How to Make a Progress Bar in Notion

Making a progress bar in Notion is an excellent way to measure and track your advancement toward a certain goal. This can motivate you and keeps you focused as you work. This article covers the basics of how to make a progress bar in Notion.

Creating a Progress Bar

Typically, two methods can be used to create progress bars in Notion. The first one is copy-pasting the existing progress to your bar formula or making your progress with custom formulas. You can make modifications as you desire.

Step 1: Choose How You Want the Progress Bar Set Up

This is the first step. You need to know exactly what you intend to track. Different Notion properties may be used within the progress bar formula. Below are the common properties that are used in bar formulas:

• Numbers: This compares the completed items vs. the total items.
• Checkboxes: These are used for habit tracking.
• Dates: These allow you to count down the days between or after two dates.
• Rollup: This lets you track progress from properties or pages in the related databases.

Step 2: Create Your Properties

Once you decide what needs to be tracked, you can add the properties intended for use in the database. For newbies or those unfamiliar with Rollups and Relations, try to keep things as simple as possible. Stick to date, checkbox, and number properties.

This is how you set up properties in the progress bar:

1. Open an existing or new page where the progress bar is needed.
   
2. Click “Add Property” at the top.
   
3. Select the property type that you intend to use. You can choose a property like “Date” to track a project’s start and end date. A “Number” property could be used to track the percentage that has been completed and what is remaining.
   
4. Choose a name for the property and “Enter.” This should indicate what it represents. You can get creative here.
   
5. Set up any options or additional details you want regarding the property. For example, for a “Date” property, you may specify the date format.
   
6. You can repeat the steps to add more properties needed in the progress bar.

After you set up, the properties can be used in your formulas in the progress bar. This allows you to monitor a project closely. The progress bar can be added to a page. You should work with two number properties when tracking the progress on total items vs. completed items. In those cases, name one “Completed” and the other “Total.” Ensure the numbers are plugged in before proceeding.

Step 3: Set Up the Progress Bar Formula in Notion

After setting up your properties, it’s time to set up the formula. You can write one or modify what’s available. You need to be conversant with the common operators used in the progress bar formulas. These are:

• format() – This converts the numbers into text.
• round() – This is used to round off decimals to whole numbers.
• if() – This shows the resulting values if some conditions are met.
• slice() – It removes a part of your string text.

Follow these steps to set up the formula:

1. Open an existing page or create a new one where you intend to add your progress bar.
   
2. Click “Add Property” at the top of the page. Click the formula to add the new formula.
   
3. Enter the formula you want to use to calculate task or project progress in the formula editor. The formulas differ depending on the properties being used.
   
4. Click “Save” once the formula is entered.
   
5. Click “Edit Property” then select “Progress Bar” to add a progress bar block.
   
6. Click the progress bar settings and pick your bar value’s “Formula” option.
   
7. Enter the formula property name (the one created in step two) within the formula editor.
8. Set the style and color of the progress bar as you deem fit.
   
9. Choose “Save” to save your progress bar.

Following the above steps adds a progress bar on your selected page. Based on your formula, you will see the progress of the task or project.

Step 4: Select Emojis or Characters to Indicate Your Progress Visually

Notion progress bars can be customized. You can use emojis and special characters. Two characters can be used here. The first is for the “filled in” part and the other for the “hollow part.” When special characters are used, the progress bar’s appearance and width are altered based on the text style used.

1. Open an existing page or create another one you want to work on.
   
2. Click “Add Property” at the top of the page. Click the formula to add the new formula.
   
3. Enter the formula you want to use to calculate task or project progress in the formula editor. The formulas differ depending on the properties being used.
   
4. Click “Done” once the formula is entered.
   
5. You now see the “Progress Bar” in your workspace that can track any number of goals or targets.
   

The progress bar is displayed on the page with a special character or emoji to show project progress. You can customize the progress and style of the progress bar according to branding and other preferences.

Crafting progress bars from the bottom up can be a rather daunting task. This is especially true for newbies not conversant with how these formulas work. The formula is not always the same. They vary depending on the way the database is set. Other factors include the preferred design.

Progress Bar Use Cases

There are some popular uses of the Notion progress bar including:

• Projects and tasks: Tracking projects and tasks is one of the most popular ways of using progress bars in Notion. You should keep things simple with number properties that can be updated manually. Setting up automatic progress bars with Rollups and Relations is another option.
• Gamify life: This is a fun way to use Notion progress bars. The “Gamify Your Life” template allows you to see your progress toward the next level.
• Goals: Notion allows you to set goals and use the progress bar to show how far you’ve gone. The goal tracker template makes things simpler, especially for beginners.
• Habits: Habit tracking is popular as well. You can set up a habit progress bar. You need some information on Relations and Rollups in this case.
• Reading list: This can track the books left in a TBR pile. It can also indicate the number of pages covered so far. In such a case, use two number properties indicating the total pages versus the pages read.

Keep Track of Your Goals With Notion Progress Bars

Different progress bar designs can be used together with your Notion templates. You can create efficient trackers and journals. There is also the ability to develop aesthetic ones. You can pick minimal or bold designs.

Have you ever created a progress bar in Notion? What was your experience? Tell us in the comments section below.