Here’s a step-by-step guide to automatically assign all new Notion database items to yourself:
1. Open Your Database
- Go to the database (table, board, etc.) you want to automate.
- Make sure you have a “Person” property (often called “Assignee” or “Owner”). If not, add one and set it to type "Person".
2. Find the Automations Panel
- Look for an “Automate” or “Automations” button at the top right of your database view. (This is visible in new Notion database views on web/desktop.)
3. Create a New Automation
- Click "Add automation" or similar.
- Click "+ New" or "Create an automation".
4. Set Your Trigger
- Set the trigger as When a page is added (sometimes called “Page created” or “New item added”).
5. Add an Action: Assign to Yourself
- For the action, choose Set property.
- In the property dropdown, select your “Assignee” field.
- In the value selection, choose your name (Rich Westwood) as the Person.
6. (Optional) Add More Actions
- You can also auto-set other properties, such as Status (“Not started”), or send a Slack notification.
- Click "+ Add action" for any extra automation steps.1
7. Click “Turn on” or “Save”
- Review your automation and click “Turn On”, “Save”, or similar.
Now, every new item you create in this database will automatically have you assigned as the owner/assignee.
Notes:
- For this to work smoothly, make sure you are included in the workspace and visible in "Person" property dropdowns.
- Automations work on desktop/web (not in database-linked tables inside pages, or in legacy databases).
- If you’re using a template or want this in several databases, repeat above for each one.
Let me know if you want screenshots for any step or if you’re using a third-party tool like People to Notion and want automation instructions for that!