Advanced Automation – Notis

The Notis is built uppon a unique approach to automation that leverages the powerful combination of Notion databases and AI. At its core, any software consists of three key components: a database, business logic, and a user interface. Notis enables you to create sophisticated automation systems by seamlessly integrating these components through Notion and delegating that piece of software to Notis.

How the Notis Paradigm Works

1. Design your Database

Create a Notion database that contains all the properties necessary for your workflow. This database will store all the information your automation needs to function effectively.

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Ask yourself what Notis will need to store or access to complete the task I want to delegate.

2. Add your Business Logic

Add your custom business logic directly within Notion by configuring:

The description of the database itself

The descriptions of individual properties within the database

This approach effectively transforms any Notion database into its own AI agent, capable of performing specific tasks and following custom rules.

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Ask yourself how you would explain this recurring task to an intern.

3. Choose your UI

Interact with your automation through various channels (WhatsApp, Telegram and emails) and automations (recurring prompt). These interfaces allow you to trigger automations, set up recurring tasks, and manage your workflows from anywhere.

My blog database contains all the properties to store and manage the Notis blog, and it asks Notis to perform a deep search before any new entry and to generate the hero image autonomously.

Configuring Database Descriptions

The database description serves as the primary set of instructions for Notis. Here’s how to edit databases’ descriptions in Notion:

Step 1 - Open the database a full page

Step 2 - Click on “Show description”

Step 3 - Write your instructions

Here are the categories of instructions you can include:

User Preferences

Ask Notis to remember specific information about you or your preferences:

Remember my name is Florian Pariset.
Remember that I prefer all content to be written in a conversational tone.
Remember that I'm based in Europe and use 24-hour time format.

Content Formatting Instructions

Specify how new entries should be formatted:

Format all new entries in this database using formal business language.
Always use bullet points for listing features or benefits.
Structure meeting notes with clear headings for agenda, decisions, and action items.

Tool Integration

Direct Notis to use specific tools before creating or updating entries:

Before creating a new blog post, perform a deep search on the topic to gather relevant information.
Use the Gen Image generation model to create a featured image for each new entry.
Before adding a new competitor, search the web for their latest product announcements and funding details.

Workflow Rules

Define how Notis should handle specific situations or workflows:

When creating a new task, always check for similar existing tasks to avoid duplication.
For expense entries over $500, tag the Finance team and set priority to high.
If a task is marked as blocked, automatically create a follow-up reminder for 2 days later.

Data Validation Rules

Specify validation requirements for entries:

Ensure all client contact information includes at least an email address and phone number.
Verify that project deadlines are not set on weekends or holidays.
Check that all blog posts are at least 800 words before marking as ready for review.

Integration with Other Databases

Provide instructions for cross-database operations:

When creating a new client project, check the Clients database for existing contact information.
After adding a new task, update the relevant project status in the Projects database.
When logging a new meeting note, link it to the corresponding client and project records.

Configuring Property Descriptions

Each property in your database can have its own set of instructions. Here’s how to edit them in Notion:

Step 1 - Open the Database Settings

Step 2 - Click on “Edit properties”

Step 3 - Click on the “i” pictogram and add your instructions

Here are examples of what you can include in property descriptions:

Default Values

Specify default values for properties:

By default, tag new posts as "Inbox" until they are reviewed.
Set the priority to "Medium" unless otherwise specified.
Default status should be "Not Started" for new tasks.

Formatting Rules

Define specific formatting requirements:

Captions must be a maximum of 140 characters.
Format all titles in Title Case.
Ensure descriptions are between 100-500 characters.

Content Generation Guidelines

Provide instructions for generating content:

Generate meeting summaries with key points, action items, and decisions made.
Create product descriptions that highlight benefits, features, and use cases.
Write captions in a conversational, engaging tone with relevant hashtags.

Conditional Logic

Implement conditional rules for property values:

If deadline is less than 3 days away, set priority to "High".
When status changes to "Completed", automatically set the completion date to today.
If budget exceeds $10,000, require approval field to be completed.

Calculation Instructions

Guide Notis on performing calculations:

Calculate total cost by multiplying quantity by unit price.
Determine project duration by counting weekdays between start and end dates.
Compute ROI by dividing profit by investment and formatting as percentage.

Data Extraction Rules

Provide guidelines for extracting information:

Extract company name, contact person, and amount from invoice images.
Identify key metrics and trends from meeting transcripts.
Parse email addresses and phone numbers from business cards.