Create your first project

A KnotCMS project connects a Notion database to a Framer CMS collection. This guide takes you from New project to your first successful sync, whether your content starts in Framer, Notion, or both.

The wizard has four steps. Follow them in order:

Step	What you do
1. Connect	Connect Notion and enter your Framer site credentials
2. Direction	Choose what to create or connect
3. Fields	Choose or create a Notion database, then map its fields
4. Automation	Set automatic sync and publishing, then create the project

Before you start

Have these ready:

• A Google account to sign in to KnotCMS.
• A Framer project with CMS access, its project URL, and a Server API key from that same project.
• Access to the Notion workspace you want to use.

Your content can start in any of these places:

What you already have	What KnotCMS can do
A Framer CMS collection	Create a Notion database from it so you can edit the content in Notion
A Notion database and a Framer CMS collection	Connect the two and map their fields
A Notion database	Create a new Framer CMS collection for it

Note

You can complete setup on Basic (free): one project, up to 50 rows per sync or import, and 10 lifetime syncs. The first sync when you create the project does not use one of those 10. Auto-publish requires a paid plan.

Open a new project

Sign in at app.knotcms.com. On Projects, click Create your first project or + New project. Both open the same wizard.

Start from Projects. You can also use New project in the left sidebar.

1. Connect

Link Notion and your Framer site on this screen. These connections are needed for all three setup paths.

Connect Notion

1. Under Content source, click Connect on the Notion card.
2. Complete Notion’s authorization flow in the workspace you want to use.
3. If you already have a Notion database, use Select pages to grant access to that database, then click Allow access. If you are creating a new database from Framer, connect the workspace where it should be created.
4. Return to the wizard. The card should say Notion connected.

Need help with the permission screen? See Connect Notion.

Enter your Framer credentials

1. Open your project in the Framer editor and copy its URL from the browser address bar. Use the project URL, not your published website address.
2. Paste it into Framer project URL.
3. Paste the project’s Server API key into the field below it. Get an API key if you do not have one yet.

Connect Notion and fill in both Framer fields, then click Continue.

Click Continue. The button shows Verifying… while KnotCMS checks the Framer credentials. When the check succeeds, the wizard opens Direction.

If you cannot continue, check that Notion is connected and both Framer fields are filled. If verification fails, the API key must belong to the project whose URL you pasted.

2. Direction

Choose the card that matches where your content lives. The cards appear in this order:

Your starting point	Card to choose
Content is in Framer; you want to edit it in Notion	Create new Notion database using an existing Framer CMS collection
Both databases already exist	Connect existing databases
Content is in Notion; you need a Framer collection	Create a new Framer CMS collection and sync with existing Notion database

All three paths use the same four steps. Your choice changes what Fields asks you to do next.

For either path that uses an existing Framer collection: select that collection under CMS collections on this same screen. Use Load collections or Reload collections if needed. You must select a collection before you can continue.

For a new Framer collection from Notion: there is no Framer collection to select. KnotCMS creates it for you.

Click Continue to open Fields.

Note

After setup, ongoing sync runs Notion → Framer for all three paths. Creating Notion from Framer is an initial import; later content edits belong in Notion.

3. Fields

First, follow the tab that matches the direction you selected. Then review the field mapping below — that part is shared by all three paths.

New Notion database

You chose: Create new Notion database using an existing Framer CMS collection.

1. In Create Notion database, check the name of the Framer collection you selected in Direction.
2. Set Rows to import from Framer. Use Select all to import the published rows within your plan’s limit, or enter 0 to create only the database structure. Draft rows are excluded.
3. Review any warnings about fields that cannot be imported or rows you are leaving out.
4. Click Create Notion database and wait for the mapping screen.

KnotCMS creates a page and database in your connected Notion workspace. Open it in Notion to check the imported columns and rows.

An example of the result in Notion. Your database uses your own collection name, fields, and selected rows.

The new Notion database normally syncs back to the Framer collection you selected. If that collection belongs to another plugin, KnotCMS creates a separate editable Framer collection; the wizard explains this before the import.

Caution

Importing only some rows leaves Notion with partial content. Skipped Framer rows will not receive updates from Notion until matching pages exist there. Basic imports are capped at 50 rows.

Next: review the shared field mapping below.

Connect existing

You chose: Connect existing databases.

1. Under Choose Notion database, select the database that should supply content to the Framer collection you chose in Direction.
2. Review the shared field mapping below. Match the names on the Framer CMS side to the columns you want to update.
3. If Where should Notion sync? appears below the mapping, choose the destination:
   • Update “your collection” writes into the existing Framer collection.
   • Create “your collection · KnotCMS” creates a separate collection, using the selected one as a template.

If the existing collection belongs to another plugin, KnotCMS uses a separate editable collection instead of offering an in-place update.

Caution

When updating an existing collection, rows whose slugs are absent from Notion are removed on a full sync. Check that Notion contains the content you want to keep before creating the project. Existing Framer columns keep their names and types.

Next: review the shared field mapping below and confirm the destination before continuing.

New Framer collection

You chose: Create a new Framer CMS collection and sync with existing Notion database.

1. Under Choose Notion database, select the database you granted access to during Connect.
2. Wait for its properties to appear in the mapping screen.
3. Review the shared field mapping below. KnotCMS will create a Framer collection using these fields when you finish setup.

Select your database to load its properties. You do not need to create a Framer collection yourself.

Next: review the shared field mapping below.

If an existing Notion database is missing from the list, check its connection permissions.

Review the field mapping

Each row pairs a Notion property on the left with a Framer CMS field on the right.

1. Choose the Slug field. A slug is the part of a CMS page’s URL that identifies the item, such as ceramic-cup. Pick a property with a distinct value for each row; the title/name property is a useful starting point.
2. Choose which fields sync. Leave the fields you want checked. At least one must stay enabled.
3. Check the Framer CMS names and types. These become the destination columns. For an existing collection, check that they match the columns you intend to update.

In this example, Name supplies the slug and four properties are included in each sync. Your fields come from your own Notion database.

Text fields default to Plain text. Use Link for a field that supplies a button or link destination. See Field mapping for type choices and updating existing columns.

Check any sync destination shown below the mapping, then click Continue to open Automation.

4. Automation

Choose which actions should run automatically. You can change both switches later in the project’s Settings tab.

Control	Turn it on to…	If you leave it off
When Notion changes, sync to Framer CMS	Check Notion every minute and sync changes, using your plan’s sync allowance	Run future syncs with Sync now
After each sync, publish the site	Publish after a successful sync; requires a paid plan	Publish from Framer yourself when ready

If you enable auto-publish, choose Live site to update your public website or Preview only to publish a preview.

This example enables both switches on a paid plan. You can finish setup with auto-publish off.

Auto-sync needs no extra setup in Notion. With auto-publish, publishes may wait for the cooldown: 5 minutes between live publishes or 3 minutes between previews.

Click Create & sync once. KnotCMS creates your project and starts the first sync, even if both automation switches are off.

Check your first sync

The project page opens on Overview. Read the two stages separately:

• Sync confirms that Notion content reached Framer CMS.
• Publish confirms what happened to the website or preview, if you enabled auto-publish.

Synced — deploying now means the content is already in Framer CMS and publishing is still in progress.

Confirm the result:

1. Sync shows Synced with a recent time.
2. Items in Framer shows the expected item count, allowing for your import selection and plan’s row limit.
3. Open the destination collection in Framer CMS and check a title and another mapped field.
4. If you enabled Live site auto-publish, wait for Deployed, then check your website. A cooldown can delay publishing without delaying CMS sync.

This project has synced six items and published to the live site. Polling, every minute confirms auto-sync is enabled.

Tip

With auto-publish off, your first sync is still successful when the content appears in Framer CMS. Publish in Framer when you want those changes on your website.

With auto-sync on, add or edit a database property in Notion and allow up to two minutes for the change to reach Framer CMS. With auto-sync off, click Sync now. Refresh status only reloads the status shown on this page.

Next steps

• Auto-sync — timing, free sync allowance, and paused states.
• Auto-publish — live versus preview publishing and cooldowns.
• Reconfigure a project — change the connection or mapping later.
• Troubleshooting — find a fix if sync, publishing, or a field looks wrong.