Getting Started

Getting Started

PowerUp for Notion has two core features: Email lets you send and receive email directly from Notion database records. Automations let you trigger workflows when records change, on a schedule, or via webhooks.

This guide walks you through initial setup and your first email and automation.

Connect Your Notion Workspace

Before anything else, you need to connect PowerUp to your Notion workspace.

  1. Go to Connections in the sidebar
  2. Click Connect Notion
  3. You'll be redirected to Notion — select the workspace you want to connect
  4. Choose which databases to share with PowerUp, then click Allow Access

Once connected, you'll see your workspace name and a "Connected" badge on the Connections page.

You can connect multiple workspaces if needed. Each connection is listed separately.

Add a Database

After connecting your workspace, tell PowerUp which databases you want to work with.

  1. Go to Databases in the sidebar
  2. Click Choose Databases — you'll see all databases shared with PowerUp
  3. Select a database to add it
  4. Click Configure to set up property mapping:
    • Email Property — the property that holds contact email addresses (required for email features)
    • Name Property — the property used for contact display names

The database will show as "Verified" once synced. You can enable email per-database if needed.

Set Up a Sending Domain

To send email from PowerUp, you need to verify a sending domain. This proves you own the domain and enables proper email delivery.

  1. Go to Sending Domains in the sidebar
  2. Click Add Domain and enter your domain (e.g. example.com)
  3. Add two DNS records at your domain provider:

SPF Record — Add include:spf.powerup.globi.ca to your domain's TXT record. If you already have an SPF record, append it before the ~all or -all:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.powerup.globi.ca ~all

DKIM Record — Add a CNAME record:

Name:  npdkim._domainkey.example.com
Type:  CNAME
Value: dkim.powerup.globi.ca
  1. After adding the records, click Verify Now in PowerUp. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, but usually work within minutes.

Both SPF and DKIM columns will show "OK" once verified.

Send Your First Email

With a database and sending domain configured, you can send email from any Notion record.

  1. Open a record in your connected Notion database
  2. Click the PowerUp compose link (it appears as a link in your database)
  3. If this is your first time, you'll be asked to verify your Notion identity — this links your personal email address and signature
  4. In the compose window:
    • To is pre-filled from the record's email property
    • From shows your verified sending domains
    • Write your message using the rich text editor
    • Optionally select a template to pre-fill the body
  5. Click Send

Check Email Logs to see delivery status — sent, delivered, opened, clicked, or bounced.

Create Your First Automation

Automations run workflows automatically when something happens in your Notion database.

  1. Go to Automations in the sidebar
  2. Select the database you want to automate from the left panel
  3. Click New Flow
  4. Configure the basics:
    • Give your flow a Name
    • Choose a Trigger — start with "On Record Created" for your first one
  5. Build your automation — you have two options:
    • Use AI: Type a description in the AI prompt bar at the bottom (e.g. "send a welcome email to new contacts") and click Ask AI. Review the generated steps and click Accept Changes.
    • Build manually: Click Add Step and choose a brick. Try Send Email or Update Record. Configure each brick using the {{token picker}} to insert record values like {{payload.properties.Name}}.
  6. Click Test and select a real record to test against — the output appears in the right panel
  7. Once it works, uncheck Paused and save

Your flow is now live. Check Flow Logs to see execution history.

See the Automations documentation for details on all trigger types, bricks, and code mode.