The Struggles of Importing CSVs into Notion

Notion offers users the ability to create and manage databases. While importing CSV files into Notion can streamline workflows, the process is often riddled with challenges that can frustrate even the most experienced users. Below is an exploration of the most common struggles faced during CSV imports and their implications.

1. File Size and Performance Limitations

   One of the most significant pain points is Notion’s difficulty handling large CSV files. Users frequently report issues when importing files with thousands of rows or large file sizes. For instance, a 9MB CSV file with 15,000 rows and 38 columns may fail to import, even though such a file size is relatively modest for modern software. This limitation stems from Notion’s backend processing capabilities, which can result in errors like “Import Failed” without clear explanations.

2. Data Format and Mapping Issues

   Notion’s column mapping during imports is another common challenge. The software does not always automatically align CSV columns with the correct database properties, leading to mismatched or missing data. For example, fields formatted as “Select” in Notion may not recognize corresponding values in the CSV unless they are manually adjusted. Additionally, mixed data types within a single column default to text, which can disrupt workflows.

3. Lack of Relational Data Support

   Relational databases are a core feature of Notion, but importing relational data from CSVs is not supported. Users must manually create relationships between database entries after importing, adding significant time and effort to the process. This limitation undermines the utility of importing complex datasets.

4. Encoding and Special Character Problems

   CSV files must be saved in UTF-8 format for successful imports into Notion. Even then, special characters like apostrophes or question marks can cause import errors. Users often need to clean their data extensively before attempting an import, which adds an extra layer of complexity.

5. Unintuitive Error Handling

   When imports fail, Notion provides minimal feedback, leaving users guessing about the root cause. This lack of transparency complicates troubleshooting and forces users to experiment with potential fixes, such as reducing file size or adjusting column headers.

Conclusion

While importing CSV files into Notion has the potential to enhance productivity, the process is far from seamless. Issues like file size limitations, incorrect column mapping, lack of relational support, encoding errors, and poor error messaging create significant barriers for users.

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