You need a project tracker that shows task status, assignee names, and deadlines without manual updates. Notion databases can link tables with a Relation property and pull data across them with Rollup properties. This article explains how to create a project tracker using two databases joined by a Relation and enriched by Rollups.
Key Takeaways: Building a Project Tracker with Relations and Rollups
- Relation property: Links a row in one database (e.g., Tasks) to a row in another database (e.g., Projects).
- Rollup property: Computes a value from a related database, such as counting tasks or summing hours.
- Linked View of a database: Displays related items inside a parent record without leaving the page.
What Are Relation and Rollup Properties in Notion
A Relation property creates a two-way link between two databases. For example, a Tasks database can have a Relation column pointing to a Projects database. Each task row can then be assigned to one project row. The linked project row automatically shows a reverse relation that lists all tasks belonging to that project.
A Rollup property reads data from a Relation and performs a calculation. You can roll up the count of tasks, sum of estimated hours, or the latest deadline date. Rollups do not store raw data. They compute the result live each time the page loads.
Before you start, create two separate databases in the same Notion page. Name them Projects and Tasks. Each database must have at least a Name column. The Tasks database needs a Status column (Select property) and a Deadline column (Date property). The Projects database needs a Deadline column as well.
Steps to Build a Project Tracker with Relations and Rollups
Create the Relation Between Projects and Tasks
- Add a Relation column to the Tasks database
Open the Tasks database. Click the plus sign at the top-right of the table header to add a new property. Choose Relation from the property type menu. - Select the Projects database as the target
In the Relation configuration dialog, choose Projects from the list of databases in your workspace. Name the column Project. Click Create Relation. - Verify the reverse relation in Projects
Open the Projects database. You will see a new column named Tasks (the reverse relation). This column automatically lists all tasks linked to each project row. Do not delete this column. It is required for Rollups to work.
Link Tasks to Projects
- Open a task row
Click any row in the Tasks database to open its full-page view. - Select a project from the Project column
Click the Project field and type the name of the project you want to link. Select the matching project from the dropdown. The reverse relation in the Projects database updates immediately. - Repeat for all tasks
Link each task to its parent project. You can also link a task to multiple projects if needed by enabling the Allow multiple relations option in the Relation property settings.
Add Rollup Properties to the Projects Database
- Add a Rollup column to the Projects database
Click the plus sign in the Projects table header. Choose Rollup from the property type menu. - Configure the Rollup source and calculation
Set the Relation field to Tasks (the reverse relation). Set the Property field to Status (the column you want to roll up). Set the Calculate field to Show original. This displays each task status as a list in the project row. - Add a second Rollup to count tasks
Add another Rollup column. Set Relation to Tasks, Property to Name, and Calculate to Count all. This Rollup shows the total number of tasks linked to each project. - Add a third Rollup to find the earliest deadline
Add a third Rollup column. Set Relation to Tasks, Property to Deadline, and Calculate to Earliest date. This Rollup displays the closest upcoming deadline among all tasks in the project.
Build a Project Dashboard with a Linked View
- Open a project page
Click a project row to open its full-page view. - Add a Linked View of the Tasks database
Type /linked view of database on the project page. Select Tasks from the list. A new view appears showing only tasks linked to this project via the Relation. - Filter the linked view
Click the filter icon above the linked view. Add a filter: Project contains [your project name]. This ensures the view displays only relevant tasks even if the Relation changes.
Common Mistakes and Limitations When Using Relations and Rollups
Rollup Shows No Data
If a Rollup column displays a dash or empty value, the Relation column is missing or not properly linked. Open the Task database and verify that each task has a project selected in the Project column. Also confirm that the Rollup Property field points to an existing column in the related database. Renaming a column after creating a Rollup can break the link. Edit the Rollup property and re-select the correct column.
Rollup Count Is Incorrect
The Count all calculation counts every row in the related database that matches the Relation. If you linked a task to two projects, the task is counted in both projects. To avoid double-counting, set the Relation to Allow multiple relations only when necessary. For accurate counts, keep each task linked to exactly one project.
Linked View Displays All Tasks Instead of Filtered Tasks
A Linked View of a database shows all rows by default. You must apply a filter that matches the current project name. Notion does not automatically pass the parent page context to the linked view. Add a filter condition that compares the Relation column to the current page name. Use the filter menu to select the Relation column and the current page name from the dropdown.
Notion Free vs Plus vs Business: Limits for Databases
| Item | Notion Free | Notion Plus | Notion Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| File upload limit | 5 MB per file | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Page history | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
| Guest access | Up to 5 guests | Up to 100 guests | Up to 250 guests |
| Database row limit per workspace | No limit | No limit | No limit |
| Rollup calculations | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Linked views | Supported | Supported | Supported |
All tiers support Relation and Rollup properties. The main differences are file size limits, page history length, and guest count. For a project tracker with many attachments, Plus or Business is better.
You can now build a project tracker that automatically shows task counts, earliest deadlines, and status summaries without manual data entry. Start by creating the Projects and Tasks databases, then add the Relation and Rollup columns as described. For advanced tracking, add a Formula property to highlight overdue tasks using the Deadline Rollup and the now() function.