Notion has become a fan favorite for both professional and personal use, and it’s for good reasons.
Among these nifty features are the simple table and table database, which essentially display data in tabular form.
Although they look similar in appearance, they are actually a world apart.
Let’s walk through the differences between these tools and when you might use each one.
What Is a Notion Simple Table?
The simple table in Notion is a basic way of organizing data in a tabular manner.
Here, you essentially work with rows and columns just as you would with a simple spreadsheet.
it’s possible for you to even add emojis and symbols within the cells.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much there is to simple tables.
What Is a Notion Table Database?
The table database in Notion looks a little like a simple table.
However, unlike simple tables, table databases come with a lot more features.
For one, a table database is flexible when it comes to its contents.
You’re not limited to regular text, dates, reminders, links to pages, and people.
A table database can also change its form.
The board view is similar to a Kanban board, as it organizes your data by status.
The timeline view, on the other hand, looks like a Gantt chart that presents task schedules.
The calendar view also displays task schedules, but instead of a timeline, it shows an entire month.
Simple tables can do the trick just fine.
They are also very beginner-friendly.
If you’re new to Notion, you will likely feel intimidated by the bells and whistles of databases.
This is where table databases come into the picture.
They are particularly useful for capturing information with repetitive, categorical components.
These additional properties can also help you understand the data better or display them more clearly.
For instance, you might sort employees by location or filter them by role.
