You open a dashboard and see an empty linked database. Before rebuilding the database, determine whether you are looking at an access problem, the wrong source or a view with no matching records.
1. Identify the symptom
| What you see | First check |
|---|---|
| A blank table you can open | Selected source and active filters |
| An access warning or unavailable source | The affected person’s source permissions |
| You see records but a colleague does not | Each person’s source access and view conditions |
| A board has no visible cards | Filters, grouping and hidden groups |
Keep the expected record’s name and page reference available. An empty display is an observation; it does not identify the cause.
2. Check access to the original source
Ask the affected person to open the original database and the specific record they are intended to use. Your own access does not establish theirs.
Linked sources respect the original source’s access, as explained in Notion’s data source documentation. A shared dashboard can therefore be visible while its linked content is unavailable.
Review the intended permissions with the workspace owner. Do not publish a private source or grant broad client access simply to remove an empty state. A filtered view is not an access boundary.
3. Confirm the selected data source
Open the linked database’s settings and inspect Manage data sources. Identify the linked source and open its origin.
Confirm it contains the expected record. Two sources named Tasks can contain completely different pages.
To understand the underlying model, read linked database versus relation. A relation connects records; the linked view must still display the intended source.
4. Use a private diagnostic view
If you have permission, create a separate private page with an unfiltered linked Table view of that same source. Show the record title and the properties used in the problem view.
Do not change the shared dashboard’s filters just to experiment. Preserve its purpose while checking which existing records are available to you.
If the expected record appears in the diagnostic table, focus on the original view’s settings. If not, revisit source identity and access before adding new records.
5. Check every filter against one record
Imagine a fictional task with these values: Project = Cedar website, Done = unchecked. A dashboard filtered to Project contains Oak website AND Done is unchecked should exclude it.
The task is unfinished, but its project condition fails. Both conditions must match.
- Open the expected record from the source.
- Read the actual properties used by the linked view.
- Compare them with each active filter.
- Check nested AND and OR groups.
- Correct the view or record only after confirming the intended assignment.
Use the filter logic guide for grouped conditions. Do not reassign a real task to the wrong project just to make it visible.
6. Separate layout effects from missing records
If an unfiltered Table view shows the record, inspect how the problem layout displays it. A board can hide groups. A calendar depends on its selected date property and displayed period.
A missing date is not evidence that a task was deleted. Check the record’s values before changing the database structure.
7. Finish with one controlled test
In a private test context, use a fictional record whose source and values are known. Confirm it appears when it meets the intended conditions and leaves the view when one condition no longer matches.
Restore the test values or remove the fictional record afterward. Keep a short note of the cause: wrong source, access mismatch, filter mismatch or layout visibility. That finding is more useful than an unexplained rebuild.
Common mistakes
- Creating duplicate tasks before locating the originals.
- Checking only the workspace owner’s access.
- Assuming identical database names identify the same source.
- Changing private-source permissions to solve a display problem.
Frequently asked questions
Does an empty linked view mean the records were deleted?
No. Check the original source and the view’s conditions before concluding that records are missing.
Why can I see the database while a guest cannot?
Compare access to the original source for each person. Sharing the containing dashboard may not provide source access.
Should I remove every filter from a shared dashboard?
Use a separate private diagnostic view when possible. Preserve the shared view’s intended selection.
Does a filter create a private client boundary?
No. Use actual permissions to manage access, and do not broaden source access simply to make a filtered dashboard visible.
Should I recreate tasks that do not appear?
Find and inspect the original records first. Repair their source, assignment or view eligibility instead of creating duplicates.
Explore the wider workflow
You can troubleshoot this in your current workspace. For a broader client and project system, explore Freelancer CRM and compare it with your needs.