How to Use Tana AI to Turn Notes Into Structured Tasks
Tana is a node-based outliner where every note is a bullet that can carry a supertag — a reusable schema like #task or #meeting. Its AI features fill those schemas from plain text, so you can type a messy paragraph and get structured fields back. The free plan covers unlimited nodes for a single person; teams pay around $10 per user a month on the Pro tier.
If you have bounced off Tana before because it looked empty, the entry point is supertags. Get two working and the tool clicks.
What is Tana?
Tana is a note app built on outliner nodes instead of pages. Each node can expand into a subtree, and supertags convert any node into a typed object with its own fields and views.
The AI sits inside as a command you trigger with a slash, or as autofill on a supertag field. It reads the context above your cursor and writes into fields you defined.
Is Tana free?
Yes, for individuals. The free tier gives unlimited nodes and the core supertag system. Pro unlocks AI credits, more workspaces, and calendar sync.
AI usage on Pro is metered in credits; heavy prompting can burn through a monthly allowance, so the AI features are the real upsell, not node count.
How do you create your first supertag?
- Type a node, then type # to open the tag menu and pick Create new tag.
- Name it Task. Add fields: Status, Due, Owner.
- Set field types — Status as options (Todo, Doing, Done), Due as date.
- On any node, type #Task to apply the schema; the fields appear inline.
- Open a search view and filter nodes by #Task where Status is not Done.
That last step gives you a live task list drawn from anywhere in the workspace. No moving notes into folders.
How does the AI fill fields?
Write a raw note like “meeting with Sara Friday, she owns the pricing page rewrite, due next week.” Trigger the AI command, choose the #Meeting supertag, and Tana proposes values for attendees, owner, and due date.
Autofill is the better pattern: on a supertag, enable AI on a field and it populates when you toggle the node, so you are not issuing a command every time.
Tana vs Notion at a glance
| Aspect | Tana | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Core unit | Nodes and supertags | Pages and databases |
| Speed to start | Slower — you design schemas | Faster — templates ready |
| AI role | Fills structured fields | Writes and summarizes text |
| Best fit | Power users building systems | General teams and docs |
Where does Tana frustrate people?
The blank canvas is real. There is no tidy first screen telling you what to do, and a badly designed supertag multiplies across your workspace. Undoing a bad schema change is manual.
Sharing is workable but not as polished as Notion’s public pages, so it fits solo knowledge work better than client-facing docs. If you need polished shareable pages today, Tana is a poor fit.
Who should use Tana?
People who think in outlines and want structure they design themselves: researchers, founders running their own task system, anyone who found Notion databases clunky. Skip it if you want a template you can use in five minutes without thinking about data design.
Quick Summary
- Tana is an outliner where nodes carry supertags — reusable schemas with typed fields.
- The free plan has unlimited nodes for one person; Pro is about $10 per user monthly and meters AI credits.
- Supertags turn messy notes into structured tasks, projects, or meetings via AI autofill.
- It rewards setup effort and suits power users; Notion is faster for simple document work.
