phone	Phone	No extra configuration needed
Attachment	Files & media	Rebuild after import
Link to another record	Relation	Rebuild after import
Rollup	Rollup	Rebuild after import
Lookup	Rollup or Formula	Rebuild after import
Formula	Formula	Rebuild after import
Duration	Number with format	Convert to minutes or hours
Rating	Number	Use a Number property with a star emoji in the name

You can now export any Airtable base, map its schema to Notion property types, and import the data without losing structure. Use the schema mapping spreadsheet for every migration to avoid mismatched fields. For large bases with more than 10 tables, consider using Notion’s API to automate the relation re-linking step after the CSV import.