Formula Guide

replaceAll

The first argument is the value to search. The second argument signifies what character to search for and replace. By entering a simple character, it will replace all matches of that character, but Regex can get very complex. click the link for more info. The third argument is the string that will replace what the second argument finds.

replaceAll(number, text, text) replaceAll(text, text, text) replaceAll(boolean, text, text)

replace

he first argument is the value to search. The second argument signifies what character to search for and replace. By entering a simple character, it will replace only the first occurrence of that character, but Regex can get very complex. click the link for more info. The third argument is the string that will replace what the second argument finds.

replace(number, text, text) replace(text, text, text) replace(boolean, text, text)

format

Turns non-string values into strings. 42 is a number but an actual number justifies to the right of the cell while a string justifies left. You can tell the 42 in the example is a string because of this.

format(value)

slice

Extracts (keeps) a portion of a text string determined by numbers given in the argument that correspond to character count. It’s best to think of the place where it slices as after the characters given by the argument number. If only 1 number is given, it is considered the end slice point and will extract everything before it.

slice(text, number) slice(text, number, number)

join

Joins the first argument in between the rest of the arguments. The first argument is called a delimiter.

join(text...)

concat

Concatenate means "to combine". This function combines text Strings together.

concat(text...)

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NUMBER

add

Simple addition of two numbers OR it can act the same as the concat() function, combining two strings.

number + number text + text add(number, number) add(text, text)

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

A Mathematical constant and not not a function. Multiply the diameter of any circle by pi and you will have its circumference.

e stands for “Euler’s Constant” and is a mathematical constant and not a function. It’s a specific number that is often needed in math calculations and it’s much easier to type e than 2.718281828459045……

unaryPlus

- Strings convert to number if there are no alphabetical characters. Does not require wrapping in quotes. - Numbers are not necessary to perform unaryPlus on - True is 1, False is 0 - Dates do not work

+ value unaryPlus(value)

unaryMinus

Flips the sign of a number. If the number started as positive, it will return negative. If it started negative, it will return positive.

- number unaryMinus(number)

mod

Gives the remainder after dividing two numbers. 7 / 2 would equal 3.5 but if you only want to deal in whole numbers, 2 goes into 7 3 whole times for a total of 6 and then you have a remainder of 1.

number % number mod(number, number)

pow

Raises the first number to the power of the second number. This means multiplying the first number by itself as many times as given by the second number.

number ^ number pow(number, number)

divide

If 4 people share a dozen (12) donuts, how many does each of them get? 12 donuts divided by 4 people (12 / 4) = 3 donuts each. If its a baker’s dozen, you’ll have to fight over the 13th donut.

number / number divide(number, number)

multiply

If Jack takes 3 trips to the backyard and picks 4 apples each time, he has 12 apples total.

number * number multiply(number, number)

subtract

If you have 5 apples and give Jack 2 of those apples, you now have 3 apples left.

number - number subtract(number, number)

year

Wha....What year is it?

year(date)

month

Gives the number for the month in the date. Important: Starts with January at 0 so it is NOT the same number as the calendar number.

month(date)

date

Gives the Calendar day number of the month, 1-31.

date(date)

day

Gives a number for the day of the week. 0: Sunday 1: Monday 2: Tuesday 3: Wednesday 4: Thursday 5: Friday 6: Saturday

day(date)

hour

Gives the hour of the given Date. If the Date shows 12:37pm, the formula returns the number 12.

hour(date)

minute

Gives the minute of the given Date. If the Date shows 12:37pm, the formula returns the number 37.

minute(date)

dateBetween

Specify the unit of time and measure the distance between two Dates by that unit. How do you measure, measure a year?

dateBetween(date, date, text)

timestamp

Literally gives you the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970. Refresh the page and you'll see it change (because the example below is timestamping “now” which stays up to date).

timestamp(date)

sqrt

Gives the number that, when multiplied by itself, would equal the number provided.

sqrt(number)

sign

A ternary code that returns 1 for a positive number, -1 for a negative number, and 0 for zero.

sign(number)

round

Rounds a number with a decimal up or down. 4.49999 rounds down to 4 while 4.5 rounds up to 5.

round(number)

min

Gives you the smallest number in a set of numbers.

min(number...)

max

Gives you the largest number in a set of numbers.

max(number...)

log2

Calculates how many times you have to multiply 2 by itself to equal the number in the argument.

log2(number)

log10

Calculates how many times you have to multiply 10 by itself to equal the number in the argument.

log10(number)

When you have a number and you want to know what number multiplied by itself would equal your number - you want the natural logarithm.

ln(number)

floor

This function gives you the next lowest number below any number with a decimal. 2.999 turns to 2 because it's less than 3, but 3 remains 3.

floor(number)

exp

Multiplies the argument by Euler's constant

exp(number)

ceil

Short for ceiling, this function gives you the next highest number above any number with a decimal. 4.0001 turns to 5 because it's greater than 4, but 4 remains 4.

ceil(number)

cbrt

Returns the cube root of the number given in the argument.

cbrt(number)

abs

The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0, whether positive or negative. Can take a positive or negative number but will always return a positive number.

abs(number)

toNumber

Turns non-number values into numbers. 42 is a number and an actual number justifies to the right of the cell while a string justifies left. You can tell the 42 in the example is a number because of this.

toNumber(text) toNumber(number) toNumber(boolean) toNumber(date)

length

Returns a number signifying how many characters are included in the given string.

length(text)

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DATE

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

dateSubtract

Subtracts a specified amount of time from a given Date.

dateSubtract(date, number, text)

dateAdd

Adds a specified amount of time to a given Date.

dateAdd(date, number, text)

fromTimestamp

What day/time would it be after 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) milliseconds, starting from January 1, 1970? Check the example.

fromTimestamp(number)

now

Gives the current date and time down to the minute. Notion currently does not track seconds in the Date value type but it does on the timestamp level.

now()

end

Date properties can have a start and end date. This returns the end date, or if there is no end date, the original date entry.

end(date)

start

Date properties can have a start and end date. This returns the start date, or if there is no end date, the original date entry.

start(date)

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BOOLEAN

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

false

Checks for logical falsity. Be mindful as it will return “true” if what it’s checking falsity for is indeed false. It would be “true” that it’s false.

false

true

Checks for logical truthfulness and returns true if true, false if not.

true

smallerEq

Checks if the first argument is larger than the second OR equal to it. Requires two values of the same type to be compared. - Text values compare character count - Numbers are self explanatory - Earlier Dates are smaller - False is smaller than True

text <= text boolean <= boolean date <= date number <= number smallerEq(text, text) smallerEq(boolean, boolean) smallerEq(date, date) smallerEq(number, number)

smaller

Checks if the first argument is smaller than the second. Requires two values of the same type to be compared. - Text values compare character count - Numbers are self explanatory - Earlier Dates are smaller - false is smaller than true

text < text boolean < boolean date < date number < number smaller(text, text) smaller(boolean, boolean) smaller(date, date) smaller(number, number)

largerEq

text >= text boolean >= boolean date >= date number >= number largerEq(text, text) largerEq(boolean, boolean) largerEq(date, date) largerEq(number, number)

larger

Checks if the first argument is larger than the second. Requires two values of the same type to be compared. - Text values compare character count - Numbers are self explanatory - Later Dates are larger - True is larger than false

text > text boolean > boolean date > date number > number larger(text, text) larger(boolean, boolean) larger(date, date) larger(number, number)

unequal

Checks if its two arguments are unequal. Be mindful that it will return true if they are not equal. Requires two values of the same Data Type.

value != value unequal(value, value)

equal

Checks for equality between two arguments.

value == value equal(value, value)

Checks for truth in either of its two arguments. Does not require both to be true leaving room for optional logic.

boolean or boolean or(boolean, boolean)

and

Checks if two arguments are true. Useful when more than one criteria is required for the formulas intention.

boolean and boolean and(boolean, boolean)

not

It’s opposite day. Returns the opposite of the boolean in the argument. If the argument is true and you wrap it in not( ), the formula is now returning false.

not boolean not(boolean)

empty

If nothing is contained in the value it is the function of, then it returns a true boolean value. basically - it’s “true” (checked box) that the value is empty.

empty(number) empty(text) empty(boolean) empty(date)

test

Checks if the first argument contains the second argument. The second argument can be a simple character or a more complex Regular Expression.

test(number, text) test(text, text) test(boolean, text)

contains

Checks to see if the first argument contains the second argument. Now we can finally answer the question - is there a "I" in "TEAM"?

contains(text, text)

How to use this guide 📌

Welcome to the Notion State Formula Guide! On the left, you’ll see a list of all of the functions available in Notion Formulas. This is meant to be a “Cheat Sheet” for information on Formulas, especially as you’re learning them. We found that while we were learning formulas, we knew how they worked but we needed to see a list of all of our available functions or “building blocks” that we could work with. We especially needed to know what each one required and what each one returned. This guide is perfect for that. We may expand it to more in depth teaching, let us know if that would be beneficial to you! We provide some basics below in “Formulas 101.” You can also see a template of what each page contains below and what each section is meant to describe.

← The Menu 🤔

There are different view options to make finding what you’re looking for as easy as possible. The default view is grouped by what each function returns which is usually what you’ll be looking for. You’ll know what you want your formula to give you and so this way, you can quickly see all of your available options. Because some functions can return multiple data types (see below for explanation of “Data Types”), you’ll see a function under multiple groups. They are exactly the same page, no different. Each one contains a standard setup that includes useful information for how to use that function in a formula.

Alphabetical: Lists all functions in alphabetical order.
Returns: Lists all functions by the Data Type they return.

Formulas 101 ✨

Data Types: There are 4 “types” of data (also called Values) that you need to be aware of when you create formulas - Strings, Numbers, Dates, and Booleans.

Strings: Basically just text. It can also include numbers but Notion will treat it as a “string” of characters.

Numbers: No letters allowed. You’ll want to make sure you’re using this type when performing calculations.

Dates: A single specific time in the past, now, or future.

Booleans: True or False, often shown as a checkbox.

A formula can handle as many functions as you like and as many different data types as you like. But when a formula doesn’t work or isn’t accepted by the editor, it’s oftentimes because the user is trying to do something like perform a calculation on what looks like a number but is really a string. Each function requires a certain data type and then returns a certain data type. That’s why it’s important that you understand each and we’ve included them in every function listed.

Syntax: Formulas are perfectly precise. There is no room for interpretation, it either works or it doesn’t, and it only works one way. They are essentially calculations. This means that missing one parentheses, comma, or quotation will cause the formula to not work. And not only not work, but since the editor only accepts working formulas, if you close out of the editor with a formula in progress that didn’t get accepted, you’ll lose what you wrote.

Template of Function Pages

Name of Function( )

-Notion's description of function.

Explanation

A further explanation of how the function functions.

Requires: # of Arguments

Type of Argument
Type of Argument

Returns: Type of returned Value

Syntax

Possible variances of the function

Examples

a function example and operator example if applicable.

Syntax	Return
the actual code entered in the formula.	what the formula spits out

All Functions

BOOLEAN

false

Checks for logical falsity. Be mindful as it will return “true” if what it’s checking falsity for is indeed false. It would be “true” that it’s false.

false

true

Checks for logical truthfulness and returns true if true, false if not.

true

smallerEq

text <= text boolean <= boolean date <= date number <= number smallerEq(text, text) smallerEq(boolean, boolean) smallerEq(date, date) smallerEq(number, number)

text < text boolean < boolean date < date number < number smaller(text, text) smaller(boolean, boolean) smaller(date, date) smaller(number, number)

text >= text boolean >= boolean date >= date number >= number largerEq(text, text) largerEq(boolean, boolean) largerEq(date, date) largerEq(number, number)

text > text boolean > boolean date > date number > number larger(text, text) larger(boolean, boolean) larger(date, date) larger(number, number)

Checks if its two arguments are unequal. Be mindful that it will return true if they are not equal. Requires two values of the same Data Type.

value != value unequal(value, value)

Checks for equality between two arguments.

value == value equal(value, value)

Checks for truth in either of its two arguments. Does not require both to be true leaving room for optional logic.

boolean or boolean or(boolean, boolean)

and

Checks if two arguments are true. Useful when more than one criteria is required for the formulas intention.

boolean and boolean and(boolean, boolean)

not

It’s opposite day. Returns the opposite of the boolean in the argument. If the argument is true and you wrap it in not( ), the formula is now returning false.

not boolean not(boolean)

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

If nothing is contained in the value it is the function of, then it returns a true boolean value. basically - it’s “true” (checked box) that the value is empty.

empty(number) empty(text) empty(boolean) empty(date)

Checks if the first argument contains the second argument. The second argument can be a simple character or a more complex Regular Expression.

test(number, text) test(text, text) test(boolean, text)

Checks to see if the first argument contains the second argument. Now we can finally answer the question - is there a "I" in "TEAM"?

contains(text, text)

DATE

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

Subtracts a specified amount of time from a given Date.

dateSubtract(date, number, text)

Adds a specified amount of time to a given Date.

dateAdd(date, number, text)

What day/time would it be after 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) milliseconds, starting from January 1, 1970? Check the example.

fromTimestamp(number)

Gives the current date and time down to the minute. Notion currently does not track seconds in the Date value type but it does on the timestamp level.

now()

end

Date properties can have a start and end date. This returns the end date, or if there is no end date, the original date entry.

end(date)

start

Date properties can have a start and end date. This returns the start date, or if there is no end date, the original date entry.

start(date)

NUMBER

A Mathematical constant and not not a function. Multiply the diameter of any circle by pi and you will have its circumference.

+ value unaryPlus(value)

Flips the sign of a number. If the number started as positive, it will return negative. If it started negative, it will return positive.

- number unaryMinus(number)

mod

Gives the remainder after dividing two numbers. 7 / 2 would equal 3.5 but if you only want to deal in whole numbers, 2 goes into 7 3 whole times for a total of 6 and then you have a remainder of 1.

number % number mod(number, number)

pow

Raises the first number to the power of the second number. This means multiplying the first number by itself as many times as given by the second number.

number ^ number pow(number, number)

divide

If 4 people share a dozen (12) donuts, how many does each of them get? 12 donuts divided by 4 people (12 / 4) = 3 donuts each. If its a baker’s dozen, you’ll have to fight over the 13th donut.

number / number divide(number, number)

multiply

If Jack takes 3 trips to the backyard and picks 4 apples each time, he has 12 apples total.

number * number multiply(number, number)

subtract

If you have 5 apples and give Jack 2 of those apples, you now have 3 apples left.

number - number subtract(number, number)

The 1st argument is a boolean - either true or false. If it's true, the 2nd argument is returned, if it's false, the 3rd argument is returned.

boolean ? value : value if(boolean, value, value)

Wha....What year is it?

year(date)

Gives the number for the month in the date. Important: Starts with January at 0 so it is NOT the same number as the calendar number.

month(date)

Gives the Calendar day number of the month, 1-31.

date(date)

Gives a number for the day of the week. 0: Sunday 1: Monday 2: Tuesday 3: Wednesday 4: Thursday 5: Friday 6: Saturday

day(date)

Gives the hour of the given Date. If the Date shows 12:37pm, the formula returns the number 12.

hour(date)

Gives the minute of the given Date. If the Date shows 12:37pm, the formula returns the number 37.

minute(date)

Specify the unit of time and measure the distance between two Dates by that unit. How do you measure, measure a year?

dateBetween(date, date, text)

Literally gives you the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970. Refresh the page and you'll see it change (because the example below is timestamping “now” which stays up to date).

timestamp(date)

Gives the number that, when multiplied by itself, would equal the number provided.

sqrt(number)

sign

A ternary code that returns 1 for a positive number, -1 for a negative number, and 0 for zero.

sign(number)

round

Rounds a number with a decimal up or down. 4.49999 rounds down to 4 while 4.5 rounds up to 5.

round(number)

min

Gives you the smallest number in a set of numbers.

min(number...)

max

Gives you the largest number in a set of numbers.

max(number...)

log2

Calculates how many times you have to multiply 2 by itself to equal the number in the argument.

log2(number)

log10

Calculates how many times you have to multiply 10 by itself to equal the number in the argument.

log10(number)

When you have a number and you want to know what number multiplied by itself would equal your number - you want the natural logarithm.

ln(number)

floor

This function gives you the next lowest number below any number with a decimal. 2.999 turns to 2 because it's less than 3, but 3 remains 3.

floor(number)

exp

Multiplies the argument by Euler's constant

exp(number)

ceil

Short for ceiling, this function gives you the next highest number above any number with a decimal. 4.0001 turns to 5 because it's greater than 4, but 4 remains 4.

ceil(number)

cbrt

Returns the cube root of the number given in the argument.

cbrt(number)

abs

The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0, whether positive or negative. Can take a positive or negative number but will always return a positive number.

abs(number)