Why Excel Worked for Me When Notion Didn't

Why Notion Fails to Meet My Needs for Data Tracking

Notion is one of the most popular and user-friendly productivity apps available today, but it’s not without its flaws. I’ve experimented with integrating it into my daily workflows, and while it excels in many areas, I found that Excel ultimately offers a better solution for my specific data tracking needs.

A Powerful Tool with Limitations

It's important to note that Notion isn't a bad app by any means. It does an impressive job of organizing information, and I still use it every day for note-taking and task management. In fact, my monthly subscription pays for itself through the efficiency it brings to my workflow. However, when it comes to handling complex data structures like tables and databases, Notion falls short compared to programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

One of the main issues I encountered is the limited flexibility in how Notion handles formulas. While you can use formulae in Notion, the process isn’t as straightforward as in Excel. For example, in Excel, you can easily reference any cell or range of cells within a formula, allowing for more dynamic and customizable calculations. Notion, on the other hand, works primarily with columns, making it difficult to apply row-specific formulas.

This limitation became a significant obstacle for me when trying to track my writing progress. I wanted to use Notion because it allows for text blocks and databases on the same page, which Excel doesn’t support. However, since each writing project has different payment rates, I couldn’t create a flexible formula that adjusted based on the type of task. This meant that my total payout calculations were inaccurate, as the same formula was applied across all entries.

The Power of Excel for Data Management

Excel, on the other hand, provides much greater freedom when working with individual cells. You can reference cells from different sheets, calculate sums from multiple tables, and even use AI tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to generate formulas based on your needs. This level of flexibility makes it ideal for tracking numbers, which is often essential when managing tasks or projects.

Even if you’re not an Excel expert, the platform is designed to be accessible. You can describe a problem you want to solve, and the tool will provide a formula that works for your specific situation. This is especially useful when dealing with complex calculations involving performance bonuses, currency conversions, or tax deductions.

In my case, using Excel allowed me to create a detailed tracking sheet that automatically updated based on the number of articles I wrote. I could also factor in various elements like fees and taxes, ensuring that my calculations were accurate and efficient.

The Ideal Productivity App Combines Both Worlds

While Notion is excellent for organizing text, inserting images, and managing tasks, it lacks the advanced data manipulation capabilities that Excel provides. The best productivity app would be one that combines both features—offering the flexibility of Excel with the content-rich environment of Notion.

Notion has made some progress in this direction, but I still find myself creating tracking tables in Excel and then linking them to Notion, which can be a bit of a challenge. Until there's a tool that seamlessly integrates both functionalities, I’ll continue using both apps separately.

Conclusion

Notion remains a powerful tool for managing notes, tasks, and media, but for precise data tracking, Excel is still the superior choice. The ideal productivity app would allow users to track their work efficiently while also supporting rich content and customization. Until such a solution emerges, I’ll keep splitting my workflow between these two platforms.