How to get better answers from Notion AI

In a world where AI tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, mastering how to communicate with them effectively isn't just a nice-to-have— it's essential. Working with AI can feel overwhelming at first. We've all been there— asking a question and getting a response that makes us think "This isn't quite what I was looking for," or questioning whether we can trust AI's output. Getting great results from AI isn't just about how smart the system is— it's about how well we communicate with it.

In this guide, we'll show you how to unlock the full potential of Notion AI. Instead of just throwing basic commands at Notion AI, we'll show you how to frame your questions in ways that get you meaningful, reliable answers you can actually use.

Here's what we'll cover:

• How to add key details to your prompts

• Three tips of writing effecting prompts

• What to do when your prompts don't deliver the expected results

When you’re ready to ask Notion AI questions about your connected workspace, it’s tempting to fall back on old search habits. You may find yourself typing "marketing deck" or "budget report" and hoping the right document magically appears at the top of our results. While this might work occasionally, it often leaves us scrolling through irrelevant results or missing exactly what we're looking for.

The good news is that searching gets much better when you know the right approach. Adding specific details to your prompts helps Notion AI find exactly what you're looking for. AI engineers call these details "dimensions"— and they help guide Notion AI to better understand and organize information.

Instead of treating your conversation with Notion AI like a simple keyword hunt, think of it as piecing together a puzzle where each detail helps create a clearer picture. When you approach your searches with multiple dimensions in mind, you're essentially giving Notion AI a richer context to work with. It's like the difference between asking someone to find "a book" versus asking them to find "the red hardcover novel you read last summer." The more dimensions you provide, the more precise your results will be.

Four dimensions that help narrow your results with Notion AI:

• State your topic—Instead of a vague wording, think about the specific subject matter. For example, rather than just searching for "sales numbers," try "Q1 2025 APAC sales performance analysis." The more specific you are about the topic, the more likely you are to find exactly what you're looking for.

• Identify the author— Finding documents is easier when you know who created them. Instead of searching broadly for "team update," try "team update by Alex." For example, try "Can you find Sandra’s brand guidelines document?"

• Add time context— While Notion AI can only see when items were last edited (not when they were created), adding time context helps narrow down results. Instead of searching broadly for "marketing report," try "Sally’s marketing report from last quarter." This is especially helpful when you're looking for recent updates or specific versions of documents.

• Specify your document type— Help Notion AI understand what format you're looking for. Is it a page, database, wiki page, or something else? For example, instead of just asking "Where's the customer feedback?", try "Can you find the customer feedback database that Stephanie created to track NPS scores for the marketing team last month?"

Notion AI does more than just find documents. It can analyze content in your workspace, combine information from different pages, and help you write and create content. Whether you're searching or creating, thinking in dimensions helps you add the right context and constraints to get the most from your prompts.

• Mix and match dimensions—You don't need to include every possible dimension in your search. Start with the most important dimensions and add more if needed to narrow down your results.

• Connect the dots— Notion AI works great with '@' mentions of pages and people, plus it can tap into your connected tools. The more context you give it from your workspace, the better it'll understand what you're looking for.

• Keep the conversation going— Don't worry if your first try isn't perfect. You can always chat with Notion AI to get closer to what you need. Think of it as a conversation - if the initial response isn't quite right, try rephrasing your question or adding more specific details about what you're looking for.

Sometimes you might not get exactly what you're looking for, even with well-crafted prompts (and that's totally okay!). The key is knowing how to adjust your approach when your first try doesn't quite hit the mark.

Here are five practical strategies to help you troubleshoot and refine your prompts:

• Build better results through iteration— Notion AI remembers context throughout your conversation. Rather than starting over with each prompt, you'll get the best results by treating it as an interactive tool—asking follow-up questions, refining your requests, and guiding the conversation toward exactly what you need. For example, try saying "That's helpful, but could you focus specifically on the marketing aspects?"

  to iterate results.

• Adjust your scope by choosing your source—If you're seeing too many or too few results, adjust your search scope. Add or remove specific details like timeframes, team members, or project information in your prompt. You can also use the source picker to control which information sources to search.

• Write like you talk— Write naturally, as if you're having a casual conversation. Instead of "locate document," try something like "Can you help me find Sarah's product roadmap from last quarter?". Sometimes rephrasing your request—just like when you're explaining something to someone who didn't understand the first time—can help you get better results.

• Modify your timeframe— By default, Notion AI often limits its search to recent content from a specific lookback window. To search through older content, make sure to specify a broader time range in your request. For example, rather than simply asking "find the marketing plan," try "find all marketing plans from 2023 and 2024" to include older documents in your search results.

• Make it clear you want to search— Sometimes Notion AI might think you're asking for general knowledge instead of searching your workspace. To keep things focused, either use the scope selector or just mention that you want to search your workspace content. For example, "Please find any documents in our workspace about the new employee onboarding process" is better than "How does employee onboarding work?"

While Notion AI keeps getting better at understanding what you're asking, for now, it helps to give it clear direction. Like learning any new skill, communicating with AI gets easier the more you do it. And even as our products evolve, being clear and direct will always help you get better results — no matter what tools you're working with.