Gemini Projects: How to Use Notebooks to Organise Work

Gemini doesn't have a feature called Projects. Its equivalent is notebooks: open the Gemini menu, choose New notebook under Notebooks, name it, then add sources such as files, Drive documents, websites or old chats. Add instructions in Notebook settings and every chat in that notebook uses them. Notebooks sync with Gemini Notebook, the new name for NotebookLM.

If you've used Projects in ChatGPT or Claude, you'll know how much calmer work gets when every chat, file and instruction for one client or one launch lives in one place. So it's natural to look for the same thing in Gemini.

Here's the short version: Gemini doesn't have a feature called Projects. It has notebooks, and Google's own help page describes them as the way to organise your projects. I've written this from that page and Google's announcements, with a setup routine and prompts for business use.

Does Gemini have projects like ChatGPT?

Not by that name. The closest match is notebooks in the Gemini app. A notebook gives you a continuing chat that remembers your sources, your instructions and the discussion so far. That's the same job Projects does in other assistants.

Google launched notebooks in the Gemini app as personal knowledge bases that work across Google products. They sync with Gemini Notebook, the new name for NotebookLM, which is still available as its own product.

How do I create a notebook in Gemini?

Google's steps are:

Open the Gemini menu.
Under Notebooks, choose New notebook.
Give it a name.
Type your first prompt, or choose Add sources to upload material first.

To bring in a chat you've already had, search your chats, open the More menu next to it and choose Add to notebook. Google notes that this needs Keep Activity switched on.

What can I add to a Gemini notebook?

Google lists files from your device, including PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, images, audio and text files, plus files from Google Drive, websites and copied text. The number of sources you can add depends on your Google AI plan. One notebook can't use another notebook as a source.

For a small business, I'd start with the documents you'd hand a new freelancer: your service descriptions, your brand voice notes, your FAQs and a couple of examples of work you're proud of.

How do I give a notebook its own instructions?

Open the More menu, choose Notebook settings, add your instructions and save. This is where you tell Gemini how to behave inside that notebook only. Here's a block you can adapt for a client notebook.

Copy this prompt

This notebook is for [client name], a [type of business].
Use the sources here as the facts. If something isn't in the sources, say so rather than guessing.
Write in [the client's tone], for [their customers].
When I ask for content, give me two options and a one-line reason for each.

What types of notebook are there?

Standard notebooks for everyday projects.
Study notebooks, on the web, with quizzes, lessons and progress tracking.
Business notebooks, which need a connected Google Business Profile.

Business notebooks are worth a look if you run a local business with a profile on Google, because they tie your notebook to the information you already keep there.

Who can use notebooks in Gemini?

When Google launched notebooks in the Gemini app, they arrived first for Google AI Ultra, Pro and Plus subscribers on the web, with mobile, more countries and free users to follow. The help page doesn't spell out today's eligibility for every account type, so check the Notebooks section of your menu. If it's there, you can use it.

Two more things from Google's help page: deleting a notebook also deletes its sources and chats, and users in the European Economic Area connect notebooks to Gemini Notebook manually rather than automatically.

Five ways to use Gemini notebooks in a business

One notebook per client, holding briefs, feedback and past work.
A launch notebook with the offer, the audience notes and every draft.
A policies notebook so you can ask questions of your own terms and FAQs.
A training notebook for a new hire, built from your process documents.
A research notebook of articles and reports on your market.

Copy and paste this prompt

Using only the sources in this notebook, list the five questions customers ask most.
For each one, draft a short answer in my tone and note which source it came from.
Flag any question where the sources disagree or don't give an answer.

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How do I get better answers from a notebook?

A notebook is only as good as what you put in it. Three habits make the biggest difference.

Name sources clearly. A file called final-v3 tells Gemini nothing. A file called service-descriptions tells it exactly what it's reading.
Remove out-of-date material. If an old version of your FAQ sits next to the new one, answers will mix them.
Ask it to cite the source. Asking which source an answer came from makes it easy to check before you use it.

It's also worth starting each working session with a one-line reminder of what you're doing today. The notebook remembers the discussion, but a clear starting point keeps the next answers focused.

Copy this prompt

Today I'm working on [task] for [client or project].
Before you answer anything else, list the sources in this notebook that are relevant to this task and anything that looks out of date.

Is a notebook private?

Your notebook holds whatever you upload, so treat it like any shared drive. Keep personal customer data out unless you need it, check what your Google account settings allow, and remember that deleting a notebook removes its sources and chats too. If you work with client documents, it's worth reading what AI assistants keep from your chats for the questions to ask of any tool.

Gemini notebooks vs ChatGPT Projects vs Claude Projects

All three keep files, instructions and conversations together. ChatGPT and Claude call it Projects; Gemini calls it notebooks and links them to Gemini Notebook. If you already use one, the habits carry over. My guides to ChatGPT Projects and Claude Projects show the same idea in those tools.

Notebooks or skills: which should I use?

It depends on whether the thing you're saving is material or method. A notebook is for material: the documents, notes and conversations that belong to one client, launch or topic. A skill is for method: the way you like a job done, such as your tone, your report layout or your reply style, applied in any chat.

Most small businesses end up using both. A brand-voice skill shapes how everything is written, and a client notebook supplies the facts about that client. Set up the skill once, then create a new notebook each time a new piece of work starts. If you only have time for one this week, start with a notebook for your busiest client, because that's where the time savings show up first. Add the skill the following week, once you can see which instructions you keep repeating.

Tools that work with Gemini notebooks

Google Drive is the easiest place to keep notebook sources, and Google Docs, Sheets and Slides cover most business documents. Gemini Notebook, the renamed NotebookLM, syncs with your notebooks for deeper research. Outside Google, Notion and Evernote are useful for collecting notes before they become sources, and Dropbox or OneDrive files can be downloaded and added as uploads.

If you'd like help setting up AI around your clients and projects, this is how I work with business owners.

Frequently asked questions

Does Gemini have projects?

Not under that name. Gemini uses notebooks, which keep your sources, instructions and chats together, the same job Projects does in ChatGPT and Claude.

How do I create a project in Gemini?

Open the Gemini menu, choose New notebook under Notebooks, name it and add sources or start chatting. Add instructions in Notebook settings.

What is Gemini Notebook?

Gemini Notebook is the new name for NotebookLM. Notebooks you create in the Gemini app sync with it automatically in most regions.

Can I add old chats to a Gemini notebook?

Yes. Search your chats, open the More menu next to one and choose Add to notebook. This needs Keep Activity switched on.

What happens if I delete a Gemini notebook?

Google says deleting a notebook also deletes its sources and chats, so download anything you need first.

Published and maintained by the Lilach Bullock team, covering marketing, AI and business growth.