How to add unique IDs to Notion database items for easy reference and research
Adding unique IDs to items in a Notion database is invaluable for staying organized, especially in collaborative settings. For anyone familiar with project management or helpdesk tools, referencing items by a unique ID can be a lifesaver compared to searching for “that ticket about that thing.”
Fortunately, Notion makes it easy to add unique, stable IDs to your database items. In this quick guide, I’ll show you how to set up a unique ID system in Notion with my free Customer Support Platform Template (download it here for free).
Step 1: Add a unique ID property with a prefix
- Open your Notion database and add a new property
ID. - Consider adding a prefix. Adding a prefix like "HELP" or "DEV” keeps IDs organized and prevents confusion across different databases within your Notion workspace.
Step 2: Display the ID property in your views
- Switch to your board view (or any other view you’re using).
- Toggle the visibility of the new ID property, so it appears as a label on each card.
Step 3: Use the ID for easy task reference and search
- Searching by ID: Now, you can quickly search or filter items using their unique ID. For instance, if a customer mentions “HELP-568,” you can locate that exact task in seconds.
- Direct Linking: Access the specific task directly through a URL formatted as
notion.so/PREFIX-123(with PREFIX-123 representing the ID).
Wrapping Up
Unique IDs in Notion are automatically generated, stable, and make task referencing a breeze. For those looking to use Notion as a customer support platform, this setup can be especially useful.
Want to supercharge your customer support system? Check out Slap. Slap seamlessly connects your inbox with Notion, turning emails into support tickets and enabling you to manage and respond to clients directly from Notion.
For questions or feedback, feel free to reach out at laura@getslap.co. Thanks for reading!