Notion for Productivity: Dynamic Navigation Bars & Show Empty Cells

A Notion workflow can be made dramatically easier to navigate by combining synced blocks, linked databases, and a “missing info” system that automatically flags empty, high-priority fields. The core setup starts with splitting a complex database into two layers: backend data stores and front-end procedural pages. From there, a left-side navigation bar is built once and reused across multiple steps, so moving through a multi-stage process feels consistent even as the underlying database views change.

The tutorial’s example uses a family-research database (“who’s who”) with many properties. To keep the interface manageable, the creator adds callouts that separate “links” (backend databases) from “procedures” (step-by-step pages). Each procedure step gets a structured layout: a header callout for the step name, a nested callout describing what to do, another nested callout listing what to avoid, and an “important links” area that can contain bookmarks. The key move is creating a linked database view inside each step page. Linked databases let filters, sorts, and views affect only the linked view—new entries still write back to the original database—so each step can show only the properties relevant to that stage (identification, dates, places, and so on).

Navigation is handled with a synced block. A synced block containing the navigation bar is created, placed alongside a linked database view, and then duplicated across steps so recurring elements (like the step header and the database link) stay aligned. Filters can be applied per step—for example, showing only entries created “today” using a created timestamp filter—so the workflow doesn’t drown in older rows. To make the navigation reflect where the user currently is, the synced block is unsynced and then re-synced selectively: each step’s navigation item can be colored differently (e.g., red) to indicate the active page.

The second major feature is an automated “empty cells” tracker. A board view groups entries by a select property called bookmark (e.g., “save for later” vs. “important”). Then a formula property called cells to fill is built to detect empty fields in key properties such as summary, place of birth, date of birth, and sources. For each empty field, the formula outputs a pencil/exclamation message and line breaks; a checkbox property (“missing info”) is converted into a formula that checks whether cells to fill is not empty. Finally, a dedicated table view (“all missing info”) filters to show only rows where cells to fill has content and where bookmark status is relevant. This yields a practical dashboard: entries with missing critical information surface automatically, without manual auditing.

Together, synced navigation plus formula-driven missing-field detection turns a sprawling database into a guided, step-based workflow that’s easier for individuals and teams to follow and maintain over time—especially when working through large templates and repeated processes.