# Free Notion Task Template (Starter Outline + Build Steps)

**By StackTrekker Editorial** · Published August 24, 2026 · Updated September 29, 2026
There's no one-click duplicate link for this template, and that's deliberate. This page gives you the exact structure from our [Notion task system guide](/notion-task-system/), plus a starter outline you can paste into your workspace in about a minute. You end up with a task system you understand well enough to change without breaking it.

## What you'll build

| Component | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tasks database | Name, Status, Due, Project, Notes (five properties, nothing else) |
| Projects database | One property: Name. Project context lives in the page itself |
| Today view | Filtered to in-progress tasks and tasks due today (your morning screen) |
| Waiting view | Everything blocked on someone else, sorted by age |
| By Project view | Tasks grouped by project, for weekly reviews |

## The statuses (and only these)

**Not started, then In progress, then Waiting, then Done.** No "Almost done", no "Blocked again". A task is either being worked on, waiting on someone, or finished. Anything finer than that is ceremony.

## Build it in five steps

1. **Create the database.** In Notion, type `/database` on a page and choose *Database – Inline*. Name it **Tasks**.
2. **Add five properties** with these types: Status (Status), Due (Date), Project (Relation to Projects), Notes (Text), plus the built-in Name.
3. **Set the statuses** to exactly: Not started, In progress, Waiting, Done. Delete the defaults Notion adds.
4. **Create the three views** from the database's view menu. Filter **Today** to Status = In progress *or* Due = today. Filter **Waiting** to Status = Waiting, sorted by the date it entered that status. Group **By Project** by the Project relation.
5. **Paste the starter outline** (the download on this page) into a normal Notion page next to the database. Markdown pastes as a formatted page: headings, checkboxes, and all.

## What's in the download

The file is a plain Markdown outline: three sections (Work, Personal, Notes) with checkbox lines. It is a **starter outline, not a Notion export file**: paste it into an empty Notion page and it becomes a formatted checklist you can then link to your Tasks database. The build steps above are what turn it into the system; nothing is pre-installed on your account.

## Why this structure works

- **Fewer decisions per task.** Five properties means you can capture a task in five seconds, which means you actually capture tasks.
- **One entry point.** You don't need a dashboard; you need one view that answers "what am I doing right now?"
- **It shrinks instead of growing.** When it stops working, you delete properties instead of adding them. See the guide for the full reasoning.

## The fine print

- The template and the outline are free, and stay free. No affiliate links, no email required.
- If you'd rather keep task capture out of Notion entirely, our [Zapier + Notion workflows](/zapier-notion-workflows/) show how to push emails, forms, and Slack messages straight into this database, with no manual entry at all.
- Nothing here is permanent: the outline is a file you can download again, and the database is one you can rebuild in an afternoon.

If the invoice side of your admin is still manual, the [free invoice template](/invoice-template-google-sheets/) covers that in Google Sheets and Excel.

## Sources

- [Notion Help Center](https://www.notion.com/help)
- [Notion: databases](https://www.notion.com/help/category/databases)

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Source: https://stacktrekker.com/free-notion-task-template/