On October 19, 2026, Notion updated its agents so they can work on a single task for up to 24 hours. They also now get their own computer and browser, so they can open websites and work through pages on their own. Earlier, runs were capped at about five minutes.
A longer run only helps if the task is clear. If you type "help my business grow", the agent will guess what you want and give you something generic. This guide shows what to give it instead: a job with a clear goal, approved sources, an exact deliverable and firm limits.
What you need
A Notion workspace with Notion Agent or Custom Agents turned on. Check your plan and AI credits first, because agent runs use credits.
A list of 15 competitors, or at least the niche and city you want the agent to search in.
A Notion page or database where the agent should put its work.
10 minutes to review the output the next morning.
Step by step
1. Start with the task template
Every job you give the agent should fill these five fields. Copy this and fill in the brackets.
Goal: [the outcome you want, in one sentence]
Context: [what your business does and who your audience is]
Sources: [the websites or pages the agent is allowed to use]
Deliverables: [the exact file, page or table you want back]
Restrictions: Don't send messages, publish content, spend money or delete files. Flag uncertainty for my review.The Restrictions line matters most. An agent with a browser can click buttons, so tell it plainly what it must never do.
2. Job 01: Research 15 competitors
Goal: Research 15 competitors of my business.
Context: I run [business] for [audience] in [city or country].
Sources: Each competitor's own website, pricing page and public social profiles only.
Deliverables: For each competitor, note their website, main offer, target audience and publicly listed prices. Save it on the page "Competitor research".
Restrictions: Don't send messages, publish content, spend money or delete files. Don't sign up for anything or fill in forms. If a price isn't publicly listed, write "Not listed". Flag uncertainty for my review.3. Job 02: Organise the findings into a comparison table
Goal: Turn the competitor research into one comparison table.
Context: Use only the "Competitor research" page from the last task.
Sources: That page and the links already saved in it.
Deliverables: A table with columns Brand, Offer, Audience, Price and Source. Every factual claim needs a source link in the same row. Mark any row without a source as "Needs check".
Restrictions: Don't send messages, publish content, spend money or delete files. Don't add facts that aren't on a source page. Flag uncertainty for my review.The "no source, no claim" rule is what makes this table safe to use. You can click any link and check it yourself.
4. Job 03: Turn the findings into a content brief
Goal: Write a content brief based on the comparison table.
Context: My audience is [audience]. My offer is [offer] at [price].
Sources: The comparison table only.
Deliverables: A brief with 10 campaign angles, and three hooks written for three different audience groups. For each angle, say which finding from the table it comes from.
Restrictions: Don't send messages, publish content, spend money or delete files. Don't name or attack competitors in the hooks. Flag uncertainty for my review.5. Review before you use anything
When you open Notion in the morning:
Click five source links at random and check that the facts match.
Check every row marked "Needs check" or "Not listed".
Read the hooks out loud and rewrite them in your own voice before posting.
Good to know
Credits: Notion is moving all AI use to a new credit system, and a long run uses more credits than a quick chat. Check your plan's credits before you start three long jobs.
Review for me: The update adds a "Review for me" mode with safety checks. Turn it on for any job that touches a browser.
Public data only: Stick to what competitors publish themselves. Don't ask the agent to log in to other sites, scrape behind a login or collect personal data.
Agents still get things wrong: Treat the output as a first draft from a fast intern. The source column is there so you can check it.
Not only Notion: The same template works with other agents that can browse, such as ChatGPT agent mode or Claude. Only the run limits and pricing change.
For more ideas, see 20 AI Agents Every Small Business Can Set Up With Claude.
Sources
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