Notion databases include a special property called “Last Edited By” that automatically tracks which workspace member last modified each database row. This property updates whenever someone changes any editable field in the row, including text, selects, dates, and relations. Understanding exactly when and how this property updates helps you avoid confusion about who made the most recent change. This article explains the update rules, how to add the property to your database, and common scenarios where the update behavior might surprise you.
Key Takeaways: Notion Last Edited By Property Behavior
- Database view > Properties > Add a property > Last Edited By: Adds the property to track the last person who edited a row.
- Property updates on ANY field change: The value changes when text, select, date, checkbox, relation, rollup, formula, or file fields are modified.
- Property does NOT update automatically: The timestamp refreshes only when a workspace member actively saves a change to the row.
How the Last Edited By Property Works in Notion
The Last Edited By property is a system-generated field that records the display name of the workspace member who last made a change to a database item. It is available in all Notion plans, including Free, Plus, Business, and Enterprise. The property appears as a column in table, board, gallery, list, and calendar views. You cannot manually type a name into this field; Notion writes the name automatically based on the logged-in user who performs the edit.
The property updates only when a change is explicitly saved to the database row. This means clicking into a field and then clicking away without typing anything does not trigger an update. Similarly, simply opening a page or viewing a row does not change the Last Edited By value. The update occurs when you modify content in any editable property, including the page title, text blocks inside the page body, select options, status values, dates, checkboxes, relation links, rollup values, formula results, and file uploads.
What Counts as an Edit
Notion treats the following actions as edits that update the Last Edited By property:
- Typing or deleting text in any text property or page body
- Changing a select, multi-select, or status option
- Adding or removing a date
- Toggling a checkbox
- Linking or unlinking a relation
- Uploading or deleting a file or image
- Changing a formula or rollup input that recalculates the value
- Adding or removing a comment on the row (comments are considered part of the page)
Actions that do NOT count as edits include viewing the page, sorting or filtering the database view, renaming the view, or changing the database layout. These actions affect the view only, not the underlying row data.
Steps to Add and Use the Last Edited By Property
- Open your database view
Navigate to any Notion database that you have edit permissions for. This can be a table, board, gallery, list, or calendar view. - Add the Last Edited By property
Click the + icon in the last column header of a table view, or click the Properties button in the top-right corner of any database view. Select Last Edited By from the property type list. The property appears as a new column or field. - Rename the property if needed
Click the property name in the column header or in the Properties menu. Type a new name, such as “Last Editor” or “Modified By.” The rename does not affect the update behavior. - Edit a row to test the property
Click into any row and change a value in any editable field. For example, change a select option or type new text in a text property. Press Enter or click away to save the change. - Verify the update
Look at the Last Edited By column for that row. The value should now display your Notion display name. If multiple people edit the same row, the property shows the name of the most recent editor.
Common Misunderstandings About the Last Edited By Property
Last Edited By Shows the Same Person After Several Edits
If the same workspace member makes multiple changes to a row, the Last Edited By property continues to display that person’s name. This is expected behavior. The property does not show a history of editors; it only shows the most recent one. To see a full edit history, use the Page History feature found in the top-right menu of any page.
Last Edited By Updates When You Add a Comment
Adding a comment to a database row triggers the Last Edited By property to update to your name. This is because Notion treats comments as part of the page content. If you want to leave a comment without changing the Last Edited By value, ask another workspace member to make the comment, or use a separate discussion database linked by relation.
Last Edited By Does Not Show Edits Made by Integrations
When a third-party integration such as Zapier, Make, or a custom API script modifies a database row, the Last Edited By property shows the name of the integration connection owner, not the integration name. If the integration uses a bot account, the property may show “Notion Bot” or the name of the service account that owns the API token. This can cause confusion if you expect to see a human editor’s name.
Last Edited By Shows a Blank Value
A blank Last Edited By value typically means the row was created by a user who has since been removed from the workspace, or the row was imported via CSV or another external tool. Notion cannot resolve the original editor’s name if the workspace member no longer exists. To fix this, edit any field in the row to update the property with your name.
Notion Last Edited By vs Last Edited Time vs Created By
| Property | What It Tracks | When It Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Last Edited By | Display name of the last workspace member who edited the row | On every edit to any editable field |
| Last Edited Time | Date and time of the last edit | On every edit to any editable field |
| Created By | Display name of the workspace member who created the row | Only when the row is first created |
| Created Time | Date and time when the row was created | Only when the row is first created |
The Last Edited By and Last Edited Time properties always update together. Created By and Created Time remain static after the row is created. If you need to track multiple editors over time, consider using a manual text property where editors type their names, or use a relation to a separate audit log database.
You can now confidently add and interpret the Last Edited By property in your Notion databases. To further refine your workflow, try combining Last Edited By with a filter that shows only rows edited by a specific team member. For advanced reporting, use the Last Edited Time property in a database formula to calculate how long ago a row was last modified.