Do not index
Do not index
🆚 Notion vs Excel vs AI for Project Docs: Which Saves More Time?
💭 Why This Blog?
If you’ve ever wasted hours formatting Excel tables, juggling Notion templates, or rewriting status reports from scratch — this post is for you.
I tested 3 tools (Notion, Excel, AI) across real PM tasks to see which actually saves time in the real world.
🧪 Tool Showdown: What Actually Saves Time?
Task | Excel | Notion | AI-Powered Toolkit |
Status Report | ❌ Manual copy-paste, no structure | ⚠️ Needs setup, can be clunky | ✅ 60-second AI-generated, client-ready |
Project Proposal | ❌ Prone to version errors, slow formatting | ✅ Reusable templates help | ✅ 1-click AI prompt + ready-to-send PDF |
Sprint Retro | ❌ Manual text dumps | ⚠️ Depends on team input | ✅ Structured reflection + sentiment summary |
KPI Dashboard | ✅ Strong charting but manual entry | ⚠️ Needs formulas, formatting | ✅ AI summarizes insights instantly |
Client Emails | ❌ Fully manual | ⚠️ Needs tone tweaks | ✅ Tone-adjusted responses in 30 sec |
🧠 What I Learned
- Excel is still great for raw data… but terrible for communication.
- Notion is flexible, but you still need to build a lot from scratch.
- AI + Notion combo wins for speed, polish, and reusability — especially with my toolkit templates.
🧰 Want These Templates?
Skip the blank page struggle.
I packaged all my working prompts, templates, and sample outputs into an easy-to-use AI PM Toolkit.
👉 Download the Core Toolkit ($29)
🔁 Related Kits
Toolkit | What It Helps With | Link |
✅ Free Prompt Pack | Try 3 ready-made prompts | |
🟡 AI Status Report Generator | 1-click executive updates | |
🔵 Client Comms Kit | Write client updates in 2 mins | |
🟣 KPI Dashboard Kit | Translate metrics into insight |
💸 Want to earn while helping other PMs?
Share this toolkit and get 20% per referral.